La Vuelta September 2, Stage 13

ednwireland

Sarria - Ponferrada

Spain’s most spectacular climb?

There’s been plenty of debate over the years about why the Vuelta has never tackled the Ancares, especially as the pass was surfaced 20 years ago and is regarded as the most spectacular in Spain. Finally, though, it has been included. Comparisons are often made between the Ancares and the Galibier. Although the French giant is much bigger, both feature a substantial ‘first step’ before the grind up the main ascent. The kilometres after Balouta are particularly tough but there are also steep ramps close to the summit. There are 60 very fast kilometres into the finish in Ponferrada.

GetWithIt

Sarria Ponferrada 158,2 km

GetWithIt

Could be a great move by Roche today. In the break already.

Or could be another Le Tour suicidal effort of a desperate man.

D3PO

GetWithIt wrote: »

Could be a great move by Roche today. In the break already.

Or could be another Le Tour suicidal effort of a desperate man.

was never going to last with the likes of Nibali, Wiggo etc in it.

Beasty

Threads merged

Beasty

Bukman13

Some clever riding by Nibali for the sprint, up to 2nd and only 4 seconds behind Wiggins in the GC now.

Roche and Moreno and in a 27 rider breakaway with a gap of 1min 20sec.

GetWithIt

Not sure if this break is more or less suicidal than the last.

D3PO

GetWithIt wrote: »

Not sure if this break is more or less suicidal than the last.

No GC contenders in it (Roche, Sorenson & Moreno are kidding themselves if they think they are) so I see no reason why this group cant fight it out for the win today.

kilns

The leading group are now 3 mins clear, the could have a big enough group to hold off the peloton and stay away for the stage win and also to but the likes of Moreno and Roche way back up in GC

D3PO

kilns wrote: »

The leading group are now 3 mins clear, the could have a big enough group to hold off the peloton and stay away for the stage win and also to but the likes of Moreno and Roche way back up in GC

Id expect the main bunch to start chasing after the summit of the Puerta de Ocero.

Will be whittled down but given the break has decent numbers not as quickly as normal once they dont start playing silly buggers then again the lead group might splinter on the next climb.

Hopefully they stay away Id love to see Nico grab a stage to go with Dan's. Fingers and toes crossed anyway.

donfers

am i allowed to ask for a link to a reliable stream?

Pherekydes

Lol at Kelly calling it a 'bonification'.

D3PO

can anynody provide an update ?

La Vuelta website has them 2'40 clear with 22km to go but its very unreliable site to go by. If its right this group should battle between themselves for the win.

Nico can sprint a bit so hes got a shot if thats the case.

Bukman13

D3PO wrote: »

can anynody provide an update ?

La Vuelta website has them 2'40 clear with 22km to go but its very unreliable site to go by. If its right this group should battle between themselves for the win.

Nico can sprint a bit so hes got a shot if thats the case.

Gap is at 2:46 with 19km to go, Roche picked up 2seconds in the inter sprint.

Leopard trek and Radioshack doing to most work to close the break down.

goldencleric

17.9km gap at around 2'43"

http://live.cyclingnews.com/

JacksonHeightsOwn

Roche is going to jump a few places in the GC here, and even better still, is he hasnt had to do anything at the front to pull the group on, as all them crazy Basques are working like men possessed

dastardly00

8km left, 1:57 lead.

D3PO

so in terms of a sprint finish who would be the favourite ? Should I be genuinely excited with Roches chances ?

last KM is almost dead flat.

GetWithIt

It won't be a sprint finish. Too many in the group to stay together.

dastardly00

D3PO wrote: »

so in terms of a sprint finish who would be the favourite ? Should I be genuinely excited with Roches chances ?

last KM is almost dead flat.

no way will all 20 wait for a bunch sprint. Everyone is going to start attacking now. The longer it stays together as a bunch, maybe the better for Roche?

D3PO

dastardly00 wrote: »

no way will all 20 wait for a bunch sprint. Everyone is going to start attacking now. The longer it stays together as a bunch, maybe the better for Roche?

I dont expect all 20 to stay together but I dont expect 1 guy to ping off the front and race away either.

D3PO

Damn win for Albasini.

Dont know when Roche will next get a better chance in a grand tour.

goldencleric

Albasini takes it, Roche about 6th maybe?

dastardly00

dastardly00 wrote: »

no way will all 20 wait for a bunch sprint. Everyone is going to start attacking now. The longer it stays together as a bunch, maybe the better for Roche?

20 man bunch sprint.... just shows what I know!

Damn, great chance for Roche to win there

D3PO

goldencleric wrote: »

Albasini takes it, Roche about 6th maybe?

may aswell have been 20th.

