Getxo > Balcón de Bizkaia 12/09/2018 - Stage 17 - 157 km - Hilly

Inquitus

One of the decisive 3 stages remaining tomorrow with a short steep climb to the finish before we transition to Andorra on Saturday and Sunday for the 2 remaining mountain stages of this year's Vuelta. It seems a 3 horse race now between Yates, Valverde and Kruijswijk.

Classification - Mid-Mountain. Unprecedented finale, with a very “Vuelta” profile. The riders must overcome over 3000 metres of inclination, with an explosive finish-line in Mount Oiz and slopes of up to 17% and 18%.

Route



Profile



Final Climb


GC Standings



The Bookies Take

Could be one for the break potentially unless Astana or Movistar want to work for a GC race up the final climb. If I were Mitchelton Scott I'd happily let the right break go and save my energy.

Miguel Angel Lopez 11/4
Simon Yates 5
Nairo Quintana 7
Rafal Majka 11
Alejandro Valverde 14
Thibaut Pinot 14
Enric Mas Nicolau 25
George Bennett 33
Michal Kwiatkowski 20
Dylan Teuns 40
Omar Fraile 33
Pello Bilbao 40
Steven Kruijswijk 40
Vincenzo Nibali 40
Davide Formolo 33
Fabio Aru 50
Oscar Rodriguez 50
Alessandro De Marchi 50
Ben King 50
Igor Anton 50
Ilnur Zakarin 40
Richie Porte 66
Wilco Kelderman 66
David de la Cruz 66
Hermann Pernsteiner 66
Bauke Mollema 40
Gianluca Brambilla 33
Laurens De Plus 80
Michael Woods 66
Mikel Bizkarra 80
Pierre Rolland 66
Mark Padun 100
Richard Carapaz 66
Jack Haig 125
Sergio Luis Henao 125
Alexandre Geniez 125
Floris De Tier 150
Franco Pellizotti 150
Louis Meintjes 150
Merhawi Kudus 125
Nicolas Roche 150
Rigoberto Uran 150
Rudy Molard 150
Sepp Kuss 150
Sergio Pardilla 150
Stephen Cummings 150
Thomas De Gendt 150
Tiesj Benoot 150
Adam Yates 200
Daniel Moreno 200
Gorka Izagirre 200
Ion Izagirre 200
Sander Armee 200
Tao Gheoghegan Hart 200
Valerio Conti 200
Dario Cataldo 250
Davide Villella 250
Emanuel Buchmann 250
Jan Hirt 250
Edward Ravasi 300
Nick Schultz 300
Tony Gallopin 250
Fabio Felline 300
Ivan Garcia Cortina 300
Cristian Rodriguez 400
Ian Boswell 400
Lluis Guillermo Mas Bonet 400
Maxime Monfort 400
Mikael Cherel 400
Nikita Stalnov 400
Simon Clarke 400
Simon Geschke 400
Winner Anacona 400
Amanuel Gebreigzabhier 500
Dries Devenyns 500
Jesus Herrada 500
Jhonatan Restrepo 500
Jose Herrada 500
Jose Mendes 500
Stephane Rossetto 500
Andrey Amador 600
Andrey Zeits 600
Antonio Molina 600
Ben Gastauer 600
Brent Bookwalter 600
Eduard Prades 600
Hubert Dupont 600
Jai Hindley 600
Joey Rosskopf 600
Luis Angel Mate 600
Martijn Tusveld 600
Michael Storer 600
Mikel Iturria 600
Pavel Kochetkov 600
Pieter Serry 600
Tiago Machado 600
Alex Aranburu 750
Aritz Bagues 750
Hector Saez 750
Imanol Erviti 750
Jesus Ezquerra 750
Jonathan Castroviejo 750
Jonathan Lastra 750
Jordi Simon 750
Jorge Cubero 750
Leo Vincent 750
Nans Peters 750
Nelson Oliveira 750
Oscar Cabedo 750

neris

There's something about movistar and the valverde/Quintana set up where I could see them coming away on Sunday with nothing. I don't think they'll get Quintana working for valverde tomorrow a this could play into the hands of lotto & quickstep

manafana

Usually spend my time on cyclingnews forum but less so these days. 
Did anyone setup a boards velogames "tour of spain" league or pre existing boards leauge?

