2011 Vuelta a España Stage 17: Faustino V --> Peña Cabarga 211,0 km

[patrick767]

Hindsight? They had a pretty good idea of the riders' form after the TT. That's not hindsight. Sky/Wigans maintained the misguided stance of Wigans being leader and getting support in the face of that reality.

They maintained it in the face of reality on the lower slopes of the Angliru. Wigans knew he wasn't at Froome's level, one quick flick of the elbow or a quick selfless chat on the radio is all it would have taken, instead he tied his great pretender's boat anchor to Froome. No hindsight needed.

Dauphine? BFD. 3rd place in this Vuelta? BFD. This is as much as he will ever achieve, the hype that he would ever win a GT was just that. Assuming he would ever do better is what is ridiculous. Vaughters is laughing at the $$$ he fooled Sky into wasting.

Here's hoping Wigans wakes up and realizes his track skills are better served keeping the pace high in Cav's leadout.

Froome pulling off the best ITT of his life is not an indicator of the ability to win the Vuelta in the mountains. Wiggins possibly feeling the strain as the decisive stage 15 climb got going and expecting him to know he couldn't do the climb well enough, radio in to change leadership, and blow himself up pacing Froome up the mountain is expecting way too much.

I don't know why you hate Wiggins, but it's obvious that you do. I have no particular love or hate for the guy.

And winning the Dauphine and 3rd in the Vuelta, if he holds onto it, is no big deal? Wow... forget it. I'm apparently talking to a crazy person.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

This reminded me (on a smaller scale) of the Contador v. Rasmussen duel
back in the TdF 2008 - that's why I can quite . . .

oops 2007

thanks ElPist! (below)

 

[El Pistolero]

This reminded me (on a smaller scale) of the Contador v. Rasmussen duel
back in the TdF 2008 - that's why I can quite . . .

In 2008? In Rasmussen's dreams perhaps

 

[Duartista]

Everything is relative. It wasn't easy for the sprinters because there were few flat stages and it was up and down every day, often having to tackle significant climbs from the get go. But for the overall contenders it was easy because the only mountain stage where real gaps could be made was the Angliru.

Well yes, although I think a top climber in good form could have done damage on Farrapona.

It's just the difficulty has not been well placed - spread across the majority of stages rather than concentrated in the mountain stages. Wiggins and Haussler have both said it's been the toughest GT they've ever done though.

 

[El Pistolero]

Everything is relative. It wasn't easy for the sprinters because there were few flat stages and it was up and down every day, often having to tackle significant climbs from the get go. But for the overall contenders it was easy because the only mountain stage where real gaps could be made was the Angliru.

The fact that there are still sprinters here shows it's easier than the Giro

I know most left, but most of them left unwillingly in this Vuelta(Farrar, Cavendish, Goss, Kittel, Boonen, etc)

 

[Spaniard]

Let's remember Cobo is not only Spanish, but from Cantabria and they were in Cantabria today...

What did I miss?

 

[El Pistolero]

Well yes, although I think a top climber in good form could have done damage on Farrapona.

It's just the difficulty has not been well placed - spread across the majority of stages rather than concentrated in the mountain stages. Wiggins and Haussler have both said it's been the toughest GT they've ever done though.

If Haussler and Wiggins would have ridden the Giro this year they'd have cried like little babies. Well, not sure of Wiggins, but Haussler definitely would have.

 

[roundabout]

The fact that there are still sprinters here shows it's easier than the Giro

I know most left, but most of them left unwillingly in this Vuelta(Farrar, Cavendish, Goss, Kittel, Boonen, etc)

A 'fat' rider like Alex Rasmussen finished the Giro and had enough in the tank to nearly win the last TT.

 

[El Pistolero]

A 'fat' rider like Alex Rasmussen finished the Giro and had enough in the tank to nearly win the last TT.

Have you ever seen Degenkolb?

 

[patrick767]

Then you should have checked last years finish.
number 10 at 1:30.
Gaps were bigger in 2010 on EXACTLY the same climb...

Never mind. CN's initial race report managed to miss both LT riders. Fuglsang didn't lose as much time as they initially showed. He's 12th at 5:50 and Sorensen, who they showed in 10th place, is 13th at 7:06. 2:35 down is a bad day for Fuglsang but not the 4+ minutes it looked like initially.

