La Vuelta a España, September 07, Stage 16: Luarca - Ermita del Alba 184 km *SPOILERS

Melodeon

Date: Monday 6th September
Type: High Mountains
Distance: 184Km
Start/Finish: Luarca/Ermita del Alba


Stage map:



Profile:



First three climbs:
Km 14.6 - Alto Aristébano - 14.7Km at 3.6% - Category 3
Km 43.1 - Alto de Piedratecha - 9.9Km at 4.8% - Category 2
Km 85.6 - Alto de la Cabruñana - 4.6Km at 6.8% - Category 3


Fourth Climb - Km 119.9 - Alto de Tenebredo - Category 2:



Fifth Climb - Km 150.0 - Alto del Cordal - Category 2:



Sixth Climb - Km 166.5 - Alto de la Cobertoria - Category 1:



...and the descent to the bottom of the final climb:



Final Climb - Km 185.0 - Ermita de Alba - Category ESP:




Last 5km:



The General Classification after Stage 15:



Preview (© cyclingnews.com):

Lots of climbs pave the way to a new and potentially spectacular summit finish

Today’s seven categorised climbs may not be as high as the half dozen tackled in Andorra but their severity, particularly the new finishing ascent of the Ermita de Alba, will make it just as tough.

Climbs such as the Cordal and Cobertoria are usually preludes to the Angliru. While it’s always slightly disappointing when the Vuelta skips that legendary test, the Ermita de Alba is a worthy alternative, for those watching at least. The first half of the 6.6km ascent averages 10 per cent. Above the hamlet of Salcedo, it ramps up to twice that before a series of precipitous hairpins and walls, including one at 30 per cent.

The second, and after this much-needed, rest day follows.

LIVE TV:
British Eurosport - 3.00pm
TG4 - 3:00pm

HIGHLIGHTS:
ITV4 - 7:00pm
Eurosport 2 - 8:00pm
TG4 - 8:45pm

GetWithIt

Nico ftw

MPFGLB

That is such a hard parcours

I think whoever can grind it out in the breakaway wins tomorrow....and I mean grinds it out

The GC guys look like they are on the limit

I think Movistar spent alot of energy today controlling who went in the break ( no SKY - looking for Team classification ?) and then later set a pace for a win for Nairo who didn't deliver

But should be different tomorrow an we will see a big break

And the GC will be falling slowly off the back as we go up the last climb. And unless they up the speed on the last climb Dumoulin may still hang in there a minute or so down

odyssey06

Nico's been struggling these last few days, couldn't even hold on to be "third man" counting towards Sky's position in the team classification according to his diaries today.
Would be (pleasantly) surprised if he bounced back today. Maybe after the rest day we'll see the real Nico again...

D3PO

Given how gutsy he has been so far Id love to see Dumoulin hang tough and limit his losses to under a minute.

If he does that he has a great chance of winning the Vuelta.

If he cant to that I want Purito to put a chunk of time into his rivals to give him a buffer for the TT and finally cap his career with a GT win

Daroxtar

Todays stage is possibly harder than Andorra in some ways. 50 km longer, a hard week later and no rest day before.

death1234567

D3PO wrote: »

Given how gutsy he has been so far Id love to see Dumoulin hang tough and limit his losses to under a minute.

I think Doumoulin will lose ~1m 30s today (or more). Aru, Majka and JRod all need to put plenty of time into him to survive the time trial.

D3PO

death1234567 wrote: »

I think Doumoulin will lose ~1m 30s today (or more). Aru, Majka and JRod all need to put plenty of time into him to survive the time trial.

I hope not. I think hes don't a great job managing his capabilities and I like the underdog so hope he hangs tough.

looks a mighty tough stage though. Anything could happen.

MPFGLB

odyssey06 wrote: »

Nico's been struggling these last few days, couldn't even hold on to be "third man" counting towards Sky's position in the team classification according to his diaries today.
Would be (pleasantly) surprised if he bounced back today. Maybe after the rest day we'll see the real Nico again...

I dont really understand how his form has fallen off a cliff ...He was up there a week ago going for everything...I know they were not long climb but they still were climbs. He crashed twice and he went to pieces on stage 11. But surely legs can't be gone ...Has to be a head thing. It almost like he is saying (in his diary) that he can;t do it before they reach the climbs at all. As if he is afraid to blow or fail or something..

D3PO

MPFGLB wrote: »

I dont really understand how his form has fallen off a cliff ...He was up there a week ago going for everything...I know they were not long climb but they still were climbs. He crashed twice and he went to pieces on stage 11. But surely legs can't be gone ...Has to be a head thing. It almost like he is saying (in his diary) that he can;t do it before they reach the climbs at all. As if he is afraid to blow or fail or something..

