2013 Vuelta a España, Stage 8: Jerez de la Frontera → Alto Peñas Blancas (166 kms)

[Kazistuta]

Basso has absolutely NO kick.

He won't win today by waiting for the final K, Purito,Moreno and Valverde can easily take 10 sec's in 200 meters in the final.

Bassos best chances are to wait for the final week (he ought to be fresher than Piti & Purito) or to go with 5K to go or so today.

Bassos best chances are to wear his opponents out with a high, constant pace, and that's not likely to happen this soon in the Vuelta, considering the current strenght of his opponents.

I'd like for Ulissi to go well, and hopefully Roche will manage to hang on.

Valverde FTW with Henao as an outsider today.

 

[murali]

i am going to do a contrarian bet on j-rod cracking


Basso can win if he attacks late, because the likes of j-rod and valverde will delay the attack wrongly believing that basso can easily be caught.

 

[meat puppet]

horner to stomp it on the big ring, obviously.

 

[jens_attacks]

Look who met each other today Father and son.

lol that is a priceless photo

and yeah i think ivan basso will just go to the front with 6-7 km to go and he will drop everyone staying in his wheel. maybe papy horner can survive to this kind of forcing. ivan basso must save his honour starting from today

 

[SafeBet]

Only concern I've got with Ivan is the apparent lack of team support for the mountains. He can't ride his tempo for forever. He'd need somebody to help him doing from the bottom of the climb.

 

[wirral]

Nibali not to lose any time, except bonus seconds, to any of the genuine GC contenders. He will be content to stay in the lead group and be in it to the finish line. It will probably consist of about 4 riders although a breakaway rider (Txurruka?) may well have finished first and taken the stage.

 

[jens_attacks]

Only concern I've got with Ivan is the apparent lack of team support for the mountains. He can't ride his tempo for forever. He'd need somebody to help him doing from the bottom of the climb.

there is always movistar

Horner: ‘I expect to put on a show’ in Vuelta’s weekend climbing stages

horner legend _O_

 

[Alphabet]

I would love a Basso win. I would be happy even if he just takes a pull or two at the front.

 

[RedheadDane]

I'm gonna be very optimistic here and say Chris Anker!

 

[Kwibus]

Look who met each other today Father and son.

That's Escartin right? Great pic and indeed father and son. They look alike and they both are awful to watch on the bike

 

[manafana]

It will be really interesting today anyone who loses anything more than few seconds today has got question if their good enough for a top 10 at all here. Sort the men from the boys and tidy up the GC.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I will be rooting for Horner today!

 

[Flamin]

Another Roche/Horner scenario today. Someone from the 2nd row given enough leeway to take it. König FTW.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

That's Escartin right? Great pic and indeed father and son. They look alike and they both are awful to watch on the bike

twins

 

[wirral]

Martin out. Concussion.

 

[Cyivel]

Dang ..........

 

[ILovecycling]

Majka or Konig ftw,Valverde to screw it up again...

Purito and Nibali to lose time

Ivan time is Angliru

 

[ILovecycling]

Martin out. Concussion.

Ohh ****
Speedy recovery boy!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Last 2km not so steep. Seems like an arrival for Valverde, Mollema, Moreno, Roche etc, fast finishers...
Yeah not Rodriguez, it would have to be 10% steeper for that Ofcourse he could win though if they race the first part of the climb hard.

 

[Descender]

gotta love how some folks here are obsessed at underestimating Nibali- but that's the point- because he always prove them wrong He'll be fine & ready to face the first real test of this Vuelta....

I'd like to add Uran & Valverde to the list of possible winners

Nibali is sure being underrated.

He has this Vuelta in the bag and everyone keeps talking about JRod and Valverde.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Nibali is sure being underrated.

He has this Vuelta in the bag and everyone keeps talking about JRod and Valverde.

Still sceptical about his form in the first 2 weeks though. He wasn't exactly great in Burgos, but yea. As lang as he doesn't bonk completely today or over the next few days he has this Vuelta for sure

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Ohh ****
Speedy recovery boy!

so Garmins plan will now boil down to Farrar going all in on one of the MTFs...

 

[Rollthedice]

gotta love how some folks here are obsessed at underestimating Nibali- but that's the point- because he always prove them wrong He'll be fine & ready to face the first real test of this Vuelta....

I'd like to add Uran & Valverde to the list of possible winners

I'm with you on this. Today he just have to play defensively, maybe finish within 15 sec. of Purito. Valverde and the rest are not a problem on this kind of climb.

 

[gthx_gthx_]

Still sceptical about his form in the first 2 weeks though. He wasn't exactly great in Burgos, but yea. As lang as he doesn't bonk completely today or over the next few days he has this Vuelta for sure

He was pretty good there , he just killed himself trying to drop Quintana , and if he hadn't done so , he probably would have stayed with Basso who is apparently a favorite for today stage. I'd say that there is nothing wrong with his form so far , he won't win but he won't be far either.

 

[Netserk]

The stage will end similar to Montasio.