Vuelta a España 8th Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta, September 7th-11th, 2022

[Samu Cuenca]

So, we got the leader of the WWT. The leader of the race. The Spanish Champion. The German Champion. And Vollering, who's just in a regular SD Worx jersey.

I think she's still the Dutch gravel champion, but she obviously can't wear that jersey here.

Looks like the expected AVV show. I'm sadly not able to watch it.

 

[sir fly]

Miek isn't giving even hope to the rest.

Cille really improved her sprinting this season.
...Growing up.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

There is a group which sprinted out positions... and Cille and Kasia were the first two across the line.

Even just for the lesser places, that's a minor miracle.

Got to say Lippert was really impressive, the way she didn't panic after being dropped and just rode her way through the others afterward. She's historically had a bit of a threshold and been better at punchy to medium mountain terrain (which this is of course) but has been getting stronger on the longer and harder climbs this year too. Obviously this kind of medium-length up-and-down-all-day is what she'll get plenty of from signing for a Spanish team, but historically you'd have backed ELB over her on climbs like these.

Vollering is now quite comfortably ensconsced in the position of second best climber in the péloton, perhaps the biggest question mark over that is Cavalli because she took a huge leap forward this season, and was super strong in the Giro, but Demi didn't do the Giro and then Marta was taken out of the Tour before we got to see a head to head climb on the full size mountains there, however in her last few mountain stages Demi has been 3rd (Lagunas de Neila), 3rd (Prato Nevoso) and 2nd (Monte Matajûr) before Anna van der Breggen retired, then 1st (Lagunas de Neila), 2nd (Le Markstein), 2nd (Planche des Belles Filles) and 4th here after being 2nd best over the mountains.

I really wish geography allowed them to do stage 4 backwards.

 

[pmcg76]

Was only able to catch highlights, but AVV show as expected. She is just a level above all the rest. Very impressive, but the women's side of things would be much more exciting without her as the rest seem at a similar level to each other. Really miss AVDB as well.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

When the Vuelta gives you short stages in the evening, you'll just have to make the race harder yourself.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1567974813800579073

View: https://twitter.com/AvVleuten/status/1567974813800579073

 

[Danskebjerge]

Another one of those races in women's cycling where you're left wondering if the rules of air resistance don't apply to female riders. Van Vleuten (who is not exactly an elegant rider) is sitting out there alone for several kilometers, and the riders in the groups behind her for some reason can't use each other to reduce the time deficit.

It's really annoying because that is basically what cycling is about - otherwise I might just as well be watching marathon running. It's actually quite impressive how much attention women's cycling is getting given that the sportive element is so weak.

 

[awavey]

Another one of those races in women's cycling where you're left wondering if the rules of air resistance don't apply to female riders. Van Vleuten (who is not exactly an elegant rider) is sitting out there alone for several kilometers, and the riders in the groups behind her for some reason can't use each other to reduce the time deficit.

It's really annoying because that is basically what cycling is about - otherwise I might just as well be watching marathon running. It's actually quite impressive how much attention women's cycling is getting given that the sportive element is so weak.

theres a big psychological element to it IMO, the ELB/DV/LL group for one did not seem remotely interested in working together, and frankly wtf not because by now surely you are at the point in the season youd rather see anyone but AVV solo to victory. to try and bring down the gap, why did ELB jump off on the descent, ok by then its too late anyway to catch AVV, but they arent working together then are they ? and its doomed to fail with the group you are in.

I just think they are scared to attack AVV in those situations, because if they fail they could loose their team more UCI points than if they just treat 1st place as out of reach and its a fight for the minor placing which is exactly how those 2nd and 3rd groups were riding it

 

[yaco]

I thought Vollering was disappointing - I expected her to be within 30 seconds of AVV on this style of course - Maybe her recent crashes have taken their toll.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

theres a big psychological element to it IMO, the ELB/DV/LL group for one did not seem remotely interested in working together, and frankly wtf not because by now surely you are at the point in the season youd rather see anyone but AVV solo to victory. to try and bring down the gap, why did ELB jump off on the descent, ok by then its too late anyway to catch AVV, but they arent working together then are they ? and its doomed to fail with the group you are in.