Todays final climb is a brute, they go up what would be considered a decent leg sapper at 6% + then turn off and soon head for 4km at bloody 12%, and worse of all it has a flat spot near the top between two kickers.
I thought Mas at 25s looked a tad over priced given his legs are on it, but chance for break here. Take a team who has no reason to ask riders to work for leader or wait up on final climb to help.

manafana

double post.

dastardly00

Live TV coverage on Eurosport1 has just started

dastardly00

Should be a good battle for KOM jersey today as well...

1. Luis Angel Mate - 64 pts
2. Thomas De Gendt - 57 pts
3. Been King - 56 pts
4. Bauke Mollema - 50 pts

Expect to see all four riders in the breakaway!

Mate seems to be struggling in the peleton. Only minor points today though I think. Can de Gendt take the jersey today?

dastardly00

Deleted User wrote: »

Mate seems to be struggling in the peleton. Only minor points today though I think. Can de Gendt take the jersey today?

De Gendt won the first Cat. 3 KOM, so he is on 60 points now, with Mate on 64.

Remaining are a Cat. 3, Cat. 2, Cat. 3, Cat. 3 and a Cat. 1 summit finish so ample opportunities for De Gendt to take the jersey today.

Mollema picked up 2 points so that's him up to 52. No Ben King in the breakaway.

dastardly00

Another Cat. 3 completed:

1. Mate - 64 pts
2. De Gendt - 60+3 = 63 pts
3. King - 56 pts
4. Mollema - 52+2 = 54 pts

De Gendt has it now.

dastardly00

The summit finish is covered in cloud... could be a disaster with picture break-up

dastardly00

4'30" to the breakaway with 18 km to go

dastardly00

The break have started the final climb... let the action begin

neris

Fabian arrow down and half naked. Not a happy camper

Kelly saying he was shouting about the bike. Half moon in his bibs.

dastardly00

neris

Quintana still sucking wheels. Why have movistar for valverde leading them up the climb

at1withmyself

neris wrote: »

Quintana still sucking wheels. Why have movistar for valverde leading them up the climb

What do you expect, everyone is "sucking" of Astana??

Someone from the break stopped and waiting for Uran.

dastardly00

Teuns, Woods, De La Cruz, or Majka

dastardly00

We need split-screens!!!

neris

The longest 250 meters ever in a bike race. That looked painful

dastardly00

neris wrote: »

The longest 250 meters ever in a bike race. That looked painful

Woods looked like he was in wet cement

dastardly00

Kirby is earning his crust today trying to call out riders crossing the finish line :pac:

neris

dastardly00 wrote: »

Kirby is earning his crust today trying to call out riders crossing the finish line :pac:

And he's not got 1 wrong






YET

neris

Kruiswijck losing a bit of time and superman aswell.

dastardly00

Valverde maybe gains 7 seconds on Yates.

Quintana and Kruijswijk lose about 1 minute

Quintana lost a minute or so.

marvin80

Good thinking having volunteers at the line to push the riders safely away from the finish - some of them look like there about to collapse.

dastardly00

A lot of the riders are absolutely fcuked!

at1withmyself

Delighted for Valverde, I wonder can he take the overall as Simon started to struggle at the end?

at1withmyself

Woods had great motivation today;

Woods said afterwards. “My wife and I, my wife had a stillbirth two months ago. We lost the little guy, his name was Hunter. The whole time I was going up the climb I was thinking of him I wanted to win so bad for him and I did.”

Nice to remember they are human at the end of the day, great win and delighted for him and the team.

at1withmyself

neris wrote: »

Fabio aru down and half naked. Not a happy camper

Came in at 14.14 down today so good recovery and could have rode into top 10.

Curious now to see how he and Dan split the GT's next year...

Inquitus

Today was Valverde's best opportunity to take time from Yates, the last 2 major challenges look likely to favour Yates over Valverde more so that today's finish. If Yates is not going to collapse and I don't think it likely, it is going to take something very special from Valverde to win this Vuelta, especially with Adam back, and able, to support Yates if he does get into some trouble. It is now incumbent on QS, Movistar and Astana to keep the bonuses in play on Stages 19 and 20 to help reduce the current 25 second gap further if the opportunity presents itself. Personally I think we can rule it down to Yates, Valverde, Mas and MAL at this point. A Vueltan transistion / Sprinters day tomorrow, so perhaps a day off for the GC for some recovery ahead of the 2 deciding stages 19 and 20 on Friday and Saturday before the procession to Madrid on Sunday!

