2013 Vuelta a España, Stage 20: Avilés→Alto de L´Angliru (142 Km)

[Dekker_Tifosi]

A month? There's half a month to the Worlds. I'm starting to question Nibali's chances at the WCRR.

Starting to doubt everyone who did the full Vuelta in GC mode. It was such a hard race after all.

I think the Worlds will be for the fresher men, the ones who took it easy here or who pulled out like Cancellara and Gilbert.
Worlds maybe Gilbert vs Cancellara vs Sagan (but he didn't look good yesterday either) + some suprises (fresh riders with good shape)

 

[Orbit501]

If Edet gets in the break he wins it, pretty simple.

On further inspection. I totally agree.

It really is that simple, and I'd be amazed if Edet doesn't make the break. I wouldn't be surprised to see Mate and Sijmens trying to get in the break too as insurance policy for Edet not getting points.

 

[Red Rick]

Starting to doubt everyone who did the full Vuelta in GC mode. It was such a hard race after all.

I think the Worlds will be for the fresher men, the ones who took it easy here or who pulled out like Cancellara and Gilbert.
Worlds maybe Gilbert vs Cancellara vs Sagan (but he didn't look good yesterday either) + some suprises (fresh riders with good shape)

Worlds will only be Gesink vs TGBM really

 

[maltiv]

Nibali made a good point about how Horner's standing technique might not work if it's wet, due to the backwheel slipping. So rain could once again save the day for Nibali.

 

[willbick]

Its ok he'll just put Magnus Backstedt on his seat

 

[icefire]

Mollema will beat him

Now that Mollema and Gesink are winning sprints Belkin should hire a train for next season.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

But then he was defending a lead, not attacking one.
So not the same

It may be the case that all Nibali needs to do is defend here also. If (big if) he's with Horner in the final km (most of which is flat / technical) and if there are any bonus seconds left then he has a good chance of beating him in the sprint to take the jersey back.

Radioshack therefore shouldn't chase the break but Astana should so that the bonus seconds are up for grabs

 

[melkemugg]

praying for papi to crack, but probably not going to happen.

 

[Poursuivant]

Think Nibali has faded a lot this last week, rain could be his only ally

 

[Christian]

Radioshack therefore shouldn't chase the break but Astana should so that the bonus seconds are up for grabs

They could even send Busche in the break, that way he might be able to help Horner a bit later on... a bit unconventional though

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Think Nibali has faded a lot this last week, rain could be his only ally

Don't think it's gonna rain.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Not sure if this has already been touched upon but I find it ridiculous how this stage is not on until 3pm this afternoon on British Eurosport. It's been a great race and there are still 4 people who could be in red come the finish. Are pictures available before 3pm or is it a host broadcaster thing?

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

LOL. 45% go for a Horner win (including me) at the toughest stage in a tough Vuelta.
3 weeks ago this number would have been ZERO.

Isn´t it nice how the new pro cycling looks?

My prediction: Horner by 1.06 mins over his main contenders....

 

[trevim]

I'm curious to see how Cardoso will do. He's like 50kg so he should adapt well

 

[Ramira]

Not sure if this has already been touched upon but I find it ridiculous how this stage is not on until 3pm this afternoon on British Eurosport. It's been a great race and there are still 4 people who could be in red come the finish. Are pictures available before 3pm or is it a host broadcaster thing?

I think it's a host thing. Sporza (Belgium) also starts at 3pm GMT (4pm CET)

 

[roundabout]

Not sure if this has already been touched upon but I find it ridiculous how this stage is not on until 3pm this afternoon on British Eurosport. It's been a great race and there are still 4 people who could be in red come the finish. Are pictures available before 3pm or is it a host broadcaster thing?

You will very likely see Cordal and Angliru in full. Not likely that anything of major GC importance will happen before.

 

[webbie146]

Will there be rain? I really hope so otherwise the old man will probably win

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Rain or not, Horner drops them all. He is in his best age and form. The greatest cyclist ever...

 

[Bavarianrider]

People shouldn't forget that it was the Angliru that changed the face of pro cycling forever.
Prior to the year 99 there had never been done a final climb similar to this one.
Since the first showing of the Angliru the super steep climb have becomethe new holy grail of cycling it seems. People cry for them all the time as if anything else wasn't worth watching anymore. The death of traditional mountain stages as well as time trials is closely linked to this climb.

 

[webbie146]

Rain or not, Horner drops them all. He is in his best age and form. The greatest cyclist ever...

You can't climb out of the saddle at the steepest parts when it rain and the road is wet. Can horner push the same amount of watts while in the saddle? I doubt it.

 

[icefire]

Will there be rain? I really hope so otherwise the old man will probably win

The chance of rain during the stage seems small:

http://en.eltiempo.es/riosa.html?v=por_hora

 

[webbie146]

The chance of rain during the stage seems small:

http://en.eltiempo.es/riosa.html?v=por_hora

That sucks -.-

Nothing can stop grandpa now it seems.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Can horner push the same amount of watts while in the saddle? I doubt it.

You´ll see he will. Mark my words...
This saddle story is the same BS as cadence was with LA, tallness of Bolt and so on... It´s just excuses for absurd performances.

 

[icefire]

People shouldn't forget that it was the Angliru that changed the face of pro cycling forever.
Prior to the year 99 there had never been done a final climb similar to this one.
Since the first showing of the Angliru the super steep climb have becomethe new holy grail of cycling it seems. People cry for them all the time as if anything else wasn't worth watching anymore. The death of traditional mountain stages as well as time trials is closely linked to this climb.

I suggest you to watch Pau-Luchon 1983 and Pau-Luchon 2012 and you'll see that traditional mountain stages are not what they used to be anymore. The death of traditional mountain stages and time trials is closely linked to the fact that time-trials open gaps in GC that are not closed in traditional mountain stages.

 

[webbie146]

You´ll see he will. Mark my words...
This saddle story is the same BS as cadence was with LA, tallness of Bolt and so on... It´s just excuses for absurd performances.

High cadence from LA was not really BS. When pushing higher watts you should increase your cadence as seen here:

That way the force peak stays low. The heart and lungs have to do more work though, needs more oxygen, and yea we all know how he obtained that But there def is some science between higher cadence when pushing 450+ watts.

About the Horner part, yea you are probably right.