2013 Vuelta a España, Stage 5: Sober → Lago de Sanabria (174 km)

[Afrank]

2013 Vuelta a España, Stage 5: Sober → Lago de Sanabria (174 km)

General Classification after Stage 4
1 NIBALI, Vincenzo (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 14:15:30
2 HORNER, Christopher (RADIOSHACK LEOPARD) + 3
3 ROCHE, Nicolas (SAXO-TINKOFF) + 8
4 ZUBELDIA AGIRRE, Haimar (RADIOSHACK LEOPARD) + 16
5 VALVERDE BELMONTE, Alejandro (MOVISTAR TEAM) + 21
6 KISERLOVSKI, Robert (RADIOSHACK LEOPARD) + 26
7 URAN URAN, Rigoberto (SKY PROCYCLING) + 28
8 MORENO FERNANDEZ, Daniel (KATUSHA) + 31
9 MAJKA, Rafal (SAXO-TINKOFF) + 38
10 KREUZIGER, Roman (SAXO-TINKOFF) + 42

 

[Parrulo]

Finally something other than a murito finish!!!!

 

[Swede1]

I'll say matthews for the win

 

[Beetlejuice]

EBH, about time he delivers a result, and he was up there yesterday at the finish, this one should suit him very well.

 

[Pricey_sky]

EBH, about time he delivers a result, and he was up there yesterday at the finish, this one should suit him very well.

I agree, with no top sprinters here he must have a good go at this!

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Meh, looks too hard for the pure sprinters. I expect guys like Matthews, Hagen and Meersman to fight it out. Meersman for the win. On the other hand, I think that a break could actually win this. Flecha will obviously fail but perhaps Luis Leon Sanchez will get his victory?

 

[saneguy]

Been a wild Vuelta so far. Predictions are so difficult to make. Loving it os far.

If I had to choose I'd say EBH should take this.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Meh, looks too hard for the pure sprinters. I expect guys like Matthews, Hagen and Meersman to fight it out. Meersman for the win. On the other hand, I think that a break could actually win this. Flecha will obviously fail but perhaps Luis Leon Sanchez will get his victory?

this stage doesn't look hard at all

 

[Netserk]

Yeah I also expect a full bunch sprint. With this pathetic field perhaps Farrar will win

 

[Dazed and Confused]

This terrain can also be raced longer distance, its up to the riders today if they want to make this interesting. Otherwise another group ride with a sprint in the end.

where is my picture? Ok, found another one:

 

[Hugo Koblet]

this stage doesn't look hard at all

I think this stage will prove to be harder than it seems at first.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

but where exactly? there aren't any hard climbs in it

 

[manafana]

theirs pretty hilly terrain its no easy ride, the first climb of the day is long enough to sap legs a bit if not drop some of the weak sprinters. the run in is quiet up and down slightly bigger field than yesterday for me.

 

[rantanplan]

The end of the stage is very nice, in Sanabria Lake

Covelo (first pass) isn´t a 3 cat climb (19 Km, almost 4% average slope)

I bet for a breakaway winning

 

[jens_attacks]

cancellara takes it with a late attack

 

[Descender]

This is what Unipublic could have done with this stage. Same start and finish.

Climbs are:

- Alto de Fonte da Cova, 25kms at 6%.

http://unavueltamejor.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/fonte-cova-medua.jpg

- Alto de Carbajal, 7kms at 6,5%.

http://www.altimetrias.net/Leon/Carbajal1.gif

- Alto del Peñón, 14 kms at 5% (last 3km at 11%)

http://www.altimetrias.net/Leon/Penon2.gif

 

[kovi123]

I'll go with EBH: Henderson as my second choice, he's looked fantastic so far.

 

[fraserhughes]

My money is on a slightly reduced bunch sprint ... and for the sake of my velogames fantasy team Meersman better win it

 

[search]

This is what Unipublic could have done with this stage. Same start and finish.

I think there are more than enough climbs in this Vuelta, and today's stage still has potential to be a good one

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I think there are more than enough climbs in this Vuelta, and today's stage still has potential to be a good one

agree, yesterday stage was also relatively well designed, but we gotta get the riders to provide the show. About 100 riders went over the wall together on stage 4. All this waiting, waiting does very little for the spectacle.

 

[Ferminal]

I much prefer today's stage to a nothing break stage where the bunch roll in 10mins down. Could still happen, but there should be enough hope for the sprinters teams to do a job.

 

[Flamin]

agree, yesterday stage was also relatively well designed, but we gotta get the riders to provide the show. About 100 riders went over the wall together on stage 4. All this waiting, waiting does very little for the spectacle.

Nothing was ever going to happen on Ezaro. Only right after the climb.

 

[fraserhughes]

Nothing was ever going to happen on Ezaro. Only right after the climb.

Agree, if the finish had been a bit closer to Ezaro (10-15km?) I think we might have seen some fireworks. That said there are enough "GC days" that a "sprint/no sprint" day isn't a bad thing.

 

[rantanplan]

Today´s climbs

- Alto de Covelo, 3ª (km 79,5): 1.045 m – 19,5 km – 3,4 %

- Alto de O Canizo, np (km 105): 1.080 m – 12,2 km – 3,1 %

- Portela de A Canda, np (km 124): 1.254 m – 5,3 km – 4,1 %

- Portilla de Padornelo, 3ª (km 143): 1.340 m – 11 km – 2,6 %

 

[Descender]

I think there are more than enough climbs in this Vuelta, and today's stage still has potential to be a good one

Oh there certainly are many climbs in this Vuelta: almost invariably featuring a finish line at the top.

Some of us would like to see something different from time to time.