Vuelta 2017:Stage 17: Villadiego - Los Machucos. Monumento Vaca Pasiega 180.5KM *Spoilers*

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
edited September 2017 in Pro race
Right, lets get this little teaser up nice and early.
The whole stage is being covered live on Eurosport from 11-30am tomorrow.

Stage 17: Villadiego - Los Machucos. Monumento Vaca Pasiega 180.5KM

Map:
CARTE.jpg

Profile:
PROFIL.png

Climbs:
PROFILCOLSCOTES_1.png
PROFILCOLSCOTES_2.png

Final Kms:
PROFILKMS.png

More detail on the pointy bits:
DI-N7pOXoAAz-25.jpg:large

CW also, more detailed descriptions etc:
http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racin ... -is-345302
Most years the organisers of the Vuelta a España surprise us with some brutally tough new climb, but for 2017 they look to have outdone themselves with the Alto de los Machucos on stage 17.
Located deep in the mountainous countryside of Cantabria in the north of the country, this is nine kilometre climb could cause just as much damage as the better-known Sierra Nevada and Alto de l’Angliru which are also included in this year’s route.
The reason is that hidden within its nine per cent average gradient are some brutally steep slopes that ramp up to between 28 and 31 per cent (depending on your protractor).


Some tasty looking photos:

bustablado%2B11.jpg
P1000934.JPG
P1000933.JPG
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bustablado%2B4.jpg

And what do we find, right at the top?

2014-04-01+13.50.33.jpg
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • It looks utterly ridiculous, and as such I can't wait to watch tomorrow :D
  • It looks utterly ridiculous, and as such I can't wait to watch tomorrow :D

    Looks completely mental :lol:
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,439
    What's going to happen today? Froome talked about not going too hard in the tt and looked pretty fresh after it but nibali usually cones out after the second rest day like a new man
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 6,877
    Mickey mouse climbs here we come!
    Almost anything could happen today with those gradients - someone is likely to lose a packet though.
  • larkim
    larkim Posts: 2,474
    If you were Nibali what would you do? Sit in with Froome and wait for an all or nothing on the final Saturday, or go all in today on the basis that if it comes to naught you've still got Saturday, and if you blow up - well, who wants second place anyway?
    2015 Canyon Nerve AL 6.0 (son #1's)
    2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc (son #4s)
    2013 Decathlon Triban 3 (red) (mine)
    2019 Hoy Bonaly 26" Disc (son #2s)
    2018 Voodoo Bizango (mine)
    2018 Voodoo Maji (wife's)
  • I think Contador going for glory today is a fairly safe bet.

    He won't manage it mind, but it'll be fun to watch :)
  • How much did Froome lose to Bardet etc on the crazy airport in the Tour de France this year?
  • Blimey o'reilly! not missing this one today
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,439
    I can't see nibali sticking with Froome and Lopez today. But stranger things have happened.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    Bad weather apparently, which favours Nibali over Froome.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Bo Duke
    Bo Duke Posts: 1,058
    Each GT contender has no choice, they have to attack each day.... after today there's only Stage 20 to lose time.

    Come on Froomie lad!
    'Performance analysis and Froome not being clean was a media driven story. I haven’t heard one guy in the peloton say a negative thing about Froome, and I haven’t heard a single person in the peloton suggest Froome isn’t clean.' TSP
  • cmon Mr Nibbles!
  • So after the really steep bit, it levels off to 3km averaging over 12%. Like cycling up a wall, then doing the last few km to Tre Cime. I wouldn't fancy it myself.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    I will be driving to Newcastle this afternoon so I'll be missing the live finish. Boo.
    I think Contador going for glory today is a fairly safe bet.

    He won't manage it mind, but it'll be fun to watch :)

    He will do what he's done all race that is to make a heavily signposted attack and then go pop after a few minutes.
  • Bo Duke
    Bo Duke Posts: 1,058
    First we lost Tommy Voeckler and now Berti... where will the next solo breakaway drama queen come from ?
    'Performance analysis and Froome not being clean was a media driven story. I haven’t heard one guy in the peloton say a negative thing about Froome, and I haven’t heard a single person in the peloton suggest Froome isn’t clean.' TSP
  • epc06
    epc06 Posts: 214
    Bo Duke wrote:
    First we lost Tommy Voeckler and now Berti... where will the next solo breakaway drama queen come from ?

    Barguil probably
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,244
    De Gendt.
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    Never mind all that, why is there a monument to a cow on the top of a mountain?
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • Bo Duke
    Bo Duke Posts: 1,058
    If no one takes up the mantle we'll have to settle for Gee finding ever more dramatic ways to crash out...
    'Performance analysis and Froome not being clean was a media driven story. I haven’t heard one guy in the peloton say a negative thing about Froome, and I haven’t heard a single person in the peloton suggest Froome isn’t clean.' TSP
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,244
    cmon Mr Nibbles!

    tenor.gif
  • cmon Mr Nibbles!

    The big question for me is how much does he fancy the downhill between the climbs?
    Contador will probably already have flown by then. :P

    Could be a 60km battle for entry into the breakaway, with a headwind slowing down progress.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • OK, I am amazed.
    Looks like just 6 riders will form the BOTD. Nobody has sent riders ahead for bridging, later.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217
    Can anyone recommend a decent feed? I wish ITV4 were doing live coverage - I'm not paying good money to get Eurosport back while they insist on using Kirby.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    OK, I am amazed.
    Looks like just 6 riders will form the BOTD. Nobody has sent riders ahead for bridging, later.
    Booooooooooooooooo
  • larkim
    larkim Posts: 2,474
    Presumably there was a bit of a scrap to get the break going, would have expected Sky at the very least to close down anything which could send a squad up the road for Nibali.

    Who is in the BOTD. Live timing on the transponders says:
    "D. Moreno Fernandez 55 MOV+ 31' 43''
    S. Denifl 203 ABS+ 02h 13' 13''
    A. De Marchi 32 BMC+ 02h 29' 02''
    J. Alaphilippe 12 QST+ 02h 39' 21''
    D. Villella 98 CDT+ 02h 47' 55''
    M. Nielsen 44 ORS+ 03h 29' 14''"

    But live timing on the narrative says "Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) and Davide Villella (Cannondale-Drapac) join Alessandro De Marchi (BMC), Christopher Juul Jensen (Orica-Scott), Dani Moreno (Movistar) and Stefan Denifl (Aqua Blue Sport) at km 27." So is it Jensen or Neilsen?
    2015 Canyon Nerve AL 6.0 (son #1's)
    2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc (son #4s)
    2013 Decathlon Triban 3 (red) (mine)
    2019 Hoy Bonaly 26" Disc (son #2s)
    2018 Voodoo Bizango (mine)
    2018 Voodoo Maji (wife's)
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,892
    No point having team mates on such steep gradients. Every man for himself.
  • That feed station looks a good place to launch an attack.
  • Pross wrote:
    Can anyone recommend a decent feed? I wish ITV4 were doing live coverage - I'm not paying good money to get Eurosport back while they insist on using Kirby.


    the 2nd ES feed with no commentary but just the nice ambient sounds?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    phreak wrote:
    No point having team mates on such steep gradients. Every man for himself.
    But after the really steep bits there are still over 5km to go. Teammates help there. If people attack Froome on those bits I expect him to sit tight and keep his team intact as much as possible (at least Poels and Nieve).
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,583
    Bahrain rider holding on to the car there...