Power Data Estimates for the climbing stages

[roundabout]

My memory of previous Vallters is that those were mostly group rides with the exception of 2019, so it's not surprising that 2 most aggressively raced climbs are the 2 fastest.

What's more worrying is that Yates gained a minute on a 30 minute climb.

 

[BlueRoads]

What's worrying is not the singular time on a climb. It's just that it's the next in a row.

 

[Ripper]

They're not just chipping away at the records are they?

EDIT: Pretty impressive after yesterday's time trial!

 

[Escarabajo]

Wait for tomorrow's time. This is quite funny when you know the outcome!

 

[Goren]

So, in a nutshell:

1) Nairo won here in 2013 with an ascent time of 34m19s. He smashed his own time by over a minute in 2019 when he arrived with Yates, Martin and Bernal (33m10s). Today, he put another 30 sec into his younger self, but that was only good enough for 11th place, 36 sec behind Yates.

2) Valverde was second to the line in 2013 with 34m26s (give or take). Today, 8 years later and in his forties, he was 19 sec slower than Yates, that is, 32m27s, but still a full two minutes faster than his former self (who, let's not forget, was 1st in Vuelta Andalucía, 3rd in La Vuelta (taking the green jersey), 3rd in the Worlds and 3rd in UCI WT rankings)

3) in 2019, Yates (and Co.) crushed the all-time record for this ascent. Today, he put just over a minute into his own time and still looked fresh as a daisy at the line.

Everyone can draw their own conclusions, I guess...

 

[Ripper]

So, in a nutshell:

1) Nairo won here in 2013 with an ascent time of 34m19s. He smashed his own time by over a minute in 2019 when he arrived with Yates, Martin and Bernal (33m10s). Today, he put another 30 sec into his younger self, but that was only good enough for 11th place, 36 sec behind Yates.

2) Valverde was second to the line in 2013 with 34m26s (give or take). Today, 8 years later and in his forties, he was 19 sec slower than Yates, that is, 32m27s, but still a full two minutes faster than his former self (who, let's not forget, was 1st in Vuelta Andalucía, 3rd in La Vuelta (taking the green jersey), 3rd in the Worlds and 3rd in UCI WT rankings)

3) in 2019, Yates (and Co.) crushed the all-time record for this ascent. Today, he put just over a minute into his own time and still looked fresh as a daisy at the line.

Everyone can draw their own conclusions, I guess...

It's all on the legit up and up! Yates also posted a pretty dang good TT yesterday for such a lightweight climber. I still remember when he basically transformed into a much better time trialist.

 

[Red Rick]

So, in a nutshell:

1) Nairo won here in 2013 with an ascent time of 34m19s. He smashed his own time by over a minute in 2019 when he arrived with Yates, Martin and Bernal (33m10s). Today, he put another 30 sec into his younger self, but that was only good enough for 11th place, 36 sec behind Yates.

2) Valverde was second to the line in 2013 with 34m26s (give or take). Today, 8 years later and in his forties, he was 19 sec slower than Yates, that is, 32m27s, but still a full two minutes faster than his former self (who, let's not forget, was 1st in Vuelta Andalucía, 3rd in La Vuelta (taking the green jersey), 3rd in the Worlds and 3rd in UCI WT rankings)

3) in 2019, Yates (and Co.) crushed the all-time record for this ascent. Today, he put just over a minute into his own time and still looked fresh as a daisy at the line.

Everyone can draw their own conclusions, I guess...

/r/peloton be like

1. Stage was easier today
2. Better field
3. They raced more aggressively
4. Tailwind

 

[Red Rick]

My memory of previous Vallters is that those were mostly group rides with the exception of 2019, so it's not surprising that 2 most aggressively raced climbs are the 2 fastest.

What's more worrying is that Yates gained a minute on a 30 minute climb.

The aggression yesterday was more of a function of no team drilling it very cohesively. Yates attacked from a 30 guy peloton yesterday, doesn't indicate a super optimal pacing strategy to me. He also waited around for Kuss to attack then crushed him.

