2014 Vuelta al País Vasco, Stage 4: Vitoria-Gasteiz → Arrate (Eibar), 151 km

[Wallenquist]

Would be funny if Kwiato gains back those 40 seconds in ITT and win overall but probably won't happen. Anyway i expected more from today, Valverde goin back to the days of wheelsucking ? He could grant himself a second place in overall today and could possibly win a sprint against Contador for a stage win. Instead of that he waited, waited, gained nothing and got 2nd in the end...

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Would be funny if Kwiato gains back those 40 seconds in ITT and win overall but probably won't happen. Anyway i expected more from today, Valverde goin back to the days of wheelsucking ? He could grant himself a second place in overall today and could possibly win a sprint against Contador for a stage win. Instead of that he waited, waited, gained nothing and got 2nd in the end...

Don't think Kwia can get anything back in the TT (against Valverde and Contador), he showed just a little too much weakness today. Should have been able to stay with that bigger group coming in imo.

Anyway he will be back later. Races lots.

Tinkoff's train suffocated all action today. Just a bit of sprinting at the end.

Well done Poels, who looks pretty good climbing here. Will he do the Giro or tour? Anybody know?

 

[ItalianGigolo]

PCS says Giro. With Uran strugling form maybe he will play a more important role...I'm also curious how he will do in the Ardennes Classics assuming he will ride them...

 

[Flamin]

Stage racing often is boring, but I thought there was some decent action on the final climb. A little extra competition to put pressure on Contador-Valverde would have been welcome though.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

PCS says Giro. With Uran strugling form maybe he will play a more important role...I'm also curious how he will do in the Ardennes Classics assuming he will ride them...

Thanks. It would be good to see him in the Giro.

As for the Ardennes, not sure he has the tools to be a big factor. Has he ever done anything in those?

 

[ItalianGigolo]

Anybody knows if Poels is good at TT? He deserves a better position in the GC after today stage...

 

[classicomano]

Poels is skipping AGR, he'll ride Fleche > LBL > Giro.

 

[ItalianGigolo]

Thanks. It would be good to see him in the Giro.

As for the Ardennes, not sure he has the tools to be a big factor. Has he ever done anything in those?

I'm thinking that Omega could use him for some early attacks to set up Kwia decisive one and who knows what might happen...

 

[Angliru]

Dropping Contador wasn't necessary to win the stage.

But that's valverde, he got punished monday for doing something and now he's back to his old self. Wheelsucking and gaining nothing.

Maybe if he took the lead Contador might have dropped him and he could lose a few seconds but is this better?

Don't tell me Valverde thinks he's gonna own Contador in that ITT.

He gained 2 seconds in the end and lost 13-15 seconds using your preferred method. Based on his experience from the first stage I would've thought that this was to be expected. It's also possible that his responding to Contador's attacks took the fight out of him and had he attempted to attack with tired legs that he would've had a replay of stage one and lost time instead gaining time.

 

[VeloHuman]

Anybody knows if Poels is good at TT? He deserves a better position in the GC after today stage...

He isn't good enough that it's a strength, but he's not terrible, especially on the hills. Kwiato still their best option.

 

[Peter von]

He gained 2 seconds in the end and lost 13-15 seconds using your preferred method. Based on his experience from the first stage I would've thought that this was to be expected. It's also possible that his responding to Contador's attacks took the fight out of him and had he attempted to attack with tired legs that he would've had a replay of stage one and lost time instead gaining time.

Absolutely, Valverde probably hoped that Contador would continue to press on after his acceleration and then maybe he could counter attack right before the summit or at least take the stage win. Valverdes plan B seems to have been to force Contador into having a really hard day, Contador avoided doing too much work in the front, but he did use more energy than Valverde, might be too short of a race to make a difference, but with so few seconds and a hard ITT everything counts.

 

[Parrulo]

Anyway Costa said on his diary that he was trying to get into the daily break but the peloton didn't let him go (Contador and Valverde themselves responded to his attacks lol)

After that he left himself go, so i wouldn't be surprised to see him on the break of the day tomorrow, or at least on the attack latter on the stage.

 

[Arredondo]

Nice win by Poels. Great comeback after his difficult period.

Contador wasn't that impressive. I can see Valverde suprise Contador in that TT, although Conta is normally the better man for that.

Katusha without Purito, Moreno and Caruso. It doesn't matter, then they are Trofimov and Spilak who are fighting for GC. That's a squad.