 

[Duartista]

If Haussler and Wiggins would have ridden the Giro this year they'd have cried like little babies. Well, not sure of Wiggins, but Haussler definitely would have.

Well, the Giro this year was the hardest GT for years. Being easier than that doesn't equal 'easy'.

 

[luckyboy]

What did I miss?

Geox are sponsored by Cantabria Infinita too, and DLF is from there. Don't know what any of this has to do with anything though.

 

[roundabout]

Have you ever seen Degenkolb?

No, but I do know which one of them used to have (still has?) a reputation for not taking his training (and eating!) seriously and is pretty much a non-climber type.

Point is there are always examples to the contrary, so we have to rely on what riders themselves think of the difficulty.

 

[TeoSheva]

Hindsight? They had a pretty good idea of the riders' form after the TT. That's not hindsight. Sky/Wigans maintained the misguided stance of Wigans being leader and getting support in the face of that reality.

They maintained it in the face of reality on the lower slopes of the Angliru. Wigans knew he wasn't at Froome's level, one quick flick of the elbow or a quick selfless chat on the radio is all it would have taken, instead he tied his great pretender's boat anchor to Froome. No hindsight needed.

Dauphine? BFD. 3rd place in this Vuelta? BFD. This is as much as he will ever achieve, the hype that he would ever win a GT was just that. Assuming he would ever do better is what is ridiculous. Vaughters is laughing at the $$$ he fooled Sky into wasting.

Here's hoping Wigans wakes up and realizes his track skills are better served keeping the pace high in Cav's leadout.

He comes from a collarbone broken... He can definitly do better, because there is not an Angliru in every GT. Anyway, I' m sure you would calling ridiculous each guy that at the beginning of the Vuelta was sayng that Wiggins can reach the podium.

relax...take it easy!

 

[Ragerod]

A 'fat' rider like Alex Rasmussen finished the Giro and had enough in the tank to nearly win the last TT.

He did have enough in the tank. He rode the last km with a flat tyre.

 

[roundabout]

He did have enough in the tank. He rode the last km with a flat tyre.

I don't disagree. My point is that if he were truly 'dead' than the puncture wouldn't matter.

 

[El Pistolero]

No, but I do know which one of them used to have (still has?) a reputation for not taking his training (and eating!) seriously and is pretty much a non-climber type.

Point is there are always examples to the contrary, so we have to rely on what riders themselves think of the difficulty.

Jan Ullrich fits 2 times into Degenkolb.

 

[Descender]

What are you getting at?

Nowhere jeez, just pointing at the fact that he was a really local rider (crowds etc.).

 

[hfer07]

fvck- I missed all the fireworks -gotta watch the entire replay tonight-I can only say: A single mistake by Cobo & GEOX and he can say good bye to the Red jersey-Froome has truly earned my respect today & yes- he should have been named the unique leader of SKY since the ITT....

 

[hrotha]

Nowhere jeez, just pointing at the fact that he was a really local rider (crowds etc.).

And he still didn't know the climb. Oh Cobo.

 

[rides like a girl]

Sad his day in the jersey was neutered by pulling for a guy who can't climb.




You Kidding... Guess Nibali cannt climb either . Where was he Sunday..

My opinion of Wiggins is that he seems to win races in the ITT. He builds a lead there and holds on when the mountains get steep. I don't follow him religiously but I don't remember watching a GT where when the race went uphill to steep mountains that he finished without losing at least 30 or more seconds. As I recall in the Dauphine he built a large lead in the TT and lost time on the other stages.

I think he should have told Froome to go earlier on the Angliru like Tommy V did to his teammate, who went on to win the stage. Tommy V knew he was cooked and let his teammate go ahead and get what he could.

I could be jaded because I wanted him to pass LA in 2009 and take 3rd place in the Tour and he couldn't on Ventoux....

 

[RedheadDane]

So some people was not impressed by Froome today...
From Wiggin's twitter:

Chris Froome going from strength to strength, Superb. And all that after people shouting at him, "you win we kill you", unbelievable

 

[hatcher]

Blimey. Hard to imagine it being more than a handful though.

 

[Moncoutie]

Nice! Sure he couldn't have cared less though!

 

[Nielsa]

Wow!

But Froome did say in the interview (paraphrased) "and I want to thank the Spanish fans here, they've been fantastic", after the interviewer said "we the Spanish people want to thank you for this show."

Maybe the interviewer heard about those shouts and felt bad?