Vuelta a España stage 14: Lugo to Ourense (204.7km)

mr spuckler

A rolling stage today, it has the look of one suited to a breakaway staying away to contest the finish. With 3 category 3 climbs in the second half of the stage it's unlikely that it could down down to a bunch sprint.













Stage odds from Bet365...with Sam as favourite again despite what I've said above!

Sam 11/1
Alex Aranburu 12/1
Omar Fraile 12/1
Magnus Cort Neilsen 14/1
Andrea Bagioli 14/1
Jasper Philipsen 14/1

mr spuckler

Some updates from the Irish riders!

Sam Bennett explains why he struggled so badly on Vuelta stage 10

Dan Martin: “It was one of my best TTs ever. Vuelta podium is within reach”

mr spuckler

Wow, Dan Martin fastest up the final climb in the TT yesterday.
https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/vuelta-times-for-final-climb-of-tt-dan-martin-by-far-the-fastest-video/

1. Dan Martin (Israel Start-Up Nation) 6:57
2. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma) at 10 seconds
3. Hugh Carthy (EF Pro Cycling) at 18 seconds
4. Wout Poels (Bahrain McLaren) at 21 seconds
5. David Gaudu (Groupama FDJ) at 22 seconds
6. Aleksandr Vlasov (Astana) at 23 seconds
7. Clement Champoussin (AG2R La Mondiale) at 24 seconds
8. Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) at 28 seconds
9. Enric Mas (Movistar) at 32 seconds
10. Will Barta (CCC Team) at 33 seconds
11. Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) at 35 seconds
12. Thymen Arensman (Team Sunweb) at 37 seconds
13. Mattia Cattaneo (Deceuninck-QuickStep) at 37 seconds
14. Marc Soler (Movistar) at 38 seconds
15. Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) at 38 seconds

mr spuckler

Very interesting there from Kelly, Carapaz only lost 21 seconds on the flat, then 28 further seconds on the climb :eek:

dastardly00

Thanks for all the updates mr spuckler

dastardly00

Did Roglic go back to the car to get bottles and then he got a puncture? Or what happened to him?

dastardly00

That's a cool bridge

Dodge

Having a look at the finish here. Another stage that Roglic or Martin could win if they get the break back. Short and steep climb

mr spuckler

dastardly00 wrote: »

That's a cool bridge

Yep, I thought it looked like the old bridge in Mostar when I saw it first.

dastardly00

The peloton have halted their chase and so the breakaway will contest the stage

Mefistofelino

dastardly00 wrote: »

The peloton have halted their chase and so the breakaway will contest the stage

Hard to pick a winner out of this lot. Half of them are already stage winners in this Vuelta

Zdenek Štybar (Deceuninck-QuickStep), Marc Soler (Movistar), Dylan van Baarle (Ineos Grenadiers), Michael Woods (EF Pro Cycling), Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), Thymen Arensman (Sunweb)

mr spuckler

dastardly00 wrote: »

The peloton have halted their chase and so the breakaway will contest the stage

Yep, I've been focused on work calls so only glancing up from time to time. Was very surprised to see the gap having gone out so much.

Earlier it seemed that whenever I looked up Stybar was sitting on the back of the breakaway. Now I'm curious to see if that was perception or reality by whether he can finish it off. Wellens was speaking beforehand about how this stage was ideal for him.

mr spuckler

Nice tasty finish to look forward to with the 6 of them back together!

Richard Hillman

That was a very entertaining finish. I wonder will Carapaz have a go with that type of incline

Mefistofelino

Great finish - pity Arensman punched his own lights out.

mr spuckler

mr spuckler wrote: »

Wellens was speaking beforehand about how this stage was ideal for him.

And so it was! Great finish that, positioning was key, Stybar got trapped and unable to open up properly until way too late. Wellens having the inside line won the day for him.

retalivity

Crazy spot for the finish line, 10m after a 90degree left hander!

EDIT: Sean Kelly Snap!

Doc07

Nice little ‘I haven’t gone away you know’ dig from Dan just at the end

Mefistofelino

mr spuckler wrote: »

And so it was! Great finish that, positioning was key, Stybar got trapped and unable to open up properly until way too late. Wellens having the inside line won the day for him.

It was like one of them had read the road book and the other didn't

Paddigol

Very smart racing from Wellens there. Chased Soler and Stybar at just the right time. Made the catch at just the right time. Kicked for the finish at just the right time. And shut all the right doors on the chasers. He definitely made the kalkoolayshun.

Finnrocco

Mefistofelino wrote: »

It was like one of them had read the road book and the other didn't

Kirby said something like "the road book said there was further to the finish after the last bend"

Its like Wellens did a recon or knew the finish, he seemed to be in perfect spot on each bend - maybe he just said to himself might as well be on the front, can control, it better from there.

Finnrocco

Arensman is only 20!

Evenepoel, Pogacar, Hirschi, Hindley, Geoghegan Hart - the new stars.

Macy0161

Always like Wellens, even if I think he should be capable of more in the classics. Actually would've been happy with anyone of Wellens, Stybar and Woods.