2011 Vuelta a España Stage 20: Bilbao → Vitoria, 185km

[hrotha]

Stevo Kruijswijk...he is still alive despite his back problems

Maybe it's Slagter. The Spanish commentators have been confusing these two for the whole Vuelta.

(Well, no. It's just whenever they saw Slagter they said it was Kruijswijk. Slagter wasn't even mentioned)

 

[jmspinto]

.

Still, I expect Sagan to win it.

Facts in the Vuelta: Froome woul have had a better Vuelta if Sky backed him right after he has shown hw was in a better form than Wiggo.

The idea of puttung the ITT in the middle of the race is interesting as it provoques a lot of different aproaches to the race itself. If you have a ITT on the final stages (like Tour) you expect a guy like Evans (or Contador on his peak) to control the others as he would gain time in that ITT.

 

[Tuarts]

Froome would have had a better Vuelta if the TTT went better,
Froome would have had a better Vuelta if they didn't let Cobo go up the road on St14
If Froome's Uncle was his Aunty he'd be racing under Mongolian Nationality.

Ifs are not facts.

 

[Lexman]

I think Sagan will get the win if the break doesn't win by heaps, providing he isn't in the break.

my thoughts exactly, Sagan either in the bunch or in the break...

 

[auscyclefan94]

Froome would have had a better Vuelta if the TTT went better,
Froome would have had a better Vuelta if they didn't let Cobo go up the road on St14
If Froome's Uncle was his Aunty he'd be racing under Mongolian Nationality.

Ifs are not facts.

Bingo. btw, Froome didn't let Cobo up the road on st 14.

Dimspace told me which I now agree wth is the fact that having to work for Brad almost helped him. It probably stopped him making a stupid move like he may of.

 

[Lexman]

BARREDO LLAMAZALES Carlos (151), KRUIJSWIJK Steven (155), TXURRUKA Amets (056), CARUSO Damiano (003), LE MEVEL Christophe (195), KARPETS Vladimir (087), VAN DE WALLE Jurgen (126), TORIBIO ALCOLEA Jose Vicente (029), CATALDO Dario (142), BENNATI Daniele (101), MONDORY Lloyd (017), BAKELANDTS Jan (121), KISERLOVSKI Robert (135), PEREZ ARRIETA Aitor (095), HOWARD Leigh (076), ROCHE Nicolas (011), NUYENS Nick (168), VAN AVERMAET Greg (038), CARRARA Matteo (211), LASTRAS GARCIA Pablo (115), MARYCZ Jaroslaw (167), MARZANO Marco (092), VORGANOV Eduard (089), MORI Manuele (093), DE KORT Koen (179), HORRACH RIPPOLL Juan (082) y ISASI FLORES Inaki (052).

so this being the one to last stage, i guess Devolder keeps it all for tomorrows final stage

 

[auscyclefan94]

lol, Devolder is such a weird character.

 

[Tank Engine]

Bingo. btw, Froome didn't let Cobo up the road on st 14.

Dimspace told me which I now agree wth is the fact that having to work for Brad almost helped him. It probably stopped him making a stupid move like he may of.

We'll never know, but it sounds eminently reasonable. Looking at the way Froome attacks and his past history of attacking early, Wiggins' presence at the Vuelta may well have helped him come of age.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Roche in the breakaway is good news for Sky with other teams working

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Roche in the breakaway is good news for Sky with other teams working

I will be profoundly disappointed in any team which rides at the front to protect someone's 14th place. Roche is 5 minutes off a top 10 and no real threat to anyone.

If, for instance, Garmin rides at the front, I think you can probably take it for granted that their aim is to bring it back together for a sprint (if it's a large group, Haussler, if the stage proves as selective as yesterday, Martin). It would just be bizarre for them to ride to protect Martin's 13th.

 

[Arnout]

I will be profoundly disappointed in any team which rides at the front to protect someone's 14th place. Roche is 5 minutes off a top 10 and no real threat to anyone.

It can be important for UCI points. Euskaltel for example will be competing with AG2R for place 15, so they might want to protect Nieve.

 

[auscyclefan94]

British Eurosport is showing paris Brussels so I think the Vuelta stage may come on a bit later than scheduled. 70km's to go in Paris brussels.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

It can be important for UCI points. Euskaltel for example will be competing with AG2R for place 15, so they might want to protect Nieve.

Roche is 5 minutes behind Nieve. Unless nobody chases at all, that sort of time advantage is not under threat today.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Roche is 5 minutes behind Nieve. Unless nobody chases at all, that sort of time advantage is not under threat today.

Tell that to Omega Pharma Lotto. They've been riding on the front today - can only think they are concerned with Van Den Broeck's 8th place

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Tell that to Omega Pharma Lotto. They've been riding on the front today - can only think they are concerned with Van Den Broeck's 8th place

What a bunch of clowns. There are teams here which have good reasons to want to control the break. OPL is not one of them.

 

[Tuarts]

Bingo. btw, Froome didn't let Cobo up the road on st 14.
.

Which is why I used the more general term of "they" to label the main group of riders, not just Froome

 

[Tank Engine]

Which is why I used the more general term of "they" to label the main group of riders, not just Froome

But looking at the way "they" were either dropping off or clinging to the Sky duo's wheels for dear life, they didn't "let" Cobo get away.

 

[The Hitch]

If you have a ITT on the final stages (like Tour) you expect a guy like Evans (or Contador on his peak) to control the others as he would gain time in that ITT.

What?

Evans is a great time trialist but Contador is on a higher level.

 

[cineteq]

What?

Evans is a great time trialist but Contador is on a higher level.

Wrong tense: WAS

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re: Devolder

reminds me of this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cAYo-UH01M

Never seen a guy go so dead on a climb

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Re: Devolder

reminds me of this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cAYo-UH01M

Never seen a guy go so dead on a climb

that looks like pain. I'll bet he was wishing he had one more gear.

 

[jens_attacks]

the break will get caught on urkiola

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Radioshack and Omega working.

Omega for Vandenbroeck then...but Radioshack Protecting Brajkovic 234243th place or what

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Radioshack must be working for ... er...

Anyone ?

 

[dlwssonic]

Radioshack must be working for ... er...

Anyone ?

Tiago Machado of course