Stage 20 - Toledo ITT - September 19th

[auscyclefan94]

A summary of the stage by organisers; people have been saying this is a technical course but read this little exert from la vuelta site...

The route of this stage, which takes place on Saturday 19th September and includes a significant short climb, is basically flat and is suitable for specialists. Taking place just 24 hours before the end of the race, the Toledo time-trial will be the last opportunity for the main riders to secure a place on the final podium and may even play a decisive role in defining the overall winner.

Enjoy the race...

 

[cyclingmad]

Placings

1. David Millar
2. Samuel Sanchez
3. Cadel Evans
4. Lars Boom

Millar the only specialist left in the race that isn't tired and believes he can win.
Still he has a habit of just missing wins since his ban. Kiriyenka will be tired from working for Valverde and maybe Lars Boom will be too tired as well

Sanchez wont take enough time to overhall Valverde all these 4 will be within 1 min of each other

 

[benpounder]

If Cadel is able to climb back on to the podium, and I suspect he will, good for him. I dont think he will climb over Valverde.

All his whining this past week will ensure that while we can applaud his performance, he has not, nor will not win over new fans.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Boom for a top 3.

 

[blaxland]

If millar has any power left then he may win...cadel second and sanchez 3rd...

 

[auscyclefan94]

If Cadel is able to climb back on to the podium, and I suspect he will, good for him. I dont think he will climb over Valverde.

All his whining this past week will ensure that while we can applaud his performance, he has not, nor will not win over new fans.

Why do you say that?

 

[benpounder]

Because I believe it to be true.

Cadel is no George Hincapie, no Jens Voight, no Fabian Cancellara. If he podiums, most will acknowledge his feat, but few who were not fans already will suddenly admire the guy. Like Lance and Vino, he has a personality that many find off-putting, and success does not change that.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Because I believe it to be true.

Cadel is no George Hincapie, no Jens Voight, no Fabian Cancellara. If he podiums, most will acknowledge his feat, but few who were not fans already will suddenly admire the guy. Like Lance and Vino, he has a personality that many find off-putting, and success does not change that.

A lot of people liked vino before he tested positive

 

[msjett]

Because I believe it to be true.

Cadel is no George Hincapie, no Jens Voight, no Fabian Cancellara. If he podiums, most will acknowledge his feat, but few who were not fans already will suddenly admire the guy. Like Lance and Vino, he has a personality that many find off-putting, and success does not change that.

I didn't realise that riding GT's and other races was about winning fans, silly me, I thought it was about winning the race.

Of course when you, say what you are really feeling about the situation people find that extremely off putting.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I like Sanchez chances, mostly because I think he's going to be chasing the overall GC with all this might, and he seems fairly well rested, and fairly strong. Then again, so does Valverde.

If Millar feels good, and can get over the climb without a delay, he could indeed win.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Un-fun fact: For Robert gesink to get 5th place he must gain 7 seconds per kilometre on ezequeil Mosquera. For that to happen mosquera must have a day like rasmussen in 05 and gesink must be on a good day.
Poor old gesink

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

at this point, I think anything off the podium (which he really deserved) was a disspointment for gesink. He wont be too concerned with getting 5th place at this stage i'd say. He is more likely to drop down the overall.

not to matter, I get the feeling gesink will be stepping on a lot of GT podiums in the future

PS: I really think the rabo boys have ridden brilliantly for gesink this vuelta too.

 

[issoisso]

I wonder who will win. What with Millar's uncanny ability to always go just slow enough to be second

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I still think one of the GC guys, Sanchez, Evans, Valverde even..

Also interested to see where Boom ends

 

[laurentiu46]

I wonder who will win. What with Millar's uncanny ability to always go just slow enough to be second

Since he won that TT around Cuenca back in 2006,just a few hundreds of a second ahead of Cancellara,looks like the first place in forbidden for Millar,he manages to get top placings,excepting the very top.

Boom has stated after his stage win that he still has one more target,Toledo.
Good performances could come from Moerenhout and Westra,also Kiryienka and Frantisek Rabon.
I'm going with Sanchez for the day.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I think boom could do really well here.
He has improved as the GT has gone on. 9th in the stage 7 ITT. Just some 25 seconds behind millar and around ten seconds behind SS. As i said earlier, I believe he will top 3, with an outside shot at victory. SS might be extra motivated today though. think Valv. will perform well too, annnd I expect a good show from basso, maybe holding off evans.

 

[El Imbatido]

I think Basso's 3rd place is under serious threat from Evans as there is only 9 seconds between them(IIRC). And Basso ain't exactly world class against the clock.

 

[msjett]

I have thought about the TT today, but can't pick a clear winner for my mind.
Not a day for any favourites to have a shocker, being as close as they are in times.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Not an easy TT. Riders report up and down all the time and some pretty nasty climbs.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Not an easy TT. Riders report up and down all the time and some pretty nasty climbs.

On velta site i was told it was the course for the specialists - mainly flat.

Top 3
Sanchez/Evans
Sanchez/Evans
valverde
millar
gesink - will recover from yesterday!

 

[issoisso]

Sánchez for the stage, Valverde to do best out of the others.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Bodnar beats Rabon. Was thinking Franti could be up there today.

 

[auscyclefan94]

millar will not be the winner today.

 

[issoisso]

millar will not be the winner today.

Quite likely. He's never good in the third week.

 

[Bala Verde]

Ahhh, Karsten Kroon is enjoying the scenery...