59th Itzulia Basque Country (2.UWT) 8 - 13 April

[yaco]

A bizarre decision by MS not to have Yates and Nieve swap bikes - They were only riding next to each other !

 

[Mayo from Mayo]

Re:

A bizarre decision by MS not to have Yates and Nieve swap bikes - They were only riding next to each other !

Eurosport showed footage of him climbing on a bike and leaving another MS rider behind. (don't know if it was Nieve)

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

A bizarre decision by MS not to have Yates and Nieve swap bikes - They were only riding next to each other !

Eurosport showed footage of him climbing on a bike and leaving another MS rider behind. (don't know if it was Nieve)

Nieve finished 20th in the stage - It was a shocking decision by the DS - Swap bikes and Yates still in the GC race - Nieve could lose time and still chase a stage win.

 

[Velolover2]

Lambrecht's gonna be Ala's main rival in these types of races and finishes in the coming years.

 

[sir fly]

Alaphilippe's shape is amazing.
Like there's no drop in form since he started winning this season. And everything fairly convincingly.
The GC battle looks interesting.

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

A bizarre decision by MS not to have Yates and Nieve swap bikes - They were only riding next to each other !

Eurosport showed footage of him climbing on a bike and leaving another MS rider behind. (don't know if it was Nieve)

Nieve finished 20th in the stage - It was a shocking decision by the DS - Swap bikes and Yates still in the GC race - Nieve could lose time and still chase a stage win.

He switched wheels with someone, right?

 

[Lequack]

42 Big Photos from Stage 2 (more to come) — flockton
http://www.steephill.tv/2019/vuelta-al-pais-vasco/photos/stage-02/

 

[Red Rick]

Unless breaks go I really see Alaphilippe win the next 2 stages as well.

 

[The Barb]

It's clear Omar Fraile's form is great.

The camera work in the final kilometre today was deplorable but you could (just) see Omar Fraile getting squeezed out and losing all momentum about 600m out, at a time when he was right on Alaphillipe's wheel. He did well to get 4th in the circumstances. The longer but less steep finish tomorrow suits him much better. For me he is clearly the biggest danger to Alaphillipe and a great each-way prospect.

 

[Escarabajo]

What is Betancur doing in that second group?

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

A bizarre decision by MS not to have Yates and Nieve swap bikes - They were only riding next to each other !

Eurosport showed footage of him climbing on a bike and leaving another MS rider behind. (don't know if it was Nieve)

Nieve finished 20th in the stage - It was a shocking decision by the DS - Swap bikes and Yates still in the GC race - Nieve could lose time and still chase a stage win.

He switched wheels with someone, right?

Howson - Difference between changing wheels and changing bikes - It was a simple bike swap with Nieve that should have occurred .

 

[hammerthaim]

Re:

What is Betancur doing in that second group?

He's on decent form for this time of year.

 

[Robert5091]

Ala really is a beast on these type of stages. I can see the TdF becoming 20 such stages in the near future!

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

A bizarre decision by MS not to have Yates and Nieve swap bikes - They were only riding next to each other !

Eurosport showed footage of him climbing on a bike and leaving another MS rider behind. (don't know if it was Nieve)

Nieve finished 20th in the stage - It was a shocking decision by the DS - Swap bikes and Yates still in the GC race - Nieve could lose time and still chase a stage win.

He switched wheels with someone, right?

I saw the puncture on the coverage but at the same time was unsure whether it was Yates or Nieve - A quick change of bikes would have saved the day - Yates changed wheels with Howson which in itself was a mistake when you needed a ITT type rider for the last 17 kms - Anyway the team can win a stage.

 

[RedheadDane]

Looks like they forgot they aren't in Scheldeprijs. Echelons.

 

[sir fly]

Disaster.

 

[Sestriere]

Ala down hard! ****

 

[Pricey_sky]

Nasty crash, a lot of key riders down.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Alaphillipe, Kwiatkowski, Mas, Thomas at least.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Ala & MK Mas G etc all down

 

[Mavic]

Golden chance for Lambrecht now that Ala and some other favorites are out.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re:

Golden chance for Lambrecht now that Ala is out.

I don't think he's in the first bunch now.

 

[pink_jersey]

Shame for Ala. He seems to hurt his hand. Castroviejo has blood on all his face.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Looked really bad for Castro.

Was Martinez involved? I did see a couple of EF riders down.

 

[jaylew]

Looked like the entire EF team got held up but I think they may have gotten back.