will10 said:I'll be interested to here how "the easy grade worked in his favour" when we are talking about a sub-50kg climber.
rhubroma said:Because easy grades help with the acceleration, no matter how light you are. I mean, we're still talking about a climb, not a sprint finish. Real climbers need hard grades to make the difference.
The selection comes with the terrain. In fact on the last steep part is where Albero finally unhitched him.
will10 said:You misunderstand me. If anything Rujano is going to be at a disadvantage on the shallower graded parts of the climb, compared to Contador.
rhubroma said:Bawh!! I never said otherwise.
But the climb wasn't steep enough for Conta do do more. The "waiting" for Scarponi was insignificant and only held him up, as he immediately demonstrated.
Rujano was able to follow the first two accelerations because he was riding on sheer determination and desperation, though the easy grade worked in his favor.
In a head to head match, especially on a steeper climb, Rujano would have been decidely a notch below. His initial advantage saved him for as long as it did.
I may not have my "facts" straight, but you don't know squat about bike racing.
La Pandera said:I'm personally not disputing that Contador would've dropped Rujano sooner under different circumstances. We seem to agree that Rujano showed exceptional determination but where we disagree is this scientific analysis that you've come up with to support.....I'm not even certain of what your point is. There had to be a bit of hard earned talent and ability that allowed Rujano to stick with Contador in addition to the "sheer determination and desparation".
Using your analysis why did this same "initial advantage" not aid the earlier escapees? I'm certain it would be because they had been out there in the break for so long, fatigue would not have allowed it. So your argument is that if Rujano had decided not to attack when he did, but decided instead to respond to Contador's attack, he would've ended up in the same position in the end as Scarponi, 17 seconds behind the group of elite chases and 1 minute plus behind Contador?
Lupetto said:McEwen and Brown out of time limit. Why is Cavendish still in? 26:28 was the limit for today.
rhubroma said:There's nothing "scientific" about my analysis.
But experience.
I can't, obviously, say where exactly Rujano would have finished, had he had to respond to AC's attack. But I can say with certainty that he would not have been dangling on with him at the end struggling to hold his wheel as he did.
AC would have finished alone from 3k out.![]()
rhubroma said:Yes but Rujano had already attacked previously and was up the road. Conta bridged up, kept him dangling and then, as soon as the road got steep again, accelerated and droped him just before the finish.
If Rujano had had to follow Conta, like Scarponi, he wouldn't have been able to follow. The gap he had helped him hang on longer.
La Pandera said:"Scientific" was probably the wrong word. I agree though that based on how Contador blasted off on his initial acceleration that the effort simply to match him would have put most of his rivals into a bit of trouble, with their demise an unavoidable eventuality. His (Contador's) performance was nothing short of magnificent.
Climbing said:To me, the 2nd best (of what else could we talk) seemed Nibali.
Clearly Scarponi made a mistake today, I hope he will pace himself better next time.
Surely the experience of last year Vuelta worked in his favour, that's evident.
I'm a bit puzzled about Szmidt... he would have proved invaluable to Nibali, maybe he is not in good form yet? (maybe he will be in good form for the TdF - Basso).
rhubroma said:I'd agree with you on Nibali, though he lacked courage.
I know he's a deisel, but when ya gotta go, ya gotta fùckin go!!!
No it was a nice race and you got to see it how it was. Rujano was the 2nd strongest rider today. He came back quite a few times when the commentators already declared him dropped. Often coming back from as far as 25 meters.The Hitch said:Wow. The first 100 times i thought Ruben was just taking the **** out of Ryo Hazuki with his Rujano comments.
But now hes defending RUjano big time.
Did he convert you on the Cauberg Dekker T???
rhubroma said:Because easy grades help with the acceleration, no matter how light you are. I mean, we're still talking about a climb, not a sprint finish. Real climbers need hard grades to make the difference.
The selection comes with the terrain. In fact on the last steep part is where Albero finally unhitched him.