Ruta del Sol (Vuelta a Andalucia) 17/2 - 21/2

[Bushman]

Re: Re:

Well, Bala wins it.

Horrible showing by those 'GC-guys'.

Van Garderen is never going to win something important.

Cant really hide your disappointment, can't you?

He's the best from all of those B-riders, buy at least try something! Bala is a champion, but he gets it on a plate really.

Van Garderen is just a coward. Come on, you're the leader ffs!

Opening a gap at almost a minute on such a climb isn't a plate, its just greatness!

He's really strong. Don't deny that.

But just look at Van Garderen. Attacks when he's 1 minute back, get's back to 36 seconds. That means if he just followed Bala, or attacked early enough, he could have won it.

I just don't get that kind of racing. Especially not from a rider who's not going to win big races anyway. This kind of stage races are his chance to shine.

But congrats Bala!

Eh, what???

The fact that TJ only managed to close 25-20 seconds of the gap when he attacked after Valverde had been riding alone for 4 k already clearly shows that Valverde was way stronger than the other riders.

And of course you dont respond to an attack from 7 k out when you stille have a team mate in the group. That would be stupid.

 

[Mr.White]

Grande Bala! El corazon de un campeon! TJ.., well beaten by stronger rider. And what happened to climbing legend Wouter Poels?!

 

[pastronef]

Re:

Grande Bala! El corazon de un campeon! TJ.., well beaten by stronger rider. And what happened to climbing legend Wouter Poels?!

I didnt know you called him so
I think it´s just you

 

[Cance > TheRest]

The question now is how far can Valverde go in the Giro.

I was sceptic, but this is a promising showoff towards the Giro podium...

A podium is within reach, as has always been the case no matter today's extraordinary effort. The question after today is, if he actually have a chance of winning it. He beat Nibali in the Tour last year and Landa hasn't shown that he can figure as a dedicated GT leader with the pressure that follows.

 

[pastronef]

Mollema climbs from 14th to 3rd step of the podium. nice ride for Bauke

 

[DBotero]

Re:

Grande Bala! El corazon de un campeon! TJ.., well beaten by stronger rider. And what happened to climbing legend Wouter Poels?!

Bad day i suppose.Still i wouldn't write him off just yet.He's on the learning process as a leader.

 

[yaco]

Valverde is a big chance if he nails the 3 TT - My pick at the moment.

 

[Valv.Piti]

The question now is how far can Valverde go in the Giro.

I was sceptic, but this is a promising showoff towards the Giro podium...

A podium is within reach, as has always been the case no matter today's extraordinary effort. The question after today is, if he actually have a chance of winning it. He beat Nibali in the Tour last year and Landa hasn't shown that he can figure as a dedicated GT leader with the pressure that follows.

He definitely CAN win, but Nibali should still be the relatively big favourite. But Im surely more optimistic after his performance today, I would have suspected he would have lost a little bit in the mountains, but I suppose not. Maybe he has just gotten better again, strange as it seems.

Cant wait for the Giro, it will be a show with Bala, Nibz, Landa and the rest.

 

[Alexandre B.]

TVG deserves a stage race overall win in Europe.

 

[JRanton]

Great ride from Valverde. Easily the strongest rider. If TJ had started the chase earlier it wouldn't have mattered.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

Grande Bala! El corazon de un campeon! TJ.., well beaten by stronger rider. And what happened to climbing legend Wouter Poels?!

Bad day i suppose.Still i wouldn't write him off just yet.He's on the learning process as a leader.

Write him off from what? He's just an above average climber that can do well in a minor stage race by peaking when everyone else is using it as a preparation race.

A poor man's Spilak.

 

[Carols]

Re:

TVG deserves a stage race overall win in Europe.

When he wins one, he'll deserve it. He's just a cut below.....

 

[Mr.White]

Re:

TVG deserves a stage race overall win in Europe.

Ha has to earn it! Deserving has nothing to do with it

 

[Moviefan1203]

Poor Tejay.

 

[HelloDolly]

Poels has a turn of speed on a steep shortish climb...work on that and win one day races...Forget GTs you cannot do it day in and day out mate

Felt sorry for TJ but a GTs is a different thing and both he and Valverde are the 2 GT riders in that field today
Majka 'the wonderful' goes arounf TJ at the end afer wheel sucking all the way up...imagine if Bala did that

 

[LaFlorecita]

Roman 5th today, looks like he could be in for a good year.

 

[jens_attacks]

bala my god what a champ


and igor anton 4 ever!

 

[jaylew]

Bala domination!! I feel for TJ a bit but what a great result to wake up to! I really hope a video surfaces.

 

[Bushman]

Re:

Poels has a turn of speed on a steep shortish climb...work on that and win one day races...Forget GTs you cannot do it day in and day out mate

Felt sorry for TJ but a GTs is a different thing and both he and Valverde are the 2 GT riders in that field today
Majka 'the wonderful' goes arounf TJ at the end afer wheel sucking all the way up...imagine if Bala did that

Of course Majka did that. Mollema did the same. It was the only thing to do.

 

[Jancouver]

Nice ride by Piti. What a champ.

TJ as always, just a robot with no acceleration. One of the reasons he will never win anything big because he only got one steady speed and can't close gaps and attacks.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Valverde shows once again that he's one of the most agressive riders in the peloton. Chapeau!

 

[hrotha]

Re: Re:

Felt sorry for TJ but a GTs is a different thing and both he and Valverde are the 2 GT riders in that field today
Majka 'the wonderful' goes arounf TJ at the end afer wheel sucking all the way up...imagine if Bala did that

Of course Majka did that. Mollema did the same. It was the only thing to do.

It was the only thing to do for such a sad rider like Majka, or Mollema for that matter.

 

[Bushman]

Re: Re:

Felt sorry for TJ but a GTs is a different thing and both he and Valverde are the 2 GT riders in that field today
Majka 'the wonderful' goes arounf TJ at the end afer wheel sucking all the way up...imagine if Bala did that

Of course Majka did that. Mollema did the same. It was the only thing to do.

It was the only thing to do for such a sad rider like Majka, or Mollema for that matter.

What would you suggest they had done?

 

[Flamin]

Valverde, what can I say... I was thinking he maybe might take it a bit slower early in the year with Rio on his mind, well, who was I kidding? Vaya campeón!!!

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re: Re:

Felt sorry for TJ but a GTs is a different thing and both he and Valverde are the 2 GT riders in that field today
Majka 'the wonderful' goes arounf TJ at the end afer wheel sucking all the way up...imagine if Bala did that

Of course Majka did that. Mollema did the same. It was the only thing to do.

It was the only thing to do for such a sad rider like Majka, or Mollema for that matter.

Any rational would cling to TJ's wheel in a situation like that, especially in the case of Majka and Mollema who had no incentives to work. I don't disagree however, that Majka often lets others do the work, but it was reasonable and okay to do in this situation.