2015 Vuelta stage 8: Puebla de Don Fad.- Murcia (182.5 km)

[Arredondo]

Still no thread? Massive computer shutdown guys?

Cresta del Gallo. Bala organized his wedding party (i think for his first wife) on this climb. It's his hometown, his people. Will he fight for the win?

However, i expect a breakaway to fight for the victory. Guys like Plaza, Gerrans, Rubiano/Duarte, Verona and Visconti would be good picks.

Profile of the climb

 

[Red Rick]

Couldn't the finish be closer to the descent than that. If it was <5km than it would be a decent, interesting transitional stage. Now none of the big guys will bother

 

[Orbit501]

Thanks for starting the thread - not quite sure why there's not been one right up until now.

I can see it going to the break again. Time for one of the Caja Rural boys to nail one perhaps after yesterdays disappointment with breakaway king Txurruka?

I'd like to see Bilbao give this one a go today.

Actually, Rubiano is a good pick also from Colombia. Looking quite strong and I seem to remember his superb Giro stage win from a few years back also entailed quite a distance of flat just before the finish too, which he went solo on?

 

[Brullnux]

Depending on how the last climb is raced, I think that it will be most likely a stage for the more durable sprinters, Sagan/Degenkolb or even Ewan. Bouhanni might still be struggling from the crash, so I will rule him out, but is a question mark. If it ends in a sprint then as argali will increase his lead at the top of the most top-10s ranking.

However, the breakaway are probably more likely to win. Someone from the likes of Cannondale, Caja Rural, Lampre, Lotto, Europcar will try to get into the break. Movistar might want to chase it down though for Valverde's sake and we saw in the Volta a Catalunya he can outsprint sprinters after a hilly day, especially a hot one, when he beat Coquard. No Martin or Canc to nip off the front discreetly with 5km to go, unfortunately. Sammy Snachez will attack, be brought back, then someone else will attack, then be brought back, then a sky rider will follow an attack, before ending in the main group coming together. There may or may not be another smaller group up the road, this is my prediction.

 

[classicomano]

Valverde easy.

 

[Tank Engine]

I think a breakaway will take this. Hansen might be up for it it he's not tired after the Tour....and the Giro. Look out for Goncalves, Chavanel, Moser (what's up with Talansky?) and some guy from Europcar (I'd say Gautier on this course, but his job is safe, so someone else might be due his time in the limelight).

However, i expect a breakaway to fight for the victory. Guys like Plaza, Gerrans, Rubiano/Duarte, Verona and Visconti would be good picks.

I think Movistar have bigger plans than Visconti getting into a break today, otherwise it would be a good day for him.

Gerrans in a break Of course not, he'll be riding on the front all day to defend Chaves' jersey

Sagan to mop up a few points in the sprint behind.

 

[Orbit501]

If any of the sprinters are left at the end then ordinarily I wouldn't rule out Bouhanni. As stated before, he certainly is one of the more capable pure sprinters when it comes to getting over climbs that will see most sprinters dropped.

However, he seems to be suffering a bit in this Vuelta, perhaps all these crashes are catching up with him? I was very surprised to see him beaten by Sagan the other day, and also to see him dropped on stage 5 (the Caleb Ewan stage).

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

I think a breakaway will take this. Hansen might be up for it it he's not tired after the Tour....and the Giro. Look out for Goncalves, Chavanel, Moser (what's up with Talansky?) and some guy from Europcar (I'd say Gautier on this course, but his job is safe, so someone else might be due his time in the limelight).

However, i expect a breakaway to fight for the victory. Guys like Plaza, Gerrans, Rubiano/Duarte, Verona and Visconti would be good picks.

I think Movistar have bigger plans than Visconti getting into a break today, otherwise it would be a good day for him.

Gerrans in a break Of course not, he'll be riding on the front all day to defend Chaves' jersey

Sagan to mop up a few points in the sprint behind.

Forgot about Gerrans his role indeed. Is likely to work for Chavito indeed

I was too much looking to his good past here in Murcia. He won a stage here back in 2009.

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

If any of the sprinters are left at the end then ordinarily I wouldn't rule out Bouhanni. As stated before, he certainly is one of the more capable pure sprinters when it comes to getting over climbs that will see most sprinters dropped.

