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

[spalco]

If Rodriguez finishes the job and really wins the Vuelta, I think you'd have to be a completely partisan Contador fan or an idiot to dispute that he deserved it.

 

[ggusta]

mark my words, contador wins the vuelta there

He won't and you will ban me for saying why in this section of the forum. JR is not cracking. I wish he would.

 

[ManInFull]

Still, the best rider won.

Absolutely. This race was designed for a climber and Purito has proven to be the best.

Is there any chance that ASO will create a similar route for next year's 100th TdF?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

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

The guy is a coward because he is playing to his strengths? Edit- I misread, apologies.

Anyway that is a fantastic climb.

 

[The Hitch]

Some pretty crazy hard mountains in the Vuelta. Too hard? Not implying anything, and not trying to go "the clinic" on anyone, but... is it too hard? Too pro doping so too speak?

(Not sure if this is crossing the line... like I said, not implying anything as far as the riders go)

sigh. Once again, people dont go to the clinic to finish stages. They go to the clinic to win - get the money get the glory and get the girls.

You dont get the money by saying - oh i finished a hard mountain stage. And i dont think youd get many girls that way either.

 

[ferryman]

Don't bee too pessimistic. There is the World's and Lombardia.

BUT before then. We have Wednesday and Saturday, in particular, to look forward to. This Vuelta is not over until then. 28s is nothing and AC will have another weeks racing in his legs. And there is the rest day

 

[rzombie1988]

I still think AC has a chance, but he's going to have to do it the same way J-Rod did it. He's going to have to somehow win one or two stages and/or get a nice sprint and drop him Saturday for a few seconds. I think he'd be best just staying near the front, go as slow as he can and save it all for an attack at 1km.

If all else fails, he has to go all out Saturday. He waited a little too long today as I thought he should have went for it at 15km minimum. But, Saturday is the last hope. He needs to go 2005 TdF with Lance/Vino and go early and hope to crack him.

 

[Eshnar]

Some pretty crazy hard mountains in the Vuelta. Too hard? Not implying anything, and not trying to go "the clinic" on anyone, but... is it too hard? Too pro doping so too speak?

(Not sure if this is crossing the line... like I said, not implying anything as far as the riders go)

considering that the first riders in the '900 had to race 300+kms long stages... no. Seriously, enough with this nonsense hardness ==> doping.

 

[Paco_P]

sigh. Once again, people dont go to the clinic to finish stages. They go to the clinic to win - get the money get the glory and get the girls.

You dont get the money by saying - oh i finished a hard mountain stage. And i dont think youd get many girls that way either.

At any rate there are easier ways to get girls. Even dopers have to ride up the mountain.

 

[icefire]

sigh. Once again, people dont go to the clinic to finish stages. They go to the clinic to win - get the money get the glory and get the girls.

You dont get the money by saying - oh i finished a hard mountain stage. And i dont think youd get many girls that way either.

Ask them to explain Ben Johnson in Seoul 1988

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Edit: sorry Rick misread your comment, I'm an idiot

 

[LaFlorecita]

Absolutely. This race was designed for a climber and Purito has proven to be the best.

Is there any chance that ASO will create a similar route for next year's 100th TdF?

No Purito is not the best climber. He and Alberto are equal, Purito is just a better uphill sprinter.

 

[luckyboy]

considering that the first riders in the '900 had to race 300+kms long stages... no. Seriously, enough with this nonsense hardness ==> doping.

People will d*pe however hard the stages are

 

[Ildabaoth]

To say Rodríguez just sucked wheel and outsprinted Contador is outrageous. For the very first time in La Vuelta Contador was able to do long attacks, specially from relatively far away from the top of the climb, and Purito himself did the job to bring him back. It isn't sucking wheels if you are one of the very few climbers in the world capable to effectively react to Contador's attacks. And to call a +15% gradient finish a sprint is quite funny.

 

[Parrot23]

Is there any chance that ASO will create a similar route for next year's 100th TdF?

We'll have to hope with the ASO, esp. after this year's snorefest.

Hope the Spanish riders can reproduce this form at the Tour. Wish they could.

 

[Eshnar]

People will d*pe however hard the stages are

that's exactly what I meant indeed.

 

[Winterfold]

utterly heroic and completely brilliant but one GT like that every five years is enough, i felt dirty watching the pain and sufferring over the last three days

 

[LaFlorecita]

If Rodriguez finishes the job and really wins the Vuelta, I think you'd have to be a completely partisan Contador fan or an idiot to dispute that he deserved it.

Of course he deserves it. Doesn't change the fact I am completely ****ed off and think Alberto deserved it much more.

 

[No_Balls]

Absolutely. This race was designed for a climber and Purito has proven to be the best.

Is there any chance that ASO will create a similar route for next year's 100th TdF?

Nah. I think they will have Tourmalet four times in one stage and the rest is a team time trial.

 

[El Pistolero]

Worlds and Lombardia??

Don't get Alberto wrong, Purito is at his best ever and the course suits 100% Purito

Situation is even worse for me.

Only way Phil can save this season is by winning Worlds and Lombardia.
Only way Contador can save this season is by winning the Vuelta.

Seems like everything will go to the Spanish(bar Contador) though, too ****ing strong.

I guess Contador could go for the time trial title, but that's a longshot in my opinion. Der Tony is better. Kessiakoff as well apparently.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Even tho he couldn't dislodge purito, contador is such a champion.

Also great ride by ltd.happy for him.

 

[Parrot23]

At any rate there are easier ways to get girls.

+1 Ha, ha

 

[LaFlorecita]

To say Rodríguez just sucked wheel and outsprinted Contador is outrageous. For the very first time in La Vuelta Contador was able to do long attacks, specially from relatively far away from the top of the climb, and Purito himself did the job to bring him back. It isn't sucking wheels if you are one of the very few climbers in the world capable to effectively react to Contador's attacks. And to call a +15% gradient finish a sprint is quite funny.

It's called an uphill sprint and it's what Purito excels at.

 

[hrotha]

IMO this super steep climbs gig is getting old pretty fast. They should be something special, but the Vuelta is overdoing them.

More of the same at the Bola.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Purito if he does win.
Surely rider of year.