Vuelta a España Stage 21 – Sep 14th, Santiago de Compostela **Unmasked Spoilers**

Darkglasses

Just underway, live coverage starts around 1800 IIRC. Without Cancellara and Tony Martin, this one's quite open. Mallori is the favourite, although he's probably a bit shattered after working for Valverde in the mountains. Rohan Dennis is my choice for the stage win.

Startlist

MPFG

Rohan Dennis is in my fantasy team so he has no chance :pac:

Darkglasses

Mallori's set a smashing time of 11'21. Hard to beat that

pelevin

As far as I know, Sky haven't a single GT stage win all year so this is their last chance with Froome.

Darkglasses

Rain is starting to come down heavily

Current standings

1. Adriano Malori 11' 12''
2. Jesse Sergent + 8''
3. Vasil Kiryienka + 17''
4. Jimmy Engoulvent + 18''
5. Sergei Chernetski + 18''
6. Maciej Bodnar + 18''
7. Alexey Lutsenko 27 + 18''
8. Jesper Stuyven 217 + 19''
9. Damien Gaudin 14 + 19''
10. Kristof Vandewalle 218 + 19''

Darkglasses

Dennis has gone across in third. Malori has this in the bag if the roads stay wet like this.

Darkglasses

No chance Froome can really push it in these conditions.

Inquitus

Darkglasses wrote: »

No chance Froome can really push it in these conditions.

lol that looks like impending sore!

Darkglasses

Cadel's just gone down the ramp for possibly his last ever GT stage.

MPFG

Darkglasses wrote: »

Cadel's just gone down the ramp for possibly his last ever GT stage.

David Millar was crying earlier as its his last GT ...and I think second last race

Darkglasses

You'd wonder why most of them are even using their TT bikes!

blobbie

That surface for the first minute or so looks like a nightmare in the wet.

Edit: and similar at the finish.

TheBlaaMan

Darkglasses wrote: »

It looks like the organisers have had the sense/decency to pull up the Cofidis advertising from the finish line. At least it might avoid a recurrence of the above

retalivity

Ive only been able to watch the vuelta in passing, with the odd highlights every night. Had a look at the results so far and saw betancur at 50 something place.

I completely forgot him and ag2r were in the vuelta

pelevin

Stressful enough finale for Contador with those conditions, & seeing riders a long way behind Malori's time with pretty significant gaps. Wonder if there's any thought in Froome's head of risking crashing out by just going recklessly for it.
Still the only risk to Contador should be crashing but if Froome is going hard, then maybe he can't just comparatively stroll safely through it.

Inquitus

pelevin wrote: »

Stressful enough finale for Contador with those conditions, & seeing riders a long way behind Malori's time with pretty significant gaps. Wonder if there's any thought in Froome's head of risking crashing out by just going recklessly for it.

I'd say you could make a hat load of time if you pulled it off.

pelevin

Looks like it's dried out a fair bit though so hopefully less dangerous.

TheBlaaMan

pelevin wrote: »

Stressful enough finale for Contador with those conditions, & seeing riders a long way behind Malori's time with pretty significant gaps. Wonder if there's any thought in Froome's head of risking crashing out by just going recklessly for it.
Still the only risk to Contador should be crashing but if Froome is going hard, then maybe he can't just comparatively stroll through it.

Having just recovered from broken bones in the Tour ? Absolutely no way will he go banzai, IMO. The gap is huge to try to pin back in just under 10km. Contador wont allow him to mug him anyway..

Assuming Contador takes it easy (and remember he's last off) and only does the current average (c45kmph), Froome will have to go at over 52kmph to close the gap and win. While Malori and the early runners did that pace, conditions are still far too poor.

pelevin

Incredible the time-gaps behind Malori over such a short course.

TheBlaaMan

At the Intermediate time point

Froome 6'33
Contador 6'44

Daroxtar

I have to say it's been one hell of a Vuelta.

pajor

pelevin

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

Having just recovered from broken bones in the Tour ? Absolutely no way will he go banzai, IMO. The gap is huge to try to pin back in just under 10km. Contador wont allow him to mug him anyway..

Assuming Contador takes it easy (and remember he's last off) and only does the current average (c45kmph), Froome will have to go at over 52kmph to close the gap and win. While Malori and the early runners did that pace, conditions are still far too poor.

Fair nuff!

godtabh

All I can say is that Steve Austin has nothing on Contador.

