Vuelta - Stage 15, Sun Sep 8, Andorra - Peyragudes, **Unmasked Spoilers**

dastardly00

Stage 15: Andorra - Peyragudes 224.9km

If you thought Stage 14 was tough ..... well it's now time for the Queen stage! And to make it even harder for the riders, the weather is forecasted to be absolutely manky again. Lots of rain, with fog and thunderstorms for the high mountains. Air temperature will be about 9°C at the summits.

4 climbs ... all Category 1 :eek: The Puerto del Cantó starts after just 7km and is a whopping 24.4km long. Although it only has an average gradient of 4.2%, the steepest parts are at the beginning, so any riders feeling the ill-effects of Stage 14 will struggle right from the off. The Puerto de la Bonaigua is up next and it's 20km with an average gradient of 5.5%. By the time the riders reach the summit I expect that a breakaway will have a lead close to 10 minutes, and the peloton to be quite small. There is an extremely long descent which will leads the riders into France, and a similar last 50km to Stage 17 in the 2012 Tour de France.

Alejandro Valverde won that stage in le tour. He was a part of the early breakaway and attacked with 35km to go to take the victory. Valverde was well down in the GC before that day, but in the battle of the overall contenders (who are also in this year's Vuelta), Thibaut Pinot came out on top and arrived at the finish line 22" behind Valverde. Nibbles was next home, 37" behind Valverde, followed by Horner at 1'02", and Nico Roche at 1'30".





Name | Distance (km) | Max. altitude (m) | Vertical gain (m) | Avg. gradient (%) | Max. gradient (%)
Puerto del Cantó | 24.4 | 1,720 | 1,040 | 4.2 |10
Puerto de la Bonaigua | 20 | 2,090 | 1,110 | 5.5 | 12.5
Col du Port de Balés | 19.2 | 1,770 | 1,195 | 6.2 | 10.5
Peyragudes | 16.7 | 1,620 | 800 | 4.7 | 13.33

Puerto del Cantó:


Puerto de la Bonaigua:


Col du Port de Balés:


Peyragudes:


Betting: A Valverde 3/1; J Rodriguez 7/1; S Sanchez 12/1; C Horner 14/1; V Nibali 14/1.

Here's a link to the Irish rider's diary thread.

Live TV coverage on Eurosport1 from 3pm.
Highlights on Eurosport1 at 5.30pm, Eurosport2 at 9pm and 12am, and on ITV4 at 7pm.

Live text-ticker will be here.

letape

Really looking forward to tomorrow - will be interesting to see how Nico recovers.

I climbed both the Port de Bales and the Peyresourde a few years back. Port de Bales is a beautiful climb in a fantastic part of the world. Just hope we get to see it!

letape

Just thinking Valverde won the stage on the tour last year that had the same finish as this - Port de Bales and then the
Peyragudes - and that was with a long solo effort. He must be looking forward to tomorrow.

Rovi

dastardly00 wrote: »

Live TV coverage on Eurosport1 from 3pm.

Let's hope so!

AnotherView

Its kicking off big time over at Vuelta today

Lots of attacking and counter attacking and lots of strong riders in break


http://www.lavuelta.com/13/en/online/index.html?e=15

TheBlaaMan

60k in to the stage, a large break of 29 riders have over 2 minutes on the Peloton. Roche had two teammates in the break, so perhaps they will be able to assist him on the finale.......

Rovi

Philippe Gilbert has withdrawn!

Baden Cooke and Luke Rowe too.

Pherekydes

Rovi wrote: »

Philippe Gilbert has withdrawn!

Baden Cooke and Luke Rowe too.

