2016 Vuelta a España, stage 18: Requena > Gandía 200.6km

[Flamin]

Km 69,8 Peregrí / Casa del Alto – 13,8 km a 3,8 % - categoría 2
Km 78 Alto de La Rosa – 3,2 km a 4,5 % (uncategorized)

Sprint stage. Quite some roundabouts again in the closing kilometers that could make it a bit tricky, though they always take the short side. The ultimate roundabout at 600-700m to go is a bit narrow. The final straight is pretty wide.

Weather
No extraordinary temperatures for Vuelta standards. Around 30°C maximum and a 3 bft wind coming from the east in Comunidad Valenciana.

Top-10 GC:
1. QUINTANA Nairo 7 MOVISTAR TEAM 69h 35' 32''
2. FROOME Christopher 21 TEAM SKY 69h 39' 09'' + 03' 37''
3. CHAVES Johan Esteban 51 ORICA BIKEEXCHANGE 69h 39' 29'' + 03' 57''
4. CONTADOR Alberto 11 TINKOFF 69h 39' 34'' + 04' 02''
5. YATES Simon 59 ORICA BIKEEXCHANGE 69h 41' 35'' + 06' 03''
6. TALANSKY Andrew 141 CANNONDALE-DRAPAC PRO CYCLING TEAM 69h 43' 06'' + 07' 34''
7. SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel 37 BMC RACING TEAM 69h 43' 44'' + 08' 12''
8. FORMOLO Davide 145 CANNONDALE-DRAPAC PRO CYCLING TEAM 69h 43' 45'' + 08' 13''
9. SCARPONI Michele 61 ASTANA PRO TEAM 69h 44' 00'' + 08' 28''
10. DE LA CRUZ David 133 ETIXX - QUICK STEP 69h 44' 24'' + 08' 52''

 

[classicomano]

Random 3rd rate sprinter to get his first and only GT victory.

 

[hrotha]

Re:

Random 3rd rate sprinter to get his first and only GT victory.

Probably a day for some Van Fictief guy or another.

 

[Escarabajo]

Finally LLS for the win!

 

[jsem94]

Bennati ftw.

 

[Flamin]

Btw, what is this nonsense that BMC leads the team classification? I don't care about team gc obviously (except that I have a bet now on movistar) and never really paid attention to it, but I thought it was about the time of the 3 best riders of each team?

 

[carton]

This is a rolling little *** of a stage. Riejnen.

 

[Tank Engine]

Re:

Btw, what is this nonsense that BMC leads the team classification? I don't care about team gc obviously (except that I have a bet now on movistar) and never really paid attention to it, but I thought it was about the time of the 3 best riders of each team?

Yes, but the 3 best riders in each stage individually (i.e. different riders can count on different days, breakaways are crucial) and not the 3 best on GC.

For want of a better choice, Meersman.

 

[Robert5091]

2 90 degree turns in the last 2 km. What could possibley go wrong?

 

[gerundium]

break to take it.

 

[ClassicomanoLuigi]

2 90 degree turns in the last 2 km. What could possibley go wrong?

In online satellite maps it can be seen that those three intersections are roundabouts, with big circular traffic islands in the center of each. That means a group of riders will be pinched on the inside, so in my opinion, even worse. There isn't any wide, sweeping line through the 90 degrees corners.

Would a breakaway group be allowed to take the stage win, well maybe in that case it's not bad, but if it is a peloton winding it up for a bunch sprint, that is scary

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Van der Sande

 

[hfer07]

Breakaway hero FTW since the top 4 GC riders will be saving themselves for the next 2 stages

 

[42x16ss]

Meersman. He's got form worth riding for and there's nobody left who's faster.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Hoping for Benna or Felline for this one or Madrid, but Meersman/Drucker are probably the biggest favourites.

 

[jens_attacks]

andrey zeits.

 

[MacBAir]

This has Caja Rural and José Gonçalves all over it. Monster 1200W late attack.

 

[classicomano]

Re:

This has Caja Rural and José Gonçalves all over it. Monster 1200W late attack.

Goncalves has been a bit of a let down this Vuelta, but I think he will bounce back today.

 

[PatrickLeeds]

Re:

Btw, what is this nonsense that BMC leads the team classification? I don't care about team gc obviously (except that I have a bet now on movistar) and never really paid attention to it, but I thought it was about the time of the 3 best riders of each team?

I never understood it either, commentator yesterday explained it again and it made sense - imagine there is a team time trial every day, based on third man to finish, and the Team Classification is the aggregate of that.

People also keep saying 'Most Cycling Fans don't give a damn about it but the sponsors do.' Do they? Really? When someone goes to buy a floor do they think 'Oh no, not buying any Quick-step, their Team is rubbish in the Team Classification'.

 

[classicomano]

The break has left the station, 2 minutes on the peloton.

92 BEPPU Fumiyuki. (TFS), 106 JAUREGUI Quentin. (ALM), 128 VERVAEKE Louis. (LTS), 148 ROLLAND Pierre. (CDT), 173 CATTANEO Mattia. (LAM)

 

[King Boonen]

That's a doomed break if I ever saw one...

 

[liamito]

Is it because they all think they can win the sprint? For many riders and teams this should be the last chance.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Re: Re:

This has Caja Rural and José Gonçalves all over it. Monster 1200W late attack.

Goncalves has been a bit of a let down this Vuelta, but I think he will bounce back today.

He'll be well rested having not raced the past week

 

[Jagartrott]

A lot of excitement for this stage, clearly.

 

[huangho]

zzzzzzzzzzzz...