D3PO

Roche offically 5th so I guess he gets a UCI point at least.

Moreno with a time bonus at the finish

manwithaplan

Roche up to 14th overall. 2mins 15secs down on GC.

donfers

I thought roche was a good sprinter, moreno outsprinted him at the intermediate and got third place and he has got no pedigree, that's 14 seconds moreno picked up and if roche had won the stage and the intermediate he could have added 26 seconds, was he knackered from driving the group along? did moreno help at the front at all? He had most to benefit in g.c. so i'd imagine he helped alright yet despite not being a sprinter he wins the intermediate sprint and gets third - suspicious performance from moreno to say the least

happytramp

Ha, did you see the way Albasini was drinking his can of sprite? Like he was on his bike

happytramp

manwithaplan wrote: »

Roche up to 14th overall. 2mins 15secs down on GC.

Only 15sec from top 10.

Inquitus

1 188 WIGGINS, Bradley SKY 51h 14' 59''
2 183 FROOME, Christopher SKY + 7''
3 131 KESSIAKOFF, Fredrik AST + 9''
4 103 FUGLSANG, Jakob LEO + 19''
5 1 NIBALI, Vincenzo LIQ + 24''
6 157 MOLLEMA, Bauke RAB + 36''
7 104 MONFORT, Maxime LEO + 1' 04''
8 61 COBO, Juan José GEO + 1' 27''
9 85 MORENO, Daniel KAT + 1' 52''
10 209 ZUBELDIA, Haimar RSH + 1' 53''
11 201 BRAJKOVIC, Janez RSH + 2' 00''
12 127 VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen OLO + 2' 01''
13 161 SÖRENSEN, Chris SBS + 2' 14''
14 11 ROCHE, Nicolas ALM + 2' 15''

goldencleric

donfers wrote: »

I thought roche was a good sprinter, moreno outsprinted him at the intermediate and got third place and he has got no pedigree, that's 14 seconds moreno picked up and if roche had won the stage and the intermediate he could have added 26 seconds, was he knackered from driving the group along? did moreno help at the front at all? He had most to benefit in g.c. so i'd imagine he helped alright yet despite not being a sprinter he wins the intermediate sprint and gets third - suspicious performance from moreno to say the least

I saw Moreno sticking behind Nico's wheel when it was his turn to come up the right a few times. That's bike racing I suppose, maybe Nico should not have been so content to drive it along.

GetWithIt

Did Nibali get penalized by 20 secs? He was 8 secs behind yesterday, won a time bonus and finished with Wiggins. He's now 24 secs behind.

John.Icy

donfers wrote: »

I thought roche was a good sprinter, moreno outsprinted him at the intermediate and got third place and he has got no pedigree, that's 14 seconds moreno picked up and if roche had won the stage and the intermediate he could have added 26 seconds, was he knackered from driving the group along? did moreno help at the front at all? He had most to benefit in g.c. so i'd imagine he helped alright yet despite not being a sprinter he wins the intermediate sprint and gets third - suspicious performance from moreno to say the least

Roche has said he lost speed off his sprinting since he lost weight to improve his climbing ability... less of a kick now...and he was too far back anyway to try take the stage, he could only make up so mamy metres

Next too days will be fun...I see Nico having a belter on the angrilu as theres little fear of too many flase flats to lose ground on and Dan will be up there tomorrow fighting for the stage.

happytramp

GetWithIt wrote: »

Did Nibali get penalized by 20 secs? He was 8 secs behind yesterday, won a time bonus and finished with Wiggins. He's now 24 secs behind.

Yep, 20sec for a 'long' water bottle exchange. It's ridiculous to peanilize a GT contender for that.

happytramp

happytramp wrote: »

Yep, 20sec for a 'long' water bottle exchange. It's ridiculous to peanilize a GT contender for that.

Now he's back to +4sec

GetWithIt

Dan won't be impressed. One rule for the Paddy's another for the guys in the ads for the shoes.

Dura Ace

Tweet from Nico.

"Cant say im not happy with today!!! As i mooved up gc! But please can someone send me "how to win a bike race" explanation book!"

thetonynator

Dura Ace wrote: »

Tweet from Nico.

"Cant say im not happy with today!!! As i mooved up gc! But please can someone send me "how to win a bike race" explanation book!"

Can't find his page, whats it called?

dastardly00

thetonynator wrote: »

Can't find his page, whats it called?

his twitter page?
@nicholasroche

thetonynator

dastardly00 wrote: »

his twitter page?
@nicholasroche

Thanks, didnt show up in my search for some reason.