La Vuelta, Stage 6, *Spoilers*

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  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Crankbrother wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Impressive legs ... shame his head didn't match them ... WTF did he keep looking back for?

    Nice job by Fabu to stick one to the immediate competition ...
    What are you talking about? Almost keeping the peloton off with such a small margin, after a long solo effort is incredible; nothing wrong with his head.

    If he doesn't look back a minimum of 4 times in the last KM he wins ... So kind of his own fault ...
    Yes, because it's well-known that cyclists cannot pedal while looking back :roll:
    What you teach juniors doesn't necessarily apply to pros....
  • cesco
    cesco Posts: 252
    You both make it sound like it's his own doing that he got caught where he got caught.
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    cesco wrote:
    You both make it sound like it's his own doing that he got caught where he got caught.

    Exactly.
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    knedlicky wrote:
    After only 12 km, Tony Martin out on his own has a 3 min lead.
    Maybe he's having a day of practice for the WC TT?
    After the stage, it was stated that Martin did indeed intentionally set out today to do a form of training for the WC TT in Florence.

    Just the longer he stayed ahead and the closer the finish became, especially when it got under 20 km away, the more he hoped to be able to ride all the way through and win the stage.

    There he is at the finish, left of Cancellara.
    9624621082_1247d9fda0_o.jpg
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    What a legend. Not often I feel sorry for a German. Unbelievable performance from TM.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,801
    reminds me of the vuelta stage back in 1990-somethink when ugramov got pipped on the line after persisting insanely in a solo break....

    I think it was the same year that jaja caught bertie dietz on the line but slowed up to let him win.
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • bobmac64
    bobmac64 Posts: 22
    What a performance by Tony! I started following at about 25 km to go, and kept on coming back in disbelief when it was less than 10 km to go and he kept holding them off!
    I was screaming at Tony to win and had to watch the replay to see who beat him as I was so focused on him getting to the line first.
    If you were watching on Eurosport (which I can do online via Sportlemon), did you notice how quiet the commentators were after Martin was denied? (well, okay, not so much Sean Kelly, as he pretty much seems devoid of emotion). You would have thought someone just died...
    Anyhow, lots of fun watching this all unfold, and I definitely have jumped on the "Tony Martin bandwagon". Is there a tougher rider out there? Crashing out in TdF stage 1 finish "bus fiasco mixup", and then winning the ITT how many days later?
    2012 Felt F85
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    6e_2995283.jpg

    Aero road helmet and skinsuit, but a Tarmac? Why no Venge? Wonder if that would have made enough of a difference over 175km?
  • bobmac64
    bobmac64 Posts: 22
    Aero road helmet and skinsuit, but a Tarmac? Why no Venge? Wonder if that would have made enough of a difference over 175km?
    I think the peleton would not have let him get the lead he had if he came kitted up full aero!
    2012 Felt F85
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    edited August 2013
    You can tell the peloton lacks sprinter characters when they, instead of just catching him 10km before the finish, let him have another go using him as a rabbit to prevent further attacks..

    It's the biggest engine in the sport we are talking about ere afterall.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,929
    Tony Martin failed to win stage six of the Vuelta a Espana despite leading on his own for the first 175km

    BBC
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    “I had never participated in a bunch sprint like this before so I just tried because I was the only one in the team who can sprint,” Morkov told TVE. “In the end I had a really good position, I got on the wheel of Cancellara and I knew I would have a last kick and in the end it was enough.

    “It feels amazing, it’s fantastic to race in this national Danish jersey and I just feel so proud and lucky to do so.”

    So cool. Very happy for him. Imagine how boring it would be if Farrar had won that one.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Tony Martin failed to win stage six of the Vuelta a Espana despite leading on his own for the first 175km

    BBC

    Sounds like the return of ukcyclingexpert perhaps?
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    Absolutely gutted for TM today, I was shouting at the telly, even the missus was watching (My cycling brainwashing is slowly taking effect...)
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  • cesco
    cesco Posts: 252
    ThomThom wrote:
    “I had never participated in a bunch sprint like this before so I just tried because I was the only one in the team who can sprint,” Morkov told TVE. “In the end I had a really good position, I got on the wheel of Cancellara and I knew I would have a last kick and in the end it was enough.

    “It feels amazing, it’s fantastic to race in this national Danish jersey and I just feel so proud and lucky to do so.”

