2014 Volta Catalunya stage 3: Banyoles › La Molina 162.9 Km

[Hugo87]

Talansky improving after T-A, already in good form too.

Adam Yates is a talent, after Avenir and San Luis, now showing himself to the big boys in WT race..

 

[willbick]

When was the last time AC distanced CF on a MTF?

Prob vuelta 12

 

[VeloHuman]

BMC were publicly riding for Samu Sanchez in this race, but with the kind of form he showed in Oman, TvG must have been the go-to-guy all along. Tomorrow probably suits him even better.

 

[willbick]

Lol at 'LL Sanchez - still not a climber'. This comment is so odd in so many ways

 

[Escarabajo]

61. Janier Acevedo + 1.43

Hey Rio, what's wrong?'

What's wrong with Arredondo?? He was worse!!

 

[Cimber]

why do u guys always whinge about dull MTFs? they wait until the last km or less because that is the longest they can sustain a big attack for against top climbers. it is pointless say Froome going at 3k out as he will just blow up and they will catch him and he will lose lots of time. THIS IS WHAT CLEAN CYCLING LOOKS LIKE. Go watch some armstrong tapes if u find it boring.

Yeah sometimes feels overrated, doesnt it

If Froome doesnt attack u call him boring. If he attacks and fails u call him naive and half-asssed. If he attacks and wins u say he's on drugs.

Lololololoololol

Oh no, I liked it a lot that he (somewhat) tried and failed. I want to see more of the latter, him failing. And preferably big time. Then I might actually start to like him. It was the same with Contador back in the days. I didnt really like him until after he flunked big time in Paris-Nice 2009.

What's wrong with Arredondo?? He was worse!!

I think I read somehting about him being sick.

When was the last time AC distanced CF on a MTF?

Vuelta 2012 I think

 

[Arredondo]

What's wrong with Arredondo?? He was worse!!

He's sick, according to himself on twitter

julian arredondo ‏@jarredondo32 23 u
Día no tan bueno,problemas de salud e intestinales , ya veremos mañana...a bloque

 

[oliveira]

Great rides by Aru and Hesjedal. Both of them 23s down, with no racing legs just starting their season!

 

[Cimber]

Great rides by Aru and Hesjedal. Both of them 23s down, with no racing legs just starting their season!

Didnt see him. Has he changed those ridiculous sunglasses he used last year?

 

[manafana]

why do u guys always whinge about dull MTFs? they wait until the last km or less because that is the longest they can sustain a big attack for against top climbers. it is pointless say Froome going at 3k out as he will just blow up and they will catch him and he will lose lots of time. THIS IS WHAT CLEAN CYCLING LOOKS LIKE. Go watch some armstrong tapes if u find it boring.

thats it in nutshell, people moan about doping then moan about the style clean racing brings, smaller teams and less radio talk may help the racing however

 

[Dazed and Confused]

thats it in nutshell, people moan about doping then moan about the style clean racing brings, smaller teams and less radio talk may help the racing however

yep, agree. But motorways doesn't help the sport. Rarely looks good and its almost impossible to create race action without serious crosswinds imo.

 

[theyoungest]

This was unbelievably dull. How do other contenders still not know that Purito wins every uphill finish if he's still with them in the last 3 km?

Job well done by Purito, I guess.

Tejay is getting way better at explosive finishes!

Not really, his first Vuelta was marked by good performances on the explosive climbs... it's long steep climbs that used to do him in, the Green Mountain is a (possible) sign that he's improving in that regard.

 

[oliveira]

Didnt see him. Has he changed those ridiculous sunglasses he used last year?

don't think so. Didnt saw other Garmin either. I believe there's a memorandum between host broadcasters about those sungasses.

 

[Cimber]

Betancur abandons with fever. What a shame

 

[trevim]

Great rides by Aru and Hesjedal. Both of them 23s down, with no racing legs just starting their season!

Hesjedal rode Dubai and Aru some races in Mallorca.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Betancur abandons with fever. What a shame

Hopefully he'll be ready soon after Catalunya. He can't afford losing any training/races for his classics build-up

 

[rhubroma]

Froome attacked inside 1 k, didn't snap the elastic and then turned the screws again with freakin Rodriquez, Contador and Quintana on his wheel.

What was he thinking?

Looks back, out of breath, and then Puerito unloaded a riffle shot, with Contador scrambling to get hitched. Froome fades!

Now I ask myself, what tactical advantage did Froome have in looking to ride people of his wheel in those circumstances? All that was achieved was setting up the sprint for his rivals.

Sky rider needs to go over the basics of end of the race tactics 101 again.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Sardinian talent still climbing

yup, isn't this his first race of the year?
In that case it looks to be a very good season.

Edit: Ah, Trevim, he was in Mallorca? didn't know that

 

[Rollthedice]

Froome attacked inside 1 k, didn't snap the elastic and then turned the screws again with freakin Rodriquez, Contador and Quintana on his wheel.

What was he thinking?

Looks back, out of breath, and then Puerito unloaded a riffle shot, with Contador scrambling to get hitched. Froome fades!

Now I ask myself, what tactical advantage did Froome have in looking to ride people of his wheel in those circumstances? All that was achieved was setting up the sprint for his rivals.

Sky rider needs to go over the basics of end of the race tactics 101 again.

He still thinks he can drop everybody everywhere there is a mountain which is what he did all of last year until and included TdF. So his tactic is attack 1-1.5km to go and turbo until the finish. Except today he couldn't sustain his attack. Was it because there was no Sky train riding high tempo and dropping everybody? No last year Richie? The cold? His back? Something else? We'll see tomorrow.

 

[willbick]

Betancur abandons with fever. What a shame

More likely he's just knackered after a full-gas Paris Nice but i suppose they have to come up with an excuse

 

[oliveira]

Hesjedal rode Dubai and Aru some races in Mallorca.

True, but one can argue both of them pointed Catalunya as the season's start (at least Aru pointed it out on twitter).

 

[willbick]

He still thinks he can drop everybody everywhere there is a mountain which is what he did all of last year until and included TdF. So his tactic is attack 1-1.5km to go and turbo until the finish. Except today he couldn't sustain his attack. Was it because there was no Sky train riding high tempo and dropping everybody? No last year Richie? The cold? His back? Something else? We'll see tomorrow.

Its pretty obvious he's not in top form. Probably missed some training with the back problem and i doubt this race would have been a big target to be on peak form. Remeber this is Purito's backyard, and Contador's country. You wouldnt expect Purito to be at his best racing in the UK (not that he ever likely will!)

 

[Moviefan1203]

Glad to see coming off illness, Tejay still rode well. Chris Froome is no where near his level of last year. Perhaps a sign of things to come for July.

 

[willbick]

Did u not see tour of oman?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

More likely he's just knackered after a full-gas Paris Nice but i suppose they have to come up with an excuse

full gas paris nice? lol you didn't see the race I guess. I doubt betancurt had to go deep anywhere there, shown by him winning the race with overweight and no great form