2011 Vuelta a Espana Stage 5: Sierra Nevada - Valdepenas de Jaen, 186km (24/8)

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Jrod managed to put in 7 whole seconds to TJVG, that epic punchy climber...

Not sure I buy the big time gaps story tbh.

But he also put 4 seconds into Gilbert, the worlds best puncheur by far

Oh yeah.

 

[theyoungest]

Antón blows hot and cold. When he's on it, he's one of the best climbers in the world, bar none. When he's off it, he can be truly dreadful. I guess he's somewhere between José Rujano and Denis Menchov. Mercurial, super-talented, hard to pin down.

Inconsistent, I think is the word.

 

[jens_attacks]

libertine is right you never know with some riders,i still think maybe anton can fight in the second week,on angliru one minute will be nothing.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

But he also put 4 seconds into Gilbert, the worlds best puncheur by far

Oh yeah.

You mean not even Gilbert could create time gaps on this?

Now its the 2nd year in a row, everyone is going to know exactly what is coming and be all prepared to put in 2 minutes of max effort at the end.

 

[roundabout]

But he also put 4 seconds into Gilbert, the worlds best puncheur by far

Oh yeah.

You mean the Gilbert who magically became one of the best on 20% slopes only this year.

Yeah, I guess.

 

[Fergoose]

Another stage that shows why time bonuses at the end are a good thing in my opinion as it tempts GC candidates to throw their hat into the ring for a finish like this, even for second and third place.

Stagewin
Pick: Nibali (after seeing that clip of him pipping Rodriguez & Vellits - thanks for that).

Prediction score: 0 out of 4
Rabobank put all that work in and then Luis Leon Sanchez doesn't even have a shot at bridging Sorensen - gutted.

 

[Sylvester]

I'll be cheering for Dan Martin tomorrow. He should do really well.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

I'll be cheering for Dan Martin tomorrow. He should do really well.

He might even win it

 

[Zoncolan]

Purito or Scarponi FTW

 

[Kwibus]

I'll be cheering for Dan Martin tomorrow. He should do really well.

He certainly has a serious chance to win this.
Most obvious choice is Purito though.

Looking forward to tomorrow. Will be a spectacle finish.

 

[LaFlorecita]

1 JRod
2 Dan Martin
3 Scarponi

 

[Kwibus]

Rabobank put all that work in and then Luis Leon Sanchez doesn't even have a shot at bridging Sorensen - gutted.

I don't think they worked for Lulu really. Probably for Kruiswijk and Mollema and then see if Lulu can hold on.
a 23km climb isn't really Lulu's specialty.

Too bad only Kruiswijk really tried though. Specially when Mollema says he had a easy time today... well attack if your having an easy time. So I don't really believe it was so easy

 

[Ragerod]

Hope Purito takes it but I'm concerned he won't drop everybody and will get jumped like last year.

Very interested to see how Wiggins does on this stage. If he can finish within 10 seconds I'll be impressed and he'll have to be taken very seriously.

 

[jens_attacks]

well i think it was froome who said at the beginning of the vuelta that he never saw wiggins looking so strong,including 2009... so it won't be a surprise if tomorrow he arrives in the top 5

 

[maltiv]

well i think it was froome who said at the beginning of the vuelta that he never saw wiggins looking so strong,including 2009... so it won't be a surprise if tomorrow he arrives in the top 5

If he arrives in the top 5 here he will win the vuelta for sure. This sort of finish just doesn't suit him at all.

 

[Havetts]

I don't think they worked for Lulu really. Probably for Kruiswijk and Mollema and then see if Lulu can hold on.
a 23km climb isn't really Lulu's specialty.

Too bad only Kruiswijk really tried though. Specially when Mollema says he had a easy time today... well attack if your having an easy time. So I don't really believe it was so easy

They didnt go cause of it 'wasnt steep enough'. It was just a 5% climb with the steeper parts at the bottom of the climb.

 

[hatcher]

Yeah it's a limit your losses stage for Wiggins. Keeping within 10 or 15 seconds of the likes of Nibali and VdB would be a result IMO. He's surprised me before though.

Gotta be a Rodriguez win.

 

[Cobblestoned]

Be another hot one

I wish I was in Spain.

Purito or Scarponi. Yeah. Purito needs all the bonus seconds.

 

[luckyboy]

Wonder who Rodriguez will come second to on this?

 

[The Hitch]

That 3 way sprint last year must be the highest recorded VAM in history.

Also some high watts perkilo numbers too.


There is a guy in the peloton who has won mountain stages in 1 week stage races and straight up bunch sprints. He has won on hills and on cobbles.

And we still dont know that much about him.

He perhaps isnt on form, but is it possible that this not half bad at this kind of supersteep finish either.

Everyone thought one year ago that Purito would smoke the stage after the show the day before in Málaga where he trailed Gilbert. He'll be at the front for sure but I wouldn't be surprised if he fails again.

Yeah i fear the same. Purito doesnt always perform when there are high expectations, and here everyone expects him to win.

 

[Bumeington]

Wonder who Rodriguez will come second to on this?

That's what I was thinking. Mind you, he did some winning in Burgos

 

[l.Harm]

I'm now already looking forward to see Moreno leading him out.

 

[Tank Engine]

Wonder who Rodriguez will come second to on this?

Haven't noticed that JRo has the Rojas disease. As well as Burgos, there was the Dauphine. I think he'll take this one, but Danny Boy will do well on this finish.

 

[luckyboy]

Haven't noticed that JRo has the Rojas disease. As well as Burgos, there was the Dauphine. I think he'll take this one, but Danny Boy will do well on this finish.

He's finished 2nd in each Ardennes classic too.

 

[hrotha]

Rojas is infamous because he always comes 2nd-5th regardless of the opposition he has to face. He might be beaten only by Cavendish in a flat sprint one day, and lose the next one to Dumoulin. Purito doesn't have that problem. He wins some, he loses some, but it's a completely different situation.
(Also to be fair this season Rojas has done a decent amount of winning on top of his usual rojasing)