2015 Vuelta stage 4: Estepona > Vejer de la Frontera 209.6km

[T-Nielsen]

Re:

Maybe I'm imagining it because he's done it before, but did Roche knacker himself out churning a way too big gear?

Roche knackers himself in most races where he goes for the win.

 

[JRanton]

Re:

Valverde restores the natural order

Froome nowhere to be seen at the finish, was far back on the climb, did he lose time?

He finished in the group with Quintana, 3 seconds down.

 

[thehook]

Tip of the Cap: To Bala. Dude is a Stud!

Was Screaming for Sagan to win. But was Elated that Roche/Sky did not win.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

GC

 

[Escarabajo]

Great win for Valverde.

Impressed with Dumoulin. I guess he already showed himself at the Tour de Suisse but he is proving to be a great rider.

 

[Eagle]

Re:

GC

Aru just gained 3 seconds, at 47s now

 

[Mr.White]

Re:

1. Valverde
2. Sagan

When a sprinter is competing with a climber for the win, kudos to the organisers. Great stage design.

Yes but these are no ordinary sprinter and climber. Fastest of the climbers and best climber of the sprinters, both by far!

 

[Carols]

Good race, good finale. Bala putting a stake in the WT title again. He is truly a grand rider, competitive in almost every race he rides. Thanks Bala you made my day

 

[BigMac]

Re:

Great win for Valverde.

Impressed with Dumoulin. I guess he already showed himself at the Tour de Suisse but he is proving to be a great rider.

He's shown himself as one to watch years ago.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

1. Valverde
2. Sagan

When a sprinter is competing with a climber for the win, kudos to the organisers. Great stage design.

Yes but these are no ordinary sprinter and climber. Fastest of the climbers and best climber of the sprinters, both by far!

Definitely, but it's great to have a race where we can see them going to head to head. It doesn't really happen in the classics even apart from Strade Bianche and possibly Amstel Gold.

 

[staubsauger]

Aru ain't got no shape I fear. It might be overestimated by me. But normally he should be in the mix on these kind of finishes. Instead he sits deep within the pack , does not even contest, doesn't look smooth.

Maybe he's holding back for Alpujarra and Andorra. But I'm not sure. He at least challenged on Cumbres Verdes last year and at this year's Giro he was pretty aggressive at the beginning.

I got a feeling that Landa takes over the leadership sooner or later this time around.

 

[Tank Engine]

Re:

Who is the wheelsucker in question here??

Here he is in all his glory

Simon Gerrans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBmbLHSj5tI

Were those all replays of each other?

Not getting at you, it's a Gerrans thing. Thanks for the videos.

Sagan can handle this I think if anyone else goes totally full gas.

Saxo showed their hand early today and still won. Tomorrow is a day for them to keep their cards close to their chest, be patient. Don't go with the attacks with 3-4km to go, keep a few guys with Sagan and set him free in the last k. It can be done.

I have really turned into the Sagan of predicting My excuse is that the Saxo director obviously didn't listen to my advice and the team started working too early

 

[vedrafjord]

Checked out the stage profiles for the rest of the week and looks the finishing climbs gradually get bigger between now and Friday (uncategorised -> 3rd cat -> 1st cat). A nice way to slowly shake out the GC order over successive days.

 

[vedrafjord]

 

[gunara]

Re: Re:

1. Valverde
2. Sagan

When a sprinter is competing with a climber for the win, kudos to the organisers. Great stage design.

Yes but these are no ordinary sprinter and climber. Fastest of the climbers and best climber of the sprinters, both by far!

True, it's almost basically Sagan vs climbers, and only the fastest beat him. But you can't really expect Pozzovivo and Kittel competes for the win anytime soon, right? Really enjoy the last minutes of the stage, almost feel like watching a classic, some of them having a boring first hundreds kilos too anyway.

 

[fungusbear]

Valverde now ahead of Quintana and all the GC contenders. Nairo will surely be playing 2nd fiddle now (unless Bala loses form like crazy)

 

[vedrafjord]

I wouldn't have expected anything else at this stage though.

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

Valverde now ahead of Quintana and all the GC contenders. Nairo will surely be playing 2nd fiddle now (unless Bala loses form like crazy)

Did you expect anything else after that many punchy stages?

Let's wait till stage 7. There you can really judge climbing form.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Re:

Valverde now ahead of Quintana and all the GC contenders. Nairo will surely be playing 2nd fiddle now (unless Bala loses form like crazy)

He's 11 seconds ahead. Let's see where they are this time Friday.

 

[staubsauger]

Maybe Movistar simply plans to place back-to-back attacks like Astana should to. Until finally one escapes successfully.

 

[Flamin]

Meh, boring Katusha. Just attack on the climb instead of riding steady pace.

 

[willbick]

I think Valverde is defo the Movistar no.1 rider for the Vuelta, this is his home race after all. Quintana was no.1 at the tour and now Valv gets to be no.1 at Vuelta. Obviously if Valverde doesnt perform for whatever reason and falls behind on GC then they will support Quintana if he's still in a decent position. I think Valverde will win the vuelta actually, all being well.

 

[JRanton]

Re: 2015 Vuelta stage 4: Estepona > Vejer de la Frontera 209

Does anyone know Dumoulin's current weight? He could be this year's Vuelta surprise if he's managed to lose a couple of kilos.

 

[Carols]

Re:

I think Valverde is defo the Movistar no.1 rider for the Vuelta, this is his home race after all. Quintana was no.1 at the tour and now Valv gets to be no.1 at Vuelta. Obviously if Valverde doesnt perform for whatever reason and falls behind on GC then they will support Quintana if he's still in a decent position. I think Valverde will win the vuelta actually, all being well.

Boy I'd like to believe that!! But the one and only GT he won was in 2009 and there was not the depth of opponents that are participating in this race.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

Aru ain't got no shape I fear. It might be overestimated by me. But normally he should be in the mix on these kind of finishes. Instead he sits deep within the pack , does not even contest, doesn't look smooth.

Maybe he's holding back for Alpujarra and Andorra. But I'm not sure. He at least challenged on Cumbres Verdes last year and at this year's Giro he was pretty aggressive at the beginning.

I got a feeling that Landa takes over the leadership sooner or later this time around.

IMO your overthinking things.
Much of the Vuelta is still ahead of us with many mountain stages. Ultimately that is where things are going to be won. I think we'll see plenty of him once the real mountains are here.