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

[search]

in the Tour of Szeklerland lately no one from Team Moldavia finished the race and three teams were down to 1 rider in the end. Nechita still nearly won, despite having no teammates left

 

[Arredondo]

Kreder and Elissonde other DNFs

Mmmm, too bad for Elissonde. He did quite alright in the first mountain stages.

 

[Netserk]

aaand I lost another great stage! I should stop watching cycling live for the sake of the sport
a resume? please?

Nibali had the role of himself.

Horner was Santa, and Kiser Di Luca.

The difference was that Ratto was up ahead, and that Nibali accelerated in the end.

 

[webvan]

Having watched the stage looks like Nibali has the race pretty much sown up.

With all the MTFs remaining, no ITT and a 50" lead on Horner and 1'42" on VV ? It's all but "sown up"! In fact this has to be one of the closest GTs in years ;-)

 

[Rollthedice]

Nibali had the role of himself.

Horner was Santa, and Kiser Di Luca.

The difference was that Ratto was up ahead, and that Nibali accelerated in the end.

You forgot to add that this time Nibali had a red jersey instead of a pink one.

 

[Netserk]

With all the MTFs remaining, no ITT and a 50" lead on Horner and 1'42" on VV ? It's all but "sown up"! In fact this has to be one of the closest GTs in years ;-)

Remember the Vuelta last year?

 

[webvan]

If anything it proves my point, it was all "sown up" until Bertie went on a suicide attack that paid off, it certainly wasn't "close".

 

[Netserk]

If anything it proves my point, it was all "sown up" until Bertie went on a suicide attack that paid off, it certainly wasn't "close".

Berto was only 28 seconds behind Purito (due to bonus seconds) before Fuente Dé.

It is quit clear that the Vuelta last year was closer than it is this year...

 

[roundabout]

Well, I was wrong. The weather hasn't killed Kenny yet so he is still in the race

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Well, I was wrong. The weather hasn't killed Kenny yet so he is still in the race

Looks like he made the time cut by a handful of seconds

 

[Asturiano]

According to Valverde on Spanish TV, it has been one of the most difficult stages in his life.

 

[Txapeldun]

Samu always rides himself into form as a GT wears on, it's just that as he gets older it takes a bit longer and he can't hold onto the form as long so he doesn't arrive in as good form as he used to.

kicking himself after the first two stages...

 

[icefire]

According to Valverde on Spanish TV, it has been one of the most difficult stages in his life.

Shops in Andorra must be full of winter clothes stock. He'd better get ready for tomorrow.

 

[manafana]

just an insane day on bike probably should have shortened stage got them dried and warmed and done the final 1/3 of course, unless we want the mistakes of the past we can't treat them like animals

 

[greenedge]

Just watched it...
congrats to Ratto- though I am sad Basso has abandoned.
No real attacks happened but good work by Kiserlovski.
Nice ride by Pinot who had attacked earlier, Samu, Valverde and Horner/ Nibali.

 

[Angliru]

According to Valverde on Spanish TV, it has been one of the most difficult stages in his life.

Juan Manuel Garate, 37 years of age said it was the coldest day he's had on a bike in a race. Also that "people think that we have clothes for this type of weather. They are wrong." With rain, sleet and snow I'd imagine that staying warm and dry was a challenge. Everyone has different reactions to dealing these conditions, as evidenced by the multiple abandons. I was training one winter and my eyes hurt so bad it felt like fluids in my eyes were freezing!
On my first day facing the challenge of climbing a mountain, on the descent of the 2nd mountain we climbed that day (Iron Mountain & Roan Mountain in North Carolina/Tennessee) late afternoon with temperatures dropping, wind whipping about, my hands got so cold on the final descent that I had to alternate sticking them in my jersey just so that they usable for purposes of braking, otherwise they would've gotten too numb. These guys are tough as nails.

 

[McLovin]

Did they used a section on Envalira both on going up and down? If so, isn't that dangerous?

 

[Netserk]

They did a 16km loop at the top, so it wasn't a problem. (First going over the top and then going through the tunnel on the way back.

 

[McLovin]

They did a 16km loop at the top, so it wasn't a problem. (First going over the top and then going through the tunnel on the way back.

I know, but for the spectators?

 

[Netserk]

I think most of the spectators were on the part where they only went past once. Otherwise they would be aware that the riders would come back down, so I don't think anyone stepped out on the road (at least not after they had passed the first time).

 

[Flamin]

I just read that Elissonde rode the final 70k on his own and that he simply didn't want to give up. He finished dead last, almost 37 minutes down.

Today he's in the break of the day. Brutal stuff _O_

 

[Descender]

Juan Manuel Garate, 37 years of age said it was the coldest day he's had on a bike in a race. Also that "people think that we have clothes for this type of weather. They are wrong." With rain, sleet and snow I'd imagine that staying warm and dry was a challenge. Everyone has different reactions to dealing these conditions, as evidenced by the multiple abandons. I was training one winter and my eyes hurt so bad it felt like fluids in my eyes were freezing!
On my first day facing the challenge of climbing a mountain, on the descent of the 2nd mountain we climbed that day (Iron Mountain & Roan Mountain in North Carolina/Tennessee) late afternoon with temperatures dropping, wind whipping about, my hands got so cold on the final descent that I had to alternate sticking them in my jersey just so that they usable for purposes of braking, otherwise they would've gotten too numb. These guys are tough as nails.

Odd, since he said exactly the opposite in this live interview. He said he was cold, went down to the car, put some clothes on and then he could continue. Then he says it would be hard if you didn't wear the right clothes, which is what happened to Zubeldia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIYhU3xlMIc

 

[hrotha]

I think most of the spectators were on the part where they only went past once. Otherwise they would be aware that the riders would come back down, so I don't think anyone stepped out on the road (at least not after they had passed the first time).

If they weren't aware, they would know after a gazillion vehicles passed by ahead of the race precisely for this very purpose.

 

[Afrank]

Odd, since he said exactly the opposite in this live interview. He said he was cold, went down to the car, put some clothes on and then he could continue. Then he says it would be hard if you didn't wear the right clothes, which is what happened to Zubeldia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIYhU3xlMIc

Getting some warm clothes partway through the stage probably helped him to continue at that point and make it to the finish is probably what he meant. Eventually the water will still get through those clothes as well though. You need the right kind of clothes for the kind of weather they had yesterday, but no matter what kind of clothes your wearing the water can eventually find a way through and make you cold again.

 

[Afrank]

I just read that Elissonde rode the final 70k on his own and that he simply didn't want to give up. He finished dead last, almost 37 minutes down.

Today he's in the break of the day. Brutal stuff _O_

This is a sport for only the hard. And with that, Elissonde shows that he has that hardness and determination a cyclist needs to be successful. I'll be keeping a close eye on him in the years to come.