However, he seems to be suffering a bit in this Vuelta, perhaps all these crashes are catching up with him? I was very surprised to see him beaten by Sagan the other day, and also to see him dropped on stage 5 (the Caleb Ewan stage).

He was 2nd in that Sagan stage after he crashed hard at 40 km from the finish and chasing for more then 15 km. I think it was a rather impressive perfomance from him that day.

And in the Ewan stage he was too far back at the corner to fought for the win, and he decided to just save his legs.

It's so bad he has so much bad luck, because he's in such good form

 

[BigMac]

Hope the break wins or an attack on those altos sticks.

 

[roundabout]

Re: 2015 Vuelta stage 8: Puebla de Don Fad.- Murcia (182.5 k

First time they do Cresta del Gallo twice in the Vuelta. Seem to remember the downhill being rather tricky which Sastre found out to his detriment in 2001.

Was a select group finish that year of about 30, so it could be quite selective especially with an extra climb even if it seems that Guillen found a detour somewhere to make the distance from the last climb longer than it has been in the past.

 

[Orbit501]

Re: Re:

If any of the sprinters are left at the end then ordinarily I wouldn't rule out Bouhanni. As stated before, he certainly is one of the more capable pure sprinters when it comes to getting over climbs that will see most sprinters dropped.

However, he seems to be suffering a bit in this Vuelta, perhaps all these crashes are catching up with him? I was very surprised to see him beaten by Sagan the other day, and also to see him dropped on stage 5 (the Caleb Ewan stage).

He was 2nd in that Sagan stage after he crashed hard at 40 km from the finish and chasing for more then 15 km. I think it was a rather impressive perfomance from him that day.

And in the Ewan stage he was too far back at the corner to fought for the win, and he decided to just save his legs.

It's so bad he has so much bad luck, because he's in such good form

You are of course correct about probably why Sagan beat him in the sprint. I'd forgotten that that was indeed the day where he had a very long chase back on after a crash. Agreed, all things considered, did well to even get back up there and contest the sprint.

Thing is, he seems to crash so much these days that I forget what stages he's crashed on and what ones he hasn't

As for stage 5, you may well be right. I just thought at the time he sat up once he realised he just didn't have the legs that day.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

If any of the sprinters are left at the end then ordinarily I wouldn't rule out Bouhanni. As stated before, he certainly is one of the more capable pure sprinters when it comes to getting over climbs that will see most sprinters dropped.

However, he seems to be suffering a bit in this Vuelta, perhaps all these crashes are catching up with him? I was very surprised to see him beaten by Sagan the other day, and also to see him dropped on stage 5 (the Caleb Ewan stage).

He was 2nd in that Sagan stage after he crashed hard at 40 km from the finish and chasing for more then 15 km. I think it was a rather impressive perfomance from him that day.

And in the Ewan stage he was too far back at the corner to fought for the win, and he decided to just save his legs.

It's so bad he has so much bad luck, because he's in such good form

You are of course correct about probably why Sagan beat him in the sprint. I'd forgotten that that was indeed the day where he had a very long chase back on after a crash. Agreed, all things considered, did well to even get back up there and contest the sprint.

Thing is, he seems to crash so much these days that I forget what stages he's crashed on and what ones he hasn't

As for stage 5, you may well be right. I just thought at the time he sat up once he realised he just didn't have the legs that day.

Should be a combination of both. We can expect more from him at the end of the Vuelta. If he's still there (worlds etc.) ofcourse.

 

[jsem94]

The reason nobody bothered to make a thread is because this is a BS stage to have on a weekend on an already weak and BS total Vuelta route. There is a total of ONE good stage and another two decent stages in this entire GT.

 

[TommyGun]

Re:

Thanks for starting the thread - not quite sure why there's not been one right up until now.

I can see it going to the break again. Time for one of the Caja Rural boys to nail one perhaps after yesterdays disappointment with breakaway king Txurruka?

I'd like to see Bilbao give this one a go today.

Actually, Rubiano is a good pick also from Colombia. Looking quite strong and I seem to remember his superb Giro stage win from a few years back also entailed quite a distance of flat just before the finish too, which he went solo on?

This stage doesn't deserve any love, that's why. Seriously, a stage like this on a weekend? The design of this Vuelta is just horrible.

 

[Orbit501]

I'm not sure what exactly some people require from races, any races? I suppose today those complaining are just unhappy with the amount of flat before the finish after the second go at the climb?

