2012 Vuelta a España: Stage 4:Barakaldo-Estación de Valdezcaray 160.6 Km

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Machado is fast

so is Thomas Dekker. But both will be minutes and minutes behind

 

[Lexman]

so is Thomas Dekker. But both will be minutes and minutes behind

LOL

(10char)

 

[theyoungest]

so is Thomas Dekker. But both will be minutes and minutes behind

Machado crashed yesterday, yes he's not top-10 material but if a group of 25 guys arrives at the finish he should still be there.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

machado isn't fast at all. LOL

 

[vcampbell]

If it will be a "bunch" sprint then I will go with Mollema.

 

[Sylvester]

This finish should suit Rodriguez, Valverde, Mollema, Uran, Moreno, Cunego.

Certainly not Machado.

 

[burning]

http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=21287

This will happen again

 

[SafeBet]

This finish should suit Rodriguez, Valverde, Mollema, Uran, Moreno, Cunego.

Cunego will improve by the day. I'm not sure his form is already there though.

 

[DominicDecoco]

It all comes down to a group of 20+ with Roche as winner.

 

[icefire]

If memory serves right, Valdezcaray has only been climbed in a road stage once in the history of the Vuelta (it was normally used as an ITT).

The stage was won by...

Sean Kelly.

Correct. This will be worst than Sierra Nevada 2011.

 

[Kwibus]

Why Moreno when his teammate Rodriguez is an even better version of Moreno.
And ofcourse Valverde again.
Maybe add Uran to the mix as well this time, and Mollema. All good in uphill sprints after a longer climb

I'd say this finish is more suited to Moreno then Rodriguez. When it's nearly flat Moreno seems to have a better kick as he showed in Burgos.

 

[theyoungest]

I'd say this finish is more suited to Moreno then Rodriguez. When it's nearly flat Moreno seems to have a better kick as he showed in Burgos.

Don't know, Moreno usually takes over when Rodriguez can't seem to be bothered/doesn't have the form.

 

[dlwssonic]

looking forward to see contador attack again.
But I'm afraid today might not be hard enough for him to gap the rest.

 

[No_Balls]

I expect him (AC) attacking again although not perhaps winning. I give that one to Jrod. It is all about destroying the contenders mentally (if not fysical) with attacking repeatetly.

 

[jniagGr]

All will try to follow AC's attacks and try to get win (and bonus seconds) in the end...

 

[cineteq]

I'm tipping Anton and/or one Rabo, probably Gesink, to cause some damage earlier in Valdezcaray. Would Henao mark them?

 

[gilbertador]

This is an ideal stage for someone who is on the outskirts of the top 10 to take 30 or 40 seconds because i dont know who would really want to chase them down, someone like Roche or Gadret would have a great chance i believe.

I could easily see a leutenant going up the road like Moreno, a Movistar or Uran/Henao. That would certainly give Saxo food for thought and a tactical advantage over other teams if they could be dragged into contention

 

[hrotha]

I don't think Contador will make any serious attack. He might test the waters, but he won't go all out because the climb sucks.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I could easily see a leutenant going up the road like Moreno, a Movistar or Uran/Henao. That would certainly give Saxo food for thought and a tactical advantage over other teams if they could be dragged into contention

Yeah they are certainly a threat to Alberto lol

And why Katusha, Movistar and Sky and not Saxo? Why don't they send Navarro? That will certainly give Sky and Movistar and Katusha food for thought

 

[LaFlorecita]

All will try to follow AC's attacks and try to get win (and bonus seconds) in the end...

And I can tell you my friend that is not as easy as it sounds.

 

[jniagGr]

And I can tell you my friend that is not as easy as it sounds.

No its not at all easy.. but its better than attacking yourself and then risking an AC counter-attack!!

Purito.. proved this in the Giro, he will wait for the others to do the work and try to attack in the end for the bonus seconds (too bad for him that the Giro did not have bonus on all stages)...

As for the others I do not think they can attack (valverde a notorious weelsucker prior suspension and Froom-dog seemed tired..)

 

[Fidolix]

No its not at all easy.. but its better than attacking yourself and then risking an AC counter-attack!!

Purito.. proved this in the Giro, he will wait for the others to do the work and try to attack in the end for the bonus seconds (too bad for him that the Giro did not have bonus on all stages)...

As for the others I do not think they can attack (valverde a notorious weelsucker prior suspension and Froom-dog seemed tired..)

Froom-dog What is that supposed to mean?

 

[gilbertador]

Yeah they are certainly a threat to Alberto lol

And why Katusha, Movistar and Sky and not Saxo? Why don't they send Navarro? That will certainly give Sky and Movistar and Katusha food for thought

Maybe because Navarro has never been top 10 in a GT, the others have far more open teams in terms of leadership where as everyone knows Saxo is only for Contador, if say Cobo Gadret Quintana Henao and Moreno all got away and worked, it would be a bit of a mission for Saxo to control a group like that and it would be there responsibility

 

[BillytheKid]

Admittedly I am not watching this race although I am checking the ticker. It's not that I don't want to, but there's too many races and not enough time.

My thought after yesterday's stage is that you could see some surprises. Contador cannot keep attacking like that with a profile like this over three weeks. It may be fine for the opening stage, but..... I still think Vuelta will have some sleepers emerge in the final week.

 

[Forunculo]

I saw yesterday a good Froome. Nothing suggest me he is tired.