 

[Rollthedice]

Absolutely, Valverde probably hoped that Contador would continue to press on after his acceleration and then maybe he could counter attack right before the summit or at least take the stage win. Valverdes plan B seems to have been to force Contador into having a really hard day, Contador avoided doing too much work in the front, but he did use more energy than Valverde, might be too short of a race to make a difference, but with so few seconds and a hard ITT everything counts.

Here it is, what the man said:

"I might have been a bit more conservative today - that's because of Saturday's TT and also tomorrow's stage, which is gonna be hard," he explained after the stage. "I was mainly responding to Contador's attacks on the climb. I could have tried, but I didn't know how he could react - he's really strong at the moment. I'm feeling well and I think I can do a good job all the way to Saturday."

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I'm thinking that Omega could use him for some early attacks to set up Kwia decisive one and who knows what might happen...

Kwiat was suffering a lot today. Poels seemed stronger. So I say free role for Poels in the ardennes, if he's bad -> early attack/help kwiat. If he's good... well the longer he can be there the better

 

[Angliru]

Absolutely, Valverde probably hoped that Contador would continue to press on after his acceleration and then maybe he could counter attack right before the summit or at least take the stage win. Valverdes plan B seems to have been to force Contador into having a really hard day, Contador avoided doing too much work in the front, but he did use more energy than Valverde, might be too short of a race to make a difference, but with so few seconds and a hard ITT everything counts.

Additonally it was revealed that there was a headwind on the final climb that deterred anyone from being able to make their attack stick. I'm rather shocked at all the name calling and statements of riders being "pathetic" from this thread because the contenders didn't entertain to the level of expectations of some folk.

 

[Peter von]

Here it is, what the man said:

Cool, with his win tally this year he can survive a Pais Vasco without a win, and still have full confidence ahead of the Ardennes, but that won't hold him back if he can smell victory.

 

[therhodeo]

Additonally it was revealed that there was a headwind on the final climb that deterred anyone from being able to make their attack stick. I'm rather shocked at all the name calling and statements of riders being "pathetic" from this thread because the contenders didn't entertain to the level of expectations of some folk.

I've stopped being shocked at the stupidity of people on here.

 

[peloton]

Additonally it was revealed that there was a headwind on the final climb that deterred anyone from being able to make their attack stick. I'm rather shocked at all the name calling and statements of riders being "pathetic" from this thread because the contenders didn't entertain to the level of expectations of some folk.

I didn't know there was a headwind, and also how fast the start had been, so can understand now why Valverde didn't wan't to work.

Also great to see Poels back after his horrid injuries from the TdF crash, very nice win!

 

[Jelantik]

Nice win by Poels. Great comeback after his difficult period.

Contador wasn't that impressive. I can see Valverde suprise Contador in that TT, although Conta is normally the better man for that.

Katusha without Purito, Moreno and Caruso. It doesn't matter, then they are Trofimov and Spilak who are fighting for GC. That's a squad.

it might very will be. Contador doesn't seem to be confident about the ITT.

http://www.cyclingquotes.com/news/contador_the_headwind_made_it_impossible_to_make_a_difference/

 

[VeloHuman]

Kwiat was suffering a lot today. Poels seemed stronger. So I say free role for Poels in the ardennes, if he's bad -> early attack/help kwiat. If he's good... well the longer he can be there the better

I dunno about "suffering a lot." He was with the bigger names for most of the ride, only got gapped by a few seconds, and rejoined on the descent. He slowed down to help Poels after that.

Plus, there are no mountains in the Ardennes.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I dunno about "suffering a lot." He was with the bigger names for most of the ride, only got gapped by a few seconds, and rejoined on the descent. He slowed down to help Poels after that.

Plus, there are no mountains in the Ardennes.

kwiat was distanced at the top actually, the english commentators didn't notice it. It's also why Kwiat was at 10 seconds.

Also look carefully on the climb and after every big acceleration kwiat was in last wheel. He had a (small) off-day

 

[manafana]

kwia didn't under preform for me he is already going above his limits as it is, hes not a natural climber just yet and this if anything is improvement again.

 

[Carols]

Additonally it was revealed that there was a headwind on the final climb that deterred anyone from being able to make their attack stick. I'm rather shocked at all the name calling and statements of riders being "pathetic" from this thread because the contenders didn't entertain to the level of expectations of some folk.

So true!!!! Alberto didn't need to attack at all. He could have just followed wheels all the way up. Instead he gave us some action and Valverde had to respond.

Chapeau to Poels!!! I wasn't disappointed by the finale, actually quite enjoyed it

 

[Tournesol]

I enjoyed this too,not a cycling fan in the world who isn't happy for Poels after his troubles.