2012 Vuelta a España: Tarazona – Jaca, 175 km

[Angliru]

No problem. I was just asking on the part I didn't get. Thank you.

My apologies. My responding post was too confrontational.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

You knew Froome would take 11 seconds out of Contador? Man you should go put all the money you have on whatever outcome you forsee for tomorrow

btw i knew all gt winners of the past 20 years before it even happened. the reason i didn't win money is because I don't want to get rich of such a gift obviously.

so i act like i don't know and think some silly dutchmen will win

 

[Netserk]

Morzine did prove Contadors weakness though, since it turned out he was bellow form that tour.

Besides no way does he sandbag to 17 seconds, having sprinted for 2s before.

I read the post quite differently. I read as Astana showing up on front of the peloton, knowing Contador is weak, to make others believe he is strong, so they don't attack. When Andy finally attacked he gapped Contador, but the attack was so late that the gap was merely 10 seconds.

That's just how I read it

 

[DominicDecoco]

Predictable, that's the word. You know exactly what is going to happen, and when. It's like watching a football match while knowing the final score, the only question is who are the goal scorers.

That's like saying it's predictable to say that the riders will ride to the finish line, the only question is; who will arrive first.. You are pretty spot on with that...

 

[The Hitch]

Of course, nothing's been decided yet. However, we have to assume that AC is going to lose time on Froome in the ITT and Froome just has to follow the attacks of his opponents in the mountains + he has a super-strong team.

I still think it is possible for AC to win, but as it already showed in the Tours of 2010 and 2011, the days when he was clearly the strongest climber among the race favorites are over (unless he races a Giro with virtually no serious competition). I wonder if he will pull off something like Alpe d'Huez in last years Tour? Might be a good idea at a later point, though...

Silly comment, 2010 Contador was weaker no doubt, look at where he finished in the tt. And 2011 Tour, thats like saying VDB will never top 20 another gt because of the form he is showing here.

 

[Angliru]

I do wonder exactly what he means by cramps; I can't imagine being able to continue at anywhere near race pace if my legs were actually cramping - you'd need to stop and stretch, even for a couple of seconds, and it would come back very quickly.

You can work your way around it or even pedal through it by pedaling an easier gear, avoiding getting out of the saddle and essentially just tolerating the pain as long as you're able. I've cramped leading up to tough climbs and initially worried about being able to make it to the top but you somehow work your way through it. Of course you're not able to go as hard as you would like but still you can make it through it.

 

[The Hitch]

I suppose we could compare this stage a bit to the Rocca de Cambio one in the Giro, also on stafe 7 i think, with slightly bigger gaps.

There Tiralongo (someone who isnt going to compete) took the stage, pipping in the end ahead of a big gc favorite who everyone was speculating might be off form but impressed greatly - Scarponi, kind of like Froome today.

Both those guys dropped and came just ahead of a wildcard - Frank Schleck, or Valverde, depending on the race.

But the eventual 2 heads of state, Hejsedal and Rodriguez were dropped even further, coming 5 seconds behind. So Contador can take heart from this i guess, showing that a winner can be slightly behind form a week in.

ok so Tiralongo is no Rodriguez, but im going by the assumption that with a tt, hill or not, and some mountains that might could actually be raced, Rodriguez is an unlikely candidate for the gc.

 

[webvan]

Yeah and Froome will put 1+ minute into everyone in the ITT, not something Scarponi could hope for. Honestly barring any accidents, with the shape he's in and the team he has, it will be hard for Froome not to win.

 

[roundabout]

I don't expect Froome to crack and the indications for the rest of the race are looking good, but they still haven't hit a serious climb and it's still 15 stages to go.

 

[Miburo]

I suppose we could compare this stage a bit to the Rocca de Cambio one in the Giro, also on stafe 7 i think, with slightly bigger gaps.

There Tiralongo (someone who isnt going to compete) took the stage, pipping in the end ahead of a big gc favorite who everyone was speculating might be off form but impressed greatly - Scarponi, kind of like Froome today.

Both those guys dropped and came just ahead of a wildcard - Frank Schleck, or Valverde, depending on the race.

But the eventual 2 heads of state, Hejsedal and Rodriguez were dropped even further, coming 5 seconds behind. So Contador can take heart from this i guess, showing that a winner can be slightly behind form a week in.

ok so Tiralongo is no Rodriguez, but im going by the assumption that with a tt, hill or not, and some mountains that might could actually be raced, Rodriguez is an unlikely candidate for the gc.

Hesjedal isn't good at these little hills, you got a point with purito though.

But seriously people are taking way too much from this, 2 days ago purito dropped and the day therefore Froome looked in difficulty.

Saterday is the day we'll know way more.

