Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2018 - Spoiler
ocdupalais
Posts: 4,317
Stage: 1 - 19 March : Calella, 152.30 km
Stage: 2 - 20 March : Mataró - Valls, 175.60 km
Stage: 3 - 21 March : Sant Cugat del Vallès - Camprodon, 153.20 km
Stage: 4 - 22 March : Llanars - La Molina (Alp), 170.80 km
Stage: 5 - 23 March : Llívia - Vielha Val d'Aran, 212.90 km
Stage: 6 - 24 March : Vielha Val d'Aran - Torrefarrera, 194.20 km
Stage: 7 - 25 March : Barcelona, 154.80 km
I thought this deserves to not languish in the “Sh1t Small Races” thread - there are some quality rides here (as ever) and some monster climbs and gnarly finishes.
I love this part of the season: despite the badlands of Northern Europe still frosty, things are warming up in Spain and Italy. The young bucks trying it on with the old gits in an attempt to make sure their names are considered for the GT squads. So much hope and ambition!*
Talking of grizzled old gits, Valverde has already shown his one way ticket to the knackers yard can sod off for another year by winning a bunch sprint and taking the leader’s jersey...
And talking of hope and ambition crushed, which stage is TJVG going to crash out on....?
There’s Dan Martin on (almost) home soil... the Yates Bros riding together for a change... is Quintana up to much this year or has his GT star faded? There’s Chaves, Aru, Kruijswijk, Bennett, Pinot and Barguil, too... that’s some feat if Valverde can cope with all that.
* which is part of the reason people can get so grumpy when the GTs are anything less than scintillating throughout, I think: unfulfilled expectation being a key component of the upset.
Stage: 2 - 20 March : Mataró - Valls, 175.60 km
Stage: 3 - 21 March : Sant Cugat del Vallès - Camprodon, 153.20 km
Stage: 4 - 22 March : Llanars - La Molina (Alp), 170.80 km
Stage: 5 - 23 March : Llívia - Vielha Val d'Aran, 212.90 km
Stage: 6 - 24 March : Vielha Val d'Aran - Torrefarrera, 194.20 km
Stage: 7 - 25 March : Barcelona, 154.80 km
I thought this deserves to not languish in the “Sh1t Small Races” thread - there are some quality rides here (as ever) and some monster climbs and gnarly finishes.
I love this part of the season: despite the badlands of Northern Europe still frosty, things are warming up in Spain and Italy. The young bucks trying it on with the old gits in an attempt to make sure their names are considered for the GT squads. So much hope and ambition!*
Talking of grizzled old gits, Valverde has already shown his one way ticket to the knackers yard can sod off for another year by winning a bunch sprint and taking the leader’s jersey...
And talking of hope and ambition crushed, which stage is TJVG going to crash out on....?
There’s Dan Martin on (almost) home soil... the Yates Bros riding together for a change... is Quintana up to much this year or has his GT star faded? There’s Chaves, Aru, Kruijswijk, Bennett, Pinot and Barguil, too... that’s some feat if Valverde can cope with all that.
* which is part of the reason people can get so grumpy when the GTs are anything less than scintillating throughout, I think: unfulfilled expectation being a key component of the upset.
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Comments
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It’s a shame that Eurosport have put Kirby on this one; the sound of a sh!t car being revved outside your bedroom on a sunny Spring morning...0
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There’s some discussion as to whether the route changes will benefit Valverde or not...
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/key-sum ... valanches/0 -
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yep he's ruined it already.OCDuPalais wrote:It’s a shame that Eurosport have put Kirby on this one; the sound of a sh!t car being revved outside your bedroom on a sunny Spring morning...
What's the GC so far ? Missed the end of the this yesterday as my recording got cut off0 -
valverde rocks0
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nah, man not for me. used to like it when purito won it but not now. I admire Valverde for his talent and all that, but he is effectively a vampire that's immune to the sunlight, isn't he?0
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OCDuPalais wrote:* which is part of the reason people can get so grumpy when the GTs are anything less than scintillating throughout, I think: unfulfilled expectation being a key component of the upset.
Hence why the Dauphine is better than the tour. Better racing and just leaves you excited about the big start0 -
OCDuPalais wrote:There’s some discussion as to whether the route changes will benefit Valverde or not...
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/key-sum ... valanches/
Valverde was training up there a few days ago and beating Bardets strava segment time! It's a shame so much if the stage has changed.0 -
OCDuPalais wrote:There’s some discussion as to whether the route changes will benefit Valverde or not...
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/key-sum ... valanches/
Before:
After:
No comparison.
Looks like a boring plod to the final metres and the inevitable Piti win.
Never mind, there is always the one day of the Three days of De Panne to watch.
Edit: We now have a red echelon alert in De Panne........"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Well... I tried to drum up some enthusiasm for this.
Currently, there’s a break of 3 up the road at 1:30 with De Gendt in, 24km to go.0 -
OCDuPalais wrote:Well... I tried to drum up some enthusiasm for this.
Currently, there’s a break of 3 up the road at 1:30 with De Gendt in, 24km to go.
I have it on in the back ground. Headwind means it's like a 70km, slow motion replay."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Simon Yates lining it out on front of bunch ...De Gendt now on his own with 1:40 - 14.0km to go (uphill, then draggy).0
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Dan Martin, Adam Yates, Pinot attack!0
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Quintana in chase group of 4!0
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Pinot, Matthias Frank, A Yates and Quintana now at 48 secs 9.3km to go...0
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No idea what happened to Dan Martin in long tunnel...0
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Chase group kicking sh1t out of each other..0
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What are they doing! They just need to roll through... lead jersey group at 1.020
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De Gendt still has 38secs with 5.6km to go...0
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Tao Geoghan and Kenny Elissonde doing all the chasing in the bunch0
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All still in balance... De Gendt being told by team car to stop mincing about in the 12 ring - put it in the 11!0
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The chase group can’t bring him back...0
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2.2km fo de Gendt ... 28 secs on chase... 43 secs on bunch0
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1km De Gendt - 27 secs he’s got this...0
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Quintana jumps under flame rouge0
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Shut down by Yates0
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De Gendt wins...! Yates 2nd as bunch catches chase group on line...0
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Simon Yates crashed0
