2011 Vuelta a Espana Stage 3: Petrer - Totana, 164km

[Jamsque]

Sky up at the front, Wiggo got a bit lucky with the time split yesterday so they will be extra careful today.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Autobus forms on a Cat 3 climb. Ouch.

 

[Jamsque]

No organised chase, Leopard are giving it up I guess.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

break gonna survive.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Mm, I don't know why I expect logic in these matters, I mean how does Firenze get translated to "Florence"??

Well actually "Florence" is more "correct" than Firenze, as the city was called Florentia in Latin. When the Latin names were translated, the letter "L" after a consonant usually became "I" in Italian. From then on the name was Fiorentina for a while before it got it's current name Firenze.

Don't shoot me if it's not correct, it's just off my memory

 

[sublimit]

The bunch sitting up.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Does anyone have an estimated finish time?

30-40 minutes ?

 

[Nielsa]

Well actually "Florence" is more "correct" than Firenze, as the city was called Florentia in Latin.

Ohhh. Things you learn from a cycling forum.

 

[spalco]

Pretty weak of all the non-Leos to just give up on this stage. But I guess it's a tough day in the heat today.

 

[roundabout]

at this rate even Cavendish will get back

edit: so it's 3 seconds for Chavanel on virtual GC over Lastras

 

[Mellow Velo]

Chavanel might have a go

Yep. My thoughts exactly.

Looking like a very impressive shout, lads.

 

[ak-zaaf]

30-40 minutes ?

Thanks, I should be in time

 

[max_powers]

No organised chase, Leopard are giving it up I guess.

this is why le Tour is le Grand Tour, while the other 2 are just 3 week races.

heat or not, they would chase in le Tour

 

[Fetisoff]

heat or not, they would chase in le Tour

Or just have Cancellara "neutralize" the stage, so there will be no chase required

 

[Tyke1968]

So what are sky upto?

 

[Nielsa]

So what are sky upto?

Maybe just taking a cue from BMC and keeping Wiggins well positioned? He was on O'Grady's wheel when I started watching before that climb.

 

[hatcher]

If Wiggins is feeling good they may as well see if anyone isn't. Not sure they're pushing that hard though.

 

[Benotti69]

this is why le Tour is le Grand Tour, while the other 2 are just 3 week races.

heat or not, they would chase in le Tour

for average sports fans maybe. But each GT has its merits.

The heat is a major fact in the Vuelta so far and that means not sacrificing riders and doing more damage than necessary to have a jersey for maybe a day. There is a long way to go and weather forecasts may be making teams not go crazy.

 

[max_powers]

So what are sky upto?

Sky riders thinking:

"who the F decided on these hot black jerseys?"

several teams with with the dark livery

 

[goggalor]

Löfkvist setting the pace.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Nice little pace there

 

[Jamsque]

Sky have white panels on the back to help with the heat apparently, not sure how effective it is. I imagine in this weather the colour of your jersey doesn't make much of a difference.

 

[Ramira]

for average sports fans maybe. But each GT has its merits.

The heat is a major fact in the Vuelta so far and that means not sacrificing riders and doing more damage than necessary to have a jersey for maybe a day. There is a long way to go and weather forecasts may be making teams not go crazy.

I think that's the main difference though. In the tour teams would go crazy, even if it cost them later on. It doesn't make the tour a better race though, just different. There's a far greater focus on getting publicity in the tour than there is in the Giro or Vuelta.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Mollema and Kruijswijk within the first 10. Liquigas train just behind them

 

[Jamsque]

The break isn't working very well any more.