2012 Vuelta a España: Stage 3: Faustino V → Eibar (Arrate) (155,3km)

[The Hitch]

Ah yeh well I actually did see that stage, but did forget it. Well also on this stage he wisely used his energy. During this same Vuelta he wasn't explosive on the longer climbs though.

Kind of hard to be explosive on the longer climbs when with the exception of arcalis you are watching them from hospital
Kind of hard to be explosive on arcalis too when eze is setting liquigas zoncolan tempo shedding all.

 

[Dutchsmurf]

Problem is that Unipublic seem to be convinced that this kind of routes are the best. By praising this stage you're not telling them you simply like attacks, you're telling them exactly what they want to hear.

Maybe Unipublic just knows its place. Compared to the Tour and Giro there are far less people watching 2+ hours every day probably. By doing it like this, they become different than the other 2 and probably fit their target audience better than with multiple mountains per stage.

 

[Havetts]

Contador was easily the strongest and still some of you contador fans complain, what the ****?

 

[Eshnar]

The.point is the intrigue. Like how a book where you don't know the ending is more entertaining than 1 you do. When clearly weaker riders down on gc attack with no chance its not as exciting as if there is a chance. Might as well say the botd makes races suprrexciting as those guys are attacking 200k out, (or for.this vuelta 120k out)

This year Giro had plenty of intrigue GC-wise, but no one thinks it was a good race.
For example, did you enjoy more 2011 or 2012 Giro? (don't even bother to respond, everyone knows )
But in 2011 the GC was over after stage 9.

Vuelta management have designed the race in order to avoid any kind of gaps between riders. It could most likely be decided with time bonuses on the Bola. Some people may think this is super exciting, but I don't.

Gaps are good for cycling. Organisers should look for them, not the opposite.

 

[Miburo]

Oh Flo I see lol

Now I think we might get action tomorrow, ok the last 3km aren't that steep but at 3 km they were still with 15 so the gap was made at a not such a steep part.

Besides Contador can't afford to give free boni sec to valv/purito and the next 2 stages are flat so I expect action.

 

[The Hitch]

Yeah, he gave the stages to Tiralongo and Kiryienka for sure, that's true. But that was also obvious and different.

You remind me why I didn't warm to him. He tries to be too nice and likable, too much caring about public opinion, which means he's a bit bland and, for lack of a better word, pathetic (which is a way too strong expression for this).

Gave a stage to.kiriyenka? Vasili outclimbedeveryone even.after being in the break all day no one else.was ever going.to win that stage.

 

[Eshnar]

Maybe Unipublic just knows its place. Compared to the Tour and Giro there are far less people watching 2+ hours every day probably. By doing it like this, they become different than the other 2 and probably fit their target audience better than with multiple mountains per stage.

They certainly know how to pursue their goal, that's for sure. And their goal is to put up a reasonably good show and stay forever as the 3rd GT

 

[The Hitch]

This year Giro had plenty of intrigue GC-wise, but no one thinks it was a good race.
For example, did you enjoy more 2011 or 2012 Giro? (don't even bother to respond, everyone knows )
But in 2011 the GC was over after stage 9.

Vuelta management have designed the race in order to avoid any kind of gaps between riders. It could most likely be decided with time bonuses on the Bola. Some people may think this is super exciting, but I don't.

Gaps are good for cycling. Organisers should look for them, not the opposite.

Meh i didn't enjoy 2011 giro that.much i.always said contador ruined.it. Precisely because contador was always going to win.

And here too contador is probably going to win but because of the ban and because it was the first stage there is more.intrigue.

 

[No_Balls]

Problem is that Unipublic seem to be convinced that this kind of routes are the best. By praising this stage you're not telling them you simply like attacks, you're telling them exactly what they want to hear.

Perhaps. But then again i cant say "gee what a crappy stage" because thats whats Unipublic dont want to hear. Lets separate the route and what the riders makes out of it, ok?

 

[roundabout]

Maybe Unipublic just knows its place. Compared to the Tour and Giro there are far less people watching 2+ hours every day probably. By doing it like this, they become different than the other 2 and probably fit their target audience better than with multiple mountains per stage.

