2016 Vuelta a España, stage 7: Maceda > Puebla de Sanabria

[MatParker117]

Re:

Please chavez, save this vuelta. I can't see valverde or quintana winning this vuelta.

 

[portugal11]

Re: Re:

Please chavez, save this vuelta. I can't see valverde or quintana winning this vuelta.

I don't bother if froome wins this vuelta

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Contador is more of a hazard to the peloton than Bouhanni at the moment. What's happened to his bike handling? Used to be pretty good.

While I don't think there was much he could have done to stay upright there, it's true, he crashes so often, like 10 times in the last 2 seasons. It's so frustrating.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Please chavez, save this vuelta. I can't see valverde or quintana winning this vuelta.

Yeah it's all on Chavito now.

 

[MatParker117]

Re: Re:

Please chavez, save this vuelta. I can't see valverde or quintana winning this vuelta.

Yeah it's all on Chavito now.

Froome should eat him for breakfast in Calp.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Please chavez, save this vuelta. I can't see valverde or quintana winning this vuelta.

Yeah it's all on Chavito now.

Froome should eat him for breakfast in Calp.

If Froome fades it doesn't matter. Chavito will eat him for breakfast lunch and dinner uphill.

 

[Irondan]

Re: Re:

Please chavez, save this vuelta. I can't see valverde or quintana winning this vuelta.

Yeah it's all on Chavito now.

Froome should eat him for breakfast in Calp.

Yep, even an out of shape Froome should be able to take 2 to 3 minutes out of Chavito in 37k TT.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Please chavez, save this vuelta. I can't see valverde or quintana winning this vuelta.

Yeah it's all on Chavito now.

Froome should eat him for breakfast in Calp.

Yep, even an out of shape Froome should be able to take 2 to 3 minutes out of Chavito in 37k TT.

We have seen some pretty messed up results in Vuelta TTs though. Pozzovivo springs to mind, as does Aru last year.

 

[MatParker117]

Re: Re:

Please chavez, save this vuelta. I can't see valverde or quintana winning this vuelta.

Yeah it's all on Chavito now.

Froome should eat him for breakfast in Calp.

If Froome fades it doesn't matter. Chavito will eat him for breakfast lunch and dinner uphill.

I fully agree if Froome fades he has an advantage but if Froome does ride into this race he should probably end Chaves's GC hopes in that TT. He'll put minutes into him if he's on form and I look forward to watching it unfold.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Some of the top sprinters might be ruing not coming to Vuelta. Would have won at least a couple of stages.

 

[Irondan]

Re: Re:

Please chavez, save this vuelta. I can't see valverde or quintana winning this vuelta.

Yeah it's all on Chavito now.

Froome should eat him for breakfast in Calp.

Yep, even an out of shape Froome should be able to take 2 to 3 minutes out of Chavito in 37k TT.

We have seen some pretty messed up results in Vuelta TTs though. Pozzovivo springs to mind, as does Aru last year.

True but they still lost 2 to 3 minutes at relatively the same distance to Dumoulin.

 

[Poursuivant]

Re:

Some of the top sprinters might be ruing not coming to Vuelta. Would have won at least a couple of stages.

Even someone like Degenkolb would have had joy.

 

[wwabbit]

PCS now has the neutralized times.
http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Vuelta_a_Espana_2016_Stage_7

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Contador is just dangerous pack fodder nowadays, the sooner he quits the better...

In that case 99% of the peloton is pack fodder hmm

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

Contador is just dangerous pack fodder nowadays, the sooner he quits the better...

In that case 99% of the peloton is pack fodder hmm

I would guess the emphasis is on "dangerous" rather than "pack fodder".

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Contador is just dangerous pack fodder nowadays, the sooner he quits the better...

In that case 99% of the peloton is pack fodder hmm

I would guess the emphasis is on "dangerous" rather than "pack fodder".

And in that case I am not allowed to disagree with the denominative "pack fodder"?

 

[Thepirateisgood]

He is neither. A great champion stuck in a rut.
That is all.

Anyone can disagree as they please.

 

[SeriousSam]

Difficult to decompose Contador's crashing into bad luck and poor skills without good crash data for pro riders. Does anyone know whether someone's collecting those stats?

 

[Thepirateisgood]

Certainly he was never known as someone with poor skills before the last two years.
Any stats like that would be welcomed, regardless how tasteless such data would be to someone.

But most riders say, if you are in a bad place mentally - it is easier to get stuck in random events like crashes.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Certainly he was never known as someone with poor skills before the last two years.
Any stats like that would be welcomed, regardless how tasteless such data would be to someone.

But most riders say, if you are in a bad place mentally - it is easier to get stuck in random events like crashes.

It must be a mental thing, as you said, he didn't crash nearly as much in earlier years. In 2015 and 2016, 10 times combined, I think. Maybe he's lost his confidence, maybe doubts have crept into his mind. Hard to shake that and get better again.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Its not lack of skills. Its lack of concentration. He is simply getting old.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Its not lack of skills. Its lack of concentration. He is simply getting old.

You can't blame all those crashes on a lack of concentration. That's just crazy.

 

[Cookster15]

Re: Re:

Its not lack of skills. Its lack of concentration. He is simply getting old.

You can't blame all those crashes on a lack of concentration. That's just crazy.

33 isn't too old to lose concentration. Valverde is 36 doesn't seem to affect him. Didn't affect Horner at nearly 42 winning the Vuelta 2 years ago. I agree with Flo seems a confidence problem.

 

[Dedelou]

Re: Re:

Its not lack of skills. Its lack of concentration. He is simply getting old.

You can't blame all those crashes on a lack of concentration. That's just crazy.

33 isn't too old to lose concentration. Valverde is 36 doesn't seem to affect him. Didn't affect Horner at nearly 42 winning the Vuelta 2 years ago. I agree with Flo seems a confidence problem.

Too many crashes are hard to attribute to one things.. Obviously, only a fool wouldn't be tensed after a half dozen accidents in recents months . Confidence has to be affected for sure. There is more to it as well. Alberto has a riding style that puts him in danger and is hard to protect. He needs "intimidating" guards that give strong signals to impetuous and careless riders to stay clear. Tinkoff team does not have such a protection for Contador.. In years past, that was not needed but we the way the race finish are unfolding now , that kind of protection is a must

 

[LaFlorecita]

He has Tosatto and Bennati as bodyguards, there aren't many riders in the peloton that are more intimidating, both are highly respected. The reason why Contador is often exposed is inability to stay on his teammates' wheels for whatever reason.