2013 Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco, Stage 5 Eibar-Beasain 166.1 km

[greenedge]

Congrats to Porte, for showing audacity.

Disappointed Contador did not attack- like in Oman/ T-A but maybe he is getting a sense for riding the Sky Trains pace up the muntains.

Congrats to Fraile, Kiryienka and Samu- unlucky for him.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Thanks for stating the obvious for these two biased clowns who apparently didn't watch the race very closely or didn't understand what they were seeing, but hey who cares, let's just trash Sky anyway.

lol, the world according to webvan:

Sky fans and anti Sky fans.

Like I said earlier, come out of the Sky bunker once in a while a get some fresh air. It will clear your head.

 

[HiCadence]

I don't think it was boring at all. Boring is a flat race with a bunch sprint. This had extreme conditions, a brave solo and the GC riders fighting it out on the last kms.

I'm of the same mind really enjoyed the racing yesterday seeing Fraille's brave defiance in the face of Sky and wondering if Kiryienka would crack at some point during the last half of the race!

I think people find it frustrating to see Sky win and in a dominant fasion i bet the discussion of it being boring would be different if it was a Saxo rider winning or if Fraille had made it to the line first.

 

[roundabout]

Team Gadret?

oh, and I was thinking that he lost time because he hurt himself falling over on Thursday.

Nope, it was just Gadret being himself.

 

[movingtarget]

I'm of the same mind really enjoyed the racing yesterday seeing Fraille's brave defiance in the face of Sky and wondering if Kiryienka would crack at some point during the last half of the race!

I think people find it frustrating to see Sky win and in a dominant fasion i bet the discussion of it being boring would be different if it was a Saxo rider winning or if Fraille had made it to the line first.

It's kinda funny seeing the Schleck fans more optimistic than the Contador fans. I guess they take losing harder. I was one of the fans who found the Tour boring in 2012 but I still admired Sky's performance. Saxo have not stepped up to the plate yet. I think Movistar have been more impressive than them.

 

[HiCadence]

It's kinda funny seeing the Schleck fans more optimistic than the Contador fans. I guess they take losing harder. I was one of the fans who found the Tour boring in 2012 but I still admired Sky's performance. Saxo have not stepped up to the plate yet. I think Movistar have been more impressive than them.

I agree i didn't think too much of Quintana at the start of the season but he's really growing on me and i'm enjoying watching him ride.

I think you'll find most found the 2012 tour a bit of a bore fest but people can't seem to get it that Wiggins isn't explosive so using his team the way he did was really the only way of defending himself and people also seem to think they are entitled to a good show at the end of the day big teams like Sky are in the sponsorship business for the money like any other team so they are going to get the team to ride in a way that will secure them a win like how Wiggins won the tour i'd imagine that made Sky plenty of $$$ just for Brad winning the tour.

 

[LaFlorecita]

It's kinda funny seeing the Schleck fans more optimistic than the Contador fans. I guess they take losing harder. I was one of the fans who found the Tour boring in 2012 but I still admired Sky's performance. Saxo have not stepped up to the plate yet. I think Movistar have been more impressive than them.

Because Schleck is actually showing signs of improvement and he is never good in any race except for LBL and TDF anyway

 

[movingtarget]

I agree i didn't think too much of Quintana at the start of the season but he's really growing on me and i'm enjoying watching him ride.

I think you'll find most found the 2012 tour a bit of a bore fest but people can't seem to get it that Wiggins isn't explosive so using his team the way he did was really the only way of defending himself and people also seem to think they are entitled to a good show at the end of the day big teams like Sky are in the sponsorship business for the money like any other team so they are going to get the team to ride in a way that will secure them a win like how Wiggins won the tour i'd imagine that made Sky plenty of $$$ just for Brad winning the tour.

The Giro will be interesting. Nibali saw how good Sky were at the 2012 Tour. The long TT makes it hard for Wiggins rivals but there should be plenty of action in the mountains. Nibali will just have to hope that Ryder and Scarponi and some of the other climbers can work with him to take time on Wiggins on climbs and possibly descents but will it be enough ?

