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

[dduff442]

Either Contador or Rodriguez don't know how to negotiate collaboration from Valverde. It's simple, have him take the bonus secs. regardless, but work together to drop Froome out of contention.

This seems sensible. Contador should have no problems disposing of Valverde on a stage like tomorrow's unless he really had nothing more today and was feigning strength.

Valverde would have been foolish to work with Contador in order to put Froome out of contention when it's really Contador he has in his sights. He's holding out for hopes of victory. Any rider who tries to lock down second or third when they've still chances of winning outright never wins anything and Valverde's correct to aim for the big prize.

 

[May0maniac]

Consistent?? One GT? I'm talking about consistently in multiple races. Only one close would be the Schlecklet, I guess.

Well, he beat Contador in every decent race that both guys raced

 

[Jelantik]

I think contador should just stick with froome for the next stage and let froome start speeding away on the top. If he keeps Froome close, he won't gain time. 1.20 for ITT should be good buffer. Let Purito and Valverde sweat it out with Froome comes back to frame. Contador would have enough on his reserve if he didn't keep accelerating to drop Froome several times. That cost him at the end.

I guess that's how valverde can gain time, just wheelsuck and sprint for bonus point. Not sure about purito. He needs more than mountain win to leapfrog contador.

 

[Piz Buin]

Aren't we forgetting someone

 

[LaFlorecita]

Consistent?? One GT? I'm talking about consistently in multiple races. Only one close would be the Schlecklet, I guess.

Not really multiple races though

 

[peloton]

I think contador should just stick with froome for the next stage and let froome start speeding away on the top. If he keeps Froome close, he won't gain time. 1.20 for ITT should be good buffer. Let Purito and Valverde sweat it out with Froome comes back to frame. Contador would have enough on his reserve if he didn't keep accelerating to drop Froome several times. That cost him at the end.

I guess that's how valverde can gain time, just wheelsuck and sprint for bonus point. Not sure about purito. He needs more than mountain win to leapfrog contador.

Pretty much this. Katusha had the numbers today but were useless how to make it work. Purito is the weakest TT'er, he will need a big time buffer before the flat final TT. Not sure what he was doing today. Riding for podium maybe.

I really don't like wheel sucking riders, today was ugly.

 

[roundabout]

I think contador should just stick with froome for the next stage and let froome start speeding away on the top. If he keeps Froome close, he won't gain time. 1.20 for ITT should be good buffer. Let Purito and Valverde sweat it out with Froome comes back to frame. Contador would have enough on his reserve if he didn't keep accelerating to drop Froome several times. That cost him at the end.

I guess that's how valverde can gain time, just wheelsuck and sprint for bonus point. Not sure about purito. He needs more than mountain win to leapfrog contador.

Wut?

1 big attack Valdelinares style is enough.

Dropping back 20 seconds and waiting for Froome to pace back up is not a viable strategy.

 

[PirazziAttacksVino]

Andy is still the only rider (baring the Chicken ofc) who could compete with Contador and give him a hard time uphill when both at their best.

 

[dduff442]

Pretty much this. Katusha had the numbers today but were useless how to make it work. Purito is the weakest TT'er, he will need a big time buffer before the flat final TT. Not sure what he was doing today. Riding for podium maybe.

I really don't like wheel sucking riders, today was ugly.

If there were no wheelsucking riders nobody would ever attack. Wheelsucking is the soul of bike racing. It's what makes it distinctive. Without the wheelsuckers the great attacking riders would be just like marathon runners except on bikes -- everybody would ride a flat tempo and there'd be no tactics.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Gesinks average 398w on the final climb, he is 70kg and 1m89

 

[cineteq]

@A_Kolobnev: "Had an nasty crash on last downhill. Complete luxation of shoulder. Put it back by myself :-S and finish the stage. But now in hospital :-/"

 

[Dazed and Confused]

@A_Kolobnev: "Had an nasty crash on last downhill. Complete luxation of shoulder. Put it back by myself :-S and finish the stage. But now in hospital :-/"

What will that do to his worlds participation?