If the severity of the crash/photos of the injury are believed it beyond remarkable to be in shape like he is and win a grand tour. I only wish that he and Froome both finished the Tour. I think it would have been epic.

boege

godtabh wrote: »

All I can say is that Steve Austin has nothing on Contador.

If the severity of the crash/photos of the injury are believed it beyond remarkable to be in shape like he is and win a grand tour. I only wish that he and Froome both finished the Tour. I think it would have been epic.

Thought the shootout between them in the Vuelta was epic. Suspect it will be the purest challenge between these two we will ever see.

Brian?

boege wrote: »

Thought the shootout between them in the Vuelta was epic. Suspect it will be the purest challenge between these two we will ever see.

I agree. There was no long flat TT mess the battle up.

bazermc

Anybody else now have a strong desire to go out and buy Yokohama tyres for their bike?

pelevin

bazermc wrote: »

Anybody else now have a strong desire to go out and buy Yokohama tyres for their bike?

Not for a while anyway - I've blown all my money on a holiday to Israel to get away from it all for a while

neris

is that it till the world championships or any more racing on tv? Will world champs be on TV?

godtabh

pelevin wrote: »

Not for a while anyway - I've blown all my money on a holiday to Israel to get away from it all for a while

And people say advertising doesn't work!

TheBlaaMan

neris wrote: »

is that it till the world championships or any more racing on tv? Will world champs be on TV?

Looking forward to Jensies hour attempt on Thursday afternoon - should be interesting

ThisRegard

neris wrote: »

is that it till the world championships or any more racing on tv? Will world champs be on TV?

The 1 hour record thing is on this week, I think they're making a whole day of it.

godtabh

finchfurlong90 wrote: »

Cycling Sucks!!

I heard you do too

Brian?

neris wrote: »

is that it till the world championships or any more racing on tv? Will world champs be on TV?

Giro Lombardia, last monument of the season on the 5th of October. Then it's pretty much winter hibernation.

MPFG

Em?? Tour of Beijing & Japan Cup

Semmingly Contador is riding in China ....wondered if it was wise

Brian?

MPFG wrote: »

Em?? Tour of Beijing & Japan Cup

Semmingly Contador is riding in China ....wondered if it was wise

I refuse to acknowledge any pro race outside of continental Europe. I'd like to cut that down to Italy, France, Belgium and Spain but the Tours of Switzerland and Romandie can be interesting.

Lusk_Doyle

ThisRegard wrote: »

The 1 hour record thing is on this week, I think they're making a whole day of it.

Well, he will be way off if that's the case!

MPFG

Brian? wrote: »

I refuse to acknowledge any pro race outside of continental Europe. I'd like to cut that down to Italy, France, Belgium and Spain but the Tours of Switzerland and Romandie can be interesting.

##hey ...what about the RAS ???

henryporter

First time watching the Vuelta this year - is there always such a poor turnout of support for it (compared to the Tour / Giro)?

gordongekko

ThisRegard wrote: »

The 1 hour record thing is on this week, I think they're making a whole day of it.

He must be having 23 practice attempts

Brian?

MPFG wrote: »

##hey ...what about the RAS ???

People I cycle with do the Rás. I don't consider it a pro race.

Brian?

henryporter wrote: »

First time watching the Vuelta this year - is there always such a poor turnout of support for it (compared to the Tour / Giro)?

Absolutely. It's the least prestigious of the three grand tours, but it's still a huge deal.

gordongekko

Brian? wrote: »

Absolutely. It's the least prestigious of the three grand tours, but it's still a huge deal.

Least prestigious but normally the most exciting.

Brian?

gordongekko wrote: »

Least prestigious but normally the most exciting.

I'm going to go full aul lad here: The Giro is traditionally the most exciting. The Vuelta has pretty much taken on board the Giro ethos and turbo charged it.

Since the Vuelta moved into August it's also the last chance for a lot of riders
For grand tour glory. That means a much higher quality field.

pelevin

neris wrote: »

is that it till the world championships or any more racing on tv? Will world champs be on TV?

I think it's on BBC.

Lusk_Doyle

Brian? wrote: »

People I cycle with do the Rás. I don't consider it a pro race.

Tell that to the pros that compete in it.

Brian?

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Tell that to the pros that compete in it.

I prefer to tell the amateurs who compete it it.