Vuelta - Stage 17, Wed Sep 11, Calahorra - Burgos, **Unmasked Spoilers**

dastardly00

Stage 17: Calahorra - Burgos 189km

The town of Burgos is frequently used as a stage finish during transition stages after the Pyrenees, with the winner usually coming from a bunch sprint. Stage 17 features two Cat. 3 climbs, but the summit of the second climb is 50km from the finish. At a glance, this stage looks set to decided by the sprinters. However, there is a suprise in store which makes me think the stage won't end in a bunch sprint. At the 10km to go banner, the peloton have to tackle the uncategorised climb up to Calle Eras de San Francisco. The road is very narrow, and rises up straight away. After 1.2km, there is a downhill section for 450m and then another uphill ramp for 200m. There is a final descent then of 800m before the road flattens out again. Because the roads are very narrow, and it's quite a technical descent, the riders will be stretched out and it'll be almost impossible for any of the sprinters' teams to keep control. Hence this little climb will be a perfect launch pad for riders to attack. Another reason why this stage mightn't end in a bunch sprint is that there is hardly anybody left in the race! Belkin, OPQS, Vacansoleil - DCM, and Lotto each only have 4 riders left. Orica-GreenEdge have only 5 I think. This means that teams will find it very hard to control the pace at the front of the peloton. Additionally, Argos-Shimano have won a couple of stages so they won't as hungry as they normally are for glory.

Who could win? I think Fabian Cancellara might give this a shot. Spartacus is in great form at the moment having won the ITT last week. He was also able to stay in the peloton until halfway up the final climb during the Queen stage on Sunday which is very impressive. If Cancellara is given permission to attack on the uncategorised climb 10km from the end, then I think he has a great chance of winning. If he opens up a lead on those technical narrow descents, then nobody will be able to catch him, and it'll be goodnight Vienna for the peloton (:p)





The final 14km:


Betting: M Matthews 10/3; M Richeze 5/1; T Farrar 6/1; E Boasson Hagen 13/2.

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

Live TV coverage on Eurosport1 from 3pm.
Highlights on Eurosport2 at 7.15pm, Eurosport1 at 10.50pm, and on ITV4 at 7pm.

Live text-ticker will be here.

AnotherView

Thanks Dastardly00 - good job :cool:

Hope you have recovered after the rest day and rearing to go....its going to be an exciting few days

Bukman13

Crosswinds are expected during the middle part of the stage, there is a technical descent and a cobbled section near the finish, so there is enough there for someone on GC to make it interesting.

I can't see this coming to a bunch sprint, the sprinter teams don't look strong enough, either a break goes away early and contest the win or a small group get away in the final 10km. Juan Antonio Flecha has been very active throughout the race and I'm sure he will give it a go at some point.

gordongekko

I'm sticking with betancur

wirelessdude01

gordongekko wrote: »

I'm sticking with betancur

To finish outside the top 50!!!

retalivity

gordongekko wrote: »

I'm sticking with betancur

Insanity is....

dhayes73

gordongekko wrote: »

I'm sticking with betancur

You will be right someday. :-)

Peterx

The live ticker just said Cancellara is leaving the race after today's stage. Hope he goes for it today so!

Bukman13

Peterx wrote: »

The live ticker just said Cancellara is leaving the race after today's stage. Hope he goes for it today so!

Can't see it tbh, the only reason he is still in the race is to get horner through today, the last time he attacked for the stage he caused a split in the peloton and Horner lost time.

donfers

will nico go for intermediate sprints today in the hope of catching mini-me

Bukman13

donfers wrote: »

will nico go for intermediate sprints today in the hope of catching mini-me

There is two guys up the road so there is only 1 bonus second on offer. For the first intermediate no one went for the 3rd place, we'll see if the break are caught by the last int sprint, but don't think Nico will go for it if its only 1 second.

AnotherView

Valverde already getting his excuses in...complaining about the helicopter transfers of Nibali and Horner .......

Also a team mate riding a bike his size.....he must be worried about mechanicals again. Don't really like him...although he is a very very good cyclist

My fav cyclists in top 10 are Nibali, J-Rod, Roche, Pinot & Sammy

retalivity

bit of a fcukup by cofidis

Joe Exotic

Anyone know is Roche in the first group of peleton

goose06

Yeah looks to be

Bukman13

Looks like Pozzo caught in a big split.

pelevin

Just came in. Anyone important caught in that split? I'd really be cut up if Horner was adrift.

