Volta a Catalunya 2013 - Stage 5 - [Contains Spoilers]

Chips Lovell

We can chat about today's stage here. As it's a stage specific thread, no need for spoiler tags.

Darkglasses

Pretty much a downhill run, other than the Cat 2 at the midpoint. Can't see Martin taking much damage.

mistermatthew

Martin in the bunch hopefully. He's looking good for GC to be honest, shouldn't loose it now.
Roche in the break today you'd imagine.

Darkglasses

Holy smokes! Dan just nicked a second on that intermediate sprint. He came out of absolutely nowhere.

Flandria

Yes! That second might make a real difference.

buffalo

Darkglasses wrote: »

Holy smokes! Dan just nicked a second on that intermediate sprint. He came out of absolutely nowhere.

Thanks for that, had tuned out, was wondering why the commentators started talking about 11 seconds.

Henlars67

would have suited him better not to have dropped 2 or 3 seconds with his early celebration yesterday.

buffalo

Henlars67 wrote: »

would have suited him better not to have dropped 2 or 3 seconds with his early celebration yesterday.

I find it hard to deny a celebration to a man who's just ridden solo to victory on the queen stage over Rodriguez, Wiggins, Quintana, etc.

Nico for the sprint?

Henlars67

No chance

Darkglasses

Francois Parisien takes the stage, commentator reckons Dan Martin was about 5th or 6th in the sprint but I didn't see him myself!

buffalo

More fun with Google translation of the ticker:

Argos now strip Shimano

The Vacansoleil crap shoot with 5 runners in head

Platoon clustered

buffalo

Darkglasses wrote: »

Francois Parisien takes the stage, commentator reckons Dan Martin was about 5th or 6th in the sprint but I didn't see him myself!

Ninth, good stuff. A top ten finish, and extended his lead to 14s. Great form!

Darkglasses

Wow, Martin finished 9th. Stunner

Darkglasses

Dan has stretched the gap to 14 seconds in the GC, fantastic!

D3PO

great tactical riding by Martin. Nicking that extra three seconds in the bunch split at the finish of a flat stage could be massive.

extremely astute riding and could be critical come Sunday.

MPFG

Eurosport drive me insane ...non stop on about Bradley Wiggins and also trying to claim Dan Martin as British

buffalo

MPFG wrote: »

Eurosport drive me insane ...non stop on about Bradley Wiggins and also trying to claim Dan Martin as British

Well he was born in Birmingham...

Also, glass house, throwing stones, etc.

mossym

MPFG wrote: »

Eurosport drive me insane ...non stop on about Bradley Wiggins and also trying to claim Dan Martin as British

you must have been watching a different eurosport to me, they were quite clear on eurosport he was irish, mentioned his irish passport, and driving license, and replying to a comment sent in by a viewer who mentioned he was born in Birmingham that he was irish despite that. was quite impressed with them really

thebourke

does he live in ireland?

Darkglasses

thebourke wrote: »

does he live in ireland?

I think he's based in Girona, near Barcelona. Basically all pros are based in southern or central Europe, for obvious reasons.

MPFG

buffalo wrote: »

...

Also, glass house, throwing stones, etc.

What are you Alluding to pray chance ??

buffalo

MPFG wrote: »

What are you Alluding to pray chance ??

The fact that as a nation, Ireland grasps any opportunity to paint somebody as Irish, no matter how tenuous the connection. See Barack O'Bama for reference.

dave2pvd

MPFG wrote: »

....trying to claim Dan Martin as British

Why does this matter? Seriously, getting upset about that kind of thing has the smell of there being a national inferiority complex. Total waste of energy. Pride should not be dented by such ignorance*

At the end of the day, it's a compliment to DM. Almost the sincerest form of flattery.



*nothing personal MPFG. I say this to Canadians too. I'll get off my soapbox now.

MPFG

I have little truck with the 'claiming' of people to your natioanality ...hence my comment......as people are usually only 'claimed' when they are wining anyway

As a neighbour of ours at home once said when asked about the origins of her future son in law
" Well I don't know if he is English or Irish but he is from county wexford" !!!

MPFG

dave2pvd wrote: »

Why does this matter? Seriously, getting upset about that kind of thing has the smell of there being a national inferiority complex. Total waste of energy. Pride should not be dented by such ignorance*

At the end of the day, it's a compliment to DM. Almost the sincerest form of flattery.



*nothing personal MPFG. I say this to Canadians too. I'll get off my soapbox now.

I deleted my last comment .....because this thread has decended into an exchange on national inferiority and such and it is about a bike race......


I am very happy Dan Martin is wining, and I am happy with the intentions behind my comments, my inferiority complex , my ignorance , my current nationality, my canadian friends , my life in general, etc ........ and I will leave it at that ....

dave2pvd

MPFG wrote: »

I deleted my last comment .....because this thread has decended into an exchange on national inferiority and such and it is about a bike race......


I am very happy Dan Martin is wining, and I am happy with the intentions behind my comments, my inferiority complex , my ignorance , my current nationality, my canadian friends , my life in general, etc ........ and I will leave it at that ....

When I said 'ignorance', I meant the commentators. I just realized that wasn't so clear.

Back on topic: who did let go of the wheel that put Purito back another 3sec?

MPFG

dave2pvd wrote: »

When I said 'ignorance', I meant the commentators. I just realized that wasn't so clear.

Back on topic: who did let go of the wheel that put Purito back another 3sec?

I know what you meant hence I stopped having my sensitive moment

I don't know who let go of the wheel but fantastic riding by Dan ....he is going to be a topper ...he has some class.....C'mon Fletche Wallone...(of course after he wins this)

Craig06

dave2pvd wrote: »

When I said 'ignorance', I meant the commentators. I just realized that wasn't so clear.

Back on topic: who did let go of the wheel that put Purito back another 3sec?

I think it was an intermediate sprint Martin picked up

buffalo

I presume the gaps opened after one of those roundabouts - the peloton was a little fractured over the line: 13 in the sprint, 7 at 3s, 6 at 7s and the rest at 9s.

dave2pvd

Looks like it was Astana's Gavazzi that let go of the wheel.

The speed before the final 90 left was insane. >60km/h. Not surprising that the turn was so decisive. Always surprising seeing DM the climber transform into DM the sprinter. It took an enormous amount of power and cojones to surf/fight his way to 9th. I saw no Garmin train helping him in the last K.

Darkglasses

Craig06 wrote: »

I think it was an intermediate sprint Martin picked up

Martin picked up 1 second from the intermediate sprint, and then another 3 at the end AFAIK.

WinnyThePoo

After a couple of terrible days weather wise here, Daniel Martin has really brightened the end of the week for me. Could well see him pull off a win, in one of the ardennes classics.

Brad768

Wow the last 10kms were pretty intense. No team was in control of it, it was open to pretty much anyone...

D3PO

Martin picked up another 3 seconds in the first intermediate sprint today so now 17 seconds clear hes looking better and better for the overall