Vuelta 2012, Stage 17: Santander > Fuente Dé (187 km)

[The Hitch]

And his physical potential is not even the biggest factor in that.

Umm, take it to the clinic

 

[Kwibus]

exactly, purito simply had an awful day otherwise i don't think this would have worked

Not sure. I think this is the best way to attack Purito.
You shouldn't wait until the last 5km.

 

[masking_agent]

this year's Vuelta is surely making the tour look like a snore-fest

 

[Miburo]

Umm, take it to the clinic

I think he mentioned Contador's will, his heart to win is so big.

Although it could be clinic though, not sure.

 

[Kwibus]

Umm, take it to the clinic

Maybe I'm wrong, but I got the feeling (maybe I'm very naive) he was talking about Alberto's incredible willpower.

 

[The Hitch]

It's no secret I am not his biggest fan either for obvious reasons. I can't deny though he is the best GT rider I have seen in my 20 years following this sport. That was a privilege to watch. It's one of those moments where people will ask you in 20 years did you watch it. It was that good.

Damn was it that good? I went out on my bike for an hour thinking when i got home at 1600 there would be 40 k left and some action on the last climb.

I got home and there was 5 and some gaps saying Contador - 1.01 - Valverde.

 

[Bexon30]

What fantastic racing and tactics.
AC is the strongest of his generation.
The Sky team have their work cut out come July....

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Contador is such a genius. Not only physically. His tactics were spot on. He'll just find a way to break you eventually

 

[Publicus]

Had Rodriguez been at his usual form, he could have caught Contador the way Valverde did it. Just one of those days where everything came together. What a stage!

But isn't this what GT is about? How you recover day to day over 3 weeks? One bad day is all it takes.... Hell Contador could implode on Saturday.

 

[ManInFull]

Yes

I know you are grinning from ear to ear. Bravo to Alberto!

 

[hfer07]

FFFFFFVVVVVVVVVVCCCCKKKKKKKKK!!!!!! I missed the stage!!!!!!




*I'll watch it tonight

 

[Netserk]

If it weren't for all the attacks throughout the race, I don't think he would have cracked Purito.

 

[Kwibus]

Contador is such a genius. Not only physically. His tactics were spot on. He'll just find a way to break you eventually

Point is he will never ever give up. He will never ride to consolidate his 2nd or 3rd place. He will attack and attack and attack until he wins or he loses, but if he loses then he always did it by trying to win it.

Not many cyclists got that mentality.

 

[hrotha]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I got the feeling (maybe I'm very naive) he was talking about Alberto's incredible willpower.

That's what I meant.

 

[gregod]

But isn't this what GT is about? How you recover day to day over 3 weeks? One bad day is all it takes.... Hell Contador could implode on Saturday.

wander over to the clinic and you'll find out why that won't happen

 

[Miburo]

But isn't this what GT is about? How you recover day to day over 3 weeks? One bad day is all it takes.... Hell Contador could implode on Saturday.

I can't recall he ever had such a bad day besides when Schleck won on the galibier of course. But besides that Contador never had a bad day in a GT where he lost minutes.

 

[The Hitch]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I got the feeling (maybe I'm very naive) he was talking about Alberto's incredible willpower.

I know, i was only messing with hrotha to try and put him on the back foot

 

[Donkey]

FFFFFFVVVVVVVVVVCCCCKKKKKKKKK!!!!!! I missed the stage!!!!!!




*I'll watch it tonight

I missed that one too!!!

where are you going to watch it?

 

[pablo0642]

"Point is he will never ever give up. He will never ride to consolidate his 2nd or 3rd place. He will attack and attack and attack until he wins or he loses, but if he loses then he always did it by trying to win it."

Not many cyclists got that mentality. "

Yep Kwibus thats exactly what I was trying to say (but you've said it more succintly). Hopefully we'll see more of this in the future now - and certainly less riding for 8th or whatever that some of the dutch riders especially have been guilty of..

 

[Publicus]

wander over to the clinic and you'll find out why that won't happen

I JUST took a shower, so I'm not trying to wade into the muck just yet.

 

[Alpehue]

For christ sake!!! Decided to not watch the stage today as i dident expect anything big to happen, and now this...

Cant wait for rtve.es to get the video of the live coverage up in a few mins...

 

[Miburo]

Point is he will never ever give up. He will never ride to consolidate his 2nd or 3rd place. He will attack and attack and attack until he wins or he loses, but if he loses then he always did it by trying to win it.

Not many cyclists got that mentality.

Exactly. I can count them on one hand maybe even 1 finger.

If Purito had the balls to try and attack from 6 km on the stelvio he might have won the giro but he was too scared that he would lose the podium then.

 

[Publicus]

I can't recall he ever had such a bad day besides when Schleck won on the galibier of course. But besides that Contador never had a bad day in a GT where he lost minutes.

I'm just saying that the recovery aspect, relative to the other cyclist, plays an important role. Not that I THINK Contador will crack.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

The word 'epic' is misused far too much on the Internet.

This day was a day to use the word.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Fmi I missed this.

I'm very happy for ac, but I feel so bad for purito