Bukman13

goose06 wrote: »

Yeah looks to be

murphk wrote: »

Anyone know is Roche in the first group of peleton

It was Roche/Saxo who caused the split.

AnotherView

Pozzovivo not....come on Saxo !!!

GetWithIt

It's on. It's echelon.

Pizza didn't make the split.

He should have pulled another puncture.

Bukman13

Orica chasing with Ag2r as Matthews missed it too...

pelevin

Saxo the kings of the echelons again!

dhayes73

AnotherView wrote: »

Pozzovivo not....come on Saxo !!!

Has Pinot missed it too, where I am watching it,they said he seems to have.

retalivity

pinot also in the back group

cityman 18

murphk wrote: »

Anyone know is Roche in the first group of peleton

Break away caught. Nico is in the middle of the Saxo lads just off the front of the peleton.

Darkglasses

Brutal mistake by Pozzo and Pinot and their respective teams. Saxo capitalizing really well.

dave_o_brien

Is betancur in the front group? Could be good for a sprint, the odds on him are super long...

Every dog, or something, yeah?!

letape

Time to stop reading now and watch the recoded stage later!!

GetWithIt

Lol at the Pinot Noir comment from CK.

He missed the split too.

cityman 18

Nico looks like he will take a good bit of time off the little man and pinot. 15km to go.

AnotherView

Netap need to help

Paddigol

Mon ta **** Nico biy!!

pelevin

Could even be GC shake-up here.

cityman 18

Saxo have done trojan work for Roche today, just hit the ramp before the finish. 9km to go..

DDC1990

Looks like 2 of Nico's teammates dropping out the rear of that front group.

Needs all the help he can get.

wirelessdude01

Nico has a minute on Pozzo/Pinot at the moment. C'mon ta fcuk.

mcgratheoin

Nico only mentioned the other day how much he learned about attacking from Contador this year. He said Contador would ask himself every morning how he could gain time on his rivals that day. Great effort..

Pudsy33

Top stuff from Saxo

gordongekko

Pozzovivo has now lost 1:30 on the day.

Bukman13

1min 30 seconds gain for Roche.

seven stars

Keep the updates coming please! (I'm in work)

gordongekko

seven stars wrote: »

Keep the updates coming please! (I'm in work)

its over

DDC1990

1.30 down Great stuff.

mcgratheoin

Roche 10th - any points on offer for that?

cityman 18

seven stars wrote: »

Keep the updates coming please! (I'm in work)

10th today and a 1.30mins gained on Pov overall. Good day for Nico. Makes Last saturday all the more disappointing.

Bukman13

Roche closes the gap on Valverde for the green jersey also. 10th place for Roche.

Darkglasses

Bauke Mollema won the stage, sprinted off by himself with about 1km to go, nobody went with him and he won comfortably enough.

Buzwaldo

Nico tenth on stage, same time as winner.

pelevin

Not sure anyone mentioned for benefit of those not viewing who won the stage - Bauke Mollema of Belkin got the jump on the rest in the long straight of the final km to win.

bob11

What happened Pov ?? Not in 6th or did he change bike ?

1. ITANIBALI, Vincenzo 31 ASTANA PRO TEAM 68h 50' 30''
2. USAHORNER, Christopher 184 RADIOSHACK LEOPARD 68h 50' 58'' + 28''
3. ESPVALVERDE, Alejandro 1 MOVISTAR TEAM 68h 51' 44'' + 1' 14''
4. ESPRODRIGUEZ, Joaquin 121 KATUSHA TEAM 68h 52' 59'' + 2' 29''
5. IRLROCHE, Nicolas 205 TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF 68h 54' 13'' + 3' 43''
6. CZEKONIG, Leopold 151 TEAM NETAPP-ENDURA 68h 56' 47'' + 6' 17''
7. ESPSÁNCHEZ, Samuel 91 EUSKALTEL EUSKADI 68h 58' 03'' + 7' 33''
8. ESPARROYO, David 61 CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA 69h 01' 52'' + 11' 22''
9. ESPHERRADA, José 5 MOVISTAR TEAM 69h 02' 12'' + 11' 42''
10. ITASCARPONI, Michele 131 LAMPRE-MERIDA 69h 02' 38'' + 12' 08'

gordongekko

How did betancur do?