The New Bookies Predictions for the race

Simon Yates 8/13
Alejandro Valverde 3
Enric Mas 7
Miguel Angel Lopez 11
Nairo Quintana 18
Mikel Landa 30
Steven Kruijswijk 50

letape

^^^ and Landa’s not even in the race!

neris

Those Scott sunglasses that mitchelton wear make the POC shades ef wear look fashionable

dastardly00

A great collection of photos on Steephill (as per usual) from the stage today, including Fabio Aru's backside, the dodgy glasses that the Yates brothers have, and Michael Woods wearing a txapela

http://www.steephill.tv/2018/vuelta-a-espana/photos/stage-17/

letape

I have difficulty accepting Valverde due to his past indiscretions - but I have to say he looks great on a bike - especially compared to the Yates etc.

Macy0161

neris wrote: »

Those Scott sunglasses that mitchelton wear make the POC shades ef wear look fashionable

Even the helmets and casquettes look massive on them - sometimes it's hard to tell if it's a casquette or baseball cap. I've come to the conclusion they have incredibly small heads.

neris

Macy0161 wrote: »

Even the helmets and casquettes look massive on them - sometimes it's hard to tell if it's a casquette or baseball cap. I've come to the conclusion they have incredibly small heads.

Also this yoke he was wearing in the TT, if your trying to hide in spain in camouflage a red skin suit isnt going to help

Macy0161

Simon Yates also served a doping ban. But yes, riding style does colour judgements, as does Sky's constant and continuing PR bs since inception, (which we really don't need to revisit, again do we?) as to why they're judged by different (and their own stated) standards. I'm also not aware of Valverde going from no contract to GC contender in a matter of weeks like Froome did.

Whyner

Weepsie wrote: »

Me too. He is lauded by the same people who bash Sky and Froome and have repeatedly called them cheats. I don't get it entirely, but I guess it's like Contador. He is from a certain type of cycling tradition. A hard man of the peleton. Aggressive and stylish, rides by feel etc etc. Some romantic vision that cycling fans have of the athletes they follow, and he matches that in a way Froome, Wiggins etc never could.

Looks like you do get it, that's a very accurate guess

manafana

Macy0161 wrote: »

Simon Yates also served a doping ban. But yes, riding style does colour judgements, as does Sky's constant and continuing PR bs since inception, (which we really don't need to revisit, again do we?) as to why they're judged by different (and their own stated) standards. I'm also not aware of Valverde going from no contract to GC contender in a matter of weeks like Froome did.

Valverde was a super talent all way through his career, he looked special from first time he rode. He lives on the bike, guys a monk, literally only eats on bike, really looks after himself, so dodgy past or not he is just that damned good as well.

Mefistofelino

neris wrote: »

Also this yoke he was wearing in the TT, if your trying to hide in spain in camouflage a red skin suit isnt going to help

Every time I see those glasses, I can't help but think of the punchline to that old Drew Carey joke - "I'm not really a welder - I just found these goggles"

neris

https://twitter.com/petosagan/status/1040160636456656897?s=19

Ivan Garcia had a few wheelies this week too.

dastardly00

Maybe it's because the Vuelta is the smallest of the three GTs, but the fans on the side of the road have been well behaved (based on my viewing). There have been very few muppets on the side of the road trying to get selfies as the riders pass, or others dressed up in silly costumes.

Now maybe it's also because that the Guardia Civil don't take any sh1t! :pac:

neris

dastardly00 wrote: »

Maybe it's because the Vuelta is the smallest of the three GTs, but the fans on the side of the road have been well behaved (based on my viewing). There have been very few muppets on the side of the road trying to get selfies as the riders pass, or others dressed up in silly costumes.

Now maybe it's also because that the Guardia Civil don't take any sh1t! :pac:

They mentioned that on the cycling podcast last night how good the fans were, alot looked like cyclists and club groups and not the tdf Muppets who just turn up for the occasion.

neris

https://twitter.com/TheCampagKid/status/1040326499247828992?s=19

To Alcohol

neris wrote: »

Those Scott sunglasses that mitchelton wear make the POC shades ef wear look fashionable

Love those sunglasses. searched high and low and all out of stock. :mad: