Volta a Catalunya 2013 - Stage 3: Vidreres → Vallter 2000 (180km)

[JimPanzen]

Nico Roche not so good today 58th on stage.

Not sure if Saxo was good move for him.

Saxo in general completely off the radar during this stage. Let's see how the A-Team minus Contador performs in CI.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Saxo in general completely off the radar during this stage. Let's see how the A-Team minus Contador performs in CI.

it is not the A-team

 

[JimPanzen]

it is not the A-team

Isn't CI the race which Rogers, Kreuziger, Roche etc. will all ride together?

edit: Ohh, I see...that's Pais Vasco.

 

[postmanhat]

ugh, not steep enough??.. i thought the gradient was like 12%? otherwise sky would have been driving in the front already since the bottom of the climb?

Looked like a really slow pace to me. Van Den Broecke was able to get a few metres for a while!

Surely this is Sky's B or even C team for the two main GTs?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Isn't CI the race which Rogers, Kreuziger, Roche etc. will all ride together?

No, that is Pais Vasco, in CI Manuele, Cantwell, Sutherland, McCarthy, Rogers, Paulinho and Jesus will ride

 

[Big Gear]

Nico Roche not so good today 58th on stage.

Not sure if Saxo was good move for him.

Not sure if Roche was a good move for Saxo.

Is going to be a climber-Dom for AC? Don't think so. Is he going to win anything as a team leader? Don't think so.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Not sure if Roche was a good move for Saxo.

Is going to be a climber-Dom for AC? Don't think so. Is he going to win anything as a team leader? Don't think so.

He is going to be super domestique for Alberto in certain races like for example the tour, and in others like PN or Catalunya he is allowed to ride for himself

 

[Big Gear]

He is going to be super domestique for Alberto in certain races like for example the tour, and in others like PN or Catalunya he is allowed to ride for himself

Yes, minus the "super". My point is I don't think he adds much to Saxo either as a dom for Alberto in the tour, or in bringing in wins as a team leader in smaller races.

 

[JimPanzen]

He is going to be super domestique for Alberto in certain races like for example the tour, and in others like PN or Catalunya he is allowed to ride for himself

From what we see now, you can eliminate the "super".

 

[LaFlorecita]

Yes, minus the "super". My point is I don't think he adds much to Saxo either as a dom for Alberto in the tour, or in bringing in wins as a team leader in smaller races.

If you can finish top 15 in the Tour you are in theory a super domestique

 

[LaFlorecita]

From what we see now, you can eliminate the "super".

well from what we see now everyone on saxo sucks and compared to Alberto at the moment they aren't much worse

 

[greenedge]

Great win by Quintana.

Nice ride by Bennet to come 20th too- after being injured, in stage 2.

 

[JimmyFingers]

Honestly, I'd prefer Gesink to win the Giro, but one has to admit Wiggins attacked quite well, given that was his debut attacking move. Manner of pedaling reminds Armstrong and Contador...

LOL

ten char

 

[LaFlorecita]

Honestly, I'd prefer Gesink to win the Giro, but one has to admit Wiggins attacked quite well, given that was his debut attacking move. Manner of pedaling reminds Armstrong and Contador...

have you ever seen Alberto attack airstream dear I guess not, I think you always switch off the TV when he does

 

[airstream]

have you ever seen Alberto attack airstream dear I guess not, I think you always switch off the TV when he does

I said 'manner', implying gears primarily. Naturally, their attacks have absolutely different results.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

That Movistar won this stage is only fitting. I am happy for them. Also happy to see Rodríguez up there with the stage finishing where it did.

Xavier Tondó, siempre con nosotros

 

[will10]

Nice last 2km, terrible up to then.

Quintana was undoubtably the strongest. Wiggins placed a nice attack and Nairo was straight onto the wheel. Don't get the praise for Valverde, he was fortunate others closed the gap to the front three and even then Wiggins closed the gap to him and Purito in the final metres which is unheard of really. Quintana's final attack was huge. For anyone who was still in doubt - this guy is the real deal.