Are these any surprise with the Worlds coming up? Gilbert's priority, imo, is the defence of his rainbow jersey. Particularly with the risk of hypothermia :eek: in the Pyrenees.

dastardly00

Tomasz Marczynski (Vacansoleil-DCM) was DNS, and Graeme Brown (Belkin) has just retired. There'll be no one left at the end of the stage at this rate!

pelevin

Not that it's of any use but I think Eurosport should do alot better on a day like today's than to start coverage so late. There's 2 hours of cycling before today's coverage including an hour of yday's highlights. Stupid to eat into a huge day like today's action like that.

dastardly00

pelevin wrote: »

Not that it's of any use but I think Eurosport should do alot better on a day like today's than to start coverage so late. There's 2 hours of cycling before today's coverage including an hour of yday's highlights. Stupid to eat into a huge day like today's action like that.

+1
Fair enough if they are showing live coverage of another sports event, but I think most cycling fans would like to see live coverage of the queen stage of the Vuelta rather than highlights of yesterday's stage and the Tour of Alberta.

pelevin

dastardly00 wrote: »

+1
Fair enough if they are showing live coverage of another sports event, but I think most cycling fans would like to see live coverage of the queen stage of the Vuelta rather than highlights of yesterday's stage and the Tour of Alberta.

Unless someone had some kind of family connection to a rider in the TofAlberta, I'd imagine they'd struggle to find a single cycling fan who imagines what they've done is a good idea. And of course if you are a cycling fan, barring circumstances, then you've managed to see yday's Vuelta stage live or on highlights by now.

Pudsy33

What is the best site for updates? Maybe a twitter account? We'll be entertaining guest for the hurling but I'd like to keep an eye on the race. Thanks

Darkglasses

Pudsy33 wrote: »

What is the best site for updates? Maybe a twitter account? We'll be entertaining guest for the hurling but I'd like to keep an eye on the race. Thanks

https://twitter.com/PelotonWatch

This is quite good but might actually cover too many races at once.

Home at last, just settling in to watch yesterday's highlights. Glad to be home!

dastardly00

Daniel Schorn (Netapp-Endura), Simone Stortoni (Lampre), Zdenek Stybar and Kristof Vandewalle (OPQS) have all retired.

Henlars67

pelevin wrote: »

Not that it's of any use but I think Eurosport should do alot better on a day like today's than to start coverage so late. There's 2 hours of cycling before today's coverage including an hour of yday's highlights. Stupid to eat into a huge day like today's action like that.

Pretty sure they don't get live pictures from the host broadcaster until 3pm. I've checked a few streams from other channels covering the race, one of them Spanish and there's no coverage on them yet either.

gordongekko

Pudsy33 wrote: »

What is the best site for updates? Maybe a twitter account? We'll be entertaining guest for the hurling but I'd like to keep an eye on the race. Thanks

http://live.cyclingnews.com/?mobile

pelevin

Henlars67 wrote: »

Pretty sure they don't get live pictures from the host broadcaster until 3pm. I've checked a few streams from other channels covering the race, one of them Spanish and there's no coverage on them yet either.

Well fair enough to Eurosport if they've no control over footage, but it just means then that the fault shifts higher up the foodchain. It's poor whoever's at fault.

Darkglasses

And we're live! For about a second or two. And a rare sight - Team Saxobank pulling on the front.

Darkglasses

Yes indeed, Saxo setting the pace up front of the peloton (all jerseys still in this group). 6 riders in the main breakaway, gap of 5 minutes, 35 kilos to go.

There is a pursuing group including at least one Saxo rider 2 minutes behind the breakaway and 3 ahead of the peloton.

Cold and miserable but rain not so bad.

retalivity

only 2 saxo riders though?

Darkglasses

retalivity wrote: »

only 2 saxo riders though?

Think I saw one near the cars, not sure if he's going backwards or forwards.

dastardly00

I wonder why Saxo Chris Sorenson is leading the peloton. After he blows, Nico is on his own.

Rafal Majka is in one of the groups up ahead. Oliver Zaugg was in the same group, but I'm not sure he's there now. Anyone where he is?

dastardly00

Tony Martin has retired as well. Omega Pharma won't have any riders left by the end of the day!!