 

[roundabout]

The aggression yesterday was more of a function of no team drilling it very cohesively. Yates attacked from a 30 guy peloton yesterday, doesn't indicate a super optimal pacing strategy to me. He also waited around for Kuss to attack then crushed him.

i mean to me it's not obvious that it's worse pacing then chugging along behind, say, Castroviejo up to 2 km to go and having all attacks start then

 

[Red Rick]

i mean to me it's not obvious that it's worse pacing then chugging along behind, say, Castroviejo up to 2 km to go and having all attacks start then

Both are suboptimal, I agree.

Prato di Tivo was funnier beating the full choochoo train by 2.5 minutes when Contador tried to attack in 2013 and got 5 meters

 

[Goren]

/r/peloton be like

1. Stage was easier today
2. Better field
3. They raced more aggressively
4. Tailwind

Those are definitely the arguments people make to justify what we're witnessing. And, of course, they hold the moral high ground and the rest of us are just a bunch of ignorant, delusional, lay faultfinders.

 

[Netserk]

Vallter 2000 is just simply not a very good measuring stick (it doesn't lead itself to all-out performances). Prati di Tivo was. Portet and Luz Ardiden should be as well, if they go all-out.

 

[Goren]

Vallter 2000 is just simply not a very good measuring stick (it doesn't lead itself to all-out performances). Prati di Tivo was. Portet and Luz Ardiden should be as well, if they go all-out.

On paper, I agree. And if this was a one-off thing, we probably wouldn't be discussing it in the first place. But it's been the case so often lately, regardless of who was in contention and what the underlying circumstances/factors were, that it's just one more example of what is becoming an undeniable trend.

 

[Escarabajo]

I agree with Goren. If this was a one time thing then we would probably wouldn't care. But is happening in every race.

 

[Ripper]

Possibility of Ineos putting on the afterburners today.

 

[Bronstein]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1375124326593232902

View: https://twitter.com/faustocoppi60/status/1375124326593232902

 

[Goren]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1375124326593232902

View: https://twitter.com/faustocoppi60/status/1375124326593232902

I mean, who would've guessed, right?

 

[Escarabajo]

Oh dear!!

The only good thing about this is that Pogacar and Roglic will have company soon!

 

[roundabout]

and yet it was the closest Port-Aine stage ever with 15 riders within 30 seconds.

huh

 

[Mayomaniac]

and yet it was the closest Port-Aine stage ever with 15 riders within 30 seconds.

huh

In the last few years we also had close gaps in the Volta a Portugal when they did absurd climbing times.

 

[Red Rick]

Vallter 2000 is just simply not a very good measuring stick (it doesn't lead itself to all-out performances). Prati di Tivo was. Portet and Luz Ardiden should be as well, if they go all-out.

I'd argue otherwise. It's pretty perfect for a 30 to 35 minute climb. Steepest in the first half to boot. The only thing against it is these climbs just aren't raced raced 5+ times in 10 years.

Also, because it seems like half the peloton is on it, tempo climbs where choo choo trains dominate 90% of it can be used as decent measuring sticks as well.

 

[Bronstein]

Some headwind according to Chaves:

I knew the roads. I live in Andorra and I knew it was a very hard stage. I wanted to try something. I had nothing to lose and a lot to gain. There was a headwind and that was a risk but in the end, things turned out very well. I had great legs today and felt good, and showed it with this great victory," Chaves said at the line.

Volta a Catalunya: Esteban Chaves takes his first win in two years on Port Ainé

Yates keeps overall lead on summit finish

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[Goren]

In the last few years we also had close gaps in the Volta a Portugal when they did absurd climbing times.

Well, we certainly know how that is unfolding...

 

[F_Cance]

so no tailwind leaves us with "wanted it more"

 

[Escarabajo]

so no tailwind leaves us with "wanted it more"

Imagine if they had the tailwind!!
At least 2 minutes down.