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

[Ildabaoth]

What an amazing stage. Chapeau Purito and Contador himself doesn't ever give up. Whoever wins La Vuelta (Rodríguez) will definitely deserve it a lot.

 

[Eshnar]

Eventually, the hardest stage of the Vuelta happened to be the best (though not epic anyway). Who would have thought of that.

 

[Jelantik]

Poor Froome.. He almost fell of his bike. Can't stand straight going to the tent.

 

[will10]

That battle reminded me of Di Luca vs. Menchov in the Giro 09. Head and shoulders ahead of everyone else, very evenly matched but Di Luca just couldn't shake the Pope.

 

[the asian]

Purito is in absolutely awesome shape. Vuelta win wrapped up. It also confirms that bertie is only 2nd to Purito on the super steep stuff. Good try by Bertie.

Cataldo really looked like dropping dead any moment. Awesome ride by him .

Gendt nice 2nd place, pity no repeat of Stelvio.

Super steep climb The road is a bit wider than Bola.

 

[luckyboy]

Nice from Majka, not far back from Froome

 

[doperhopper]

Lol Cataldo vs De Gendt = crawl contest

still fresh wrt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTn1v5TGK_w

 

[LaFlorecita]

Ok...I admit I get tired of that Purito outsprinting Bertie stuff

Yeah same here

 

[burning]

this climb is even crazier than I thought, just wow

 

[JimPanzen]

So Bertie has to hope for Stage 20 now and that Puritos legs are somewhat locked after the coming 3 relatively "easy" days.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Slalom guy is back. No marginal gains in Vuelta?

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Crazy climb. Just insane.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

1 142 CATALDO, Dario OPQ 5h 18' 28''
2 211 DE GENDT, Thomas VCD + 7''
3 101 RODRIGUEZ, Joaquin KAT + 2' 39''
4 201 CONTADOR, Alberto STB + 2' 41''
5 9 VALVERDE, Alejandro MOV + 2' 58''
6 7 QUINTANA, Nairo Alexander MOV + 3' 24''
7 71 ANTON, Igor EUS + 4' 07''
8 91 TALANSKY, Andrew GRS + 4' 15''
9 168 TEN DAM, Laurens RAB + 4' 18''
10 161 GESINK, Robert RAB + 4' 21''
11 4 INTXAUSTI, Beñat MOV + 4' 39''
12 107 MORENO, Daniel KAT + 4' 42''
13 132 DE CLERCQ, Bart LTB + 5' 07''
14 181 FROOME, Christopher SKY + 5' 11''
15 171 MONFORT, Maxime RNT + 5' 13''

 

[Enantiomer]

I never thought I would say this, but I actually miss a flat TT now.

 

[LaFlorecita]

So Bertie has to hope for Stage 20 now and that Puritos legs are somewhat locked after the coming 3 relatively "easy" days.

I just hope he can win the stage but it will probably be Purito outsprinting him again.

 

[trevim]

I hope they give a rest to this climb now. Using it too much will kill the drama and the expectation.

 

[hfer07]

well- I think this is it for Contador- there is no way he'll distance Purito at the Bola del mundo with that kind of form. Still pleased to watch him trying & putting a good fight for the GC. He'll be fine next year

 

[LaFlorecita]

I never thought I would say this, but I actually miss a flat TT now.

I'd trade Bola for a TT right now.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

That was a crazy finish. Havn´t seen something like this in 30 years, AFIR.

 

[No_Balls]

well- I think this is it for Contador- there is no way he'll distance Purito at the Bola del mundo with that kind of form. Still pleased to watch him trying & putting a good fight for the GC. He'll be fine next year

Yeah he did ok. But Purito in this kind of "form" is simply to much it seems.

 

[ruamruam]

still fresh wrt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTn1v5TGK_w

That was very funny

 

[Red Rick]

Jrod was completely spent, he could only sprint from 50m or something. He only takes two seconds because of a weird ability to put out a big sprint way over the limit. On this kind of climb you only finish together if you're at least 99% equal. If not, Jrod is by far the biggest coward in the sport

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

Once again the vuelta will be won on time bonuses rather than the fastest man on the road. I suspect this year Purito could have taken more time if he had attacked earlier on a few of these MTF's.

 

[rzombie1988]

Not an epic stage, but a good one.

I don't think we are watching the same Contador anymore. This is not Giro '11Contador. In fact, I think that Contador would laugh at him. I think some of it is because they are keeping up too high of a pace and by the time the mountain comes, Contador can't do his typical attacks.

Re: Time bonuses - Even without the time bonuses, J-Rod would have won. He gained a few seconds every finish. Had it not been for the bonuses, we would have had more "gift" finishes.

 

[El Pistolero]

De Gendt beaten by Sky's marginal gains obviously.

Anyway good stage, disappointed in the results though. You lost the Vuelta Bertie, but please say **** you to Purito at the Worlds and do your thing instead of working for someone else!