La Vuelta Stage 19: Talavera de la Reina > Talavera de la Reina

Mefistofelino

Short, medium mountain stage today.

Two laps of a circuit with a second cat climb in the middle. Hard to see Mas being able to put Remco under any sort of pressure today. Even if he somehow gets a gap on the second ascent, there's 40km of descent / flat to get back on.

Another day for the break, though if it stays within reach I think Mads could survive the climb enough to get back in for the gallop.

dastardly00

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Fred Wright! 🤞

mewso

Yeah Fred winning would be great but some climbers in the break might put too much pressure on. Maybe its a day for a signature Shark descent to victory.

Mefistofelino

Nah. the first part of the descent might allow him to get away but from Navamorecuende to the finish is 33km of main road and only a slight down hill (1-2%)

mewso

Looks like Trek are determined not to let the break win today anyway but there could still be a few that try to get away the second time around.

dastardly00

You know the pace is fairly slow when Kenny Elissonde is leading the peloton on the flat

mewso

Yeah boring stage unfortunately assuming nothing silly happens a la Roglic the other day.

dastardly00

I'm genuinely thinking that no one is going to bother contest Mads Pedersen for the sprint finish.

dastardly00

Easy win for Pedersen.

Fred Wright gets his best ever finish in the Vuelta by taking second place.

dastardly00

Has anyone read the statement from Roglic & Jumbo-Visma about the crash... He is blaming Fred Wright for it.

I'm a fan of Roglic, but I completely disagree with what he is saying here.

https://www.teamjumbovisma.com/longread/news/one-crash-too-many-for-primoz-roglic-though-there-is-hope-for-safer-racing/

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119596237#Comment_119596237

I can't really comment as I haven't seen any clear footage of the incident, but to be honest, whenever I hear that Rog has had a crash I presume it was his own fault... and more often than not it seems that I'm right. When you seem to be constantly the victim of bad luck, there must come a point where you ask yourself if its anything to do with luck at all, or if the issue lies closer to home.

Did Rog ever compete as a Junior? In my head I'm convinced it was his lateness coming to road racing that has left him with less than razor sharp bike handling skills and 'race craft'.

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119596237#Comment_119596237

Personally thought it was pretty clear that Rog moved out to the left and then tried to swing back in, but didn’t get his spacing right. He obviously seems to think that Fred squeezed him or accelerated into a gap but I dunno. Just surprised Jumbo have rowed in behind him on it, rather than it being an errant comment in an interview etc published by a journo, so maybe they’ve footage none of us have seen?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119596642#Comment_119596642

Came across this video earlier, about as clear as I've seen of the crash. The crash happens at 7:55 in the below video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crx-f-HDcWY&t

CramCycle

LOL he might have made himself wider but Rog bounces right, catches his wheel and then crashes. It's bad luck at best, poor bike handling at worst, either could have caused the wheel to bounce right, but only Rog to blame from what I can see.

eeeee

All Rog there. Really not classy trying to blame Wright for his own poor judgement.

Wright held his line, was rolling into a gap that Rog looked to pull into, but no space there, completely his own fault. The only person moving across the road is Rog.

Strange decision by JV to put out a statement like that. Say it to the comms on the day after the accident, don't be spouting in the media.

I used to like Rog, this leaves a bad taste.

mewso

Ah come on blaming Roglic's countryman for his behavior is a bit unfair :)

eeeee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119605935#Comment_119605935

Oh the state a me!

Edited now😳