La Vuelta 2019, Stage 5: L' Eliana > Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre 28/08/2019 - 170,7 km

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
edited August 2019 in Pro race
La Vuelta 2019, Stage 5: L' Eliana > Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre 28/08/2019 - 170,7 km

The 5th stage sees the Vuelta a España dive inland to the remote region of Teruel. The summit finish near the Javalambre Observatory is even more remote. Starting in L’Eliana, the route amounts to 170.7 kilometres.

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The route of the 5th stage on La Vuelta is not exceptionally hard. Yet, the finishing climb is. The road to the Javalambre Observatorio is 11.1 kilometres long and the last 5 kilometres are extremely tough. Double digit material.

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The riders click into their pedals in L’Eliana. Basically, the road goes uphill once the flag is dropped, but at shallow gradients. The riders reach the summit of the Puerto de Alcublas at kilometre 31.7, which is a classified climb of 5.9 kilometres at 4.7%. The Alcublas lies at an elevation of 750 metres and the route continues to climb gradually to over 900 metres above sea level.

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The rest of the day goes either up or down, although the slopes are gentle. The Alto Fuente de Rubielos stands out a little with its 5.7% gradient. The 4.8 kilometres ascent is crested with 72 kilometres remaining.
The best is saved for last and it is called the Pico del Buitre, or Peak of the Vulture. The final climb appears 11.1 kilometres before the finish line, while the average gradient sits at 7.8%. Which is really a biased statistic, as the first 3 kilometres go up at approximately 4% and the fifth kilometre even features a short downhill.

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The organisation decided to name the climb, Alto de Javalambre, because of the eponymous Observatory at the top.
The road was asphalted for the climb by La Vuelta 2019

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The todociclismo boys videoed their ascent of Vulture Peak.

https://youtu.be/rdlw9cCO1iY?t=2

Favourites 5th stage 2019 Vuelta a España

Probably, the GC riders are going to take it easy for most of the day and won’t bother about the breakaway. The man in red is the only one who possibly could bother about keeping the attackers within range. That is, if he is willing to fight to keep the red jersey in the short run, which presumably is the hope of Nico Roche. On the other hand, he and his team could let the jersey ride away from them on the fifth day of action to save stress and energy in the days to come.
Whatever the case, the finishing climb will be a battle ground. Undoubtedly, the GC riders are going to test each other, regardless of the breakaway’s lead. The last 5 kilometres of the 11 kilometres climb virtually all go uphill at more than 10%.

*** Gregor Mühlberger, Wout Poels, Marc Soler
** Primoz Roglic, Miguel Ángel López, Nairo Quintana
* Rafal Majka, Rigoberto Urán, Daniel Felipe Martínez

L' Eliana
Unprecedented departure

17,760 inhabitants
Sustainable, welcoming and with a broad cultural and festive offer, L’Eliana is above all a modern city. A cultural avant-garde that is well represented by a local band with a nationwide following: La Habitación Roja. Throughout its trajectory spanning more than two decades, the group has been one of the foremost exponents of Spain’s ‘indie’ music scene. Receiving La Vuelta for the very first time, L’Eliana hopes to experience ‘A perfect day’.

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From the 26th to the 30th of August, the municipality will celebrate the 18th anniversary of the flamenco festival with masters class; street performances; routes of the cover and with the concert of the Valencian guitarist Juan de Pilar.
A bit of Spanish culture instead of the usual food.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXeVpOWJ0Co



Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre
Unprecedented Vuelta finale

Located at a height of almost 2,000 metres, the Javalambre Astrophysics Observatory can be seen from the town of Arcos de las Salinas. This science centre, which has been operating for almost thirty years, is dedicated to mapping stars through the two telescopes that stand out in the area’s mountainous landscape. The Javalambre range in Teruel, where the observatory is located, is featuring in La Vuelta for the very first time. With its 12 kilometres and an average incline of 7%, it promises to be an exciting stage for enthusiasts and a tough one for a peloton that will be closer than ever to the stars.

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"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,851
    Observatories on mountain tops are magical places in my mind...
    Half man, Half bike
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    Lopez has by far the shortest odds (14/5) followed by Roglic at 7/1.

    So there is a pretty big difference between those star ratings and the bookies - could be some value to be had because Poels is 40/1, Muhlberger and Soler are at 80/1 on William Hill. Assuming the star ratings are remotely sensible...
  • bobmcstuff wrote:
    Lopez has by far the shortest odds (14/5) followed by Roglic at 7/1.

