Stage 11 -Lorca - Observatorio Astronómico de Calar Alto 187.5km

Daroxtar

The first of the big mountain stages. Two Cat 1 climbs back to back at the end of the stage, The Alto de Velefique is 13.2km at 8.6% followed by climb to Observatorio Astronómico de Calar Alto which is 15.5km at 5.9%. Both climbs are at their toughest, getting into double figure gradients in the final kilometer. However, Alto de Velefique is a very consistent climb all the way whilst Calar Alto has a tough first part followed by 5 km averaging just over 2% before kicking back up again in the final third.



This one is for the GC. Given the length and gradients of the climbs it has Froome written all over it but I fancy Majka as he's far enough off the GC to be let off but has the capability to win here.

retalivity

When is the froome tiredness expected to come? I cant remember the last time he's had a bad day, the only one that comes close recently is the peyreguedes in the tdf this year, but he lost seconds rather than minuted there.

If he pisses away with this, and with the tt to come, its got to be demoralising for everyone else.

neris

retalivity wrote: »

I cant remember the last time he's had a bad day

If he pisses away with this, and with the tt to come, its got to be demoralising for everyone else.

the time he crashed and broke his foot or knee in this race a few years ago and had to pull out

hes made the tdf demoralising as it is and while i think some people want to see him do a double no one wants to see him walk away with it. problem is there isnt really anyone rider or team that can really put it up to him or sky every day and make it a battle

Yeah Froome is a step above the rest. If they had stronger teams Nibali & Contador could have a proper go at him. Unless he has a really bad day Froome has this Vuelta won.

retalivity

Dunne in the break again with some stellar company - bardet, jungels, anton, mohoric, visconti, de marchi.

Nearly 3mins up the road

dastardly00

14-rider breakaway have 3'15" on the peloton with 117 km remaining.

Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale), Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors), Alessandro De Marchi (BMC), Antonio Pedrero (Movistar), Lennard Hofstede (Sunweb), Simon Clarke (Cannondale-Drapac), Antwan Tolhoek (LottoNL-Jumbo), Matej Mohoric (UAE Team Emirates), Sander Armée (Lotto Soudal), Giovanni Visconti (Bahrain-Merida), Igor Anton (Dimension Data), David Arroyo (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Conor Dunne (Aqua Blue Sport) and Aldemar Reyes (Manzana Postobon).

dastardly00

^^^^^
*snap* with retalivity

MPFGLB

Wasnt it supposed to get hoter as they went south

GetWithIt

I reckon Dunne is head and shoulders above that lot.

retalivity

Didnt realise Dunne was the current lanterne rouge either

MPFGLB

retalivity wrote: »

Didnt realise Dunne was the current lanterne rouge either

That is a good competetion for Ireland...Bennett at the Tour

The Orica riders have put the foot down very early, peloton in bits already :-)

dastardly00

I had to check the GC to see where SIMON Yates was. He's way down. He was going good until the stage on Sunday, when he lost a bucket load of time (10+ minutes). Anyone remember what happened to him?

MPFGLB

dastardly00 wrote: »

I had to check the GC to see where SIMON Yates was. He's way down. He was going good until the stage on Sunday, when he lost a bucket load of time (10+ minutes). Anyone remember what happened to him?

Just tired I'd say from the Tour...he is young yet

neris

hows nico doing? only getting into this now

Nico was hanging out near the back of the GC group until about 2kms ago. He is now closer to the front. Maybe he will try something again on the descent?

Must had a problem as he is now trying to get back in contact with the GC group

MPFGLB

neris wrote: »

hows nico doing? only getting into this now

Still there

dastardly00

Any other BMC rider there with Nico and TvG?

MPFGLB

I think Roche went to the front to try on the descent but he must have had a mechanical as next he was coming back ....

Yeah they picked him up shaking his head as he got back on , not sure what happened.

average_runner

retalivity wrote: »

When is the froome tiredness expected to come? I cant remember the last time he's had a bad day, the only one that comes close recently is the peyreguedes in the tdf this year, but he lost seconds rather than minuted there.

If he pisses away with this, and with the tt to come, its got to be demoralising for everyone else.

Reminds me of Armstrong!!!

We will find out what happened in his diary tomorrow :-) Nico and TvG are together near the from of the group. Froome has 5 teammates with him at this stage :-(

retalivity

Peloton took it very handy on the descent...from being within 45secs the gap is now near 3 mins

Whats with all the ads today ffs they never do that inside 20-30 km to go :mad:

dastardly00

Franco Pellizotti leading the peloton at the moment just like in the Giro...
he's like a fine wine... getting better with age

neris

nico out the back door

dastardly00

Mini attack from Bertie & Contador.
Nico in trouble

dastardly00

Not good for Nico to be dropped with 11 km to go

irishrover99

So Bertie and Nibali working together can drop two Sky Domestiques. What hope is their for anyone

retalivity

Red jersey group of 5, 3 of them sky.
Ffs.

Hopefully Roche paces himself back on or close enough.

GetWithIt

Hopefully he's pacing himself. Aiming to regain time on the false flat and come strong on the final section

neris

irishrover99 wrote: »

So Bertie and Nibali working together can drop two Sky Domestiques. What hope is their for anyone

skybots can never be dropped. makes the racing very dull

jack01986

Vuelta tracker saying Nico has lost over a minute is that right? Its been very slow to update.

neris

under the 9 km banner and the 2 skybots on the front both pull out a gel at the same time

retalivity

Cn saying chaves, de la cruz over 30s back, roche, aru, tvg even further behind

neris

Chaves a minute back and nico further back, they might aswell just give Froome the winners trophy at the stage end

Looks like Nibali has another one or two digs before the end. Hopefully he can take 30-40 sec out of Froome today

neris

cmon nibali go for it and do something

neris

can you imagine a garda running alongside a bike race forcing fans back off the road

retalivity

Ah fcuk off...

Edit:my screen froze when froome flew past nibbles and was just behind lopez, assumed he won!

neris

chaves is over 2 minutes back and no sign of nico

velo.2010

Froome's domestiques, most of whom not good enough for the Tour, finishing ahead of supposed GC contenders.

Interesting to see how Nieve gets on with Orica next year.

MPFGLB

I knew when I saw the rain & cold it wouldn tbe a good day for Nico.....always has major fail going from hot to cold conditions

oh well hopefully he could contain losses

Kelderman had great day. A bunch of stages left that suit Roche more. Hopefully he can pull back a bit of time here and there.

terrydel

Unless theres serious rule changes or sky pack it in, Grand Tours will just get more and more boring.
Their dominance is killing the sport as a spectacle at this level.

retalivity

Roche 4'17 back, 40s behind tj. They are both now 4.45 behind froome on gc

neris

terrydel wrote: »

Unless theres serious rule changes or sky pack it in, Grand Tours will just get more and more boring.
Their dominance is killing the sport as a spectacle at this level.

its getting boring now, Froome with 2 domestiques and everyone else fighting for themselves near the end.

jack01986

Ouch bad day for Nico, hopefully he can get back into the top 10 on some other stages.

godtabh

MPFGLB wrote: »

I knew when I saw the rain & cold it wouldn tbe a good day for Nico.....always has major fail going from hot to cold conditions

oh well hopefully he could contain losses

Was it not lashing yesterday?