Darkglasses

Geniez and Cardoso pulling away in the front. Very brave.

dastardly00

Nico on the attack!

Darkglasses

dastardly00 wrote: »

Nico on the attack!

He's making a fair gap! I'm surprised he's being allowed even that much!

retalivity

not sure about this....

Darkglasses

retalivity wrote: »

not sure about this....

Seems way too early to me for sure, but if he can make it stick then it's all good.

Inquitus

We'll see its a dicey descent so if he goes balls out he may get into the final climb with a bit of a lead. Have to see if he makes it stick on the rest of this climb.

dastardly00

retalivity wrote: »

not sure about this....

Darkglasses wrote: »

Seems way too early to me for sure, but if he can make it stick then it's all good.

Majka is ahead of him, and maybe Zaugg too.
But I still think it's nuts.

AnotherView

Majka is up front ..

AnotherView

:eek:Very risky tactics from Saxo ....bit like Contador's tactics
Buy hey better he go down fighting than whimper to the end

What he has at his advantage is he is a diesel and cannot do pace with big guys on the climb...as long as he and mijka don't blow ...very risky

dastardly00

It's Zaugg with Nico. Majka is still up the road. This could be good tactics.

alitoast

AnotherView wrote: »

:eek:Very risky tactics from Saxo ....bit like Contador's tactics
Buy hey better he go down fighting than whimper to the end

What he has at his advantage is he is a diesel and cannot do pace with big guys on the climb...as long as he and mijka don't blow ...very risky

Might expose anyone who isn't feeling it today. He must feel he has something in the tank, his descent will be crucial and the gap at the bottom of the last climb, come on nico

dastardly00

Pinot and Anton are just ahead of the peloton on the descent. Fingers crossed for Pinot that he doesn't end up in a ditch!

mahoo

Carlton Kirby really frustrates me. Saxo have 2 men up the road and sorenson burying himself on the front with nico on the wheel... might they be up to something carlton? no, he just ignores it. and then is surprised when zaugg waits for him! spent 5 mins shouting my own commentary at the tv

risky tactic alright. at least he attacked pretty close to the top so it wasnt a massive effort he put in. recover a bit now for final climb and have 2 men with him. go nico!

Darkglasses

We should do a podcast instead of listening to Kirby's commentary...

retalivity

roche has a minute on the peloton

dastardly00

Darkglasses wrote: »

We should do a podcast instead of listening to Kirby's commentary...

If we had a recording of Kelly saying 'calculation' and 'time bonification', then we'd be sorted :pac:

Henlars67

Why the F*** have FDJ a man at the front of the peleton?

Inquitus

Henlars67 wrote: »

Why the F*** have FDJ a man at the front of the peleton?

I was just wondering exactly the same, its not doing Roche any favours either. Dragging the leaders up to your man who has a chance at the stage, crazy.

AnotherView

Henlars67 wrote: »

Why the F*** have FDJ a man at the front of the peleton?

Pinot doesn't want Roche to gain too much time

Sundy

Inquitus wrote: »

I was just wondering exactly the same, its not doing Roche any favours either. Dragging the leaders up to your man who has a chance at the stage, crazy.

Its that Pinot chap. Doesnt like being the second best frenchman behind Roche

Hopefully he will wear him self out with this

retalivity

peloton down to 10-15 now....pace has been upped

mahoo

dang. thats very early for the attacks to be starting. will be hard for nico to hold out for long once they really go for it

dastardly00

trying to watch this AND the hurling!! It's tough going!

AIR-AUSSIE

So where is Roche?

dastardly00

If all the domestiques get blown out of the peloton, the main GC guys might just start looking at each other and end up slowing down.

Darkglasses

AIR-AUSSIE wrote: »

So where is Roche?

30 seconds or so ahead of the peloton.

mahoo

dastardly00 wrote: »

If all the domestiques get blown out of the peloton, the main GC guys might just start looking at each other and end up slowing down.

moreno and JRod only team mates left i think.