 

[Walkman]

How the F... can people bash piti after todays stage?!

I despise piti like no other but he did everything right today. Rode conservatively and let Contador waste energy by attacking time and time again. He also kept Froome in contention, which for him, is a good thing seeing how Contador is afraid of him. Add to that, he managed to get a couple of seconds on a stronger rider. He doesn't want to race for second place and why should he?!

The people saying he should have changed pulls with Contador are obviously heartbroken fanboys or Froome haters. We got a much more interesting stage and stages to come will also be more interesting due to the fact that they did not distanced Froome more.

 

[Escarabajo]

How the F... can people bash piti after todays stage?!

I despise piti like no other but he did everything right today. Rode conservatively and let Contador waste energy by attacking time and time again. He also kept Froome in contention, which for him, is a good thing seeing how Contador is afraid of him. Add to that, he managed to get a couple of seconds on a stronger rider. He doesn't want to race for second place and why should he?!

The people saying he should have changed pulls with Contador are obviously heartbroken fanboys or Froome haters. We got a much more interesting stage and stages to come will also be more interesting due to the fact that they did not distanced Froome more.

+1.

Valverde is playing to his strengths. I am baffle about why fans want him to cooperate with a stronger rider.

 

[Escarabajo]

+1.

Valverde is playing to his strengths. I am baffle about why fans want him to cooperate with a stronger rider.

And I am not sure where is Froome going to beat Contador.

 

[cineteq]

Valverde is playing to his strengths. I am baffle about why fans want him to cooperate with a stronger rider.

Then you should be even more baffled that he said the same thing

Valverde: "it’s true, if we had collaborated more, we could have distanced Froome"

http://velonews.competitor.com/2014...chance-sink-froome_344474#JxpfMi9vVxwZbvfg.99

 

[Walkman]

Then you should be even more baffled that he said the same thing

Valverde: "it’s true, if we had collaborated more, we could have distanced Froome"

http://velonews.competitor.com/2014...chance-sink-froome_344474#JxpfMi9vVxwZbvfg.99

He just stated a fact, not saying that it was in his best interest to do so. And Contador did look exhausted at the end in my humble opinion, and more so than piti and J-rod.

 

[Rollthedice]

He just stated a fact, not saying that it was in his best interest to do so. And Contador did look exhausted at the end in my humble opinion, and more so than piti and J-rod.

Fact is Contador tried desperately to drop Valverde and distance Froome in the process but he couldn't. He's more in 2012 form than the preached uber shape of 2009. It seems as the days go by and he doesn't have pains any more, if he's to be trusted, he gets weaker. Tomorrow we'll know more.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

+1.

Valverde is playing to his strengths. I am baffle about why fans want him to cooperate with a stronger rider.

I agree.

Valverde is the class dunce when it comes to tactics, but even he gets it right sometimes. Racing Contador is racing to win. Racing Froome is racing for second.

 

[cineteq]

Lagos de Covadonga (first 8.25 km, 9.55 %, 788 m)
2012 | Contador, Rodriguez: 26:03
2014 | Contador, Rodriguez, Valverde: 27:00

via @ammattipyoraily

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Lagos de Covadonga (first 8.25 km, 9.55 %, 788 m)
2012 | Contador, Rodriguez: 26:03
2014 | Contador, Rodriguez, Valverde: 27:00

via @ammattipyoraily

I'm guessing this translate to around 5.8 W/kg....

 

[Tangled Tango]

Moderators, can you put Donkey back in the stable?

That Stupido thing is really annoying.

Agreed. There are better ways to express yourself than resorting to name calling.

 

[jaylew]

+1.

Valverde is playing to his strengths. I am baffle about why fans want him to cooperate with a stronger rider.

I agree.

Valverde is the class dunce when it comes to tactics, but even he gets it right sometimes. Racing Contador is racing to win. Racing Froome is racing for second.

Exactly. People make no sense around here sometimes.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

And the winner (no not him):

Pics: http://www.steephill.tv/2014/vuelta-a-espana/photos/stage-15/