2011 Vuelta a Espana Stage 14:Astorga → La Farrapona. Lagos de Somiedo, 173km

[Greenflame]

Too bad I missed this stage, seems like a very nice one. Sad to see Nibali crack, hopefully he can do something back the next few days but I doubt it. Wiggins and Froome great, as were Mollema and Poels. Exciting times ahead for both Dutch and British cycling

This is one strange Vuelta.

 

[maltiv]

Just watched the stage. Amazing to see Taaramae finally get a big victory, was so sad to see him crack completely a few years ago.

Dominant display by Sky, Froome still looks at least as strong as Wiggins. Perhaps Nibali is forced to attack on the descent tomorrow now...

 

[cineteq]

Perhaps Nibali is forced to attack on the descent tomorrow now...

Hmmm...Unless he's feeling super strong, I don't think it's a good idea...it might be "suicidal". He should focus on winning the stage and putting time on Wiggins and some others. There will be plenty of downhill opportunities in the last week of racing...

 

[zapata]

Just watched the stage. Amazing to see Taaramae finally get a big victory, was so sad to see him crack completely a few years ago.

Dominant display by Sky, Froome still looks at least as strong as Wiggins. Perhaps Nibali is forced to attack on the descent tomorrow now...

The descent from Cordal is like ten km? I'd like to see Nibali get a significant head start, but I doubt it.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Poor Karsten Kroon. He's having a tough year with two very bad crashes

Kroon said he doesn't remember much about the crash because he lost consciousness. "I remember two guys who more or less attacked on the descent," Kroon said. "They both crashed and I think I came around the turn and they were there, or somebody was there. I don't remember." Kroon's injuries are limited to his fractured left forearm, BMC Racing Team Doctor Giovanni Ruffini said. Earlier this season, Kroon broke his left collarbone in a crash at the Tour of Flanders

http://www.bmc-racing.com/de-en/team/news/team/vuelta-stage-14-kroon-crashes-out.html

 

[greenedge]

Nice to see Taaramae get a stage. Disappointed with Scarponi. Anton finished 30 minutes down today. What made him prepare for this so badly???

 

[auscyclefan94]

Katusha's tatics baffled me today. Wtf was with JRod doing these half hearted attacks on the San Lorenzo? Why did they keep sending Moreno up the road when he was clearly stronger than Rodriguez and could of moved up on gc quite considerably? Sky did quite well but nibbles was dissapointing. In saying that, if nibali has a good day on the Angliru then that time he needs to get won't be that much. Mollema is in a very commanding position. Did what he had to ahead of the big stage to the Angliru.

 

[cineteq]

Katusha's tatics baffled me today. Wtf was with JRod doing these half hearted attacks on the San Lorenzo? Why did they keep sending Moreno up the road when he was clearly stronger than Rodriguez and could of moved up on gc quite considerably?

I'm not sure if you saw the whole stage, but Katusha executed its plan to perfection, it's just its fearless leader, Purito Rodriguez, that did not finish it off.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I'm not sure if you saw the whole stage, but Katusha executed its plan to perfection, it's just its fearless leader, Purito Rodriguez, that did not finish it off.

The problem is, you would have hoped at some point in the stage Rodríguez would have let his team know he didn't have it, because it meant that not only did they lose time with him, but they wasted the second bullet in their gun - Moreno was 9th on GC before the stage and ahead of J-Rod, but instead they treated him as expendable and wasted a lot of his energy. You would have hoped that they had a plan B to go to. Instead Moreno got to learn how J-Rod used to feel when Caisse asked him to waste himself to set up a characteristic Valverde attack that constituted riding to the top with the other GC men then outsprinting them for bonus seconds.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I'm not sure if you saw the whole stage, but Katusha executed its plan to perfection, it's just its fearless leader, Purito Rodriguez, that did not finish it off.

If they executed their plan then their plan was a bad one. Purito should of been the one to go on San Lorenzo, not Moreno. Purito shouldn't of made those stupid half-hearted attacks as well. Moreno did pretty well considering the massive effort he made. Moreno would of been with Wiggins if he ididn't waste his energy in the finale and would be further up on gc than he is. You could tell Purito was not feeling good as he hadn't attacked at all even when the finish was quite close.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Why is Sastre up on the Geox team podium rather than Fuente?

