Pais Vasco Stage 2: Zumarraga - Lekunberri 163km

[jaylew]

Finishing climb a little longer than today and slightly less steep but the same distance from the finish.

 

[taiwan]

tough race! There are gaps after the first stage, and the next is an mtf.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Does anyone know the toughest ramps of the last few hills? That 9% average we all saw given to today's stage really didn't do the climb much justice

 

[taiwan]

http://vueltapaisvasco.diariovasco.com/2011/perfiles/etapa-2.pdf

Max toward the end of final climb: 13.5%.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

They did the same climb in 2007.
Voigt won from a breakaway back then and the favorite group was 15 man big and sprinting for 3rd place (Gomez Marchante slightly ahead in 2nd)

So can't really say it's a certainty to make differences. Stage was also done in 1999, then it DID make differences, again a breakaway won (Moerenhout won)

 

[The Hitch]

Is the Basque commentators bantering amongst themselves in Spanish stream going to be there again. The one many were praising so much during the race.

If so I might just skip Uni.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

depends how they ride it. They can probably make it hard enough to make it count.

 

[Ferminal]

Purito should attack again.

 

[Sasquatch]

The guys going for the overall will attack.

Rodriguez needs to put time into the other guys before the time trial. He will attack.

Sanchez will go with it.

Horner will attack

 

[Ferminal]

The guys going for the overall will attack.

Rodriguez needs to put time into the other guys before the time trial. He will attack.

Sanchez will go with it.

Horner will attack

Hopefully, the Shack have Klöden to sit around and wait and play "wait for the ITT", plus Horner attacks quite a bit anyway.

Solid result by Niemiec yesterday. I thought he may have been punching above his weight a bit at T-A but this performance has put that to rest. Hitch is right, he will be a good helper in May.

 

[royalpig180]

Hopefully, the Shack have Klöden to sit around and wait and play "wait for the ITT", plus Horner attacks quite a bit anyway.

Solid result by Niemiec yesterday. I thought he may have been punching above his weight a bit at T-A but this performance has put that to rest. Hitch is right, he will be a good helper in May.

I wonder what the Shack's tactics will be. Last year they said they came in with Kloden and Horner as joint leaders (maybe more emphasis on Kloden) but shifted their support to Horner when it became apparent he was going better. Given that Horner is the defending champ you'd think he'd be getting the support, but they may try to help Kloden (on paper the stronger TTer) out as well. They're in a pretty good spot if they don't get blown away on the climbs in the next couple days.

 

[Sasquatch]

I agree with Ferminal. Shack have two cards to play. Horner will be the attacking one and Kloden won't be the attacking one. Horner will aim to get time whilst Kloden prepares for the time trial.

One rider I forgot to mention is Frank Schleck. Yesterday's climb didn't suit him. Today's does. He will attack after LT put in an insane pace up the climb.

 

[theyoungest]

The final climb. Looks like 4 k of more or less serious climbing. Better suited to the Schlecks, Gesink, and Basso.

 

[jens_attacks]

katusha can win again today with di luca.i also expect the schlecks to attack, let's see how radioshack will manage the situation.

 

[Sasquatch]

Don't forget Di Luca too. He should relish this type of climb.

 

[thirteen]

Is the Basque commentators bantering amongst themselves in Spanish stream going to be there again. The one many were praising so much during the race.

If so I might just skip Uni.

i can't imagine why not (though you may want to ask Dim)...

skip Uni, grab a beer, and talk back

practice practice practice!

 

[Damiano]

Cunego is going to win this one.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

And I'll keep my thought that this is most probably going to end in a 5 to 15 men sprint

 

[theyoungest]

And I'll keep my thought that this is most probably going to end in a 5 to 15 men sprint

Quite a big margin of error there

 

[boomcie]

Quite a big margin of error there

Yeah, I'll top that by making it a 2-20 men sprint to the finish.

 

[taiwan]

Something like:
Gavazzi
Hesjedal
LLS

 

[greenedge]

Radioshack FTW

 

[Moncoutie]

I like J-Rod again for todays stage.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Well at least we should get to see the rest of the race, since the week's weather forecast is great.
Unfortunately, the price to pay will probably be a "softening" of the parcours.

 

[Cobblestoned]

Zumarraga*, Zumarraga*, Zumarraga*, Lukunberri....*(swords smashing against shields)
...really sounds like a classic war battlecry

I love this language and really think about learnig it a bit. Looking forward to livecoverage again.

Cunego gaur irabaztea izango dela uste dut.