 

[movingtarget]

Because Schleck is actually showing signs of improvement and he is never good in any race except for LBL and TDF anyway

Some improvement for Andy but he was starting at the bottom. He should aim for Vuelta or Tour 2014. Still three months for Alberto.

 

[HiCadence]

Sky can be broken if the motivation is there pure and simple.

It seems most teams are just happy to sit on the wheels of Sky and hope they crack and it's not working i think it's about time they came up with a different tactic.

 

[Pentacycle]

Sky can be broken if the motivation is there pure and simple.

It seems most teams are just happy to sit on the wheels of Sky and hope they crack and it's not working i think it's about time they came up with a different tactic.

Most riders who do attack Sky riding in train format, are only motivated because a stage win is the only possible result they can get, like SamSan yesterday. Or because they aren't in good shape(Evans Tour 2012, Contador Oman/Tirreno '13), or when they're plain stupid.(Talansky)

If you have good legs and you're supposed to ride for GC the best you can do is follow Sky. In the end, if you're really better than their leaders you should be able to still open up gaps. Sky just have some of the best talents around, otherwise such a train wouldn't make much sense.

Beating Sky isn't a matter of tactics, you just have to be better than their leaders. Rodriguez, Nibali, Quintana have done that this year, so why can't Contador or Spilak do the same?

 

[HiCadence]

Most riders who do attack Sky riding in train format, are only motivated because a stage win is the only possible result they can get, like SamSan yesterday. Or because they aren't in good shape(Evans Tour 2012, Contador Oman/Tirreno '13), or when they're plain stupid.(Talansky)

If you have good legs and you're supposed to ride for GC the best you can do is follow Sky. In the end, if you're really better than their leaders you should be able to still open up gaps. Sky just have some of the best talents around, otherwise such a train wouldn't make much sense.

Beating Sky isn't a matter of tactics, you just have to be better than their leaders. Rodriguez, Nibali, Quintana have done that this year, so why can't Contador or Spilak do the same?

That's a very good point.

 

[Pentacycle]

The Giro will be interesting. Nibali saw how good Sky were at the 2012 Tour. The long TT makes it hard for Wiggins rivals but there should be plenty of action in the mountains. Nibali will just have to hope that Ryder and Scarponi and some of the other climbers can work with him to take time on Wiggins on climbs and possibly descents but will it be enough ?

You mean Scarponi and Hesjedal will work together to distance Nibali and Wiggins? Nibali's a worse climber than both of them. Since when can Nibali suddenly succesfully attack uphill in a GT? He needs hilly stages to deal with Wiggins, and even if he succeeds in winning the Giro it will be 80% luck. Hesjedal and Wiggins should crack unexpectedly, and perhaps he'll need a few opponents crasing out as well.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Most riders who do attack Sky riding in train format, are only motivated because a stage win is the only possible result they can get, like SamSan yesterday. Or because they aren't in good shape(Evans Tour 2012, Contador Oman/Tirreno '13), or when they're plain stupid.(Talansky)

If you have good legs and you're supposed to ride for GC the best you can do is follow Sky. In the end, if you're really better than their leaders you should be able to still open up gaps. Sky just have some of the best talents around, otherwise such a train wouldn't make much sense.

Beating Sky isn't a matter of tactics, you just have to be better than their leaders. Rodriguez, Nibali, Quintana have done that this year, so why can't Contador or Spilak do the same?

Not good enough?

 

[Netserk]

You mean Scarponi and Hesjedal will work together to distance Nibali and Wiggins? Nibali's a worse climber than both of them. Since when can Nibali suddenly succesfully attack uphill in a GT? He needs hilly stages to deal with Wiggins, and even if he succeeds in winning the Giro it will be 80% luck. Hesjedal and Wiggins should crack unexpectedly, and perhaps he'll need a few opponents crasing out as well.

