Vuelta a Espana - Stage 19 (8-Sep), Caso. Parque Natural de Redes - Gijon (149.7km)

dastardly00

This is quite a short stage at less than 140 km, and it has some tough-ish climbs. So there is scope for some GC attacks... but considering what is in store tomorrow, it's probably unlikely. It's likely to be similar to yesterday with the breakaway contesting the win.

Mid-mountain. The San Martín mountain pass will await the peloton 16.6 kilometres from the finish-line. A short ascent with very tough slopes that will result in important differences to the general classification. If the leaders lose their concentration, even for a second, we could see some surprises.

Km 29.0 - Alto de la Colladona - 7 km at 6.8% - Cat. 1
Km 64.8 - Alto de Sto. Emiliano - 6.8 km at 4.5% - Cat. 3
Km 134.5 - Alto de la Falla de Los Lobos. La Casilla. - 4.3 km at 8.2% - Cat. 3
Km 79.5 - Alto de San Martín de Huerces - 4.5 km at 7.2% - Cat. 3





Live TV coverage on Eurosport2 at 1:45pm. Highlights on Eurosport2 at 8pm and 12.30am, and on ITV4 at 7pm (geo-blocked for Virgin Media TV subscribers).

MPFGLB

Nicolas Roche has been struggling with fatigue all Vuelta (and Tour)...


But I am sure he will try along with 150 guys to go in the break ...

Chips Lovell

Has anyone else noticed Carlton's current obsession with camera motorcycles? He gets very irrate if they come within 20 metres of the riders, treating them as if they are some sort of intrusion on the race rather than a necessary presence for providing the live picture's he's commenting on.

He's also added a new and mysterious word to his vocabulary: "Tagging". This appears to be a verb for: catching up with someone, passing someone, getting dropped, getting a draft off someone, almost colliding with someone, and possibly other things.

It's like the time he discovered the word cadence, which he appears to not to really understand and instead uses as a catch-all term for: speed, power and, actual cadence.

neris

He gives out about the motor bikes but then at other things wafts on about how fantastic and professional they are. He's been very narky for this race especially when people dare criticise the sky bots and Froome.

Dcully

One of the early stages he was ranting about camera motorcycles then convinced himself the powers that be had pulled the camera bike out from the front all while we were watching pictures of the lead rider obviously shot from the camera bike that he was convinced was pulled and let all the viewers know about.
You couldnt make it up, and even still when we see a helicopter shot of said camera bike at the front of the race he was still going on about the camer biike"told to get out of there" i mean is the guy deluded, he sees what and believes what he alone wants, how he is a commentator is beyond me.

Chips Lovell

I'd love if someone just typed up, verbatim, his entire commentary for a stage and asked him to sit down and read it afterwards.

I've been enjoying Rob Hatch and Matt Stephens on the Tour of Britain, I actually haven't been bothered too much by Kirby but do find on the whole that his co-commentators speak far more of their own volition when on with Rob Hatch.

Even Brian Smith on the Tour of Britain for ITV4 is talking way more than he ever does on Eurosport with Kirby.

Nico in the break

dastardly00

The 19 riders in the break are: Bob Jungels, Matteo Trentin (Quick Step), Nicolas Roche (BMC), Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), Julien Duval (AG2R La Mondiale), Davide Villella (Cannondale-Drapac), Floris De Tier, Juanjo Lobato (LottoNL-Jumbo), Rui Costa, Matej Mohoric (UAE Team Emirates), Laurens De Vreese (Astana), Edward Theuns, Jarlinson Pantano (Trek-Segafredo), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Ivan Garcia Cortina (Bahrain-Merida), Dani Navarro, Kenneth Vanbilsen (Cofidis), David Arroyo (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) and Juan Felipe Osorio (Manzana-Postobon.

Inquitus

It's the sort of Stage Nico could do something on, the final climb is pretty tough though, but looking at who else is in the break he's got a decent chance you'd think. A few to get off the front on the final climb and contest a 2/3 up sprint on the flat after the descent.

MPFGLB

The climb is not the problem for Nico ...its the sprint with likes of Trentin & Jungels ...

Inquitus

MPFGLB wrote: »

The climb is not the problem for Nico ...its the sprint with likes of Trentin & Jungels ...

Needs to try and get rid of them up the final climb.

MPFGLB

Inquitus wrote: »

Needs to try and get rid of them up the final climb.

