2016 Vuelta a España, stage 19: Xàbia > Calp 37km ITT

[Ataraxus]

Sky lost Froome his third GT.
Won him 3 others.

 

[DFA123]

Shame for the race that the gap at the top isn't the other way round. Quintana's clearly the strongest climber and has the best team - if he was a minute behind Froome it would still be all to play for.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re:

ASO won't have a true flat TT at the Tour for the foreseeable future if they think Froome will do this to everyone.

Even more with the recent interview of Bardet.

Prudhomme is not really a fan too, as you know.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re: Re:

If he hadn't been caught out of Contador's ambush, he could have won the Vuelta this year no doubt. So how is it not doable?

So basically he would've won both GT due to TT's

Can you imagine if this was in the 80s or 90s with more than 100km of TT? Froome would have been 5-6 minutes ahead of everyone.

Just look at Indurain's Tour de Frances. Very entertaining!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

ASO won't have a true flat TT at the Tour for the foreseeable future if they think Froome will do this to everyone.

Thank god

 

[RattaKuningas]

I'm not agreeing with things like Contador won Quintana the Vuelta and Sky lost Froome the Vuelta because we still have stage 20 tomorrow. If Quintana beats Froome comfortably tomorrow then Quintana would've won the Vuelta anyways.

 

[IndianCyclist]

In contrast to last year's TT, Dumoulin must have been off pace for Froome to gap an in form Quintana by this much. Or did the wind play a much more role today?

 

[Escarabajo]

40 kms is fine. You put more and you get Wiggins Tour de Frances or Indurain's. So why being a fan of it.

 

[MatParker117]

Re:

Sky lost Froome his third GT.
Won him 3 others.

Illness and injury robbed him of four key domestiques.

 

[pastronef]

Re:

Sky lost Froome his third GT.
Won him 3 others.

it´s fine for now

I dont know what to wish

Froome wins a 2nd grand tour in a year and "cycling" is in danger
or
Quintana podiums Tour and wins Vuelta and saves "cycling" and fans (while Froome podiums Vuelta and wins Tour)

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

I'm not agreeing with things like Contador won Quintana the Vuelta and Sky lost Froome the Vuelta because we still have stage 20 tomorrow. If Quintana beats Froome comfortably tomorrow then Quintana would've won the Vuelta anyways.

Not only that but Quintana would have still put some seconds (~40 seconds maybe) to a tired Froome in the stage to Formigal. Froome was visible tired from the day before.

 

[Springveldt]

Re:

I was calculating a 1: 30 max for Quintana to lose against Yo-Yo-man, but it turned to be 2:16

just imaging if the parcours was 55K.....


Anyways -- If rational dictates the course, Quintana should not be having trouble defending his lead tomorrow, but Who knows with Yo-Yo-man .......

Doubt there is yo-yo man tomorrow. Sky are going to try and make this like a TDF stage and Froome is going to attack quite early, he will either win or die on his bike imho. It's not in his nature to accept 2nd place by riding a steady pace on that final climb.

 

[bob.a.feet]

Re:

Unfortunately for those that love drama, it is hard to see tomorrow's stage being tough enough for a real close battle for green. The final climb suits Quintana quite a bit.

I guess we'll just have to settle for a close battle for red then .

 

[dacooley]

Re:

ASO won't have a true flat TT at the Tour for the foreseeable future if they think Froome will do this to everyone.

Why? Nairo would've had to attack really badly on any big mountain stage in such a case. would be fun for sure.

 

[RattaKuningas]

Re: Re:

I'm not agreeing with things like Contador won Quintana the Vuelta and Sky lost Froome the Vuelta because we still have stage 20 tomorrow. If Quintana beats Froome comfortably tomorrow then Quintana would've won the Vuelta anyways.

Not only that but Quintana would have still put some seconds (~40 seconds maybe) to a tired Froome in the stage to Formigal. Froome was visible tired from the day before.

Quintana would've probably put even more had he been resting in the middle of peloton all day like Froome who didn't help chase at all.

 

[Poursuivant]

Re:

In contrast to last year's TT, Dumoulin must have been off pace for Froome to gap an in form Quintana by this much. Or did the wind play a much more role today?

Dumoulin was shattered.

 

[Billie]

shame Froome didn't bother to take time back Wednesday

 

[RattaKuningas]

Re:

shame Froome didn't bother to take time back Wednesday

He couldn't because he had difficulties staying with the other 3.

 

[seldon71]

Battle for green is indeed tight too... Even if he doesn't win the Vuelta, Froome is in very good position to at least wear some "Verde" in the end...

And will Felline try to get into the break to finish on points at the finish? If yes, will Movistar allow him to go and concentrate purely on GC - probably.

One thing for certain - Fraile vs. Elissonde will initiate some very early action.

Yates attacking Talansky? Chavez trying to drop Contador? Bennett going for that somewhat-reachable Top10 with an attack?

So many riders who has a cause for aggression. Should be fun.

 

[Walkman]

Re:

40 kms is fine. You put more and you get Wiggins Tour de Frances or Indurain's. So why being a fan of it.

Selective memory much?

2007 was the best race since 2003, which also hade just happened to have a lot of TT-kilometers.

 

[Billie]

Re: Re:

shame Froome didn't bother to take time back Wednesday

He couldn't because he had difficulties staying with the other 3.

he had enough energy left to overtake them in the last metres

yoyo doesn't work when he has to take time back

 

[RattaKuningas]

Re: Re:

shame Froome didn't bother to take time back Wednesday

He couldn't because he had difficulties staying with the other 3.

he had enough energy left to overtake them in the last metres

yoyo doesn't work when he has to take time back

Quintana would have attacked himself not followed Chavez if Quintana would've had smaller lead.

 

[slosada]

Will tomorrow be hard from the get go: People will try to get on the break, but Sky needs the bonus seconds.
Also, what has Orica left now?

 

[Billie]

Re: Re:

40 kms is fine. You put more and you get Wiggins Tour de Frances or Indurain's. So why being a fan of it.

Selective memory much?

2007 was the best race since 2003, which also hade just happened to have a lot of TT-kilometers.

albi had 2 big climbs in it and race was over before the other one already

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

shame Froome didn't bother to take time back Wednesday

He couldn't because he had difficulties staying with the other 3.

he had enough energy left to overtake them in the last metres

yoyo doesn't work when he has to take time back

Yoyo doesn't work well at all against Quintana. It was completely the wrong strategy on Covadonga and he realised it by Aubisque. The last thing he could afford was to let Quintana up the road riding at a steady pace without needing to attack - like an uphill TT. Froome should have stayed glued to Quintana as long as possible - forcing Quintana to attack multiple times to break him - something which he struggles to do effectively.