Stage 20: Santa Estebo de Ribas do Sil-Puerto de Ancares (185.7 km)

[ILovecycling]

it's raining outside (here in Slovakia) so:

13:45 arsenal vs. city
16:00 vuelta
20:00 real vs. atletico

beers - check
steaks - check
friends - check

thats hell of a saturday!

 

[ILovecycling]

Had this stage been a little longer, I think Froome would have dropped them all. Contador looked really cooked in the finale.

As for todays stage, I believe Froome will go for it. For stage victory and to get time on Contador, and I think he will. Although I don't think he is in top shape right now, I think he is strong enough to drop them all.

I also expect piti to lose time to J-rod and Aru today. The question is just, how much? I hope to see them get enough to overtake him in the GC.

not contador, he is not a better climber,it will be very close or Contador will beat him.
imo its hiiiighly unlikely that Froome will drop Contador mano a mano

 

[Red Rick]

Contador: "If I'm good, it's not gonna be a problem".



http://www.nusport.nl/wielrennen/3876584/contador-als-goede-benen-heb-moet-geen-probleem-worden.html

 

[LaFlorecita]

Contador: "If I'm good, it's not gonna be a problem".



http://www.nusport.nl/wielrennen/3876584/contador-als-goede-benen-heb-moet-geen-probleem-worden.html

Alberto

 

[DFA123]

No it is not. Then everybodywould complain taht vuelta can be decided on luck or bad luck on cobbles. Can you immagine Contador will have mechanical on cobble stage?

Cobble stages are OK on the beginning of GT not in last stage.

Depends if you want to race to the end or have a processional / ceremonial last stage I guess.

Perhaps riders at the top of the GC would attack more in the mountains to give more of a cushion if there was a cobbled last stage; rather than playing ego games with Valverde

 

[Walkman]

not contador, he is not a better climber,it will be very close or Contador will beat him.
imo its hiiiighly unlikely that Froome will drop Contador mano a mano

We will see. No doubt Contador has had some steaks during the last couple of days so he might be stronger than expected but I still think Froome will drop him.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Any news on Cataldo's injury after today's crash? Froome will need an insane pace if he wants to drop Contador early on the climb

Cataldo DNS

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cataldo-forced-to-abandon-vuelta-a-espana

“He has an injured shoulder and took a blow to the head but his scan came back fine and he was cleared to return to the team hotel where medical staff will continue to observe him,” said team doctor Richard Usher.

It was nevertheless decided that Cataldo would not start the 20th stage today.

“Dario is very disappointed as he wanted to continue the race, but on medical advice, and for his own health and safety, he will not be taking the start on Saturday.”

 

[Kwibus]

We will see. No doubt Contador has had some steaks during the last couple of days so he might be stronger than expected but I still think Froome will drop him.

Steaks don't make you ride faster, unless ypu are hinting at something else(probably), if so then please get lost and post in the clinic.

 

[Walkman]

Steaks don't make you ride faster, unless ypu are hinting at something else(probably), if so then please get lost and post in the clinic.

You sure? Maybe he is doing an high protein diet! It's kind of popular these days!

 

[Ryongsyong]

You sure? Maybe he is doing an high protein diet! It's kind of popular these days!

Ooh, big brave man, trying to slip in references to things he shouldn't on an internet forum. Wow, what a guy.

 

[No_Balls]

Just report this bot trolling and baiting attempts. No need to vaste any energy on.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

If Froome was in good form he could probably put that and another minute or two into Contador but he has not shown anywhere near that form yet. Yes he did drop Contador in stage 18 and without Purito and Valverde Contador would have likely lost another 20-40 seconds but that was just one day and they have both traded off each beating the other each beating the other 3 times on climbs. Tomorrow could be Contador's day.

I see Contador being pretty attentive tomorrow and sticking to Froome's wheel until the end. Sort of like he did to a stronger Schleck in 2010 sucking his wheel all the way up the last climb. But if Froome does drop Contador early and Contador does not get saved by others pulling him up the climb its possible he could put big time on him. But then again it's just as likely that Contador drops Froome and puts big time on him

You do realise that not even Mutant Froome was able to distance a sub par Contador by the margins you suggest? And that these kind of gaps rarely ever happen between the top contenders?

Also people are reading way to much into the rather small gap that Aru and Froome crested, it was a short rather tactical climbe and instead of closing the gap shortly before the top Piti, Purito and Contador decided to play games.

 

[LaFlorecita]

You do realise that not even Mutant Froome was able to distance a sub par Contador by the margins you suggest? And that these kind of gaps rarely ever happen between the top contenders?

Also people are reading way to much into the rather small gap that Aru and Froome crested, it was a short rather tactical climbe and instead of closing the gap shortly before the top Piti, Purito and Contador decided to play games.

Meh, let them dream

 

[Asturiano]

It's going to be really entertaining.

 

[inri2000]

[quote=Kwibus;1574852

You seriously need to stop replying to obvious trolls

 

[Asturiano]

First hour: 45,4 km/h

 

[Walkman]

First hour: 45,4 km/h

Who is pushing the pace?

 

[sittingbison]

No clinic references

No mercy

Cheers
Bison

 

[RedFury]

You sure? Maybe he is doing an high protein diet! It's kind of popular these days!

How very sly of you. What are you, twelve?

 

[RedFury]

Wouldn't be surprised if this stage turns out to be a reprise of La Farrapona. I see Sky pulling like mad to launch Froome @ Ancares...and Beto going right with him when he does. The rest is deja-vu all over again with perhaps Alberto putting in a bigger charge. Just because he feels he can. Champion's egos at stake.

 

[icefire]

Wouldn't be surprised if this stage turns out to be a reprise of La Farrapona. I see Sky pulling like mad to launch Froome @ Ancares...and Beto going right with him when he does. The rest is deja-vu all over again with perhaps Alberto putting in a bigger charge. Just because he feels he can. Champion's egos at stake.

There are a few differences between this and Farrapona. There's no flat run-in between the last two climbs and riders will face a wall of 12% with 10kms to go and they will remain on double digit slopes for 6kms. The leaders may still ride together but they'll be alone further from the finish so we might see either a slightly longer race or more repetitions of the attack, stop, watch & wheelsuck show from P&P

 

[cineteq]

Fast and narrow descent after penultimate climb (Alto de Folgueiras de Aigas) could be a factor
Video => http://youtu.be/Pnc-9kgTdZs (Pedro Delgado's Preview)

 

[Carols]

That TT is a waste of time, the time gaps will be between 0-10 seconds, a colossal waste of a stage.

If one prefers boring hours of parading followed by a final sprint I guess it's a waste. But then I'm not a sprint fan, especially after hours of nothing.

Speaking for myself I definitely prefer a final little ITT .

 

[l.Harm]

What time does the broadcasting start?

 

[TourOfSardinia]

What time does the broadcasting start?

According to http://www.steephill.tv/vuelta-a-espana/#live
Earliest live video: 15:00 CEST (3:00:00 PM GMT+0200);
but that might be optimistic