Vuelta - Stage 13, Fri Sep 6, Valls - Castelldefels, **Unmasked Spoilers**

Darkglasses

Not particularly tough for hilly stage, although the wind could make this a very interesting prospect. The GC riders will probably be hoping this is not the case, with the Pyrenees starting tomorrow. Breakaway opportunists in the race will be on full alert.

The Cat 1 Alto del Rat Penat is not very long but will be more than enough to draw out some attacks. Just 4.3km to the top, but at an avg gradient of just over 10%. Steepest ramps are 16%, no 30% malarkey so a larger number of the climbers/puncheurs can get involved. There's still a full 50km to go to the finish after the Rat Penat though, time enough to regroup.

The final few hundred metres are significantly uphill, gradients of about 8-9%, too much for the out and out sprinters. GC riders will probably take it handy today with the nitty-gritty stuff just one sleep away, so the win could come from anywhere.

Betting: Gilbert 13/5, Moreno 10/1, Boasson Hagen 13/1, LL Sanchez 12/1, Cancellara 16/1, Matthews 16/1

Bukman13

Heres the final 420 meters.



I reckon a large break will get away after a very fast start, then the cat 1 climb will thin the break out with the winner coming from there. I can't see the sprinter teams working to bring them back, maybe BMC will try but they will need help from Movistar and Katusha, but with three hard days to come i'm not sure they will want to use up valuable energy.

Although it would be interesting if Movistar or Katusha decided to go for the stage, they could blow the peloton to pieces on the cat 1 climb, but controlling the remains of the peloton could be tough.

If the GC riders contest the stage win I can see some splits occurring, so could be a chance for Roche to gain a few extra seconds on the likes of Horner, Basso, Pinot, ahead of the big mountain stages.

retalivity

^pretty sure that pic is the cat 1 climb and not the final 420m!!

Darkglasses

Yeah I'm pretty sure that's the Rat Penat!

Here's the graphic of the final 5km from the official Vuelta website. I don't think it does justice to the angle the riders will be going up

AnotherView

I think today is going to be more eventful than anyone thought !

dastardly00

AnotherView wrote: »

I think today is going to be more eventful than anyone thought !

Yeah I agree. I can see one of the top-10 guys getting dropped on the Cat. 1 climb, and also somebody (from the top-10) nabbing a few bonus seconds at the finish.

ThisRegard

This is the day I intend to watch the stage without knowing the result beforehand for the first time this week. I think I preferred Irish sports bulletins when they had no interest in cycling as every stage since Sunday I've managed to hear the result on radio. So yesterday I recorded it live so as to watch it immediately when I got home, and heard the sports bulletin as soon as I walked in the bloody door.

Darkglasses

Going to miss this one myself, travelling again.

kingoffifa

so what will roche be looking to do today? just stay out of trouble ?

D3PO

kingoffifa wrote: »

so what will roche be looking to do today? just stay out of trouble ?

yeah it will be a case of staying out of trouble. If the selection is reigned in before the second intermediate sprint he might have a go at a few bonus seconds.

Depends whos left in the peleton at the end too. Its made for valverde or jrod to try win the stage and grab the time bonus's at the finish so if that's the case all the GC boys will probably have a crack at it including Nico.

Best thing for him would be a large breakway is let off and the peleton has an easy day and all roll in together.

kingoffifa

thanks D3PO,

i am no expert on the pro cycling game. these threads are great for the knowledge!

Bukman13

There was a crash in the peloton, and the it split into two groups, Roche was caught in the 2nd group, but it's all back together again. Ten Dam and Lastras have abandoned since, so lets hope Roche was just caught behind it and not involved in it.

D3PO

hopefully he was just held up. Surprised the peleton is still all together. Looks like the easy day it could have been for the GC guys wont be that way after all

dastardly00

There was a breakaway group, but it had 18 riders, so it was unlikely the peloton would allow them to stay out front.

Bukman13

Yea, A group of 25 got away early and Astana chased it down, then another group of 18 had a gap but got no leeway either. Mollema has been in most of the moves, so he could be a good for a quick bet.

dastardly00

Diego Ulissi and Nicolas Edet got 2 and 1 KOM points respectively for the Cat. 3 Alto del Collet climb.

So KOM jersey classification looks like this at the moment: Horner (18 pts.); Roche (15); and Ulissi and Edet (13).

For the Cat. 1 climb later today, the points awarded are: 15; 10; 6; 4; and 2 pts.

D3PO

I don't think Mollema has the legs to do a long one tbh. Id be more interested in Boassan Hagen in that break for a sneaky bet.

D3PO

dastardly00 wrote: »

Diego Ulissi and Nicolas Edet got 2 and 1 KOM points respectively for the Cat. 3 Alto del Collet climb.

So KOM jersey classification looks like this at the moment: Horner (18 pts.); Roche (15); and Ulissi and Edet (13).

For the Cat. 1 climb later today, the points awarded are: 15; 10; 6; 4; and 2 pts.

I really have no idea why these two are KOM point hunting they haven't a prayer of winning the KOM at all with the Parcours on offer.

One of the GC guys will get it so I really have no idea what they are trying to achieve at best they will nab the jersey for today and that's it. (and with the break gone now they wont even get that)

dastardly00

It's unusual to see a climb (Alto del Rat Pena) that is ranked as a Cat. 1, that starts pretty close to sea-level.

Bukman13

Omega starting to work in the peloton, so they must fancy Meersman today.

Bukman13

Mollema in another break of 6, but it has been joined by 12 more riders... Can't see this one getting away either. If it continues like this until the Cat 1, there will be carnage in the peloton.

