La Vuelta Stage 8 - Villapando- La Camperona

Daroxtar

And so we hit the real mountains.
A deceptive stage, mostly flat but with a kick at the end and boy is it some kick. 9.8km@6.6% but the last 2.5km@15.6%, a kilometer @19.4% and a max slope of 27%. You've had your fine hotels and fancy food and vineyards and Chateu porn, You're in La Vuelta now.




Last time out Ryder Hesjedal took the win from the break after attacking on the 26km climb up the Puerto San Glorio. This time they don't climb it but will have to possibly contend with crosswinds along the virtually flat 160km until the climb starts. Hard to see a break staying away on such a flat stage unless the winds play havoc so we could see some serious GC action in the last few km.

neris

Might suite Valverde tomorrow or a sky train for frome. The climb is to late for the pure climbers

JK.BMC

The stupid-hard gradients don't always produce the best racing. Yes it is dramatic and I love watching the Zoncalon but I have mixed views on this. If I it was like the Koppenberg etc it is entirely different as it causes a selection but some of the Vuelta finishes are like slow motion car crashes with thousands of idiots in the way (Angliru/Valdepena de Jaen etc)
Each to their own!
I predict some Colombian midget for the win- Quintana surely?

MPFGLB

I am going for the break ...GC guys will be too nervous

IN GC its Frome or Chaves

Lusk_Doyle

Have yet to see a single stage so far. Busy at work and home. These threads are my updates. I'm liking the fact that there are shorter stages as opposed to the tour from what I can see.

dastardly00

Less than 26km to go... way ahead of schedule.

Breakaway have a lead of over 10 minutes.

dastardly00

Just 10km to go for the breakaway. They will be starting the final climb very, very soon.

Just over nine minutes back to the peloton.

velo.2010

Good man, Bertie, good man!

G1032

What a climb. Great battle at the end.
That climb makes the likes of Minaun and Truskmore etc look like mere bumps in the road

Burial.

Sheer anger from Contador at the end there. Vuelta just got a whole lot interesting after today.

Daroxtar

Delighted to see Bertie having a go. Froome didn't look bad either, Quintana obviously has his form back. Surprised Chaves wasn't better.

Daroxtar

G1032 wrote: »

What a climb. Great battle at the end.
That climb makes the likes of Minaun and Truskmore etc look like mere bumps in the road

Still nasty bumps!!

pelevin

What a murderous climb there. Quintana obviously looked great but what character by Contador there. Always qualify my praise of Valverde ... not the most popular of riders ... but his third GT of the year and still toughing it out withthebest. As with all riders hopefully he's legit but mentally he must be made of granite.

MPFGLB

Delighted Quintana got hi mojo back and Bertie looked good esp for a man who crashed hard


It willbe a very interestign race ...Contador, Quintana & Froome ...with Valvere in 4th place I think

Uop 10 will be Yates, Talansky , Chaves, Moreno, Konig , Sanchez

ILIKEFOOD

Best part of the stage was Carlton giving a shout out to Blanch Wheelies for the Hospice Spin - September 17th. Donate what you can. 100k.

All My Stars Aligned

Feels like that was the first time I'd seen Quintana in a very long time.

Gallant_JJ

Is there anywhere I can see highlights, particularly the finish?

MPFGLB

Gallant_JJ wrote: »

Is there anywhere I can see highlights, particularly the finish?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElCmG0DfT00

pelevin

MPFGLB wrote: »

Delighted Quintana got hi mojo back and Bertie looked good esp for a man who crashed hard


It willbe a very interestign race ...Contador, Quintana & Froome ...with Valvere in 4th place I think

Uop 10 will be Yates, Talansky , Chaves, Moreno, Konig , Sanchez

I doubt myself Valverde will finish so high. My guess is like last year to fade in gc but maybe win points jersey. Eventually his body will tell his mind where to go!

terrydel

Great stage, murderous finish and great to see Quintana finally find his form (and sack!) and have a go at Froome.
Froome looked destroyed at the end to me, he'd left Contador for dead and he still came back and took 8 secs, not a sign that Froome was in good shape, I think he was spent trying to get back to Quintana.
You dont get climbs like that in the fecking tdf!