2011 Vuelta a Espana Stage 11: Verín - Estación de Montaña Manzaneda 167,0 km (31/8)

[Tuarts]

4 or 5 of that break should be able to go away from the rest at the base of the climb and who knows, if they work together and have enough they should stay away from the bunch.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I don't think will easily let the break win.

Remember how important the bonification seconds are.. 20-12-8. You don't let them slip easily if you're a climber and need to make up time.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

4 or 5 of that break should be able to go away from the rest at the base of the climb and who knows, if they work together and have enough they should stay away from the bunch.

Yes. The peloton will have to chase pretty hard if they want to stop a break that big from racking up a solid lead before the climb. And there still really aren't too many teams likely to do that.

Bad news for those of us hoping for a big dust up on the final climb.

 

[classicomano]

Any news on the current weather?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I don't think will easily let the break win.

Remember how important the bonification seconds are.. 20-12-8. You don't let them slip easily if you're a climber and need to make up time.

Yes, but that break is bigger and stronger than any individual team. If it works together well (a big if), it would take a lot of effort to control. I hope they do control it mind you.

 

[theyoungest]

I don't think will easily let the break win.

Remember how important the bonification seconds are.. 20-12-8. You don't let them slip easily if you're a climber and need to make up time.

Team Sky will happily let the break contest the stage win. I.e. Moncoutié FTW.

 

[icefire]

Wow BMC got a man in the break! Quinziato a real threat to win on the MTF. This is an incredible fail

By this time in the race all they have to do to get into a break is put someone marking Adrián Palomares' wheel. The guy is day in, day out

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

It looks like Duarte, Frank and Txurruka are trying to bridge. They obviously think that the break is going to stay away.

 

[Tuarts]

Yes, but that break is bigger and stronger than any individual team. If it works together well (a big if), it would take a lot of effort to control. I hope they do control it mind you.

The 7 teams not represented in the break are Sky, Liquigas, Skil, Geox, Quickstep, Vacansoilel, Garmin. Sky and Liqui may work together to bring it back and you never know with Katusha...

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

The 7 teams not represented in the break are Sky, Liquigas, Skil, Geox, Quickstep, Vacansoilel, Garmin. Sky and Liqui may work together to bring it back and you never know with Katusha...

The problem is that Sky have no motive to keep the bonus seconds in play. Quickstep and Skil obviously have no reason to spend energy. Vac will probably be disappointed not to be in the break, but once the break is gone I can't see them working to pull it back. That only leaves Garmin, Geox, Katusha and Liquigas. Liquigas probably don't have an overwhelming desire to put the bonus seconds in play either.

I hope I'm wrong.

 

[maltiv]

It looks like Duarte, Frank and Txurruka are trying to bridge. They obviously think that the break is going to stay away.

Hope they get up there. Will be an epic duel between Duarte and Txurruka. They will attack each other so many times that they will eventually just fade completely, then Moncoutie will ride past them easily for the stage win

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

If I was in that break, there's no way I'd want those three riders to bridge.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

This is all under the assumption that a big breakaway like that works well together.

Experience learns that usually they don't, because the group is, tadaa, too big.
However if no team chases they will probably still make it, or at least, the better climbers of that group will.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Any news on the current weather?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Now Duarte and Txurruka have disappeared from the ticker and Frank is in no mans land on his own.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

This is all under the assumption that a big breakaway like that works well together.

Experience learns that usually they don't, because the group is, tadaa, too big.
However if no team chases they will probably still make it, or at least, the better climbers of that group will.

Yes, it's entirely possible that the break is too big for its own good and won't work smoothly. But the issue remains, who is going to chase? If Garmin, Geox or Katusha do it, that will likely mean fireworks on the final climb, but I'm not optimistic.

 

[Fetisoff]

Yes, it's entirely possible that the break is too big for its own good and won't work smoothly. But the issue remains, who is going to chase? If Garmin, Geox or Katusha do it, that will likely mean fireworks on the final climb, but I'm not optimistic.

Climb doesn't suit J-Rod, so I don't see Katusha chasing too hard. For me the ticker still shows Duarte there with Txurukka, so Geox have no reason to chase either

 

[Lexman]

Don't know about him getting them. Montaguti seems to be on it aswell and is in the break.

yep will be great to see how that ends, go Moncoutié for once!!

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Climb doesn't suit J-Rod, so I don't see Katusha chasing too hard. For me the ticker still shows Duarte there with Txurukka, so Geox have no reason to chase either

They have mysteriously reappeared. So yes, that really does seem to screw up the stage from the point of view of people hoping for a big GC battle on the final climb.

On a more positive note, at least there are enough good climbers in the break for their fight to be interesting.

 

[just some guy]

3 riders def. 1m32s
64 Duarte (COL, GEO) +7:04
56 Txurruka (ESP, EUS) +32:12
31 M. Frank (SUI, BMC) +1:11:16


So they are catching up - but the peloton is only @ 3.34 so they time is not growing that much.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Frank, Duarte and Txurruka only 1:32 behind now (and 2 minutes ahead of the bunch)

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Frank, Duarte and Txurruka only 1:32 behind now (and 2 minutes ahead of the bunch)

Hopefully they will get on. But the break are very silly boys if they let them.

 

[classicomano]

Nice thanks.

 

[canyonball]

Still one hour and a half 'till live coverage? Interesting dynamics going on. Who's working on the peloton?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Still one hour and a half 'till live coverage? Interesting dynamics going on. Who's working on the peloton?

It's not clear who is working. Somebody obviously is, because the gap hasn't really gone out.