 

[jamesmasters]

Not sure why Sky bothered sending Wiggins to a stage race with no TT. No chance he can win this.

It's just training for the Giro. Maybe some guys will finish ahead of him but I doubt he'll care because it's the GTs that matter. He only needs to be competitive with guys like Quintana, Jrod in the climbs on a GT because of the massive beatdown he can put on them in a time trial. And he seems to be able to stay with them so far. Will be interesting to see who comes out on top in the next few stages.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Nice last 2km, terrible up to then.

Quintana was undoubtably the strongest. Wiggins placed a nice attack and Nairo was straight onto the wheel. Don't get the praise for Valverde, he was fortunate others closed the gap to the front three and even then Wiggins closed the gap to him and Purito in the final metres which is unheard of really. Quintana's final attack was huge. For anyone who was still in doubt - this guy is the real deal.

Here is a different view on the Valverde situation. J-Rod is the strongest rider on paper when we get close to the finish line like today, so when Wiggins attacked, Quintana responded whereas Valverde stayed with J-Rod. J-Rod obviously wanted to win the stage and dragged Valverde with him. Perfect tactics from Movistar. Leader jersey to Valverde while spending minimal energy.

So Valverde weak or strong? We will see after stage 4.

 

[hayzer114]

Very disapointing performance by Roche again today unfortunately. This seems to be a common trend that he is imploding on the climbs once the pace gets upped. Over the last couple of years I taught he didnt get enough support from the team (AG2R) in the mountains and I was thinking the same earlier in the season in Paris-Nice and today to a certain extent. I am starting to question his climbing abilities. He stated in the Independent that he hadnt done a lot of spriniting lately. Now I am not stating that he is ever going to be an out and out sprinter but surely he may be better served by forgetting GC aspirations and developing a strong finishing kick/sprint and go for stages because at the moment his climbing is costing him dearly and if he cant stay up front in the climbs hes chances of being on the tour team will take a major hit.

 

[postmanhat]

Nice last 2km, terrible up to then.

Quintana was undoubtably the strongest. Wiggins placed a nice attack and Nairo was straight onto the wheel. Don't get the praise for Valverde, he was fortunate others closed the gap to the front three and even then Wiggins closed the gap to him and Purito in the final metres which is unheard of really. Quintana's final attack was huge. For anyone who was still in doubt - this guy is the real deal.

Would be great to have someone else in the mix for the the mountains, but I'd be surprised if Quintana features in the longer GT stages. Unless he gets a tow like today. Seemed like slow stage with only a medium amount of hurt inflicted by Wiggins in the final 2K

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Would be great to have someone else in the mix for the the mountains, but I'd be surprised if Quintana features in the longer GT stages. Unless he gets a tow like today. Seemed like slow stage with only a medium amount of hurt inflicted by Wiggins in the final 2K

Why would you consider that to be the case, exactly?

 

[Jelantik]

Nice last 2km, terrible up to then.

Quintana was undoubtably the strongest. Wiggins placed a nice attack and Nairo was straight onto the wheel. Don't get the praise for Valverde, he was fortunate others closed the gap to the front three and even then Wiggins closed the gap to him and Purito in the final metres which is unheard of really. Quintana's final attack was huge. For anyone who was still in doubt - this guy is the real deal.

moviestar better take care of him or sky will snatch him!

 

[Winterfold]

Hmm I thought that was pretty canny by Valverde, as he usually is.

Nice bit of showboating again by Wiggo and pretty awesome finish by Quintana.

Good last 2km even if the rest was pretty dull

 

[RHRH19861986]

No good sign at all Rujano lost so much time today.

He´s always good for a stage win in the Giro, but to be podium contender, today wasn´t very encouraging.

But still six, seven weeks to go.