2012 Vuelta a España: Tarazona – Jaca, 175 km

[LaFlorecita]

I'd be surprised to see any of the big guns move on the penultimate climb given the plateau at the top of the climb. Hope so mind!

Yeah they could go on that steep 5,5% section.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

1. Purito
2. AC + 7
3. Piti + 10
4. Froome +15

 

[SafeBet]

I'd be surprised to see any of the big guns move on the penultimate climb given the plateau at the top of the climb. Hope so mind!

Maybe an attack on the descent though.
That is if it's technical enough.

 

[ferryman]

J Rod likes:

"Rodríguez predicted, however, that tomorrow’s [Thursday's] stage to Fuerte de Rapitan in Jaca would be a very different story to Wednesday’s stage. And the 2012 Fleche Wallone winner warned that he has every intention of trying to increase his currently very narrow overall advantage of just one second on his rivals to something more solid on the short but very steep climb.

“We sent my teammate Angel Vicioso”- who lives in nearby Zaragoza - “to take a look at it, and he says it's good for me,” Rodríguez said.

“I think it’ll be possible to open up a gap on my rivals there. I would like to gain time on them. And it’ll make a big difference if you’re fourth or 45th at the bottom on a claim with such a narrow start.”

 

[Andre.J]

The bonus seconds will be important. If they're up for grabs and the finish.

 

[DominicDecoco]

Maybe an attack on the descent though.
That is if it's technical enough.

" according to former top climber Fernando Escartin the descent isn't very difficult, but has a very fast downhill sections with a lot of corners. "Therefore it's very important to be positioned in the front already on Puerto de Oroel if you want to have a chance to win the stage", Escartin points out."

 

[Miburo]

Oh yeah just before the climb there are 6/4/2 boni sec for the take.

I wonder how that will play out.

 

[cineteq]

It's known as Little Alp D'Huez. The hardest sections are the first 300m and last 200m, with 14% and 12% respectively. However, positioning is key since they have to go across Jaca's narrow streets before hitting the last winding 3Km.

Purito is indeed the man to beat.

 

[manafana]

this should be a good finish, lots of switch backs and with postioning so key too.

it does scream of j.rod, but mollema for me is dark horse.

 

[Miburo]

All the people that vote for Mollema must be from Holland

I wonder if he even will be up there if Contador attacks. And sadly enough for Mollema Valverde and Purito are in the race.

No way he'll win.

 

[theyoungest]

All the people that vote for Mollema must be from Holland

I wonder if he even will be up there if Contador attacks. And sadly enough for Mollema Valverde and Purito are in the race.

No way he'll win.

There's one guy who names Mollema as a dark horse, so I guess there aren't too many people from Holland, according to your logic.

You must be from Spain I think Contador will win, it looks hard enough.

 

[Miburo]

There's one guy who names Mollema as a dark horse, so I guess there aren't too many people from Holland, according to your logic.

You must be from Spain I think Contador will win, it looks hard enough.

I think Saxo wants Contador to wait untill saterday but we know how he is.

And I interpret that comment about Mollema wrong, my bad. But i've noticed that other people on other sites named him as a fav

 

[Leonardus]

The final climb doesn't look that steep apart from the first and last few hundred meters so maybe it suits Valverde even better than Purito. Penultimate climb should be interesting if positioning is that important.

Any chance this finish will create some gaps of more then 10 seconds between the GC men?

 

[No_Balls]

Very strange so many belives in Purito on this. Do you really he can stay with AC if he puts in the killer blow? Very doubtful after what he showed last time and this time it is enough steep for AC to make a move.

Nah, i except some serious **** from Saxos captain this time.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Very strange so many belives in Purito on this. Do you really he can stay with AC if he puts in the killer blow? Very doubtful after what he showed last time and this time it is enough steep for AC to make a move.

Nah, i except some serious **** from Saxos captain this time.

I hope so Maybe Purito likes the super duper uber steep **** better.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I don't think Alberto can win, he won't drop the others big time if at all and since apparently the last km is not that steep (??) lots of people can come back and just about everyone is a better sprinter than Alberto.

 

[The Cobra]

Hard to see past Purito for this one, he always comes good on a finish like this and I imagine he's pretty angry with himself for throwing the stage away the other day.

Valverde looks is super shape and is another one full of anger. I expect him to do everything possible to put time into Froome.

Contador will be third. Wont lose much if any time but doesn't have the kick to out sprint Valverde and Purito.

Froome probably wont like this. I expect him to lose a small handful of seconds which he wont mind too much.

 

[ILovecycling]

Is there any video of Rapitan ascent or 3cat. descent?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Froome probably wont like this. I expect him to lose a small handful of seconds which he wont mind too much.

And Alberto will pass him on GC

 

[hrotha]

It wouldn't be a huge surprise if Contador won, but in theory Purito should take this.

 

[TatryTour2013]

Shame that Sagan is not there. Anyway - great racing finally after spring classics!

 

[McLovin]

Froome probably wont like this. I expect him to lose a small handful of seconds which he wont mind too much.

We forgot the PdBF uphill sprint already? To remind you, Froome can climb, can sprint and can TT, and he speaks portuguese and cooks like no other for sure.

 

[iZnoGouD]

I bet 5€ on Mollema

good bet?

 

[Descender]

I have some pennies on Valverde.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I bet 5€ on Mollema

good bet?

No .