    So cool. Very happy for him. Imagine how boring it would be if Farrar had won that one.

    I like Morkov. He never really stood out, event though his palmares is nothing to be ashamed of. Winning a hardly organised bunch sprint like that sure takes luck, but skill as well. I wonder if people would have felt less sorry for Martin had he been caught 5-10k earlier.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,570
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    6e_2995283.jpg

    Aero road helmet and skinsuit, but a Tarmac? Why no Venge? Wonder if that would have made enough of a difference over 175km?

    Comfort &/or weight I suspect. Venge is a brutal ride.
    _
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    greasedscotsman wrote:

    Aero road helmet and skinsuit, but a Tarmac? Why no Venge? Wonder if that would have made enough of a difference over 175km?

    Again, it's not like the peloton just couldn't do anything against Tony. Rather than just catching him with with 10 to go they just let him stay in front of the peloton as a rabbit - now, as the peloton is on the weaker side with sprinters and big engines, they mistimed it a bit (well, they did catch him but I'm sure they would like to have caught him a bit earlier)..
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    Can't help thinking if he'd got out of the saddle and sprinted with 100/150m to go he'd have got it. He was looking around thinking when am I going to get caught
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  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    Did anyone else hear the Eurosport commentator say "Well I bet Tony Martin has got some very tidy kitchen cupboards..."?? Wtf??
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    Only just watched highlights programme and stayed off the thread. Incredible by Tony Martin. Probably one of the most memorable flat stages in a GT in years. Such a crying shame he didn't make it a win.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,929
    Have only watched the last 1km (no real point watching any more since I know the result)


    Regarding his aero equipment, does he use invisible TT bars a la Spartacus?
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    Tony Martin afterwards:

    “At the end, it was bitter-sweet. On the one hand I lost but on the other I also felt like a winner, because at the finish everyone wanted to speak to me. I had the feeling that I had done something great.

    There (20 km out) I thought to give up on my break, but then I pushed myself again and after a while, when they (the peloton) hadn’t closed the gap, I thought, well perhaps it’ll work.

    I think it was a good breakaway. I managed very well, although I must say the following wind helped. Without it I wouldn’t have had any chance of getting through to the finish.

    Five kms before the finish I was very tired. Towards the end, the route didn’t play into my hands, because there were a couple of small rises, and by then the peloton was at full speed.

    It was a strange feeling, because I could see the finish line and at the same time hear the peloton behind me. My legs gave everything they could. I just couldn’t go any quicker in the last 200 m. Unfortunately, they caught me.

    It was an unusually long time-trial over 4 hours, but I never lost control and the whole time I had my energy expenditure in check. If one wants to see it positively, then one can consider that it was good training for the World Championships.”
  • mm1
    mm1 Posts: 1,063
    Training for next year's BBAR? I wonder what he'd do in a 12hr?
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    ThomThom wrote:
    Again, it's not like the peloton just couldn't do anything against Tony. Rather than just catching him with with 10 to go they just let him stay in front of the peloton as a rabbit - now, as the peloton is on the weaker side with sprinters and big engines, they mistimed it a bit (well, they did catch him but I'm sure they would like to have caught him a bit earlier)..

    Oh for sure, it's all just speculation. But the point is the bunch did sit up when they got his lead down to what they thought was manageable (which is a common tactic, they did exactly the same thing the day before) and all Martin was looking for was a few seconds. Would a different bike have made that difference. Maybe, maybe not.

    Just seems a bit odd to use a skinsuit and aero road helmet (not sure how warm it was yesterday), but not an aero road frame.
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Comfort &/or weight I suspect. Venge is a brutal ride.

    Doesn't seem to stop other riders using them all the time.
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    Remember Cancellara favours the Domane over the more aero Madone, might just be a personal preference thing, what does Martin normally ride?
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  • blackpoolkev
    blackpoolkev Posts: 474
    Tony Martin - The Magnificent Seventh.
    In another life maybe I could have been a sports headline writer.
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,002
    Only just caught up with this - fantastic effort from Tone.

    So - who will Cav really cheer for at the World TT - Team mate and train member (driver?), or old buddy who could help him to get the elusive Olympic gong?
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    t4tomo wrote:
    Can't help thinking if he'd got out of the saddle and sprinted with 100/150m to go he'd have got it. He was looking around thinking when am I going to get caught

    His legs were truly empty. Impossible for him to put any more effort than he did.
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