2010 Vuelta a Castilla y Leon

[afpm90]

Valverde won't race tomorrow.

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=25318

 

[Mellow Velo]

Not worth watching. Today was a foregone conclusion.

 

[icefire]

this might be two major spanish stage races in a row with a euskatel rider on the podium....and neither of them were samu

I wouldn't say Vuelta a Castilla y Leon is a major race, or at least at the same level than Vuelta al País Vasco. Just compare the participants.

 

[menlo_guy]

... Still would like to see JB take a shot at making podium.

I agree. Jani Brajkovic is a stud. In the past two days, he's shown he can climb and time trial with the best. That's a great combination of skills for grand tours. AC is obviously the best, but Jani has convinced me that he's ready to be a GC contender in future grand tours.

If Johan Bruyneel reads these forums, I'd tell him to seriously consider making Brajkovic the #1 or #2 for this year's Tour.

 

[python]

I agree. Jani Brajkovic is a stud. In the past two days, he's shown he can climb and time trial with the best. That's a great combination of skills for grand tours. AC is obviously the best, but Jani has convinced me that he's ready to be a GC contender in future grand tours.

If Johan Bruyneel reads these forums, I'd tell him to seriously consider making Brajkovic the #1 or #2 for this year's Tour.

you need to convince the old texas (not the fat belgian) that being only 4th strongest on his own team equals numero uno

 

[icefire]

Mosquera is riding home tomorrow. He was born in a small village 5km from Santiago. He won't let his podium place slip away so easily.

 

[theswordsman]

“I am very content to win today. The legs responded well and the bike was amazing, and the course was ideal for me,” a happy Contador said after the stage. “I couldn’t quite pull off the win yesterday, but Igor was strong and I had to control the other riders. They were all climbers, so I knew I would have good chances today to get the jersey.”

Contador will carry a 41-second lead into Sunday’s hilly finale from Samos to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, home of Astana teammate and 2006 Tour de France champion Oscar Pereiro.

“Oscar is from that region, so I will be counting on him tomorrow to help us control the race,” Contador said. “Tomorrow is a good stage for riders back on GC to try to win out of a breakaway, so we only have to control our immediate rivals. Hopefully the legs will respond after two hard days.”

http://iamspecialized.com/road/news-article/contador-surges-into-lead-in-spain

 

[issoisso]

Jose Mendes (La-Rota Dos Moveis) made use of his local knowledge to move ahead of Clement in the provisional standings

What local knowledge?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I agree. Jani Brajkovic is a stud. In the past two days, he's shown he can climb and time trial with the best. That's a great combination of skills for grand tours. AC is obviously the best, but Jani has convinced me that he's ready to be a GC contender in future grand tours.

If Johan Bruyneel reads these forums, I'd tell him to seriously consider making Brajkovic the #1 or #2 for this year's Tour.

brajkovic has proven for many years now he will never do anything in gt's as his recuperation isn't good enough. he's strong for one weke but after 1 week he falls down hard just like lovkvist.

 

[alberto.legstrong]

that link is not geo restricted.

i am guessing they have slotted limited number of viewing ports and unless you were there early (i was since about 15:00) you may have been out of luck.

but i could easily be wrong.

Can I use that as my signature !?!

 

[Parrot23]

I can only imagine the excitement of a mano-a-mano duel between Menchov and Leipheimer. They'd just ride around in circles trying to follow each other's wheels.

Now that is funny!

The Tour de Circle.

 

[alberto.legstrong]

Wasn't there a headwind on Arcalis? But overall I think your point is well taken. Wind is not his friend.

I don't think it was severe, as say, Ventoux. He also made it [arcalis] a sort of 'tempered' attack and mentioned that he attacked when the switchback put the wind to his benefit. End result couldn't have been better for him, he exposed LA and the team as his primary antagonists and also stamped his name as the true #1 for astana. But that topic is too old and thoroughly trampled for me to dredge up beyond that.

Once again, I cannot find the torrent of stage 3 on cyclingtorrents. Please stop tormenting me with torrent-tease !!!

 

[cyclopeon]

The text for the last 3 kilometers on the official website says the stage finishes with a straight 700 meter rise, 6 meters wide. It doesn't say how steep.

