Stage 20: Santa Estebo de Ribas do Sil-Puerto de Ancares (185.7 km)

MPFG

So here is the final mountian stage in this 2104 Vuelta ...and it a monster, especially the final climb




Well as I am rubbish at predicting winners I won't even bother ....
However I think it will come down to a battle between Froome & Contador for the stage win

If Froome can make up time then he may still have a chance on Sunday in the final TT.....Big ask but I am sure he will go all out ....If he can win the stage he will make up time there as well so imagine no breakawy will survive. Philip Deignan better fix himself a very big bowl of porridge

bazermc

Froome to win stage, Alberto to retain lead.

Darkglasses

Contador

Coin toss between Froome and Contador really, breakaway probably won't be let away on such a decisive day GC-wise. My only outside pick would be Barguil perhaps, but I'm betting on Froome.

Pudsy33

I have tiny amounts at large odds on Niemic and Coppell, and both made the break. I hope the cycling gods are feeling generous.

Beasty

Valverde

Pudsy33 wrote: »

I hope the cycling gods are feeling generous.

They always are - alas usually to the benefit of the bookies....

blobbie

Pudsy33 wrote: »

I have tiny amounts at large odds on Niemic and Coppell, and both made the break. I hope the cycling gods are feeling generous.

Doomed - Poels is in it.

pelevin

Contador

Can't get my Eurosport Player to load on either of 2 pc's. Anyone having similar problems or not as the case may be?


. . . Has finally kicked into action.

letape

Contador

Does anyone know if this is being shown on any of the itv or BBC channels?

MPFG

Valverde

letape wrote: »

Does anyone know if this is being shown on any of the itv or BBC channels?

On highlights

MPFG

Valverde

Dan Martin ...looking good ...maybe the elusive stage win ???

Solobally8

Eek v exciting!

seany15

Contador

Did something just get thrown at froome??

C3PO

seany15 wrote: »

Did something just get thrown at froome??

Yep - I thought I saw something too!

neris

Tv director needs a kicking. Cutting away to 3rd & 4th when the lead 2 are kicking the crap outa each other. Feck does bertie get that kick towards the end from

pelevin

Contador

neris wrote: »

Tv director needs a kicking. Cutting away to 3rd & 4th when the lead 2 are kicking the crap outa each other. Feck does bertie get that kick towards the end from

Awful timing all right. I'd Contador to win the GC & only could relax once they got to the last 3km or so when it was clear at worst he'd lose seconds.

ednwireland

dan martin lost at least one place

pelevin

Contador

I hope Dan is in by now! This wait on GC times is taking forever

blobbie

Vuelta a Espana GC: 1 Contador; 2 Froome +1'37: 3 Valverde +2'35; 4 Rodriguez +3'57; 5 Aru +4'46; 6 Sanchez +10'07; 7 Martin +10'24

pelevin

Contador

Poor Dan. Serious crash & burn.

Though wait - he's just dropped to 7th. Not so bad.

blobbie

On the stage but 7th in GC

pelevin

Contador

Who deleted that comment just now!

ednwireland

pelevin wrote: »

Who deleted that comment just now!

damn producers put stage finish up first not the overall:o

ThisRegard

All the Overall top 10 guys hadn't been in before the show went off air, hence no overall top 10 I reckon.

Contadors kick after Froome was like two fingers to Froome, hey, I have the measure on you, you were never going to beat me.

Inquitus

A stick was thrown at Froome, pic here, takes a while to load.

http://common.tv2.dk/mpx/player.php/adtech_alias-sporten_vast/guid-FroomePind13092014.html

Leroy42

Contador

Bertie almost looked comfortable (easy to say of course sitting on me arse) but he never looked liked being stretched by Froome.

Very different than the 2013 TdF version of Froome. Has he gone backwards or Bertie upd his game?

Beasty

Valverde

Leroy42 wrote: »

Very different than the 2013 TdF version of Froome. Has he gone backwards or Bertie upd his game?

Both were injured. Bertie has clearly recovered remarkably quickly. Hopefully teh pair oif them will have an uninterrupted preparation for next year's Tour, and we will be able to see them going head to head without any questionmarks over their respective build-ups

pelevin

Contador

Contador's leg after his TdF accident:

http://www.marca.com/2014/09/11/ciclismo/vuelta_espana/1410460966.html

Holy shmoly. Some character to ride & win after that.

Inquitus

pelevin wrote: »

Contador's leg after his TdF accident:

http://www.marca.com/2014/09/11/ciclismo/vuelta_espana/1410460966.html

Holy shmoly. Some character to ride & win after that.

That's just a flesh wound.

pelevin

Contador

Inquitus wrote: »

That's just a flesh wound.

True, that's his flesh all right. And underneath the flesh a broken tibia.

retalivity

Top 5 on gc finished top 5 on stage...when did that last happen other than a prologue/stage 1??

bazermc

pelevin wrote: »

True, that's his flesh all right. And underneath the flesh a broken tibia.

Ah it's just the one leg. The other one is grand.

Brian?

Contador was pure class again, great effort by Froome though.

I've a new found respect for Froome after this Vuelta. It was hard work all the way through for him, but he really stuck at it and never gave up. He was simply out classed.

Someone asked earlier if it was a dip in form from Froome or Contador has come up. I think it's both. Contador, tour crash aside, has had a very good season. I've very little doubt he would have bossed the tour in the mountains if it hadn't been for the crash.

I'm already looking forward to Contador v Froome v Nibale v Quintana next year.

