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

[LaFlorecita]

Still makes me wonder how/why Rodriguez lost to Hesjedal in the Giro and now can match/beat Contador. Dafuq?

Yeah. It's frustrating.

 

[LaFlorecita]

If there was a TT, I doubt we would see this much action. Contador would be content to follow and rely on his superior TT.

Yes. And I don't care. I don't care for action as long as Alberto wins.

 

[airstream]

In the Giro 2011 Purito was not prepared well enough even to take seconds in his territory, say the finish on Macugnaga. But who cared? Everyone enjoyed only the Great One's shape.

The fans of the rider who won the Tour bonuses complain about bonuses?

 

[Anonymous]

And it is irrelevant whether Purito wins and by what margin.
What matters is that he won/is winning due to his uphill sprints, if not for those then he may not have won and we have no proof to say he is stronger.

Mere numbers and seconds dont show anything if their only reason is due to some ineffectual proof.

If we measure riders by winning, and if those riders are aiming for GC and there is no misfortune involved for any of the riders then the better one is the one who won GC. If you talk of some other quality other than winning then it's OK, but this way you have winners and other people.
Everyone has a specialty. Yes, Purito has uphill sprinting, but he wouldn't get a chance for a sprint if he had been dropped before.

Intelligent riders prepare their fitness and strategy accordingly to the stages' setup and that's what he did.

 

[Froome19]

Yes. And I don't care. I don't care for action as long as Alberto wins.

lol, what about all the love for Alberto's attacking style?

 

[LaFlorecita]

lol, what about all the love for Alberto's attacking style?

I love it. But when Alberto doesn't win I don't care how many times he attacked. The only thing that matters is that he didn't win.

 

[airstream]

I love it. But when Alberto doesn't win I don't care how many times he attacked. The only thing that matters is that he didn't win.

It means 2 things. a). you don't like him, but like yourself when he wins; b) you are very greedy. many worthy guys who deserve to win too.

 

[LaFlorecita]

It means 2 things. a). you don't like him, but like yourself when he wins; b) you are very greedy. many worthy guys who deserve to win too.

Too hilarious Thanks for making me laugh

 

[Miburo]

Purito is just amazing, this dude just can't be cracked. Unbelievable.

Contador tried but no use. But ok aslong as there's bola del mundo i've hope and it's still 5 days away. Last chance for Contador to get his superday.

Based on the previous stages you would say it's over but with Contador you never know.

Now he has to gamble, go at 10 km. It doesn't matter anyways. If he blows up he blows up. 2nd place is safe anyways.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Purito is just amazing, this dude just can't be cracked. Unbelievable.

Contador tried but no use. But ok aslong as there's bola del mundo i've hope and it's still 5 days away. Last chance for Contador to get his superday.

Based on the previous stages you would say it's over but with Contador you never know.

Now he has to gamble, go at 10 km. It doesn't matter anyways. If he blows up he blows up. 2nd place is safe anyways.

The problem is that even if he goes at 10 km to go Purito will be right on his wheel.

Besides I don't think Alberto's "superday" will be much better than what we saw today and yesterday.

 

[Fidolix]

Sky got blown by Saxo, Katusha got blown by Saxo, Euskatel go blown by Saxo, and nobody believed they could do that, except Riis.

Purito is too strong for AC this year, but really, it´s only AC´s 2nd race after his ban, I think it´s fair to say, we gonna have a battle never seen before in next years tour, both a battle for the gc, but also a battle of which got the strongest team and can take control of the race, tomorrow will probably tell us a lot more after the announcements.

 

[Lexman]

Still makes me wonder how/why Rodriguez lost to Hesjedal in the Giro and now can match/beat Contador. Dafuq?

indeed makes one wonder

 

[Publicus]

Sky got blown by Saxo, Katusha got blown by Saxo, Euskatel go blown by Saxo, and nobody believed they could do that, except Riis.

Purito is too strong for AC this year, but really, it´s only AC´s 2nd race after his ban, I think it´s fair to say, we gonna have a battle never seen before in next years tour, both a battle for the gc, but also a battle of which got the strongest team and can take control of the race, tomorrow will probably tell us a lot more after the announcements.

Saxo has done some terrific work on Contador's behalf. I hope they all recover well on the 2nd rest day.

 

[ghostofjoy]

Still makes me wonder how/why Rodriguez lost to Hesjedal in the Giro and now can match/beat Contador. Dafuq?

two thoughts:

a) contador isn't at full strength. the only person we've seen 'ride' into form at gt's lately has been andy schleck, and that's still after a full spring program. contador had no real race miles, and while he can obviously still attack, he can't hold a high enough tempo after attacking. the idea of him riding into form, especially over such a grueling gt as this vuelta has been, seemed unrealistic from the beginning.

b) bert's strategy of sharp attacking and backing off plays right into j-rod's strengths, namely violent anaerobic accelerations followed by a (relatively) mild tempo. in the giro, hesjedal ground him down for all but the last k, and then would accelerate away, still using aerobic power. and as we saw on stelvio, j-rod could still easily get a jump and gap on ryder.

 

[roundabout]

So, Cobertoria. Rodriguez happily riding around near the back of a stretched out group. 4 or 5 Saxos ahead. What does Contador/his DS do?

a) pick up the pace for the group to split and make Rodriguez and Katusha work

b) drop back and check how he is doing

c) keep on riding like before

 

[theyoungest]

two thoughts:

a) contador isn't at full strength. the only person we've seen 'ride' into form at gt's lately has been andy schleck, and that's still after a full spring program. contador had no real race miles, and while he can obviously still attack, he can't hold a high enough tempo after attacking. the idea of him riding into form, especially over such a grueling gt as this vuelta has been, seemed unrealistic from the beginning.

b) bert's strategy of sharp attacking and backing off plays right into j-rod's strengths, namely violent anaerobic accelerations followed by a (relatively) mild tempo. in the giro, hesjedal ground him down for all but the last k, and then would accelerate away, still using aerobic power. and as we saw on stelvio, j-rod could still easily get a jump and gap on ryder.

