2013 Vuelta a España, Stage 17: Calahorra→Burgos (189km)

[GroupDK]

Huge thumps up to Bauke Mollema and that he takes it...

auchh +1.30 to pozzo and pinot... but congrats to Saxo & Roche with the GC climb.. shame that the lost podium on the crazy 4'degree weather day.

 

[patrick767]

TGBM GREATNESSS

Somebody feed that man a sandwich!

 

[hfer07]

that was a Hardcore pure Cycling finish!!! Yes !!! Bauke Mollema is the Man!!

 

[Afrank]

Konig 19th, no time loss for him.

 

[murali]

a very good win by mollema.


kicking myself for missing the part where the echelons were formed.

 

[willbick]

Why do bikeriders dedicate themselves to a sport that creates wonderfull legs and backsides only to insist on showing of their scrawny torsoes.

Their legs and bums arent too pretty either tbh

 

[MatParker117]

If only Richeze hadn't wasted that energy with that pointless attack on the uphill.

So the sprint stages here have been won by Matthews, Morkov, Stybar, Gilbert, Barguil and Mollema, it's like a who's who of sprinters.

No really dedicated Sprint teams and a lack of top tier quicks this year is probably the reason. In 2009 & 10 it was HTC (Greipel & Cav), 2011 it was Liquigas (Sagan) and Argos (Degenkolb) last year.

 

[Afrank]

GC

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Really enjoyed that stage.

1) Everybody loves echelons.
2) Everybody likes it when a team with a guy in the top 10 actually try to advance rather than ride conservatively.
3) Everyboy likes it when some opportunist makes fools of the sprinters right at the end.

Also, finally, this year TGBM goes from being the talented rider who places strongly but never actually wins anything to a guy with some decent wins on his palmares. I doubt if anyone imagined that his first GT stage victory would come on a sprint stage, mind you.

 

[theyoungest]

Usually Mollema waits for the sprint, and gets 5th or 6h. Finally he attacks, and lo and behold! What a good win, Mollemancellara is his new nickname.

 

[valentius borealis]

That bridge provided the perfect opportunity to dish out pain in the crosswinds.

 

[pastronef]

good win for Bauke and Belkin

and Farrar... 4th. it's sad to see him struggle this way, I really hope he can pick himself up again

 

[cocteau_ireland]

A great stage all round

 

[jens_attacks]

seems like i was right regarding the abanicos, burgos never disappoints in this.

awesome stage, mollema winning a la freire worlds 99 was brilliant.absolutely brilliant

i wonder who will win at madrid? does pozzovivo stand a chance?

 

[manafana]

boassen hagen he really is the new rojas gil doing fine job of winning those sprints for 2nd.

an excellent day, what i dont get is how pozzovivo puts in a 3rd in tt then one two days loses time like this.

 

[search]

an excellent day, what i dont get is how pozzovivo puts in a 3rd in tt then one two days loses time like this.

I can't see what one thing has to do with the other

 

[RedheadDane]

and Farrar... 4th. it's sad to see him struggle this way, I really hope he can pick himself up again

Yeah. It's a bit too early for him to give up.
Hope he can stay on to Madrid and give it another go!

 

[dgodave]

Usually Mollema waits for the sprint, and gets 5th or 6h. Finally he attacks, and lo and behold! What a good win, Mollemancellara is his new nickname.

I loved Mollema's move at the end

Is there any OVERHEAD footage of his win?
.

 

[winkybiker]

Yeah. It's a bit too early for him to give up.
Hope he can stay on to Madrid and give it another go!

Give up what? Give what another go? You can't mean winning a sprint. He gave that up long ago.

 

[shalgo]

I see the commissaires have given up on the "strict gap" policy.

I noticed that too. If Horner ends up losing to Nibali by less than six seconds, he will have a reason to be upset about the inconsistent application of the rule.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

HIS GREAT HOLYNESS THE BAUKE WINS

And ofcourse I have to work on a day like that missing everything. Missed a good chance to spam the forum

 

[Der Effe]

Are there highlights/last 20k anywhere?

 

[manafana]

I noticed that too. If Horner ends up losing to Nibali by less than six seconds, he will have a reason to be upset about the inconsistent application of the rule.

second this, very inconsistent, only day they shouldnt be strict is when group is sizable nearing 100

 

[maltiv]

3) Everyboy likes it when some opportunist makes fools of the sprinters right at the end.

Yes...but not when it happens all the ****ing time. Some balance would be cool. In this Vuelta, there's only been one slightly normal bunch sprint.

It's like you're watching, and you know that if someone (anyone) attacks they'll hold off, because the sprint trains are so incredibly slow.

 

[MatParker117]

Yes...but not when it happens all the ****ing time. Some balance would be cool. In this Vuelta, there's only been one slightly normal bunch sprint.

It's like you're watching, and you know that if someone (anyone) attacks they'll hold off, because the sprint trains are so incredibly slow.

There's no real Sprint train or top flight sprinter at this Vuelta. If a Greipel, Cav, Sagan, Kittel, Degenkolb or even someone like Viviani was here then a team would be motivated to do the donkey work and keep it together for a bunch sprint. As it is Eddy Bos is probably the best Sprinter in the field and Sky won't work for him until Madrid simply because he's not the Manx Express.