I don't think I've seen a single race on here where someone or another hasn't found cause to complain about the parcours.

Anyway, ultimately, parcours don't decide race excitement, riders do.

 

[roundabout]

No, because it's a weekend stage. When I get to watch cycling I prefer to see a stage where something happens instead of it being a transfer from A to B on bikes.

Well, at least there's a whole 10 minutes worth of excitement to look forward to tomorrow.

 

[KyoGrey]

Re: 2015 Vuelta stage 8: Puebla de Don Fad.- Murcia (182.5 k

I think this is a well designed stage with a wide range of possible winners, not sure why some people are saying this is BS.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re: Re:

Thanks for starting the thread - not quite sure why there's not been one right up until now.

I can see it going to the break again. Time for one of the Caja Rural boys to nail one perhaps after yesterdays disappointment with breakaway king Txurruka?

I'd like to see Bilbao give this one a go today.

Actually, Rubiano is a good pick also from Colombia. Looking quite strong and I seem to remember his superb Giro stage win from a few years back also entailed quite a distance of flat just before the finish too, which he went solo on?

This stage doesn't deserve any love, that's why. Seriously, a stage like this on a weekend? The design of this Vuelta is just horrible.

Still better than the now-traditional Tour pure sprint stage on the penultimate weekend, but yes, complete waste to put this at a weekend. The Vuelta's actually the GT most likely to play it safe with big mountain stages at the weekends usually though.

The stage design isn't actually all that bad, it's just not a weekend stage.

 

[Orbit501]

What appears to be the break of the day has formed:

Iljo Keisse (Etixx-Quick Step), Jimmy Engoulvent (Europcar), Alex Howes (Cannondale-Garmin), Tom Van Asbroeck (LottoNL-Jumbo), Mattia Cattaneo (Lampre-Merida) and Ángel Madrazo (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA)

Anyone else think Lampre must have had their arses kicked after their woefully anonymous TdF?

They seem to be getting a rider in every single break so far this Vuelta. Niemiec crashing out very early might have had something to do with it, but he himself was in the break that day as well.

 

[roundabout]

Re: 2015 Vuelta stage 8: Puebla de Don Fad.- Murcia (182.5 k

I think this is a well designed stage with a wide range of possible winners, not sure why some people are saying this is BS.

I don't know, the possibility of the top-20 on GC arriving together seems pretty high.

 

[Red Rick]

I agree with LS, it would be actually pretty good for a weekday when you can come home and they're just before the last ascent the day

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

What appears to be the break of the day has formed:

Iljo Keisse (Etixx-Quick Step), Jimmy Engoulvent (Europcar), Alex Howes (Cannondale-Garmin), Tom Van Asbroeck (LottoNL-Jumbo), Mattia Cattaneo (Lampre-Merida) and Ángel Madrazo (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA)

Anyone else think Lampre must have had their arses kicked after their woefully anonymous TdF?

They seem to be getting a rider in every single break so far this Vuelta. Niemiec crashing out very early might have had something to do with it, but he himself was in the break that day as well.

 

[Orbit501]

Re: Re:

Thanks for starting the thread - not quite sure why there's not been one right up until now.

I can see it going to the break again. Time for one of the Caja Rural boys to nail one perhaps after yesterdays disappointment with breakaway king Txurruka?

I'd like to see Bilbao give this one a go today.

Actually, Rubiano is a good pick also from Colombia. Looking quite strong and I seem to remember his superb Giro stage win from a few years back also entailed quite a distance of flat just before the finish too, which he went solo on?

This stage doesn't deserve any love, that's why. Seriously, a stage like this on a weekend? The design of this Vuelta is just horrible.

Still better than the now-traditional Tour pure sprint stage on the penultimate weekend, but yes, complete waste to put this at a weekend. The Vuelta's actually the GT most likely to play it safe with big mountain stages at the weekends usually though.

The stage design isn't actually all that bad, it's just not a weekend stage.

Fair enough, I can see how people might want a better stage design for the weekend, but as you say, this stage design isn't actually all that bad.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: 2015 Vuelta stage 8: Puebla de Don Fad.- Murcia (182.5 k

I think this is a well designed stage with a wide range of possible winners, not sure why some people are saying this is BS.

I don't know, the possibility of the top-20 on GC arriving together seems pretty high.

A good stage is not all about creating gaps between the GC contenders.