Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2019, March 25-31

[wheresmybrakes]

Re:

The boss wins the sprint

well he does need to get some practice in ready for the points jersey in the Giro.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Froome loses a second every second.

 

[spalco]

Slo-mo sprints look so stupid.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Stage

 

[Sestriere]

What kind of an idea was that from Schachmann?

 

[70kmph]

Valverde gains 9 sec today

 

[TourOfSardinia]

 

[Velolover2]

Valverde will lead the race going into Vallter 2000 with 14 secs if he pick up the bonus seconds before the MTF. Question is how Movistar is gonna handle the attacks coming from 2×Yates and Bernal.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I don't see how Valverde can possibly lose this unless he suffers a massive meltdown tomorrow. La Molina suits him very well and he can get probably at least 20 more seconds worth of boni's throughout the race. That should be sufficient.

 

[fuiers]

Vau, Warren Barquil finished 13th today. That´s impressive from a guy who had a horrible crash in Paris-Nice and that was not so long ago. I read somewhere that he did not had any fracture after all.

 

[Leinster]

Re:

Vau, Warren Barquil finished 13th today. That´s impressive from a guy who had a horrible crash in Paris-Nice and that was not so long ago. I read somewhere that he did not had any fracture after all.

The 4 spots in front of him were Formolo, D Martin, Pinot and Bernal. Bunch sprints in Catalunya are not like bunch sprints in Belgium/Grand Tours.

But yes, good to see Barguil at the front of the field, and hopefully he can have a better season this year than last.

 

[Velolover2]

I don't see how Valverde can possibly lose this unless he suffers a massive meltdown tomorrow. La Molina suits him very well and he can get probably at least 20 more seconds worth of boni's throughout the race. That should be sufficient.

I don't know. Vallter is a long climb. Gaps could be minutes. Depends on how it is raced.

It's perfect for someone like Quintana but I don't know if he is allowed to win it. Sitting on the Yates bros' or Bernal's wheel is not a good idea since they will always be able to outsprint or outpunch him in the final k. He has to go solo.

 

[Blanco]

I don't see how Valverde can possibly lose this unless he suffers a massive meltdown tomorrow. La Molina suits him very well and he can get probably at least 20 more seconds worth of boni's throughout the race. That should be sufficient.

I don't know. Vallter is a long climb. Gaps could be minutes. Depends on how it is raced.

It's perfect for someone like Quintana but I don't know if he is allowed to win it. Sitting on the Yates bros' or Bernal's wheel is not a good idea since they will always be able to outsprint or outpunch him in the final k. He has to go solo.

Yeah, but he can sit, and sit, and sit on their wheel, waiting for Valverde, who will not be far away...

 

[Velolover2]

I don't see how Valverde can possibly lose this unless he suffers a massive meltdown tomorrow. La Molina suits him very well and he can get probably at least 20 more seconds worth of boni's throughout the race. That should be sufficient.

I don't know. Vallter is a long climb. Gaps could be minutes. Depends on how it is raced.

It's perfect for someone like Quintana but I don't know if he is allowed to win it. Sitting on the Yates bros' or Bernal's wheel is not a good idea since they will always be able to outsprint or outpunch him in the final k. He has to go solo.

Yeah, but he can sit, and sit, and sit on their wheel, waiting for Valverde, who will not be far away...

Personally, I'd attack with Quintana and force Yates, Bernal and co. to chase. Valverde can sit on their wheel and easily outsprint them if he get caught.

But if Valverde is feeling really good, it's another story of course.

 

[Blanco]

Yeah, but that way you're risking both riders position. If Quintana attacks, and burns himself out, others catch him and drop Valverde in the process, then it's game over for the Movistar.
But if Quintana marks the strongest moves (Bernal, Yates...) and sits in their wheel, waiting for Valverde, then either Bala comes and out sprints them, or Quintana has a chance to drop them near the finish cause he had a free ride.
I prefer the second option.

 

[search]

Re:

Yeah, but that way you're risking both riders position. If Quintana attacks, and burns himself out, others catch him and drop Valverde in the process, then it's game over for the Movistar.

well, there's still Soler. He said he wants to finish on the podium or something like that, so he must be in some kind of decent shape at least

 

[HelloDolly]

Movistar also have Carapaz and Soler as GC threats
What happened to Richie Porte today ...lost time


Porte and Froome need to get it together ...there are alot of young talented riders on their tails

 

[Tonton]

Historically, these two upcoming finishes don't produce huge gaps, with that kind of a buffer, for a rider of De Gendt's caliber it looks manageable IMO. And he'll be helped by many marking each other, doing the job for him while hoping for a top-5.

TDG for the win...the hare and the tortoise all over again .

 

[movingtarget]

Nice win by Matthews and an easy one after so much turmoil this season.

 

[Robert5091]

Chapeau Bling & good for Sunweb - weird last km with everyone looking at each other until Impey went with 200m left. So much for Greipel giving it 100% ! Froome's schedule for the Tdf has been messed up - be interesting to see if he carries on or goes home.

Wednesday's stage 3 Sant Feliu de Guíxols – Vallter 2000 179 km Start 12.00 CET

A training spin for 120 km then uphill. Could well be a repeat of today with a group of favorites going together almost to the finish. Unless someone really wants to win GC and attacks, the most interesting thing will be who drops out the back on the way up.

 

[Lequack]

9 Big Photos from Stage 2 (more photos added) — corvos
http://www.steephill.tv/2019/volta-a-catalunya/photos/stage-02/

And tomorrow:

 

[Lequack]

Photos from Vallter 2000 finish in 2014 - Tejay Van Garderen wins — flockton
http://www.steephill.tv/2014/volta-a-catalunya/photos/stage-04/

Photos from Vallter 2000 finish in 2013 - Nairo Quintana wins — flockton
http://www.steephill.tv/2013/volta-a-catalunya/photos/stage-03/

 

[Tonton]

Considering how the GC contenders were wussies during stage one, it could inspire an aggressive rider to give it a shot and see what happens. I hope for a repeat of stage eleven of last year's Vuelta, if you see what I mean . But I fear too much defensive riding and a 30 or so riders bunch in the final 2-3 kilometers. And De Gendt will be one of them.

Although, as we have seen before, Froome may attack solo and win the whole thing . Nothing will surprise me at this point.

 

[movingtarget]

Considering how the GC contenders were wussies during stage one, it could inspire an aggressive rider to give it a shot and see what happens. I hope for a repeat of stage eleven of last year's Vuelta, if you see what I mean . But I fear too much defensive riding and a 30 or so riders bunch in the final 2-3 kilometers. And De Gendt will be one of them.

Although, as we have seen before, Froome may attack solo and win the whole thing . Nothing will surprise me at this point.

Froome looked a bit banged up. He will go domestique I think as much as he can.

 

[Poursuivant]

Adam Yates to pip Quintana and Bernal