Vuelta 2012, Stage 16: Gijón > Cuitu Nigru (183,5 kms)

[El Pistolero]

Contador needs to start his stinging attacks much earlier, but the climb doesn't lend itself to such a tactic.
Too many lengthy, flatter sections for recuperation.
Anyhow, another session of track stands and sprints, tomorrow.

He needs to send all his good team mates on the climb before the final MTF. And perhaps try an attack at the final part of that climb(don't know the name of it).

Jrod isn't a very good descender from what I've seen of him in the past. Maybe Contador should try and put the pressure on him there. It's how Eddy Merckx won the Tour in 1971. It was raining that day however.

 

[icefire]

He needs to send all his good team mates on the climb before the final MTF. And perhaps try an attack at the final part of that climb(don't know the name of it).

Jrod isn't a very good descender from what I've seen of him in the past. Maybe Contador should try and put the pressure on him there. It's how Eddy Merckx won the Tour in 1971. It was raining that day however.

And we need a Dutch to fall on top of Purito

 

[El Pistolero]

And we need a Dutch to fall on top of Purito

I was thinking about Noval actually.

 

[icefire]

I was thinking about Noval actually.

No, no, it has to be Dutch, tall, slim and from a different team. We all know someone that fits that role

 

[El Pistolero]

No, no, it has to be Dutch, tall, slim and from a different team. We all know someone that fits that role

But is Gesink heavy enough?

 

[Jelantik]

Let's first hope, Bertie is felling superb tomorrow. Other wise all these attacks hope will be a mood point since he'll be hanging for dear life not to get dropped. *ah I got a glimpse of him loosing contact on mountain stage 2011 TDF* … wuffh…not a pretty picture.

 

[killswitch]

But is Gesink heavy enough?

The pin in his leg will be enough...

 

[icefire]

Let's first hope, Bertie is felling superb tomorrow. Other wise all these attacks hope will be a mood point since he'll be hanging for dear life not to get dropped. *ah I got a glimpse of him loosing contact on mountain stage 2011 TDF* … wuffh…not a pretty picture.

Purito needs to attack for that to happen. It won't happen.

 

[ferryman]

I've just booked tomorrrow off as a holiday to watch this (more honest than sitting all afternoon on the internet), so it is going to be fireworks from the off

 

[Carols]

Purito needs to attack for that to happen. It won't happen.

True, Purito has no reason to attack....he need only respond.

IMO the only one who can crack Alberto, is Alberto by trying to hard...it is possible he would do that on Bola de Mundo if he is still not in red. He'd have nothing to lose....2nd means little to him.

 

[Mellow Velo]

He needs to send all his good team mates on the climb before the final MTF. And perhaps try an attack at the final part of that climb(don't know the name of it).

Jrod isn't a very good descender from what I've seen of him in the past. Maybe Contador should try and put the pressure on him there. It's how Eddy Merckx won the Tour in 1971. It was raining that day however.

I agreed, but I can't see that happening, can you?

Seems like JRod having his normal, one bad mountain day per GT, is a thing of the past.

Anyone who thought he'd peaked for the Giro, think again.
He's done a Wiggins and is a whole level above his May form.

 

[Enantiomer]

why such a stage on a monday!

 

[Asturiano]

Well, La Vuelta is here in Gijón, the place where I live. In fact, the stage starts 200 metres far from my house.

I would like to make some things clear about the stage.

First, San Lorenzo is not a First Category climb as Unpublic suggest. San Lorenzo is a climb of Special Category (HC). As you can see:

Cobertoria is a climb of First Category but a really hard one.

 

[Asturiano]

And take a look to the other side of the climb going to Pola de Lena. The downhill will be very fast and it starts more or less on the place wich says "desvio":

And then Cuitu Negru:

 

[El Pistolero]

I agreed, but I can't see that happening, can you?

If it was anyone other than Contador not really no. But this is Contador we're talking about.

A snake might be dangerous, but a snake driven into a corner with only one way out is much more dangerous.

 

[rantanplan]

All about the queen stage of Cuitu Negro (final climb profile, old videos, route...)

http://www.revistadesdelacuneta.com/tengopagina.php?page=v12et16

 

[No_Balls]

I hope quintana, henao and uran are given a free role

Especially Henao and Uran have been awesome. Without them Froome would have lost massively more.

 

[the asian]

The question is from how far will Bertie attack. Attacking in the last 3 Kms will not be enough. And Saxo aren't known to ride tempo either. I think Bertie will wait till Stage 20 to give it an all or nothing. They may try a similar tactic to the one they adopted today.

otherwise will have to pray for Purito's bad day in the mountains.

 

[jilbiker]

But he can't.

(Gee there we go again.)

Disagree. AC just needs to feels good sensations at the beginning of the day. Purito is at the reserve tank right now. Closing the gap solo for the first attack was a mistake. He was in heavy red there and if AC had contnued, Purito would have cracked.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Disagree. AC just needs to feels good sensations at the beginning of the day. Purito is at the reserve tank right now. Closing the gap solo for the first attack was a mistake. He was in heavy red there and if AC had contnued, Purito would have cracked.

I hope I'm wrong but Purito seemed very comfortable. And there are only 2 mountain stages left. Time is running out.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

I hope I'm wrong but Purito seemed very comfortable. And there are only 2 mountain stages left. Time is running out.

Did he? the last attack he used his time to get up to ACs wheel, but there was to easy terrain

 

[Kwibus]

Today Alberto might have played with Purito but Purito had no necessity to go full blast to close the gaps obv. Tomorrow a finish configuration suits Joaquim perfectly so I guess he'll win by 5-10 sec again.

I just watched the race and I didn't get the impression Contador played with Rodriguez. It was more like Rodriguez played with Contador.

"So Alberto, how often are you going to try before you give up?"

 

[LaFlorecita]

I just watched the race and I didn't get the impression Contador played with Rodriguez. It was more like Rodriguez played with Contador.

"So Alberto, how often are you going to try before you give up?"

Yeah that exactly.

 

[Asturiano]

I don't know if you can watch "los pericopuertos" out of Spain, you can watch many of the climbs of Vuelta like Cuitu Negru:
http://www.rtve.es/deportes/ciclismo/vuelta-espana/

 

[Panda Claws]

I just watched the race and I didn't get the impression Contador played with Rodriguez. It was more like Rodriguez played with Contador.

"So Alberto, how often are you going to try before you give up?"

Rodriguez was as much on his limit as Contador was.

Rodriguez almost sinked through his arms during Contador's last violent acceleration. But of course Contador had no real accelerations left after that either.