La Vuelta a España - Stage 4 - Estepona/Vejer de la Frontera *SPOILERS*

Melodeon

Type: Rolling
Distance: 209.6Km
Start/Finish: Estepona/Vejer de la Frontera

Stage map:


Profile:


Last 5km:


Finale:


The General Classification after Stage 3:


Preview (© cyclingnews.com):

A flat stage but with a punchy finish that may force the GC men into action

Although essentially a flat stage, the sprinters’ teams won’t be keen on chasing down any breaks due to the two climbs on the finishing circuit in Vejer de la Frontera.

Running steeply up to the old town, the two ascents will, however, prove tempting for any puncheurs using the Vuelta as a build-up for the World Championships in Richmond. The 1,500m run up to the finish rises through the narrow streets of this classic Andalucian pueblo blanco that looks across the Straits of Gibraltar.

With bonus seconds available to the first three finishers, the overall favourites will also be tempted to the fore with the aim of striking an early psychological blow on their GC rivals.

LIVE TV:
Eurosport 2 - 2.45pm
TG4 - 3:00pm

HIGHLIGHTS:
ITV4 - 7:00pm
TG4 - 9:00pm
British Eurosport - 11:35pm

Inquitus

Tom Dumoulin

Sagan again? he's probably favourite, if not someone from the Dan Martin, Purito, Valverde mould!

GetWithIt

Nico ftw

TheBlaaMan

Dengelkob

Inquitus

Tom Dumoulin

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

Dengelkob

Think its a bit too hard for him, but we'll see.

Brian?

GetWithIt wrote: »

Nico ftw

I've decided Nico is going to win the Vuelta. He'll keep his powder dry for this one.

Pudsy33

I reckon it may be a tad too hard for Degenkolb and even Sagan. Possibly slightly too easy for Chaves and Quintana and the likes. So it'll be a puncher like Dan, JRod, Valverde or Tom Dum.

GetWithIt

Brian? wrote: »

I've decided Nico is going to win the Vuelta. He'll keep his powder dry for this one.

Good call

MPFGLB

Well Nico is flying at the moment

But unfortunately as is the case with most Irish heros he is scuppered by the auld enemy . ( he needs to get permission from the British (well Froome) to race) I think Liam Neeson will have to play him in the movie (Alan Rickman can play Froome)

Btw is there going to be a poll ?

happytramp

MPFGLB wrote: »

Well Nico is flying at the moment

But unfortunately as is the case with most Irish heros he is scuppered by the auld enemy . ( he needs to get permission from the British (well Froome) to race) I think Liam Neeson will have to play him in the movie (Alan Rickman can play Froome)

Btw is there going to be a poll ?

Yeah, all that "Thanks for letting me ride Chris, yay!!" yesterday was a bit weird. Will he be on full train duty for the rest of the race do you think?

godtabh

MPFGLB wrote: »

Well Nico is flying at the moment

But unfortunately as is the case with most Irish heros he is scuppered by the auld enemy . ( he needs to get permission from the British (well Froome) to race) I think Liam Neeson will have to play him in the movie (Alan Rickman can play Froome)

Btw is there going to be a poll ?

I think Nico will be given free rein to win a stage in the first week. After that its all for Froome. Reading between the lines of his diary yesterday I think that was suggested.

MPFGLB

happytramp wrote: »

Yeah, all that "Thanks for letting me ride Chris, yay!!" yesterday was a bit weird. Will he be on full train duty for the rest of the race do you think?

