Stage 12:Almería - Velefique, 174km

[Bala Verde]

Again a smart move by Gesink. Last 1.5-2K full throttle but probably not enough to have killed himself for the next couple of days. He takes time back again.

No one could follow either, otherwise they would have... Good sign for the next 2 days

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

yes tomorrow will be interesting, and sunday. WIll gesink be able to hold this form the next 2 days.. big call.

 

[Moondance]

Wow, close at the top. Valverde with 7 secs over Evans and 18 over Gesink.

Of course Danielson, Basso and Sanchez all within striking distance as well.

 

[powderpuff]

I think Cadel was playing smart, if he went with Gesink he would have been in gold, but SIL would not have been able to cover the attacks over the next 2 days. It won't be the same for tomorrow or the next day i expect. He didn't lose out on the leader today so that's good.

 

[taiwan]

gesink in gold.

Wrong. Sorry if I confused anyone following the race on this.

 

[aarnold517]

fantastic last couple of days for garmin

first grand tour stage win followed the very next stage with another grand tour win

also TD looked like he was starting to suffer but stays with the group of favorites

 

[Moondance]

also TD looked like he was starting to suffer but stays with the group of favorites

I don't know. He looked sharp. He was the only other favorite to try and go with Gesink, and he hung on for a good few hundred metres, and after that managed to stay with the others that matter. I think he did perfectly fine.

 

[ptensioned]

Hesjedal looks like he's waiting for someone to wake him up from his dream on the podium.

Great to see a Canadian win the stage, even if he did cost Gesink some time in bonuses.

 

[Moondance]

Is this Ryder's first victory in Europe?

I wouldn't begrudge that him either, especially given how close he was a few days back to Gerrans.

 

[benpounder]

I don't know. He looked sharp. He was the only other favorite to try and go with Gesink, and he hung on for a good few hundred metres, and after that managed to stay with the others that matter. I think he did perfectly fine.

Agreed. Looked like he waited for Evans to finish bridging the gap - and Evans couldnt or didnt.

 

[luckyboy]

Will TD still be there tomorrow?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Will TD still be there tomorrow?

I think TD will crack big time either tomorrow or sunday. hopefully not.
I can see gesink paying for today's efforts too, but who knows. I hope not Gonna be an interesting 2 days.

 

[aarnold517]

i don't know if TD will crack but he's definitely refound his old form

basso definitely has to attack tomorrow, i don't think he can wait for only sunday to regain time

and unfortunately samu looks like he could crack big time tomorrow, he was almost dropped today before regaining contact

 

[Moondance]

Agreed. Looked like he waited for Evans to finish bridging the gap - and Evans couldnt or didnt.

What i'm confused about is why noone, not Rodriguez, Valverde, Evans, Basso etc., took over from Danielson when he had to abandon the chase. I mean, TD did all the hard work, and when he was finished Gesink was maybe only 25 metres or so up the road. It wasn't steep. I can hardly believe that no other fave tried to chase him down or go with him.

 

[powderpuff]

What i'm confused about is why noone, not Rodriguez, Valverde, Evans, Basso etc., took over from Danielson when he had to abandon the chase. I mean, TD did all the hard work, and when he was finished Gesink was maybe only 25 metres or so up the road. It wasn't steep. I can hardly believe that no other fave tried to chase him down or go with him.

I think Cadel didn't want to be in gold today unless it was by a long way, he started to go but i think he may have got a call from the DS; Basso looks like he is waiting for one big assault when that happens needs to be sooner than later. Great effort by Gesink but only gained 10 secs over 2 kms, excluding time bonuses.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I think Cadel didn't want to be in gold today unless it was by a long way, he started to go but i think he may have got a call from the DS; Basso looks like he is waiting for one big assault when that happens needs to be sooner than later. Great effort by Gesink but only gained 10 secs over 2 kms, excluding time bonuses.

Hmmm... I think evans likes being in gold. He seemed pretty upset when he lost it. I agree it suits him to not have gold. But to let a favorite ride off to avoid your team doing work seems unlike evans, considering of all people, Evans knows you can lose a GT by seconds.

Gesink did do well, considering how little the gradient was. If he has form, he could ride into gold in the next two days.

 

[Moondance]

Great effort by Gesink but only gained 10 secs over 2 kms, excluding time bonuses.

Fair point, but he did gain time when none of the other favorites did. It wasn't steep and there was headwind. If it had been a couple % points steeper and with no wind maybe he gains 25 seconds or so, maybe more. Therefore I'm feeling good about tomorrow. Should be an epic finish, and hope Gesink can keep the attacks up.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Danielson actually blew trying to stay with Gesink, and after Danielson blew, nobody wanted to close the gap. If Valverde or Evans was in 2nd position I'm pretty sure they would've hung on

 

[pistaxio]

A little disappointed with today's stage. The only one who had the courage to try to gain time was Gesink. It seems that everyone is saving energy for the next days but climbers like Basso doesn't have many more opportunities to gain time.
Tomorrow´s stage is vital.

Cant wait

 

[Mellow Velo]

That was a real turd of a stage. Sheep led by Lambs.
If RH (chapeau, great ride) and DLG hadn't been up the road, I'll bet Valverde would have pinched another 20 seconds of his docile "contenders".
Cuddles needs to do nothing but follow wheels all the way to the Madrid ITT, so he's mucho happy.
Basso is riding for third. Sanchez is struggling. Danielson????? wait and see, I guess. Mosquera at least tried his best, but is not up to last year's mark.
Cunego could become a real threat, IMO, if he didn't already have one eye on the Worlds.

So that leaves us with Bobby G to light a fire under these damp squibs.
Go Gesink! I say and watch the others cling together for safety.

 

[powderpuff]

anyone know what happened to the channel surfing feed of the race? I ended up watching a rtve.es feed thru justin.tv . I'm in Australia.

 

[Master50]

Is this Ryder's first victory in Europe?

I wouldn't begrudge that him either, especially given how close he was a few days back to Gerrans.

not his first but perhaps his biggest so far. Home town kids kicks some ****. I first saw him race at burnt bridge in a MTB race. He was a junior and started 3 or 5 minutes behind the Elite men and I think he came second or third in that race and obviously winning the Junior race. Between him and Roland Green, it is funny that they both started out in the other discipline. Roland was a roadie and Ryder was a mountain biker.

 

[pistaxio]

Saw all the stage without problems here:

http://streamingan.net/

^^

 

[powderpuff]

Saw all the stage without problems here:

http://streamingan.net/

^^

Thanks I will try it tomorrow(today)... good night 245am here time to hit the sack

 

[amp300]

Happy for Ryder today, just read on velonews all the second places he has had in his career, good to see him get a GT stage.
Also pleased with Gesink today (there is a lot of man-love on this board for this guy), I am thinking that with two more mountain stages no one else wanted to really throw down, only try to soften each other up while knowing what lies ahead. We'll know in two days!