I just think they are scared to attack AVV in those situations, because if they fail they could loose their team more UCI points than if they just treat 1st place as out of reach and its a fight for the minor placing which is exactly how those 2nd and 3rd groups were riding it

There's also the element of the Laghi di Cancano stage in the Giro a couple of years ago, where ELB said after the stage that they basically just let Annemiek go (this is where she first called van Vleuten "the alien") and then the remainder of the field more or less raced one another as if she wasn't there.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Veni Vidi Vici

 

[RedheadDane]

A group including Van Vleuten has just under a minute to the peloton.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

García has attmepted some attacks, Niewiadoma and Vollering, but it seems like as expected this is a battle between the baroudeuses and those who want the reduced sprint. Balsamo and Kopecky have both made the group and are probably the quickest remaining, but Sierra and Manly are there too and ought to be pretty competitive if it goes to a sprint; not too many platforms for a pure climber like, say, Santestebán, but plenty of ATVs like Grace Brown could use this as a platform to work from.

...and as I say that, Grace Brown attacks.

Edit: actually, yes, let's thin this out and bring the attackers back (wow, Grace has picked up over 30 seconds very quickly, no impetus in the chase), Persico is still there, she's got a pretty fast finish and I have her in the prediction game.

Marty is pronouncing Amber Kraak in a way that makes me think of this ancient meme song.

 

[yaco]

That as an impressive effort by Kraak to bridge to Brown - Kraak has lots of potential.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

SD Worx now putting the pain on at the front... and Vollering has managed to drop most of the sprinters, but that unfortunately for them also includes Kopecky.

 

[RedheadDane]

In the end Brown won against Chabbey from a late break.

 

[yaco]

That was a major failure by BEX in the finish - Had Manly who is probably the fastest finisher in a group of 15, so needed Santesteban to mark moves in the last 10kms - Once Brown and Chabbey got away the group rode so slowly that the chase group that were 30 seconds back got back onto the group.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Brown/Chabbey is probably my dream duo, so it's wonderful to see them holding on. And Brown's win earns me 0.5 point as well.

 

[yaco]

Thinking about it more it was even a bigger failure by BEX - Sansesteban who is 4th in GC marks moves which means that the other GC contenders will follow, and if if they don't follow then Sansesteban gains some time on GC and comes third in the sprint.

 

[awavey]

There's also the element of the Laghi di Cancano stage in the Giro a couple of years ago, where ELB said after the stage that they basically just let Annemiek go (this is where she first called van Vleuten "the alien") and then the remainder of the field more or less raced one another as if she wasn't there.

yes thats exactly what I mean, they were treating it as a race for 2nd, but its like they dont even go into these races with anything but the mindset its just a race for 2nd, which feels wrong.

also was it really Treks plan for Elynor Backstedt to ride only 2 stages ? was a dnf today,didnt see if it was a crash, but doesnt seem injured/ill and is off prepping for worlds via a holiday according to her socials.

 

[yaco]

yes thats exactly what I mean, they were treating it as a race for 2nd, but its like they dont even go into these races with anything but the mindset its just a race for 2nd, which feels wrong.

also was it really Treks plan for Elynor Backstedt to ride only 2 stages ? was a dnf today,didnt see if it was a crash, but doesnt seem injured/ill and is off prepping for worlds via a holiday according to her socials.

Think the Backstedt decision was based around the TTT - Bike Exchange targeted the TTT and picked a team accordingly, however all their riders are still in the race.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Kiesenhofer has gone for a 160 km solo ride today, but I doubt she'll be able to keep everyone behind her in the end.

 

[RedheadDane]

Kiesenhofer has gone for a 160 km solo ride today, but I doubt she'll be able to keep everyone behind her in the end.

Does everyone know she's ahead?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Does everyone know she's ahead?

As long as she's the only one out front, not even you would miscalculate the number of riders they need to catch.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

First BEX wrote on Twitter that Faulkner wouldn't start today due to fatigue, then they said she would, but now she has abandoned the race. She hasn't been extremely lucky in the GT-ish races so far.

Last year she also crashed out of the race while being in a good position after the MTT.

 

[Pirazziattacks]

Is it happening again?