2011 Vuelta a Espana, Stage 16: Villa Romana La Olmeda (Palencia) - Haro, 180km

[taiwan]

Bennati
Sagan
Petacchi
...

Ranked the first few by chances (personal opinion).

Sagan
Degenkolb
Petacchi
Haussler
Bennati
Haedo

It sucks that it's not been a great year for Petacchi. He's been the only one able to compete with Cav these last couple of years.

 

[roundabout]

I'd slowly start raising my eyebrows if he still could. 37 is kinda old for a sprinter.

 

[taiwan]

[edited out]

 

[Fergoose]

Oh He climbed Angliru with it?

Aye and I don't know if his "open groin wound" had healed by then either.... Ouch!

Stagewin
Sagan to give Liquigas a wee morale boost.

Prediction Score: 2 of 15.

 

[Climbing]

Considering Sagan will have probably more support now with Nibali chance gone, it will make him an easy choice.
Bennati should be Italy captain at WRR, let's see if he's getting better, which I highly doubt.

 

[TeoSheva]

Considering Sagan will have probably more support now with Nibali chance gone, it will make him an easy choice.
Bennati should be Italy captain at WRR, let's see if he's getting better, which I highly doubt.

I think Modolo has the same chances now...

 

[Angliru]

I think GVA could go well. Not so many top sprinters. Sky won't work for Sutton as they will be too tired and Haussler does not have the team around him to win. Sagan is the favourite and is certainly looking to get the points jersey.

Sagan
Howard
GVA
Petacchi
Bennati

Only in fantasyland or the incident of a major crash on the approach to the finish will GVA luck up and finish ahead of Petacchi and get 3rd.

 

[just some guy]

28 Rosendo (ESP, ACG) +2:16:30
49 Fouchard (FRA, COF) +3:03:08
23 Cabello (ESP, ACG) +3:51:07


lead 08m34s

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

So definately a mass sprint then

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Since this is a boring flat stage, I think we can discuss the following:

If you see how Ruijgh (in the Tour), De Gendt (last weekend Tour), Poels (Vuelta) and Lagutin (Vuelta) are doing... what could Mosquera have done if the anti-doping authorities decided a lot quicker?

He surely would have a much much stronger support team than you would give Vac. credit for

 

[just some guy]

Since this is a boring flat stage, I think we can discuss the following:

If you see how Ruijgh (in the Tour), De Gendt (last weekend Tour), Poels (Vuelta) and Lagutin (Vuelta) are doing... what could Mosquera have done if the anti-doping authorities decided a lot quicker?

He surely would have a much much stronger support team than you would give Vac. credit for

Mosquera of 2010 with Full support - be wearing red as of Sundays stage finish

 

[maltiv]

Since this is a boring flat stage, I think we can discuss the following:

If you see how Ruijgh (in the Tour), De Gendt (last weekend Tour), Poels (Vuelta) and Lagutin (Vuelta) are doing... what could Mosquera have done if the anti-doping authorities decided a lot quicker?

He surely would have a much much stronger support team than you would give Vac. credit for

Most likely underperform massively and get dropped by Lighart's pacemaking up the mountains.

 

[la.margna]

with Spartacus just being here today to help Bennati before leaving, if Benna doesn't win today when?

 

[Anonymous]

Mosquera of 2010 with Full support - be wearing red as of Sundays stage finish

i agree with jsg

 

[Anonymous]

Considering Sagan will have probably more support now with Nibali chance gone, it will make him an easy choice.
Bennati should be Italy captain at WRR, let's see if he's getting better, which I highly doubt.

No he should not be the captain.

 

[CobbleStoner]

Tbh Ligthart is a rider with a good sprint. Not really a sprinter....someone that contends a bunchsprint. He's someone that survives climbs pretty well so mostly a contender in the not all too hard hilly stages where a group of 40 riders sprint for the win. Too bad Sagan will also be there in those stages

He won the dutch championship winning the sprint of a group of 7 riders and he won the Hel van het Mergelland when a group of 26 riders sprinted for the finish on a slightly uphill sprint. He beat riders like Samuel Dumoulin and Visconti there so that's not too bad.

Imo he doesn't really belong the previous mentioned shortlist of sprinters that are left.

... and he's an excellent 6-day rider, that has to count for some finishing leg speed

 

[Moondance]

On the Italy Worlds question, I think, after hearing everyone talk about the fact that the course is still quite tricky, that one needs to stick with Cunego as captain (especially considering his strong season), with Benna and Modolo as wild cards.

 

[Climbing]

On the Italy Worlds question, I think, after hearing everyone talk about the fact that the course is still quite tricky, that one needs to stick with Cunego as captain (especially considering his strong season), with Benna and Modolo as wild cards.

I didn't mean Bennati "should be" captain. On the contrary I meant the opposite, really the team seems rather weak to me.
I hope I'm wrong.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

On the Italy Worlds question, I think, after hearing everyone talk about the fact that the course is still quite tricky, that one needs to stick with Cunego as captain (especially considering his strong season), with Benna and Modolo as wild cards.

Cunego would be an OK captain, but I don't think the route is selective enough. Modolo would be their best bet imo. Personally I don't rate Bennati that high and I think Modolo would be the better choice.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

a top form ballan would probably be a better captain. But he really hsn't had the form in years. Obviously could be a number of reasons for that one

 

[TeoSheva]

On the Italy Worlds question, I think, after hearing everyone talk about the fact that the course is still quite tricky, that one needs to stick with Cunego as captain (especially considering his strong season), with Benna and Modolo as wild cards.

Cunego absolutely no...
Italy should find the right breack, and put inside them fast men like Visconti, Ponzi, Marcato, Gatto... and then have in the bunch Modolo or Bennati to try to win in case of failure of the breack...

 

[Ferminal]

Cunego would be an OK captain, but I don't think the route is selective enough. Modolo would be their best bet imo. Personally I don't rate Bennati that high and I think Modolo would be the better choice.

I think it's largely academic as Bennati or Modolo have a very small chance of winning a bunch sprint whilst Cunego or Visconti have a very small chance of winning in a lucky escape. Teams shouldn't be committing one way or the other unless they have an absolute favourite (Belgium/Norway) or a finisher who is much better than their hard men (Germany/GB).

 

[Parrulo]

well a on form pozzato would be the obvious leader i would say . . .

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Cunego would be an OK captain, but I don't think the route is selective enough. Modolo would be their best bet imo. Personally I don't rate Bennati that high and I think Modolo would be the better choice.

Oscar Gatto could be the man - with Visconti working like a dog for him - it happened last week in the Giro di Romagna:
http://youtu.be/FWza2EKXKrg

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

well a on form pozzato would be the obvious leader i would say . . .

yeah well this. The guy is better then many give him credit for imo.