 

[SafeBet]

Just added Hesjedal to the list of riders who've never even dropped Nibali on a climb and are supposedly better climbers than him.

Thing is getting huge.

 

[Netserk]

Just added Hesjedal to the list of riders who've never even dropped Nibali on a climb and are supposedly better climbers than him.

Thing is getting huge.

But, eh, he dropped Purito once, who dropped Contador once, who dropped Nibali.

Logic

 

[Pentacycle]

But, eh, he dropped Purito once, who dropped Contador once, who dropped Nibali.

Logic

No, last year Hesjedal dropped Scarponi, who climbed better than Nibali in Giro '11, despite trying to go with a superiour Contador.

Logic can go that far.

Btw Hesjedal can perform at the 'holy grail' 5,9 W/kg on MTF's, so he must be a top climber.

 

[Netserk]

No, last year Hesjedal dropped Scarponi, who climbed better than Nibali in Giro '11, despite trying to go with a superiour Contador.

Logic can go that far.

Btw Hesjedal can perform at the 'holy grail' 5,9 W/kg on MTF's, so he must be a top climber.

I agree. Scarponi was just as strong in 2012 as he was in 2011. No difference.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Btw Hesjedal can perform at the 'holy grail' 5,9 W/kg on MTF's, so he must be a top climber.

to win the Giro this year a rider will have to go higher than 5,9 w/kg.

 

[movingtarget]

You mean Scarponi and Hesjedal will work together to distance Nibali and Wiggins? Nibali's a worse climber than both of them. Since when can Nibali suddenly succesfully attack uphill in a GT? He needs hilly stages to deal with Wiggins, and even if he succeeds in winning the Giro it will be 80% luck. Hesjedal and Wiggins should crack unexpectedly, and perhaps he'll need a few opponents crasing out as well.

What I was trying to say is that some of the climbers will have to work together to distance Wiggins. I'm not saying it will work but if Wiggins can almost reach his TT form of 2012 again in the Giro god knows what the time gaps will be. Some riders may have bettered Sky this year but not in a grand tour and with the team Sky is taking to the Giro. I don't think Scarponi or Basso will make the top 5. I would be surprised if Nibali didn't make the podium. Scarponi always bobs up on same stages but he's not consistent. I think Nibali's ride in the Tour was underrated and I think he is improving. I still think Ryder, Wiggins and Nibali will fight it our for podium spots.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

What I was trying to say is that some of the climbers will have to work together to distance Wiggins. I'm not saying it will work but if Wiggins can almost reach his TT form of 2012 again in the Giro god knows what the time gaps will be. Some riders may have bettered Sky this year but not in a grand tour and with the team Sky is taking to the Giro. I don't think Scarponi or Basso will make the top 5. I would be surprised if Nibali didn't make the podium. Scarponi always bobs up on same stages but he's not consistent. I think Nibali's ride in the Tour was underrated and I think he is improving. I still think Ryder, Wiggins and Nibali will fight it our for podium spots.

Still think Scarponi is underrated this year. Started the season very strongly, in fact the entire GC team has started very well. The management change may have some influence here.

Basso's situation is more unknown, simply because he is a typical one race rider (a bit like Schleck). No way to tell anything about his form imo. I do feel he would want to go out with a bang.

 

[movingtarget]

Still think Scarponi is underrated this year. Started the season very strongly, in fact the entire GC team has started very well. The management change may have some influence here.

Basso's situation is more unknown, simply because he is a typical one race rider (a bit like Schleck). No way to tell anything about his form imo. I do feel he would want to go out with a bang.

It would be good to see Scarponi do well and even Evans if he can find some form but I fear that Basso has gone the way of Menchov but you never know there are plenty of form reversals in cycling !

 

[Dazed and Confused]

It would be good to see Scarponi do well and even Evans if he can find some form but I fear that Basso has gone the way of Menchov but you never know there are plenty of form reversals in cycling !

Hopefully the Giro is not just a training ride for Evans. Like to see him battle with the rest.