The second crash was a pretty hard one. Its easily understandable how the injuries sustained could affect your performance.

its nothing to do with form its all to do with recovering from such incidents. The head may be willing but if the body isn't there isn't much you can do.

kcera

I think sky will win the stage,Rodriguez will lead the GC men Home.(Boswell or roche)Winner will be from a break

If dumoulin wants to win the vuelta he can only lose 35 seconds max today I feel..

death1234567

D3PO wrote: »

I hope not. I think hes don't a great job managing his capabilities and I like the underdog so hope he hangs tough.

looks a mighty tough stage though. Anything could happen.

I think the second last climb is the problem for him. If it was just one big one to finish then he could hang in but if he gets dropped on the second last climb then there's still so many K's to go where he might be on his own. Also he could take a lot of risks on the descent and come undone. I hope he stays ~ 2 minutes but I think the time trial will be interesting anyway.

The Vuelta is the best grand tour.

D3PO

yep hopefully he hangs tough. Its a remarkable performance when you consider hes basically racing single handed with zero team support.

Anyway clear that the break will contest todays stage with a 21 minute plus lead now. This one has Rolland written all over it IMO

RobFowl

Frankie boy for me....

Notwork Error

Anything interesting going on?

neris

am i seeing that right that theres a gap of over 17 minutes from the front to the red jersey group??

MPFGLB

TCS are drilling it on the front ...pretty fast

MPFGLB

neris wrote: »

am i seeing that right that theres a gap of over 17 minutes from the front to the red jersey group??

About 15 minutes now that TCS are going for it

MPFGLB

Lots of riders now out the back and the peloton is strung out

retalivity

Jaysis....peloton took 7 mins back on that climb

MPFGLB

Crash ...Chava & Duque caught at barrier on downhill ...both look shook ..esp Chava



Very risky looking downhill

D3PO

TCS really pulling the break back at a rapid rate. What seemed a banker stage win for the break now seems a lot less likely

MPFGLB

D3PO wrote: »

TCS really pulling the break back at a rapid rate. What seemed a banker stage win for the break now seems a lot less likely

Hard to know .... Schleck looks like he up for it & Peloton were on the downhill and break going up

neris

wheres schleck been hiding the last 5 years

Subpopulus

https://twitter.com/MrFiestina/status/640482453107437568

*Pictures Nairo Quintana cycling along the Clonbur road with Maureen O'Hara on his crossbar*

Lumen

neris wrote: »

wheres schleck been hiding the last 5 years

He got a 1 year doping ban in 2012.

http://www.dopeology.org/incidents/Schleck,-F-positive/

MPFGLB

SKY team prize in jeopardy.

Henao and Kiri out the back...Only Nieve & Boswell left up front it seems

MPFGLB

But Dumoulin is still there and looks ok

mhiggy09

Are they on the second last climb or the last?

D3PO

No surprise but Dumoulin isolated now. Hope he can hang tough

D3PO

mhiggy09 wrote: »

Are they on the second last climb or the last?

second last

MPFGLB

They are nearly all isolated now except Astana & Movistar & TCs who have 2 riders

mhiggy09

The break must have this won. 11mins for the last climb

neris

looks like purito aru and dumoulin are together going up the start of the last climb

Pudsy33

I really hope Purito can gain time, I'd love him to get a GT.

MPFGLB

Landa putting Aru under pressure

Daroxtar

Fking hell, that's a ferocious incline!!

MPFGLB

Landa does not give one f*** about Aru ...so obvious

MPFGLB

So far Valverde & Pozzovivo gone but Dumoulin still there

MPFGLB

Chaves dropped

MPFGLB

But Dumoulin still there

death1234567

Some effort by Tom doumoulin. I am chewing my humble pie. He might be favourite for the win now.

neris

eurosport showing 900km to the finish

neris

purito in to red???

neris

2 seconds

Andre 3000

Some man Purito is.

letape

Just hope he can hold it together now for the last week and get more of a lead over Tom D, which he clearly still needs.

D3PO

chapeau Dumoulin. Its his GT to lose now going by historical TT performances.

top 3 at the end for me now

1. Dumoulin
2. Majika
3. Aru

Poor ould Purito wont make the podium IMO

Dr. Bre

Really want Rodriguez to win! Think it's his last chance for grand tour success. Aru has so many years ahead of him. The love Carlton has for dumoulin ha he's definitely rooting for him !

MPFGLB

Dr. Bre wrote: »

Really want Rodriguez to win! Think it's his last chance for grand tour success. Aru has so many years ahead of him. The love Carlton has for dumoulin ha he's definitely rooting for him !

I am with you ...I want Purito to win as Aru, Majka & Dumoulin have years yet
and Purito has never won a GT

He should have gone earlier today ...he definitely was the strongest

It may still come down to next Saturday ...

D9Male

I have been accused of hyping Majka on here in the past. And I have a lot of money (for me) on him to win this Vuelta.

But where has this idea come from that he can finish ahead of Purito come from? He is around 1'30" back.