Brian?

Also, winning this Vuelta puts one behind Coppi and Indurain in Grand Tour wins.

2 more and he's level with Anquetil. I really don't think appreciate just how good Contador is. He's the outstanding GT rider of his generation.

Inquitus

Brian? wrote: »

Also, winning this Vuelta puts one behind Coppi and Indurain in Grand Tour wins.

2 more and he's level with Anquetil. I really don't think appreciate just how good Contador is. He's the outstanding GT rider of his generation.

Indeed, but currently he's just 2 ahead of Nibali!

C3PO

Brian? wrote: »

I really don't think appreciate just how good Contador is. He's the outstanding GT rider of his generation.

But his results will surely always have a taint of suspicion about them?

Brian?

C3PO wrote: »

But his results will surely always have a taint of suspicion about them?

I don't care. If I did I'd stop watching pro cycling.

Every successful rider has the "taint of suspicion" about them. If in ten years time Contador has his titles stripped from him I'll be disappointed, but that's for the future. He tested positive and had a Tour and Giro taken away. Punishment over and done with.

As I said: greatest Grand Tour rider of his generation.

Brian?

Inquitus wrote: »

Indeed, but currently he's just 2 ahead of Nibali!

And yet Nibali has never beaten him in one.

EC1000

C3PO wrote: »

But his results will surely always have a taint of suspicion about them?

True. Does anyone care that Armstrong still has a few wins to his name? Doubt it....

TheBlaaMan

Inquitus wrote: »

Indeed, but currently he's just 2 ahead of Nibali!

Contador has won 6 GT - excluding the two taken from him as a result of his ban, no doubt he says 8 - Nibali has 3 GT titles.

Inquitus

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

Contador has won 6 GT - excluding the two taken from him as a result of his ban, no doubt he says 8 - Nibali has 3 GT titles.

He hasn't won this Vuelta yet, so 5.

TheBlaaMan

Inquitus wrote: »

He hasn't won this Vuelta yet, so 5.

OK. Point taken-..........come back in a few hours

ROK ON

C3PO wrote: »

But his results will surely always have a taint of suspicion about them?

As will those guys quoted - both of whom along with the likes of Coppi were unrepentant dopers.
In a pantheon of cycling greats Contador is up there. His weakness versus many of the greats is the lack of a classic on his palmares. A fantastic cyclist who has so often own tours without team help - very very rare in this day and age.

at1withmyself

I think after the day in the cobbles it was pretty evident that Nibali had a strong hold on the overall GT in the tour and I don't think Contador could have beaten him after that day, Nibali's performance in the Tour was outstanding and I doubt Contador could have pulled back much time on him in the Mountains if any at all.

I enjoy watching Contador but to say he would have 'bossed' the mountains is ridiculous after Nibalis outstanding performance in the Tour. Its just a shame that we'll never really know for sure.

Am also look forward to all 4 of them in a GT next year, especially with Froome as he'll be desperate to win a GT next year. Plus with a host of new talent coming through it'll be an interesting year.

Brian? wrote: »

Contador, tour crash aside, has had a very good season. I've very little doubt he would have bossed the tour in the mountains if it hadn't been for the crash.

I'm already looking forward to Contador v Froome v Nibale v Quintana next year.

happytramp

at1withmyself wrote: »

I enjoy watching Contador but to say he would have 'bossed' the mountains is ridiculous after Nibalis outstanding performance in the Tour. Its just a shame that we'll never really know for sure.

It's not that ridiculous. Traditionally Contador is a far stronger climber than Nibali (the 2011 Giro would probably be a fair assessment of both riders in good form) and it's likely he would have put time into Nibali in the mountains given his performance here (we can assume he was better pre crash) However I'd still like to think Nibali would have defended his lead by limiting his losses in the mountains, tactical nuance, fantastic bike handling skills and pure guts. His ride on the cobbles was one of the hi-lights of the year.

Brian?

at1withmyself wrote: »

I think after the day in the cobbles it was pretty evident that Nibali had a strong hold on the overall GT in the tour and I don't think Contador could have beaten him after that day, Nibali's performance in the Tour was outstanding and I doubt Contador could have pulled back much time on him in the Mountains if any at all.

I enjoy watching Contador but to say he would have 'bossed' the mountains is ridiculous after Nibalis outstanding performance in the Tour. Its just a shame that we'll never really know for sure.

Am also look forward to all 4 of them in a GT next year, especially with Froome as he'll be desperate to win a GT next year. Plus with a host of new talent coming through it'll be an interesting year.

It's far from "ridiculous". Nibali was dominant in the mountains against a weakened field. After Contador went out, there wasn't a single rider left who was capable of challenging. Contador would have had Majka, Roche and Rogers working for him, Nibali might have hung on to the time gap built up on the cobbles but Contador would have bossed the mountains.

Loo at what Contador did yesterday against Froome, Valverde and Rodriguez. Pure class.

Brian?

ROK ON wrote: »

As will those guys quoted - both of whom along with the likes of Coppi were unrepentant dopers.
In a pantheon of cycling greats Contador is up there. His weakness versus many of the greats is the lack of a classic on his palmares. A fantastic cyclist who has so often own tours without team help - very very rare in this day and age.

Cycling has changed since Hinault raced all year around. He was pretty much the last GC contender to win classics. I'd find it hard to rate today's Grand Tour winners against greats of the past sometimes.

What I really like about Contador's record is the variety of Grand Tours he's won. Actually, I'll always love him for his first tour win. He was a breath of fresh air.