2014 Vuelta a España, Stage 15: Oviedo → Lagos de Covadonga (152Km)

[SeriousSam]

Looks like most posters are extremely furious with rage that Valverde didn't put in a shift for Contador. Yesterday they probably laughed when he attacked early and ended up losing 25 seconds.

 

[Piz Buin]

Why the **** did they literally wait for froome as soon as they got a reasonable gap? If froome finishes infront of any of the 3, then it's because of their own stupidity.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Valverde cannot win this race if it's him vs Contador - I think everyone can see that.

But if Froome is still there there's a good chance that Froome and Contador end up beating each other. Like in the Dauphine. If Valverde wants to to win this is the best way to go in this race. If he wants to lose he should continue with the crowd-pleasing attacks he did yesterday

 

[Miburo]

Don't really get how Froome is the biggest threat to Contador here. Where is he gonna make time on Berto?
Valverde is only 30 seconds behind and looks very hard to drop if he doesn't attack first.

Froome is the only one who can drop Contador at 100% imo and he can take 20 sec at the ITT on Contador.

Piti can't imo but he's still dangerous obviously with that sprint.

 

[Richeypen]

Eh how? He gained 11 seconds on Contador and 18 on Froome even though he clearly wasn't the strongest. How is that dumb?

Exactly. It like criticising Kittel/Cav for not attacking on flat stages. Everyone knows Valverde and Purito have a strong sprint, its up to everyone else to drop them before the final KM.

 

[SafeBet]

TT. If Froome is hot he can make a difference. Nothing Valverde will gain in a sprint will equal what he will lose at the TT.

You're telling me he's taking back more than one minute in a 9km TT? Can't be serious.

Valverde is a more than capable TTer. He could even beat Contador in that short final one.

 

[naviman]

Valverde attacks and he's stupid. He doesn't and he's a disgusting wheel sucker.

Purito attacks a couple of times and he's also a wheelsucker.

People around here

They're trying to win stages and the overall. They're not racing against Froome. Valverde was smart today. He's racing for the win, not to put time on Froome.

The reactions on this forum are almost more entertaining than the race I totally agree with you though.

 

[go crazy]

Valverde attacks and he's stupid. He doesn't and he's a disgusting wheel sucker.

Purito attacks a couple of times and he's also a wheelsucker.

People around here

They're trying to win stages and the overall. They're not racing against Froome. Valverde was smart today. He's racing for the win, not to put time on Froome.

Check and check on your first paragraph. Purito, I'll give him a pass as he did try a few times to attack and it looked like he was on his limit. The stupidity of Valverde is that he clearly had more gas today, and if he would have rotated with Contador, they could have put real time into Froome today. If you think they aren't worried about, or racing Froome, you are kidding yourself.

 

[sir fly]

But if Purito attacked with 3 km to go, both men would have responded and refused to work with him.

A sprint to the line is something else then a attack from further out.

What's Purito's deficit in the GC?
The third place bonus seconds should help him enormously.

 

[DFA123]

Contador in his interview just now mentioned Froome about 10 times, and only referenced Valverde and Rodriguez once each. It's obvious who he is most concerned about.

 

[johnymax]

I knew this forum was toxic, but sheesh, enough is enough.

Valverde did plenty of pushes yesterday and failed, so it's no wonder he was more cautious today. Purito attacked a couple of times today. Even if they hadn't, I simply can't bring myself to call "wheelsucking" enduring - matching, even - Contador's signature 500m pushes off the saddle.

Contador is my favorite of the 3, but bloody hell, I can't read this ****. This is what happens when you care more about the result than the show. And I'm pretty sure Contador leaving everyone behind at 10K would not be nearly as entertaining as this.

If you want a wheelsucker to hate today, slam Niemiec.

This I agree with.

 

[kingjr]

The last pages were priceless once again. GJ all

 

[classicomano]

Maxime Monfort passed Pardilla and Chaves today, now sitting at 18th place.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Rodriguez clearly attacked at full steam a couple of times. He wanted to drop Contador and Valverde but could not.

Valverde is hoping to take bonus seconds and perhaps somehow take the remaining few seconds on stage 21 to win the Vuelta. It is not the most daring or entertaining way of racing but it is perfectly in the rules and the only way he has a chance of winning. It is smart to ride to your strengths.

Froome is simply not strong enough but he is riding with courage and not giving up, something that can be admired.

The attacking riding of Contador and Barguil is wonderful to watch and what we all love to watch however we should not be too harsh on other riders who find other tactics to their benefit.

Aru also continues to ride very impressively while Martin did great after having to chase back from his crash.

 

[afpm90]

Also, Contador was very stupid with all those attacks. He has a comfortable lead over his opposition, so he only has to follow their wheels. With all this energy spending the only thing he accomplished was to caught the breakaway, giving the bonus seconds to Rodriguez and Valverde, and he didn't have the energy to follow them in the last meters, losing five seconds.

It's up to Rodriguez and Valverde to make the race, if they want to win it. Speaking of which why did Katusha send those two men on the attack? It would be better if they put a strong pace in the group and then their leader made a huge attack. These way they were of little help. Imo, it was a stupid tactic.

 

[SeriousSam]

I think Contador fans are absolutely terrified of a Dawg resurgence (to be fair, so am I), hence they're becoming a bit irrational expecting the Spanish trio to work together to eliminate Froome.

But it's not that easy. They are opponents, and while gaining on Froome is desirable, so is dropping Contador and playing to one's strength.

 

[mr. tibbs]

What's Purito's deficit in the GC?
The third place bonus seconds should help him enormously.

Even with Froome at 1:10 or so.

 

[SafeBet]

Contador in his interview just now mentioned Froome about 10 times, and only referenced Valverde and Rodriguez once each. It's obvious who he is most concerned about.

Wouldn't be the first time Contador loses a race cause he can't read it.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Eh how? He gained 11 seconds on Contador and 18 on Froome even though he clearly wasn't the strongest. How is that dumb?

I agree, Valverde was very smart today.

 

[SeriousSam]

Contador in his interview just now mentioned Froome about 10 times, and only referenced Valverde and Rodriguez once each. It's obvious who he is most concerned about.

Contador is obsessed with and afraid of Froome. That much has been clear for quite some time.

 

[go crazy]

Eh how? He gained 11 seconds on Contador and 18 on Froome even though he clearly wasn't the strongest. How is that dumb?

And if they would have worked together, the 3 of them would have closed the gap on the winner, and Valverde would have still won, because of his sprint. Valverde jerking around with AC lower down ONLY gained him 11 seconds instead of 15 on AC and probably 40 on Froome. He's an idiot, and it's plainly obvious.

 

[johnymax]

Valverde attacks and he's stupid. He doesn't and he's a disgusting wheel sucker.

Purito attacks a couple of times and he's also a wheelsucker.

People around here

They're trying to win stages and the overall. They're not racing against Froome. Valverde was smart today. He's racing for the win, not to put time on Froome.

And this. Both Valverde and Purito rode very smart today. I really liked the stage. Great action.

 

[SafeBet]

Contador is obsessed with and afraid of Froome. That much has been clear for quite some time.

Totally agree. And so are his fans.

 

[Miburo]

Wouldn't be the first time Contador loses a race cause he can't read it.

How many races has he lost that way? Don't bring up dauphine, that was his team, so which one? Give me some facts for that statement.

 

[Rollthedice]

Exactly, very clever racing by Valverde today. Unlike yesterday.

Clever and strong, matched Contador's every move. What's the problem?