 

[burning]

I'm pretty sure that saturday's climb is a Purito finish. Or am I mistaken?

 

[Arnout]

That's like saying it's predictable to say that the riders will ride to the finish line, the only question is; who will arrive first.. You are pretty spot on with that...

No. You know every football match will end after 90 minutes (forgetting about tournaments), with a likely score of 0-0, 1-0, 0-1, 1-1, 2-1... etc. One doesn't actually know what will happen, how this score and what sort of score will be achieved.

In the Vuelta, we know how the race will end, we know exactly what will happen at what time, barring crashes, we know the outcome of the race. It's entirely predictable, except for the winner, which on a route like this can be one out of three or four guys. It's predictable and will become more so once we've had 5 of this finishes.

 

[webvan]

I'm pretty sure that saturday's climb is a Purito finish. Or am I mistaken?

Arcalis? Not really that's a long climb, not too steep, remember Ulle there in 1997? If Contador was his Verbier self he'd fly up too...now? Looks like a Sky one/two at the top to me.

 

[The Hitch]

No. You know every football match will end after 90 minutes (forgetting about tournaments), with a likely score of 0-0, 1-0, 0-1, 1-1, 2-1... etc. One doesn't actually know what will happen, how this score and what sort of score will be achieved.

In the Vuelta, we know how the race will end, we know exactly what will happen at what time, barring crashes, we know the outcome of the race. It's entirely predictable, except for the winner, which on a route like this can be one out of three or four guys. It's predictable and will become more so once we've had 5 of this finishes.

Your making absolutely no sense.

 

[The Hitch]

Arcalis? Not really that's a long climb, not too steep, remember Ulle there in 1997? If Contador was his Verbier self he'd fly up too...now? Looks like a Sky one/two at the top to me.

its not arcalis i dont think.

 

[Arnout]

Arcalis? Not really that's a long climb, not too steep, remember Ulle there in 1997? If Contador was his Verbier self he'd fly up too...now? Looks like a Sky one/two at the top to me.

The climb is not that long, but steeper than Arcalis and also with smaller roads if I'm not mistaken

Your making absolutely no sense.

Well, tell me, have we seen one single unexpected thing yet this Vuelta (in terms of racing)?

 

[Miburo]

The climb is not that long, but steeper than Arcalis and also with smaller roads if I'm not mistaken



Well, tell me, have we seen one single unexpected thing yet this Vuelta (in terms of racing)?

Sky riding when the leader falls.

Purito not pushing the pedals untill the finish.

AND NOVAL WAS ON THE FRONT FOR A SEC TRUE STORY

Don't tell you knew that was going to happen?

 

[Arnout]

Sky riding when the leader falls.

Purito not pushing the pedals untill the finish.

You expected that sir?

Like I said, barring crashes.

And Purito not pushing until the finish? You didn't watch the Giro?

Edit: I think you're trolling, judging by your edit

 

[The Hitch]

Well, tell me, have we seen one single unexpected thing yet this Vuelta (in terms of racing)?

I was actually going to post a sarcastic comment about how, no we havent seen sprinters win mtfs and climbers win, tts, but the funny thing is, we kind of have

 

[DominicDecoco]

Well, tell me, have we seen one single unexpected thing yet this Vuelta (in terms of racing)?

What's considered 'expected'?

Moviestar winning the TTT? Alberto cracking after good display in the first stages?

Hey, I'm not that overly positive about this route either. It's not as good as it's been made out to be by some people. But we are only in stage 6 mind you, and I don't think it's not been that predictive.

 

[roundabout]

I'm pretty sure that saturday's climb is a Purito finish. Or am I mistaken?

It's a shortish single climb stage with a 7km last climb. He should do well in theory, but I won't guarantee that he will beat the rest of the GC riders there.

 

[Miburo]

Edit: I think you're trolling, judging by your edit

I know it's hard to believe. But Noval was actually on the front and it was even uphill.

 

[Arnout]

I was actually going to post a sarcastic comment about how, no we havent seen sprinters win mtfs and climbers win, tts, but the funny thing is, we kind of have

What's considered 'expected'?

Moviestar winning the TTT?

I'm not talking about results. I'm talking about the way the race develops. Whether Degenkolb or Benatti wins isn't relevant for the way a race develops. An early attack by a contender would, or a surprise package, or whatever. We haven't seen it and won't see it with this route.

 

[DominicDecoco]

I'm not talking about results. I'm talking about the way the race develops. Whether Degenkolb or Benatti wins isn't relevant for the way a race develops. An early attack by a contender would, or a surprise package, or whatever. We haven't seen it and won't see it with this route.

See my edit.

 

[Arnout]

Fair enough, opinions are luckily allowed to differ in our part of the world (in most parts of the world, to be fair)