Whats up with J Rod. Why does he fail so much so often?

He seems content with 2 stage wins, a day in red and maybe points jersey though.

He fails so often because he is no good on longer climbs. Anything below 5 or 6km he is awesome (i.e. Pena carbarga) but anything above that he is not great. Very overrated on the longer climbs imo.

I'm getting flashbacks to 2006. Only nobody's good enough to play Valverde to the comically dominant duo.

What happened that year?

 

[cineteq]

If they executed their plan then their plan was a bad one. Purito should of been the one to go on San Lorenzo, not Moreno. Purito shouldn't of made those stupid half-hearted attacks as well. Moreno did pretty well considering the massive effort he made. Moreno would of been with Wiggins if he ididn't waste his energy in the finale and would be further up on gc than he is. You could tell Purito was not feeling good as he hadn't attacked at all even when the finish was quite close.

I heard Katusha is hiring, you should apply buddy

 

[The Hitch]

He fails so often because he is no good on longer climbs. Anything below 5 or 6km he is awesome (i.e. Pena carbarga) but anything above that he is not great. Very overrated on the longer climbs imo.

3rd on Tourmalet and 3rd on Finnestre Sestrieres, ( putting 1min half into a dropped Nibali) 3rd on Angliru, suggest otherwise,

 

[auscyclefan94]

3rd on Tourmalet and 3rd on Finnestre Sestrieres, ( putting 1min half into a dropped Nibali) 3rd on Angliru, suggest otherwise,

26 Vuelta a España, Stage 14 : Astorga - Lagos de Somiedo (La Farrapona) +2'06
25 Vuelta a España, Stage 9 : Villacastin - La Covatilla (Bejar) (provisional) (183 km) +50"

18 Vuelta a España, Stage 11 : Vilanova i la Geltru - Vallnord/Pal (And) +50"

13 Tour de France, Stage 8 : Station des Rousses - Morzine-Avoriaz +39"


He often can lose time on longer climbs. it is a known fact. I don't count the Finestere-Sestriere finish because he was no threat on gc and Niabli wasn't very good that day on a finishing climb that was rather easy.

 

[Tuarts]

The problem is, you would have hoped at some point in the stage Rodríguez would have let his team know he didn't have it, because it meant that not only did they lose time with him, but they wasted the second bullet in their gun - Moreno was 9th on GC before the stage and ahead of J-Rod, but instead they treated him as expendable and wasted a lot of his energy. You would have hoped that they had a plan B to go to. Instead Moreno got to learn how J-Rod used to feel when Caisse asked him to waste himself to set up a characteristic Valverde attack that constituted riding to the top with the other GC men then outsprinting them for bonus seconds.

You would think so. Maybe that's why he never helped Bruseghin with the pace? In the end was just staying away so that JRod could hold on and force the other teams to chase? That said his 2nd attack after he was caught didn't really make sense but was JRod dropped by then?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

What happened that year?

Vino and Kashechkin dominated. Vino actually lost 2 minutes on La Covatilla, but come Morredero, he was in Vino dominant form, only to be chased down and outsprinted in the last few minutes by Valverde. Then Vino won a small uphill finish in Lugo, followed by the Alto de la Cobertoria stage when Vino and Kash dropped everybody and left them floundering; Valverde jumped out of the chase group to chase them down, but too late to catch Vino. This gave Valverde the lead with the two Kazakhs just behind. Finally when we got to the Sierra Nevada in the final week, Kashechkin cracked and lost a minute on Calar Alto, then Vino took a minute on an intermediate stage, before on Sierra de la Pandera we got a comedy double act where Vino attacked, and the only person who could bridge was Kashechkin, Kash took the win and Vino the jersey. Then Vino won the ITT for good measure.

 

[LukeSchmid]

Just read what Sep Vanmarcke said about his crash, flying through the air thinking he was going to die, sounds like he was very lucky to get away without very serious injuries. And then saying the Klier and Devolder literally pushed him up the climb. Says he is going continue although the team is against it. I hope he only continues if he is in a fit state to do so, we don't want him crashing again because he is riding unfit.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vanmarcke-determined-to-finish-vuelta-despite-horror-crash

 

[LaFleur]

Told you that Moncoutie will wear the Estonian Champion's shorts