No doubt in my mind they've got it wrong. 700m in 3km is an average slope of 7/30, or 23.3%.
Now that would be a MTF to see, if such a place exists!

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

The text for the last 3 kilometers on the official website says the stage finishes with a straight 700 meter rise, 6 meters wide. It doesn't say how steep.

Plus, bacon will be attached to each bike's top tube and rabid dogs will be released at the 2km mark.

 

[icefire]

No doubt in my mind they've got it wrong. 700m in 3km is an average slope of 7/30, or 23.3%.
Now that would be a MTF to see, if such a place exists!

I guess they meant that the last 700m (in horizontal distance) are uphill

 

[cyclopeon]

I guess they meant that the last 700m (in horizontal distance) are uphill

Heck, that's no fun. But you're probably right. I forgot about translation issues

 

[Ferminal]

What happened to Machado?

 

[BroDeal]

What happened to Machado?

These days the bottle of Hog Juice tends to run dry when the riders are faced with top level competition.

 

[theswordsman]

I guess they meant that the last 700m (in horizontal distance) are uphill

Thanks. I'd been up all night when I wrote that.

The text for the last 3 kilometers on the official website

That part was just me citing the source of information - under the profile image they just gave text describing the last 3 Km. I skipped the parts about roundabouts, but people earlier in the thread were guessing at how long the uphill bit at the end was, so I tossed in the 700 meters answer. I thought the "It doesn't say how steep" covered the rest, but I guess not.

I haven't checked coverage times yet, but Sunday will probably be a day where I'll have this and Amstel Gold streaming side by side. Enjoy the race.

 

[python]

i always like to look at the splits and the final times.

here's one if anyone interested in intermediate times from stage 4 (page 5)

http://www.vueltacastillayleon.com/files/fck/file/libro-etapa4_2010.pdf

some curious observations:

(i)berto's advantage over everyone in the second half (mostly downhill) was even larger than in the 1st half (mostly uphill). something to do with daring, the bike and perhaps greater bike handling skills.
(ii) konovalovas literally bombed the second half (2nd only to berto) moving from the 40th position at the 1st check to eventual 9th at the finish.
(iii) menchov obviously took no risk in the second half moving from the 7th to the eventual 15th and losing full minute to berto in only 8 kms.

 

[issoisso]

What happened to Machado?

According to himself at the interview at the end, he's been in good form for about two months, and as anyone knows, that tires you out and makes you need a rest.

Basic fitness management, pretty much.

 

[theswordsman]

Here's a possible feed for the day. I think race coverage is supposed to start at 14:00 their time today.

http://www.channelsurfing.net/watch-vuelta-ciclista-a-castilla-y-leon.html

 

[Tangled Tango]

i always like to look at the splits and the final times.

here's one if anyone interested in intermediate times from stage 4 (page 5)

http://www.vueltacastillayleon.com/files/fck/file/libro-etapa4_2010.pdf

some curious observations:

(i)berto's advantage over everyone in the second half (mostly downhill) was even larger than in the 1st half (mostly uphill). something to do with daring, the bike and perhaps greater bike handling skills.
(ii) konovalovas literally bombed the second half (2nd only to berto) moving from the 40th position at the 1st check to eventual 9th at the finish.
(iii) menchov obviously took no risk in the second half moving from the 7th to the eventual 15th and losing full minute to berto in only 8 kms.

While true, AC took 15 sec at the first check and just keep taking more time. The contrast in his performance to all others was marked; he was flying, sprinting over the climbs, spinning and attacking on the descents (while many coasted in aero tucks) and never let up his high spin on the flats. Just an all out TT. It really does appear to have a lot to do with motivation and not just great legs.

 

[icefire]

While true, AC took 15 sec at the first check and just keep taking more time. The contrast in his performance to all others was marked; he was flying, sprinting over the climbs, spinning and attacking on the descents (while many coasted in aero tucks) and never let up his high spin on the flats. Just an all out TT. It really does appear to have a lot to do with motivation and not just great legs.

Don't forget AC is riding a brand new TT bike this year. He just wants to push it to the limit to see if the work he's doing on the new bike shows up any result.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Don't forget AC is riding a brand new TT bike this year. He just wants to push it to the limit to see if the work he's doing on the new bike shows up any result.

Any pics of the bike?