Vuelta; Stage 16 (Sep 3): Gijón - Valgrande-Pajares;*contains unmasked spoilers*

dastardly00

Stage 16 (Sep 3): Gijón - Valgrande-Pajares (Cuitu Negru)
Distance: 185km
Highest point: 1,850m
Category: High mountains

"After one of the Vuelta’s classic climbs comes the race’s latest epic ascent, the Cuitu Negru. It’s been dubbed ‘the Asturian Bola del Mundo’ as, in common with that climb north of Madrid, it’s a short but very steep extension to a road accessing a ski station, in this case Valgrande Pajares. With the tough San Lorenzo and Cobertoria passes to soften up the riders beforehand, this is rightly seen as the race’s queen stage. The final ascent gets harder from Brañillin, 3km from the top. The road, which is being resurfaced, then rises at an average of 13.5 per cent with pitches of 25 per cent. It’s a gruelling test suited to pure climbers."

I fear for Nico on today's stage

Stage profile:


Valgrande-Pajares. Cuitunigru:


Live coverage on Eurosport2 from 2pm.
Highlights on Eurosport2 at 7.45pm, and on ITV4 at 7pm.
Stage betting: Contador 6/4; Rodriguez 2/1; Valverde 10/1.

retalivity

jesus the last k looks tasty!!

anyone to finally be able to drop j-rod?

Rovi

It ALL looks mental if you ask me!

brandon_flowers

I'd be fearing for the scooter cameramen in the last 3.5K not to mind the cyclists.

De Bhál

All mountains its seems, where as large parts of the Tour De France was aimed at sprinters this whole race seems to be aimed at the mountaineers.

I love it

gwakamoley

Live shots on Eurosport now. De Gendt and Cataldo are the breakaway, havn't heard how much of an advantage they have at the moment.

EDIT:13 minutes 14 seconds of a gap with 72km left.

Great to see de Gendt in the breakaway. I wonder if he will be able to replicate his heroics on the Stelvio in the Giro.

on_the_nickel

Video of Cuita Negru - I assume it's been resurfaced since then. Chechu Rubiera walking up it!

http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/vuelta-ciclista-a-espana/pericopuertos-pajares-cuitu-negro/1510742/

youwhoglue

Ouch!

Recent resurfacing pics

http://39x28.blogia.com/2012/090101-gijon-cuitu-negru-asi-es-la-etapa.php

retalivity

i think roche is dropped already

corny

I think so. Nothing left unfortunately.

dastardly00

retalivity wrote: »

i think roche is dropped already

It's not looking good for him at all. Igor Anton is barely hanging on to the lead group though. And Moreno doesn't seem to be there.

gwakamoley

dastardly00 wrote: »

retalivity wrote: »

i think roche is dropped already

It's not looking good for him at all. Igor Anton is barely hanging on to the lead group though. And Moreno doesn't seem to be there.

Talanksky, Gesink and Ten Dam are in the group with Contador though

retalivity

working his way back to the main group! good lad menchov!

corny

Clawing his way back.:)

dastardly00

I count 16 riders in the lead group: Rodriguez, Contador, Valverde, Froome, Gesink, Talansky, Ten Dam, Anton, 2 Movistar domestiques, 3 Sky and Saxo Bank domestiques.

dastardly00

Hopefully Nico can stick with Menchov, Moreno, and Monfort.

thebourke

ye guys watching this at home or at work?

D3PO

12 seconds down with Menchov, Moreno, & Monfort. Was 19 seconds down so gradually clawing it back.

i fear the last 3 km though thats where the time will be lost

corny

Back on but not looking good considering what lies in wait.

corny

Pop

D3PO

1. 17:12:32 CEST Menchov, Moreno, Roche and Monfort have managed to latch back on to the rear of the red jersey group but they may begin to struggle again once the gradient rises.

good man Nico

bah

17:13:45 CEST
Agonising for Roche. The Irishman put in a monumental effort to get back on, but he cracked as soon as the junction was made, and he has been definitively jettisoned by the red jersey group with 9km of climbing to come.

retalivity

hes blown already...

dastardly00

Nico has completely blown.

corny

Roche should give up on the GC and focus a stage win in the next week. They're going to put minutes into him regardless.

dastardly00

corny wrote: »

Roche should give up on the GC and focus a stage win in the next week. They're going to put minutes into him regardless.

He can still keep 10th place overall and go for a stage win next week.

corny

dastardly00 wrote: »

He can still keep 10th place overall and go for a stage win next week.