    So there is a pretty big difference between those star ratings and the bookies - could be some value to be had because Poels is 40/1, Muhlberger and Soler are at 80/1 on William Hill. Assuming the star ratings are remotely sensible...

    IF the breakaway isn't controlled, those odds go out of the window. I happen to think it won't be controlled
    I just picked the 3 best climbers that are over 10 minutes down, although I'm not sure Poels has his head in the game.
    If folks think that the break won't make it, then give the 2 stars an extra star and you have the bookies favs plus Nairo Quintana.
    The 2 stars then become the other GC climbers.

    It's all guesswork, including the bookies.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    Lopez has by far the shortest odds (14/5) followed by Roglic at 7/1.

    So there is a pretty big difference between those star ratings and the bookies - could be some value to be had because Poels is 40/1, Muhlberger and Soler are at 80/1 on William Hill. Assuming the star ratings are remotely sensible...

    IF the breakaway isn't controlled, those odds go out of the window. I happen to think it won't be controlled
    I just picked the 3 best climbers that are over 10 minutes down, although I'm not sure Poels has his head in the game.
    If folks think that the break won't make it, then give the 2 stars an extra star and you have the bookies favs plus Nairo Quintana.
    The 2 stars then become the other GC climbers.

    It's all guesswork, including the bookies.

    Sure, although the bookies odds are an amalgamation of their guess plus the guesses of the punters.

    Only reason I mentioned it is your logic for star ratings sounds fine and those guys have quite long odds, so anyone looking to put a couple of quid down could probably do worse.
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,851
    Surely movistar will be looking for a couple of seconds somewhere today which will influence the play...
    Half man, Half bike
  • Alejandrosdog
    Alejandrosdog Posts: 1,975
    im not sure if it will be a GC skirmish or a break day. ill have to watch and see.
  • Well, none of those 10 minute climbers are there and the break is small.
    José Herrada (Cofidis) who lost over 4 minutes yesterday and the usual suspects, Angel Madrazo and Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH) are the three ahead, but they have a 10 minute lead, with just over 50kms covered.

    Interesting that Herrada is now equal with Valverde at 10-1 to take the stage. Just sayin.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,786
    When I see the pictures I can't help thinking the Vuelta red jersey is the most disappointing to win when you're a Sunweb rider.
  • inseine wrote:
    When I see the pictures I can't help thinking the Vuelta red jersey is the most disappointing to win when you're a Sunweb rider.
    “Just grab a sharpie and colour in the stripes, that’ll do”
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,786
    gettyimages_1170696338.jpg

    Spot the race leader
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,786
    seems a bit early to have gone the full matching socks, helmet, bike.... ;)
  • 34kms to go and the peloton stop for a pee and a picnic.
    I can't understand how so few were interested in getting in today's break, given there's obviously a free gift of a stage at the end.
    As it is, the lesser Herrada probably holds the golden ticket.

    Gap now out to 11 minutes.

    Edit: They are going so slowly that there has been a pile up in the middle of the bunch.
    Gaviria's nightmare season continues.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • So slow they fell asleep
  • And now some comedy at the front
  • So slow they fell asleep

    As did the Burgos team car driver. :lol:
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Alejandrosdog
    Alejandrosdog Posts: 1,975
    maybe something will happen once the peloton get on the final climb......


    or maybe it wont
  • maybe something will happen once the peloton get on the final climb......


    or maybe it wont

    There will definitely be a GC battle as this climb has tough stats.

    However, the breakaway are going to start the climb with a lead of 9 minutes.
    If only one of the three was half decent.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • 9 minutes to the second. :)
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,123
    maybe something will happen once the peloton get on the final climb......


    or maybe it wont

    There will definitely be a GC battle as this climb has tough stats.

    However, the breakaway are going to start the climb with a lead of 9 minutes.
    If only one of the three was half decent.

    Bol isn't always terrible on hilly stages.
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,224
    Seems like forever since we’ve seen Kiry on the front.
  • Tough looking climb this
  • Valverde goes for it
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,224
    Valverde attack drops Urán, Chaves and Roche
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,224
    Finally seeing Sepp Kuss against the best. Looking good.
  • Valverde helping Quintana by dropping him, good to see that famous Movistar unity in action.
  • Big attack from Lopez
  • Valverde helping Quintana by dropping him, good to see that famous Movistar unity in action.

    Brilliant isn't it?
    Lopez will send him a Christmas card.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,224
    Pogacar chasing Valverde and Roglic who are chasing Lopez
  • OCDuPalais wrote:
    Pogacar chasing Valverde and Roglic who are chasing Lopez

    Slovenia is the new Colombia.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Lopez is flying