The only genuine high mountain stage is on a Monday, 2 weeks from now.

 

[Eshnar]

Meh i didn't enjoy 2011 giro i.always said contador ruined.it. Precisely because contador was always going to win.

And here too contador is probably going to win but because of the ban and because it was the first stage there is more.intrigue.

I think we can at least agree that if AC hadn't been there, with THAT advantage, the stage to Gardeccia was never gonna turn epic.

 

[Arnout]

I disagree but another thread another time. On the subject who was the rider in what ls always mentions as greatest stage ever went.on.solo break in 50 c.for 200km then m.from the finish jallabert had the chance to past.him but eased off.

I've no idea what I'm reading.

 

[Eshnar]

Perhaps. But then again i cant say "gee what a crappy stage" because thats whats Unipublic dont want to hear. Lets separate the route and what the riders makes out of it, ok?

nobody said it was a crappy stage. It was a good stage, exactly like it was supposed to be. Let's just not say bs like "best stage of the year"

 

[airstream]

The only genuine high mountain stage is on a Monday, 2 weeks from now.

As I understand "genuine high mountain stages" happen once in 3-4 years in the Vuelta.

 

[Arnout]

The.point is the intrigue. Like how a book where you don't know the ending is more entertaining than 1 you do. When clearly weaker riders down on gc attack with no chance its not as exciting as if there is a chance. Might as well say the botd makes races suprrexciting as those guys are attacking 200k out, (or for.this vuelta 120k out)

Point is, it is impossible to attack from far out in the Vuelta. That's exactly the reason for our criticism. You'll never see a 2011 Alpe d'Huez stage. Heck, you'll never see a 2011 Gap stage in this race. Simply because it's nothing more than a last climb which is more often than not short, so it just becomes a sprint for the GC contenders, just like a flat stage is a sprint for the sprinters.

I enjoy both a GC sprint and a sprinter sprint, but it could've been and should've been better, as it is not (only) what cycling is about.

 

[No_Balls]

No I don't have faith in him when I see he's not good. Though in a way this reminds me of last year's Giro, this stage being stage 7 there where Alberto almost lost time and yesterday's stage being stage 8 where he attacked for bonus seconds. Maybe stage 7 here will be like stage 9 last year..?

Do i really need to tell you that is the time when you should have faith in him? In the good and bad times. What the hell is this?

 

[The Hitch]

I've no idea what I'm reading.

Im asking for.the winner of a stage from 15 years ago. No need to get all ****y because i sai something neutral about anton

 

[roundabout]

I've no idea what I'm reading.

Looks like he is posting from a phone. It was Bert Dietz and it wasn't really a great stage. More like a slog up Sierra Nevada behind the Once train and then a Rodriguez like last km and a bit from Jalabert.

 

[Arnout]

Im asking for.the winner of a stage from 15 years ago. No need to get all ****y because i sai something neutral about anton

I was serious. I had no comprehension of your message, no hidden messages or anything from my side

 

[Poursuivant]

Surprised at the AC doubting, I thought he looked the strongest today.

 

[Forunculo]

MACHADO, Tiago RNT + 3' 22''


Someone asked about him

 

[No_Balls]

nobody said it was a crappy stage. It was a good stage, exactly like it was supposed to be. Let's just not say bs like "best stage of the year"

Although i worked up myself a bit even i wouldnt say something like that. People have confused our happiness of seeing Alberto back with an overly upbeat mood of the stage as a whole.

 

[Arnout]

Looks like he is posting from a phone. It was Bert Dietz and it wasn't really a great stage. More like a slog up Sierra Nevada behind the Once train and then a Rodriguez like last km and a bit from Jalabert.

Thanks. Don't know that stage, so nothing to say

 

[UpTheRoad]

Fun racing up the last hill. Third stage in the race and the legbreaking has begun. The Sky mountain train will definitely have to redo their approach. Don't think it will work on a number of these stages. It might not work at all with the type of climber in this race.

 

[Mellow Velo]

70 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team @ 3'-23"

Yes, clearly he has the "better" form than last year, coming off Le Tour, that he's been talking about.