Not if it means threatening Rabo, Garmin or Euskatel in the places above him.

IM0

and its on!

corny

Change of plan for Contador. Strong steady pace minus the big attacks.

IM0

corny wrote: »

Change of plan for Contador. Strong steady pace minus the big attacks.

which wont shift rod either!

corny

IM0 wrote: »

which wont shift rod either!

Not yet.;)

dastardly00

Jaysus they are nearly at a point in which it would be quicker to get off the bike and walk!

Solobally8

At work, cant watch it, going mad!!!

corny

Cataldo is dying.

thebourke

i am at work too but getting text/ticker updates on eurosport website.......

retalivity

get off and run the last 200m!!!!

dastardly00

This is sick!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

corny

Keep trying Berto

thebourke

where is roche?

dastardly00

thebourke wrote: »

where is roche?

Somewhere behind the Froome, Ten Dam, Gesink, Talansky group.

corny

thebourke wrote: »

where is roche?

A long way down the mountain. Was dropped pretty early.

retalivity

he must be well out of the top ten now

dastardly00

retalivity wrote: »

he mustn be well out of the top ten now

possibly not

RyanAndrew

1. Chris Froome is pedalling squares as he approaches the summit and crosses the line 5:10 down on the winner - that's more than two minutes lost to his rivals.
2. 0km - Rodriguez takes third place, 2:40 down on winner Cataldo. And Contador crosses two seconds back, plus will concede four bonus seconds as well.
3. 0km - Back with the main guns: Valverde has caught the two best riders in this year's race - but then Contador puts in another dig with 500m to go. But Rodriguez now takes up the reins - and remember, there are some bonus seconds available for third place...
4. 0km - De Gendt crosses the line six seconds back - he could not repeat his Stelvio heriocs.
5. 0.1km - Just one hundred metres for Cataldo! Here he comes... he pumps his fist and takes the win!

IM0

IM0 wrote: »

which wont shift rod either!

corny wrote: »

Not yet.;)

:cool:

corny

IM0 wrote: »

:cool:

Ok you win

retalivity

Roche 20th on the stage, 6'58 back

Overall 10th at 11'44

dastardly00

I make the calculation that Roche is 10th

IM0

what kind of a sick ****er puts a 20% gradient at the top of a 19k climb which finishes at high altitude :eek:

corny

Still 10th

dastardly00

Stage results:

1 CATALDO, Dario OPQ 5h 18' 28''
2 DE GENDT, Thomas VCD + 7''
3 RODRIGUEZ, Joaquin KAT + 2' 39''
4 CONTADOR, Alberto STB + 2' 41''
5 VALVERDE, Alejandro MOV + 2' 58''
6 QUINTANA, Nairo Alexander MOV + 3' 24''
7 ANTON, Igor EUS + 4' 07''
8 TALANSKY, Andrew GRS + 4' 15''
9 TEN DAM, Laurens RAB + 4' 18''
10 GESINK, Robert RAB + 4' 21''
11 INTXAUSTI, Beñat MOV + 4' 39''
12 MORENO, Daniel KAT + 4' 42''
13 DE CLERCQ, Bart LTB + 5' 07''
14 FROOME, Christopher SKY + 5' 11''
15 MONFORT, Maxime RNT + 5' 13''
16 MARCZYNSKI, Tomasz VCD + 6' 07''
17 HERNÁNDEZ, Jesús STB + 6' 07''
18 HENAO, Sergio Luis SKY + 6' 23''
19 ANACONA, Winner LAM + 6' 56''
20 ROCHE, Nicolas ALM + 6' 58''

Overall:

1 RODRIGUEZ, Joaquin KAT 63h 38' 24''
2 CONTADOR, Alberto STB + 28''
3 VALVERDE, Alejandro MOV + 2' 04''
4 FROOME, Christopher SKY + 4' 52''
5 MORENO, Daniel KAT + 6' 58''
6 GESINK, Robert RAB + 7' 28''
7 TALANSKY, Andrew GRS + 8' 28''
8 TEN DAM, Laurens RAB + 9' 00''
9 ANTON, Igor EUS + 9' 11''
10 ROCHE, Nicolas ALM + 11' 44''

Nico has a 49 second buffer to 11th place.

RobFowl

Good ride by Roche considering how much he could have lost, surprised the gaps were relatively small at the end, would have expected those blowing with 10k to go losing 10 minutes or so