Vuelta; Stage 6 (Aug 23): Tarazona-Jaca; *contains unmasked spoilers*

dastardly00

Stage 6 (Aug 23): Tarazona – Jaca
Distance: 174.8km
Highest point: 1,070m
Category: Medium mountains

Today's stage is straightforward up until the last 20km in which there are two Cat 3 climbs (Puerto de Oroel and Alto Fuerte de Rapitán) to deal with. The Rapitán looks tougher than most Cat 3 ascents, climbing for almost 4km at more than 8 per cent, with sections of 14 per cent and the stage finish at the summit.

The GC contenders have been willing to attack so far anytime the road has gone uphill, so the stage finish today should be very exciting. Rodriguez loves these types of finishes, so I can see him attacking and that will bring all the other GC contenders into play. Bertie has been super aggressive also so I wouldn't be surprised if he attacked at the start of the climb. Gilbert will be in with a good shout also. He is probably the best 'non-GC' rider at these type of stage finishes.

Stage Profile:




Coverage on Eurosport from 3pm

ednwireland

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/nicolas-roche-when-you-nearly-break-a-tooth-on-a-piece-of-pasta-you-know-theres-something-wrong-3208305.html

The hotel, however, is built on top of a supermarket which means we have to eat in the supermarket cafe. It's a cheap, €5, all-you-can-eat type of thing where the food, as you can imagine, is geared more towards casual shoppers and truck drivers than professional cyclists. It has been miserable.

When you nearly break a tooth on a piece of pasta, you know there's something wrong and we've resorted to having one of the soigneurs cook our pasta on the team bus instead of eating the supermarket stuff.

:eek: just :eek:

hopefully saxo will feed hime better (and no i dont mean spanish beef)

AG2R

total joke tbf

dooverylittle

ednwireland wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/nicolas-roche-when-you-nearly-break-a-tooth-on-a-piece-of-pasta-you-know-theres-something-wrong-3208305.html



:eek: just :eek:

hopefully saxo will feed hime better (and no i dont mean spanish beef)

I think it is not unreasonable to expect a noticeable improvement in roche next year. And I am not talking about Skys "marginal gains"
For me roche looks like he could comfortably loose up to 4Kg.
AG2R(most french teams) are way behind in the application of sports science, Tradition/romance is getting in the way.
There are loads of examples from diet to incorrect wheel choices in TT's.

REBELSAFC

Anyone else notice that he hasn't mentioned team dynamics/tactics since the first day, apart from Mondroys sprinting?

I wonder if AG2R are impressed with his solo run for the GC

n-dawg

Is the Vuelta the same as the TdeF with the organisers booking the hotels and not giving the teams much choice. If that's the case you can't really blame AG2R for the hotel. However, it seems that they are one of a few teams that don't have there own chef...

dooverylittle

REBELSAFC wrote: »

Anyone else notice that he hasn't mentioned team dynamics/tactics since the first day, apart from Mondroys sprinting?

I wonder if AG2R are impressed with his solo run for the GC

I think its clear he is defying team orders, IMO his best quality as a bike rider is he never gives up. It looks to me as if he struggles with the idea of loosing time on purpose in order to be given more freedom by the peleton.

I also think he feels his form is very good and that this might be his last opportunity to ride for GC(at a grand tour).

Morrisseeee

REBELSAFC wrote: »

Anyone else notice that he hasn't mentioned team dynamics/tactics since the first day

Is he getting ANY support from his team, I thought I saw him at the front of the peloton (on a flat section) the other day with no team mates around him, is he fighting a lone battle ?!

I think this is the climb, it doesn't look straight-forward, plenty steep & loads of switchbacks !!

3D

AG2R

Decent riders in the break,no dangers though although still doesn't look like the break will be allowed away
3:07.....


Kelly talking about De Gents love of spice sausage :pac:

AG2R

Valverde and Rodriguez having a nice long chat....

manwithaplan

AG2R wrote: »

Valverde and Rodriguez having a nice long chat....

Two big favourites making the calculation I'd say...

D3PO

action will happen any moment now.

i expect sky and saxo to try and burn off some of the gc guys before bertie , froome, j rod or valverde have a pop in the last few kms

D3PO

Nico struggling

Anton and Mollema gone

D3PO

J Rod with the win.

Froome will be happy to have put bonus seconds into Bertie though.

dastardly00

Froome didn't have a chance of beating J Rod one-on-one.

manwithaplan

Nico 7th

dastardly00

1 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha Team
2 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling
3 Alejandro Valverde(Spa) Movistar Team
4 Alberto Contador (Esp) Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank
5 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
6 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling
7 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
8 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC
9 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale

n-dawg

dastardly00 wrote: »

1 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha Team
2 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling
3 Alejandro Valverde(Spa) Movistar Team
4 Alberto Contador (Esp) Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank
5 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
6 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling
7 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale

It was NOCENTINI in 7th... roche was 9th. But moved up a plce in the GC

D3PO

edit 9th for Roche.

Still a good job. If AG2R were supporting him though Nocentini would have towed him to the line. Makes it clear they arent and hes on his own for the next two weeks

Inquitus

Bertie blows!

needs some

dastardly00

Overall Standings:

1. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha Team 21:45:06
2. Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:00:10
3. Alberto Contador (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 0:00:35
4. Rigoberto Uran (Col) Sky Procycling 0:00:43
5. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:00:53
6. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:54
7. Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:04
8. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:01:12
9. Daniel Moreno (Spa) Katusha Team 0:01:17
10. Juan Jose Cobo (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:34

Morrisseeee

Yikes that was a tough little finish !! esp in that heat, 38'.

Roche is performing heroically.

How are these guys going to keep on performing at this level for another 2weeks+ :eek:

full_irish

Morrisseeee wrote: »

How are these guys going to keep on performing at this level for another 2weeks+ :eek:

This should help.

corny

D3PO wrote: »

edit 9th for Roche.

Still a good job. If AG2R were supporting him though Nocentini would have towed him to the line. Makes it clear they arent and hes on his own for the next two weeks

Makes no sense for AG2R to support him for GC.

Roche really should be looking for at least 4th or 5th out of this race. Uran, Gesink and Mollema are very beatable with the form he has. He could podium if things fall right for him.

AG2R

Fantastic again by Nico, riding out of his skin

riparooo

AG2R wrote: »

Fantastic again by Nico, riding out of his skin

Absolutely, his climbing this season has been quite brilliant, though given that he is a one man team you'd have to be concerned that a 'bad day' for him on this tour could be a really really bad day.

Maybe some early strategic alliance with the Saxo Bank lads might be wise.

Nice to see that Froome isn't the machine I think many of us feared he might be.

D3PO

corny wrote: »

Makes no sense for AG2R to support him for GC.

.

and it made no sense to let him race it in the first place but they did so they should follow through.

Morrisseeee

riparooo wrote: »

Nice to see that Froome isn't the machine I think many of us feared he might be.

Maybe he hasn't hit 6th gear yet, he might be saving it for the last week !

Also, what the heck does he be looking at every time he lowers his head ??!! bizare

RobFowl

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Also, what the heck does he be looking at every time he lowers his head ??!! bizare

His PM readings (seriously)

Morrisseeee

RobFowl wrote: »

His PM readings (seriously)

You would think that with a few km's to go he'd be better off looking at the road in front of him & at his rivals instead of reading PM's (private messages)

Seriously tho, it's obviously a habit at this stage, but it's a bit OTT don't ya think !?