Vuelta a España 2020 | Stage 8 | Logroño - Alto de Moncalvillo (164km)

dastardly00

Another day and another mountain top finish! The first category Alto de Moncalvillo is 8.3 km in length with a 9.2% average gradient... it's a proper test!





Tom Dumoulin has abandoned before the start today due to fatigue. Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo) and Michal Golas (Ineos Grenadiers) are also non-starters. That means Carapaz only has five domestiques remaining instead of seven (you could argue that it really is only four because Froome is performing so badly...)

Itziger

I don't think that's fair on Froome. He's been at the front on a few occasions now, including yesterday. I know they're not massive stints, but he's doing his bit. Thing is, the Ineos boys went hard yesterday in that chase to keep Valverde and co. within touching distance. Today will be tough - those last 5 or 6kms.

We'll know more about podium chances after today for sure.

Cavagna in the break again. Is that is 3rd day out now?

eagle eye

Breakaway with over a 3 minute lead already but hard to see it staying ahead as some teams will be interested in the intermediate sprint.

I like Vlasov for this stage, looks just his cup of tea with the brutal finish. He wasn't so good at the start of this race but seems to have gotten over his bad patch, had to pull out of the Giro due to illness.

Another guy when could be in a winning breakaway is Bagioli who had an awful first week. I noted he stayed with the GC leaders yesterday which suggests he's hitting form in the second week too.

It could end up a battle between the GC boys, hopefully Dan can hang in there, he's looking very strong but I think the final climb doesn't really suit him.

Some strange things going on with Kuss. Going with the breakaway yesterday looked like a strange one for his team. I'm starting to suspect that Roglic is tired and they're looking at picking up other jerseys.

neris

https://twitter.com/itvcycling/status/1321439386387550208?s=19

eagle eye

Movistar driving on the peloton. Breakaway gap was 5.25 in 10km since they took up the chase they've cut three minutes off it.
Valverde said they are all working for Mas. Gotta think they fancy his chances today.

eagle eye

Froome out the back already.

Itziger

Small bit worried about Dan's chances today. How many teammates has he got?

retalivity

Itziger wrote: »

Small bit worried about Dan's chances today. How many teammates has he got?

Doesn't really matter...he never has teammates anyway!

retalivity

eagle eye wrote: »

Movistar driving on the peloton. Breakaway gap was 5.25 in 10km since they took up the chase they've cut three minutes off it.
Valverde said they are all working for Mas. Gotta think they fancy his chances today.

Renowned team player Valverde, eh? Along with Soler who left Mas behind him the last day...will believe it when I see it.

Itziger

retalivity wrote: »

Doesn't really matter...he never has teammates anyway!

Yes and no, I thought he was a bit far back in the group and just after I typed that, a teammate moved him up nearer the main players. Still think this is going to be tough. Hope he's on a good day.

Dodge

This final climb looks incredible.

mr spuckler

This is really being torn apart now.

Gallant_JJ

This is a hot pace, Dan looking strong so far.

REBELSAFC

Does Kuss ever break sweat? He nearly looks bored

Wow you could really see the gradient there. Ouch!!!!!!

dastardly00

Go on Dan!

mr spuckler

This has a real survival of the fittest feel to it!

I just hope that Dan hasn't pushed too hard too soon here.

dastardly00

The gradient starts to ease soon

Dodge

Not much between the top 4 climbers here at all (including Dan)

thebourke

great finish today

thebourke

chapeau roglic

Inquitus

Dan a plucky 3rd, Roglic looks like he will be hard to beat, best TTer of the main candidates too!

Dodge

Dodge wrote: »

Not much between the top 4 climbers here at all (including Dan)

And I think the finishing order today might be the final podium in that order too

Richard Hillman

Wow wow wow, what an ending. Every 500 meters or so the dynamic of the lead was drastically changing.

dastardly00

Jesus that was some battle. Chapeau Dan!

tobefrank321

What a finale.

Itziger

Dan, fantastic. Just a tiny bit off the top 2.

Paddigol

Tenacious ride by Dan in what is turning into a shoot-out between himself and Carthy. That'll have hurt Carthy I think after his earlier dig/ bluff/ roll of the dice came to nothing. Smart riding from Dan.

Doc07

Dodge wrote: »

And I think the finishing order today might be the final podium in that order too

That’s a good call, Roglic will pick up some comfort seconds in the TT and hopefully Dan can hang on for 3rd which would be a fantastic result.