D3PO

Bukman13 wrote: »

Mollema in another break of 6, but it has been joined by 12 more riders... Can't see this one getting away either. If it continues like this until the Cat 1, there will be carnage in the peloton.

looks like they have 30 seconds so this one might stick. I was thinking the same as you though.

Darkglasses

Thanks for the updates guys, much appreciated

D3PO

Scarponi in the break and only 10 mins down on GC so Id say they will be given a short enough leash

EDIT Meersman in the break too so no chase coming from Omega so maybe this is the one for the day.

D3PO

break has 1.51 so that's todays selection so. Astana at the front of things id expect the break will stay clear for the day. Most teams have a presence in it with a chance of a stage win and those that don't aren't going to be pushed at chasing it down

retalivity

Beñat Intxausti (6), Mikael Cherel (15), Rinaldo Nocentini (19), Warren Barguil (22), Bauke Mollema (41), Ivan Santaromita (58), Antonio Piedra (67), Amets Txurruka (68), Jerome Coppel (81), Egoi Martinez (95), Michele Scarponi (131), Jelle Vanendert (148), Iker Camano (153), Gianni Meersman (164), Serge Pauwels (165), Christian Meier (177), Vasil Kiryienka (194), Xabier Zandio (199) and Tomasz Marczynski (216)

Break looks quite strong

D3PO

yes defo a strong break. Something tells me Marczynski will take it in a sprint even though logic says Meersman should win.

Bukman13

The winner should come from this group, can't see anybody being worried about Scarponi in the GC though, he will lose more time in the mountains than he will gain today.

Meersman is interesting, he's a decent climber but if some of the break want to drop him on the climb they could, the group is almost too big to get to the finish, we will see a lot of attacks in the last 10km from riders who have no chance in the sprint.

Bukman13

The gap is coming down already 3mins to 2:50, Orica working in the peloton. A lot of teams have two men in the break including Omega, so Meersman will have a teammate to close down a few attacks late on, if they get that far.

D3PO

weird that Orica are chasing as they have Meier in the break. Perhaps the break wont make it to the finish today who knows.

Its been a very weird stage so far.

Bukman13

D3PO wrote: »

weird that Orica are chasing as they have Meier in the break. Perhaps the break wont make it to the finish today who knows.

Its been a very weird stage so far.

Yea, The probably reckon Meier doesn't have a good chance to win so might as well play the Matthews card, which will allow Meier a free ride to the finish. Also the info on the break was incorrect looks like Meersman doesn't have a team mate, so its going to be difficult for him to win.

retalivity

no live pictures yet? i wanted to see the climb

EDIT: timing!

Bukman13

Is that Roche off the front with Jrod?

gordongekko

Bukman13 wrote: »

Is that Roche off the front with Jrod?

Katusha pair Joaquim Rodriguez and Giampaolo Caruso have punched their way off the front of the peloton, with Nicolas Roche (Saxo-Tinkoff) for company. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and Chris Horner (RadioShack-Leopard) are keeping a watching brief at the head of a dwindling red jersey group, just around 50 metres further back

D3PO

meersman, boasen hagen and Moreno all in the group of 30 or so left in the peleton. reckon the gc guys will leave them at it for the stage win when all is said and done.

gordongekko

Would it suit the GC lads to let them off and save themselves for the last 420 meters?

BQQ

D3PO wrote: »

meersman, boasen hagen and Moreno all in the group of 30 or so left in the peleton. reckon the gc guys will leave them at it for the stage win when all is said and done.

Nico / Valverde may have one eye on the green jersey, so I'm not sure Moreno will be let go.

Bukman13

Katusha want the stage win, hence why they pushed it on the climb, but Moreno was getting dropped from the peloton so Caruso and Jrod had to slow the pace.

Kav0777

Bukman13 wrote: »

Katusha want the stage win, hence why they pushed it on the climb, but Moreno was getting dropped from the peloton so Caruso and Jrod had to slow the pace.

Well, they're not going to get it now, the way the gap is going up... 3:39 with 30km to go....

AnotherView

You'd think Sky would chase that break ??? what are they up to ...they have no one in the break and EBH

Bukman13

Kav0777 wrote: »

Well, they're not going to get it now, the way the gap is going up... 3:39 with 30km to go....

Yea, they needed to distance Gilbert and stay close to the break, so once Moreno got dropped it was over.

Bukman13

AnotherView wrote: »

You'd think Sky would chase that break ??? what are they up to ...they have no one in the break and EBH

They have Zandio in the break, plus Sky aren't going to drag Gilbert to another win.

AnotherView

Yeah...you are right I didn't see Sky rider

cityman 18

looks like Cannondale lads have been told to get to the front and do a bit of work. Break is 3mins+ away 30km to go. Break away group should have it today. Leaders (including Nico) all together and not really that bothered by the looks of it.

Kav0777

Well, it's coming down now, first cannondale and now fdj.... 24km to go and the gap is 3:12

AnotherView

:DAs long as Valverde or J-Rod don't finish in top 3 should be ok....oh and Chris Horner

gordongekko

surely the finish is going to see nibali and jrod gain time, Horner and possibly nico lose time.

Bukman13

Don't really understand Fdj pushing the pace, Pinot looked like he was struggling at the top of the climb and was briefly dropped. And who do they have that can challenge, Gilbert, Meersman, Moreno, EBH? same goes for Cannondale.

Edit: maybe they are trying to protect Pinot GC position, from Scarponi but I don't think they need to worry about him.

retalivity

sean kelly is in fine fettle with his cliches and metaphors today

Kav0777

19km to go and it's down to 2:20.... it's gonna be tight if this keeps up

Kav0777

fdj have stopped chasing, noone is really pushing on now, under 13k to go and the gap is out to 2:46