I think its hard to know but Froome is getting his tail up so he will want bonus seconds himself. (which means riders ride at front for him) My feeling is Nico has to go for it today and get time or a win as he won't have many more chances...maybe Thursday /Friday or Sunday but maybe not

Even on stage 2 if you look closely he wasn't riding for himself....he was looking back and covering attacks....that means he wasn't picking the best time to attack based on his own needs which means his mind was somewhat elsewhere

SKY should really say "Nico you can have a free reign this week" but they haven't which is clear from Nico's diary. Based on stage 2 I don't see Froome wining any stages until maybe stage 11. (if even then) so iits no skin off his nose

But SKY have the all for one policy ...different at other teams..It maybe be Froome in fairness is happy to give Nico his head but team orders are different and hence why Nico kept saying Chris told him to go

I guess they broughtRoche to the Vuleta with the sole purpose of supporting Chris Froome and as the secret pro says riding for sky is a bit robotic

MrMischief

Alejandro Valverde

Went for J-Rod....good form in the tour, punchy finish will suit him and home favourite.

stecleary

Alejandro Valverde

what time does ES coverage start? on my phone so cant see, oh and is it ES1 or 2?

gordongekko

Tom Dumoulin

stecleary wrote: »

what time does ES coverage start? on my phone so cant see, oh and is it ES1 or 2?

It's all in the op.

neris

whats the green line on the stage map? is that the route the team buses, trucks and Nibali take?

stecleary

Alejandro Valverde

gordongekko wrote: »

It's all in the op.

so it is

neris

looks like your man ashley on eurosport nicked a table cloth from the nearest tapas bar

MPFGLB

Having seen the finish it reminds me a bit of the final on Stage 9 in 2013 Vuelta ...which Danni Moreno won, Valverde 2nd, Purito 3rd and Roche 4th

MPFGLB

I also hope Dan Martin is up there today . He has the speed on the final 300m
There are though 6 sharp corners in final KM

godtabh

So much for a win today

https://twitter.com/ByTheMinCycle/status/636183463016706048

MPFGLB

godtabh wrote: »

So much for a win today

https://twitter.com/ByTheMinCycle/status/636183463016706048

Technical or crash ???

Has there been a crash

He has hardly lost the form already

Stil a bit to go though

godtabh

https://twitter.com/TeamSky/status/636188839464333312

MPFGLB

But having to chase back after a mechanical must cost ...imagine there were no SKY bodies helping him

Well at least we have Dan ftw
Kelly sounds very optimistic about his chances

Kirby seems to think it will be Froome (obsessing about it almost...must have money on him). But Froome could win mind if he is feeling good

MPFGLB

I don't like to complain but Chaves is not in the pole and I was going to vote for him

happytramp

Irish rider in Red after today not out of the question.

Darkglasses

Peter Sagan

MPFGLB wrote: »

I don't like to complain but Chaves is not in the pole and I was going to vote for him

You can make the list and pm me it to me if you want.

neris

kaka rooral

happytramp

Dan not in top 20 with 3k to go. Still time though.

godtabh

roche looking good

neris

Nicos up there

griffin100

Come on Nico!!

letape

Come on Nico!

Go Nico

godtabh

come on

godtabh

pity

neris

nico 3rd or 4th

So close

letape

Valverde - so dependable on these finishes

DDC1990

Unlucky Nico.

Great attempt.

Sagan in Saganth again.

QueensGael

Nairo Quintana

feck, anyone else but him :mad:

happytramp

wow.....great....Valverde...:(

letape

Pity - looks like Nico just missed out on time bonuses

godtabh

Any change in GC?

Gallant_JJ

Roche 4th, Valverde victory followed by Sagan

spock.

Another great ride by Nico. He's in very good form.

dastardly00

Alejandro Valverde

Aw man so close for Nico. Fantastic effort from him.

My heart was beating about 180 bpm and my hands were trembling watching that!!

DiscoHugh

Could somebody shed some light for me as to why Valverde is so generally disliked here? From posts I see here and there it seems to do with him being particularly selfish, not being a team player etc. but that doesn't seem too different from any other of the top guys like Contador etc. has there been any particularly unsavoury incidents or things he's said or done (apart from the obvious)to make him seemingly so universally unpopular?

MPFGLB

Pity Nico missed bonuses...he ran out of steam

But what a brilliant piece of riding....no way could he beat Moreno, Valverde or Purito on speed so he went for it


As I said earlier he was 4th in a stage like this in 2013

neris

looks like chavez was in the bunch a second or 2 back from roche

dastardly00

Alejandro Valverde

Chavez should still be in red.