Inquitus

breezy1985

Great stuff from the top 3 there.

That bloody Mas' jersey kept giving me a heart attack it looks way to much like Dan's and he kept getting dropped

dastardly00

So in GC McCarthy drops behind Dan and Roglic jumps ahead of Dan

eagle eye

Big statement from Roglic, any murmurs of him being tired blown out of the water.
Dan did well to hang in there.

breezy1985

Inquitus wrote: »

, Roglic looks like he will be hard to beat, best TTer of the main candidates too!

Where have I heard that before.

One thing is for sure though Dan needs to gain more time to make up for his TT

tobefrank321

Nice of Movistar to do all the hard work and then fade away at the end. Not sure what their gameplan was today. They were never going to burn off the GC boys.

dastardly00

Doc07 wrote: »

That’s a good call, Roglic will pick up some comfort seconds in the TT and hopefully Dan can hang on for 3rd which would be a fantastic result.

I think Roglic will pick up some minutes in the TT

eagle eye

tobefrank321 wrote:

Nice of Movistar to do all the hard work and then fade away at the end. Not sure what their gameplan was today. They were never going to burn off the GC boys.

Yeah, I couldn't understand what they were at. The lads in the breakaway will be really pissed after that.

Dodge

breezy1985 wrote: »

Where have I heard that before.

One thing is for sure though Dan needs to gain more time to make up for his TT

Carapaz is pretty poor in the TT too.

Thankfully it's pretty short and seems to have a fair bit of a climb in it too

Roglic could win the TT and put minutes into the others

Inquitus

eagle eye wrote: »

Big statement from Roglic, any murmurs of him being tired blown out of the water.
Dan did well to hang in there.

We would expect to see him tire in the final hard stages at the start of week 3, but he is showing no signs of it, I agree. The Angliru this weekend will likely show us how this will unfold, no hiding places on that nasty piece of mountain!

breezy1985

Inquitus wrote: »

We would expect to see him tire in the final hard stages at the start of week 3, but he is showing no signs of it, I agree. The Angliru this weekend will likely show us how this will unfold, no hiding places on that nasty piece of mountain!

My biggest worry that day for Dan is his awful habit of being too far back when things kick off. He's gonna have to be very alert that day and as usual it's a real pity he never has anyone to help

REBELSAFC

How would Dan's TT compare to Carapaz?

Paddigol

breezy1985 wrote: »

My biggest worry that day for Dan is his awful habit of being too far back when things kick off. He's gonna have to be very alert that day and as usual it's a real pity he never has anyone to help

In fairness to him this year he seems to have been on the ball every day so far and picked good wheels to follow. Hopefully he can keep it up.

retalivity

Had to go on a video call with 9km to go, balls!!

Itziger

Dodge wrote: »

Carapaz is pretty poor in the TT too.

Thankfully it's pretty short and seems to have a fair bit of a climb in it too

Roglic could win the TT and put minutes into the others

33km is long enough. I'd expect Roglic to put 2 mins at least into Dan. It's pan flat till the last 1.5 km. Hopefully, dan has a bit of a gap and can stay on the podium. There are two or three very tough stages before that though.

tobefrank321

The top 3 were also in the TdF although Carapaz and Dan probably didn't go all out like Roglic.

I don't see Roglic tiring, the guy just loves the mountain stages. He probably hates the flat stages

breezy1985

REBELSAFC wrote: »

How would Dan's TT compare to Carapaz?

Dans TT is about as good as yours or mine

MPFGLB

Ha ha ...

https://twitter.com/YallaIsraelSUN/status/1321507890881007616?s=20

MPFGLB

To me it seems like a 2 horse race for the title

then the podium is between Dan,Carthy & Mas

Cant see anyone else at present .....Poels has a good TT ,Chaves hasn't

Vlasov may make a top 10

Mefistofelino

MPFGLB wrote: »

To me it seems like a 2 horse race for the title

then the podium is between Dan,Carthy & Mas

Cant see anyone else at present .....Poels has a good TT ,Chaves hasn't

Vlasov may make a top 10

Mas would do well on the TT. He was top 10 on the Belle Filles TT in the TdF and put about about 2:45 into Dan.
Notwithstanding their balls -up today, Movistar should be able to do a job on EF and ISN to put Mas on the podium.

Thud

was there not a TT like this (steep hill at the end) somewhere a few years ago that Dan did well on?