Yeah...but group of 19 are now lettign Bardet group bridge....mistake given how he climbs and descends

dastardly00

I reckon that the big group will be split up before they reach the final climb. Too many riders with a huge gap to the peloton. No reason to keep a high pace. Riders will start attacking each other.

Inquitus

Break is down to around 10 with Roche making the selection on the last climb, nothing much to trouble them now until the final climb kicks off with 20km remaining.

Nico looking great on the descent here.

dastardly00

A top quality group of De Gendt, Bardet, Rui Costa, Navarro, Jungels and Roche, along with two LottoNL-Jumbo lads that I'm not familiar with (De Tier and Tolheok)

dastardly00

I'm going to start watching the coverage on my phone now so if Nico falls/crashes you can blame me!

MPFGLB

Deleted User wrote: »

Nico looking great on the descent here.

One of the best descenders in the peloton

MPFGLB

If they keep riding up front and maintian the gap Nico could get very near top 10 again

MPFGLB

MPFGLB wrote: »

If they keep riding up front and maintian the gap Nico could get very near top 10 again

Had the same thought, nearly 18 minutes now.

Inquitus

MPFGLB wrote: »

If they keep riding up front and maintian the gap Nico could get very near top 10 again

Aye I was just looking 16:43 off of Kruijswijk in 10th.

dastardly00

This would be a very intriguing and enjoyable stage to watch to see how it plays out in the last 45 km, except that Nico is there in which case I'm a nervous wreck! :eek:

MPFGLB

dastardly00 wrote: »

This would be a very intriguing and enjoyable stage to watch to see how it plays out in the last 45 km, except that Nico is there in which case I'm a nervous wreck! :eek:

Me too

neris

holy poop 17 minutes to the breakaway, what else have i missed???

MPFGLB

MPFGLB wrote: »

One of the best descenders in the peloton

Developed mostly by flying downhill in anger after Gadret ( the baldy bo****ks)

De Bhál

Sean don't talk architecture

MPFGLB

Who is Clarkey Simon ? Sean !

neris

MPFGLB wrote: »

Who is Clarkey Simon ? Sean !

Hes great for butchering riders names. His last one was cort magnus nielsen

dastardly00

He said 'Fabian' Aru earlier :pac:

neris

Carlton going on about what bbc means makes for some uncomfortable & cringeworthy listening

Oh now that looks bad for that Katusha rider

Inquitus

Dammit Bardet looks like he's gonna ruin it for us, unless Roche can make it back on on the descent!

2 pairs are working together this is going to be a great finish.

Inquitus

Here goes Bertie!

De Bhál

Kelly tips Roche (if it comes down to the four of them)

check_six

Inquitus wrote: »

Here goes Bertie!

There are other riders apart from the 4 in front?? :eek:

Inquitus

And here goes our boy, going long!

7 to go and Nico trying to go

Oh no Jungles group isn't far off them now.

D3PO

caught with 4km to go and jungles and crew only 11 seconds back. could be a mass sprint and nico has probably burnt his matches going long

Inquitus

D3PO wrote: »

caught with 4km to go and jungles and crew only 11 seconds back. could be a mass sprint and nico has probably burnt his matches going long

Shame, gonna be a 10 man sprint it seems, and he is in the wind sadly!

Another dig from Nico

check_six

Is it appropriate to shout "Go Nico!" in an office environment? (Asking for a friend...)

Inquitus

He made a bit of a mess of that one and ended up leading it out, fair play to De Gendt

D3PO

last km nico, Navarro and de gent with jungles hunting them down. mon nico

py

Silly stuff from Nico imo.

neris

Ffs

MPFGLB

C'mon armchair pundits....he went cos of Jungels and Costa (who I am happy didnt win as didnt do any work) ....

D3PO

Inquitus wrote: »

He made a bit of a mess of that one and ended up leading it out, fair play to De Gendt

you would think he would learnt by now. did the same last year twice in abu dhabi and the tour of Yorkshire and got mugged both times and did the same thing when he managed to beat zubeldia last vuelta stage he won but was lucky to come out the right side of thte result that time.

he is lacking a big of race craft when it comes down to it

dastardly00

It was a good idea to have a dig with 7 km to go when it just Bardet, Costa and Garcia.

It was a bad idea to have a go with 1 km to go.

He should have stayed put once the Jungels group had caught them. De Gendt first and Pantano second. Nico definitely a better sprinter than them.