2013 Vuelta a España, Stage 14: Bagá → Andorra. Collada de la Gallina (155.7 Km)

[Parrulo]

2013 Vuelta a España, Stage 14: Bagá → Andorra. Collada de la Gallina (155.7 Km)

Finally the 2 best stage of the Vuelta are here.

First:

Hopefully we will have a strong break and if we are lucky maybe some top 20 guys are in it so the peloton needs to ride hard after them.


Port de Envalira: The highest point of this years Vuelta, 26Km at 5.2% with 15% max

Collada de la Gallina: 7.2Km at 8% with 15%, according to the vuelta site but i recall higher %'s last year, i am probably wrong tho

Weather:

Tiempo: El tiempo cambiará en este día, y además será muy cambiante a lo largo de la etapa. Se espera lluvia al principio en Bagà, cielos muy nubosos después hasta la subida al puerto d’Envalira, donde se espera lluvia, así como en el Coll de Ordino, cielos muy nubosos después con chubascos de lluvia en el Alto de La Comella y en Collada de la Gallina, con posible tormenta en la parte final de la etapa. Los chubascos pueden ser fuertes en la parte final de la etapa.

Vientos: El viento soplará flojo en casi todo el recorrido. Será de dirección Sur al principio en Bagà, y en general del Sur y Suroeste después en todo el resto de la etapa, por lo que será a favor al principio en Bagà, en contra después hasta La Seu d’Urgell, a favor después hasta el Port d’Envalira y en contra en general después hasta la meta.

Temperaturas: Oscilarán entre los suaves 21ºC en La Seu d’Urgell y los frescos 9ºC en la cima del Port d’Envalira.

* For some reason there is no english version available on the Vuelta site and i am too lazy to translate this lol

 

[The Hitch]

I hope Saxo send Majka on Envalira. Or someone with some gc position does something cos I hope it wont just be a sprint up Gallina.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

So lots of wet descents? Unlucky Thibaut.

 

[The Hitch]

Eurosport coverage here in the isles starts at 2 pm (3 for you europeans) so thats maybe 2 and a half hours before the finish so they could still be on the big mountain.

 

[Dedelou]

So lots of wet descents? Unlucky Thibaut.

Now we shall this if the therapy's sessions were worth it.

 

[Netserk]

Now we shall this if the therapy's sessions were worth it.

He hasn't done those yet. They are for the off season

 

[jens_attacks]

really doubt that something gc meaningful will happen until the last 7 kms.

anyway purito to win with a long range attack, 5 kms to go.
basso also to take back some time. roche to crack

 

[Dedelou]

really doubt that something gc meaningful will happen until the last 7 kms.

anyway purito to win with a long range attack, 5 kms to go.
basso also to take back some time. roche to crack

I hope Roche hangs on but I know it is a long shot.

 

[roundabout]

Field to break to pieces on the mythical 15% ramps of the Envalira

 

[Miburo]

I hope Saxo send Majka on Envalira. Or someone with some gc position does something cos I hope it wont just be a sprint up Gallina.

Yea right

Don't get your hopes up

 

[R0BL4MBT0N]

Horner to attack on the Envalira and not sit down until the finish

 

[icefire]

Field to break to pieces on the mythical 15% ramps of the Envalira

Yep. Just as it broke on the mythical 25% ramps of Ezaro

 

[Libertine Seguros]

So lots of wet descents? Unlucky Thibaut.

Roads are pretty wide and comfortable for much of the course though. The big danger will be coming out of the tunnel when they turn and come back down Port d'Envalira.

 

[Afrank]

Pinot to attack on the descent in the rain and solo in for the win.

Nah, some spanish climber from the break to hang on. Nibali to put time into the other GC guys.

 

[marco.t]

Being the first out of three important stages in a row, could be very unpredictable.
Some will prefer to save themselves and others may want to take advantage of it.
Good opportunity for a climber with big deficit to take a stage from a break.
Purito has to attack in every stage from now on. He's running out of time.

 

[trevim]

I hope Saxo send Majka on Envalira. Or someone with some gc position does something cos I hope it wont just be a sprint up Gallina.

If Roche cracks at some point they better save Majka for a top10.

 

[The Blues]

Too bad they don't show the entire stage considering it's weekend and the awesomeness of the stage.

We can only hope they'll ride slowly for the first couple of hours and then create havoc when it goes live - that's not being to demanding, is it?

 

[Flamin]

I expect something big from the Spaniards. Horner to crack.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Nibali to go balistic

 

[Netserk]

Nibali to go balistic

Tomorrow he will be tranquilo, but the day after he will smash 'em on Peyresourde

 

[ferryman]

Look out for the good Doctor. He may not win but I betcha he has a go.

 

[Netserk]

Look out for the good Doctor. He may not win but I betcha he has a go.

Yep, I could see him play some piano tomorrow.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

If Roche cracks at some point they better save Majka for a top10.

Roche would have to crack in the sense of a total collapse on one of these stages to end up outside of the top 10 at this point. I think it's very likely that he'll crack but probably in a less dramatic way than that.

When you look down the rankings its hard not to think that some other guys in the top 12* will also crack or crash or get sick or get dropped on descents. I'm not sure that I'd fancy Pinot's chances on a bunch of wet descents, or Moreno's in the high mountains, to give two of the more obvious examples. So, it would have to be a pretty drastic collapse for Saxo to end up without a top 10. We're talking about Roche losing 5 mins to guys who so far haven't been good enough to be in the top 10, as opposed to him losing 5 minutes to Purito or Valverde.

So really, Majka's decent GC position is worth risking if he has the legs to go for a stage win, and if it comes off he'll move up on GC too.

(*top 12 because that's Saxo two plus the ten riders they'd have to finish behind to avoid ending up with a top 10).

 

[roundabout]

Yep. Just as it broke on the mythical 25% ramps of Ezaro

I thought you would understand my use of the term "mythical".

In any case, here's a profile that corresponds to reality

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2003/vuelta03/?id=stages/stage9

 

[Pippo_San]

Basso will start to put the hammer down on this...and the next day...*whispering* in red