Still, I can't help but think that Ryder Hesjedal would not have been one of the big three in this Vuelta. Rather, he'd have been in that group that always comes in about a minute behind.

 

[Fidolix]

Saxo has done some terrific work on Contador's behalf. I hope they all recover well on the 2nd rest day.

They will be ready, they are all in top shape, I´m not worried.
Hell, even Noval impress me, something I would swear would never happen
I predict Majka will be the best climber on the team next year, and actually he rides a fairly good TT when he needs to, in his junior days it was his TT skills that catches the eye at first.

Majka will get tougher after this Vuelta, question is if Riis will spare him for the tour instead of letting him ride the Giro, I think he will.
I´m convinced Saxo will start the tour with an awesome team.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

They will be ready, they are all in top shape, I´m not worried.
Hell, even Noval impress me, something I would swear would never happen
I predict Majka will be the best climber on the team next year, and actually he rides a fairly good TT when he needs to, in his junior days it was his TT skills that catches the eye at first.

Majka will get tougher after this Vuelta, question is if Riis will spare him for the tour instead of letting him ride the Giro, I think he will.
I´m convinced Saxo will start the tour with an awesome team.

majka is probably going to leave saxo

 

[Fidolix]

majka is probably going to leave saxo

lool naaa, dream on Ryo.
If it happens I wear any avatar of your pic next 3 months.

 

[Fidolix]

majka is probably going to leave saxo

I would actually make a bet, I say he signs with Saxo for the next 3 years, if I¨m right, will you change your avatar of my choice for a period of 3 months?

 

[hiero2]

two thoughts:

a) contador isn't at full strength. the only person we've seen 'ride' into form at gt's lately has been andy schleck, and that's still after a full spring program. contador had no real race miles, and while he can obviously still attack, he can't hold a high enough tempo after attacking. the idea of him riding into form, especially over such a grueling gt as this vuelta has been, seemed unrealistic from the beginning.

b) bert's strategy of sharp attacking and backing off plays right into j-rod's strengths, namely violent anaerobic accelerations followed by a (relatively) mild tempo. in the giro, hesjedal ground him down for all but the last k, and then would accelerate away, still using aerobic power. and as we saw on stelvio, j-rod could still easily get a jump and gap on ryder.

Still, I can't help but think that Ryder Hesjedal would not have been one of the big three in this Vuelta. Rather, he'd have been in that group that always comes in about a minute behind.

Interesting thoughts, both. I've noticed something about most of Contador's attacks - he has to slow down after. That makes it sound like a "duh", but the past couple of years, most of the time he has not been able to actually climb faster overall. So steady tempo riders - Evans, Ryder, etc have been able to keep his wheel in the long run, at least if they kept their wits. Rodriguez HAS been matching that anaerobic pacing by AC. Froome has one giant excuse for not being 100% here, the TdF. I wonder how his power output compares to this year's TdF.

But anyway, if AC can't grind out more watts than the others who are there, then his only chance is the anaerobic attack. Not much choice, I think.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I enjoyed the funny stuff on the Corterboria the most.
The final climb was just too long and too hard for even Bertie to make much of an attacking fist. He tried, but the result was a repeat of his last four attempts.

I swear, at times, half way up the climb, Purito looked stoney faced bored.
At times, Bertie looked to be suffering the agony of Tommy Voeckler.

Game well and truly over.
The podium order is sorted, regardless of the week to come.

 

[Fidolix]

Interesting thoughts, both. I've noticed something about most of Contador's attacks - he has to slow down after. That makes it sound like a "duh", but the past couple of years, most of the time he has not been able to actually climb faster overall. So steady tempo riders - Evans, Ryder, etc have been able to keep his wheel in the long run, at least if they kept their wits. Rodriguez HAS been matching that anaerobic pacing by AC. Froome has one giant excuse for not being 100% here, the TdF. I wonder how his power output compares to this year's TdF.

But anyway, if AC can't grind out more watts than the others who are there, then his only chance is the anaerobic attack. Not much choice, I think.

Well, both Valverde and Purito stated it sucks out their energy to answer to AC´s attacks, I guess that´s his tactics since there probably are noone who recovers faster than Alberto in a GC. A long term tactic and probably the best he can do against a guy as Jrod.

 

[killswitch]

Still makes me wonder how/why Rodriguez lost to Hesjedal in the Giro and now can match/beat Contador. Dafuq?

Recanati - Rocca di Cambio Distance:202 km

Sulmona - Lago Laceno Distance: 229 km

Cherasco - Cervinia Distance: 205 km

Busto Arsizio - Lecco/Pian dei Resinelli Distance: 172 km

Falzes/Pfalzen - Cortina d'Ampezzo Distance: 187 km

Treviso - Alpe di Pampeago Distance: 197 km

Caldes/Val di Sole - Passo dello Stelvio Distance: 218 km

apart from the stages in the first week all are multi-mountain stages

compare those to the stages in this Vuelta which are 150-180 kms in length with only two real multi-mountain stages.

And what JV and co has been spouting for years? That Ryder has amazing endurance and recovery. Almost completely forgoing his spring campaign to focus on the Giro which suited him and .... won. The same is happening with Jrod now.

 

[killswitch]

I predict Majka will be the best climber on the team next year, and actually he rides a fairly good TT when he needs to, in his junior days it was his TT skills that catches the eye at first.

Similar career growth as Bertie then.