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

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Aug 29, 2012
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Well I admit I thought my bet on Purito was safe this morning, but that was epic. Truly truly epic.

Contador's will to never accept second place is what makes a true champion. What made the TdF so dull was that even when Nibali got into that breakaway group he went back like some lost sheepdog and was happy to defend third.

Sad for purito and not just because i lost my modest bet on him, but he must not have got on his bike yesterday because he was feeling a bit under the weather. But Contador deserved the red jersey, and the stage victory today.

To answer the 'clinic' question seeing as the ITV guys bought it up I saw nothing fishy about the win today. Saxo have been loosening up Katusha's domestique's for the last few days. Moreno in particular has done alot of work. They softened them up further this morning with an early attack, obviously Katusha would have had to work hard to bring that back.

Now when Contador went with Purito feeling a bit under the weather and probably not at full concentration h missed him. He was going to rely on his team to bring them back, but the gap between domestiques and the top riders is large. They obviously couldn't. Now Contador has teammates and allies in the group ahead. He bridges to them, and obviously he calls in a favour from his old mate Tirango and well obviously his own team-mates will help him.

Once Contador has Rodriguez out of his wheel and Rodriguez's teammates don't chase him since they are all either half cooked or not paying attention, then he is obviously going to be able to take time out of him. Contador took 40 seconds in the first 19k of the ITT on the flat stage out of Purito, and he is clearly the strongest rider in the world on a moderate gradient (~4-7%) or so. This suits him. With both riders effectively pushing a time trial he is able to take time out of Purito. Note that Valverde was able to almost ride back up to Contador near the end, but that the gap stabilised at about 2:40 to Purito in the end and Contador (And Valverde) in the end were clearly fatiguing.

Anyway best Grand Tour stage I've ever seen in my life that, when a true champion's back is against the wall - thats when they find a way to win and they are a true champion. Chapeau Contador.
 
Jul 6, 2010
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The British press are driving me bonkers! And for once it's not the shifty tabloids. ITV take the ****. Ignore/stand up for huge convicts / suspects. Some of which is based on informed speculation, some based on facts! They particularly stand up for Anglophones. I usually think Imlach is the best of a bad bunch but today was ridiculous. Let's not get into the tainted meat argument, but trust, tainted meat beats hands down admitted it dopey. Even if that doper does appear, to himself anyway, as the second coming.

BBC are just as bad. Decentish coverage of LA Vuelta except every headline was tailored towards Froome ...... until he cracked. Small resurrection of interest when Cummings won his stage but interest is again lost.

British media doesn't like most sports, it likes British sportsman. Wrong attitude as far as I'm concerned.
 
Mar 22, 2010
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Someone is watching over me, I was able to stream it at work. Fabulous. I knew the outcome and I still was tense the last 2k when it looked like they were shutting the gap down. :confused:

Just incredible. His will to not give up and to take any stage and say what can I do with this? He is already a legend and is just building it bigger and bigger.

I feel so sad for people who love sports and don't know what is so great about cycling. There's nothing better or more beautiful.
 
Sep 21, 2009
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Bobby G said:
British media doesn't like most sports, it likes British sportsman. Wrong attitude as far as I'm concerned.

It's not only Britain. It's the same everywhere.
 
Jul 13, 2012
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Parrulo said:
no small detail will ruin my "bragging rights" moment

Respect Parrulo, incredible prediction my friend.Alot of us thought Bertie would still do it but nobody thought today.You are the man indeed.:)
 
Apr 16, 2009
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LOL. Contador!!!

Time to collect from Tiralongo. Anyone has any doubts about gifting stages in exchange of a GT win?

LOL.

Henao!! Free role. You should have been top ten Sergio. What a Pity.
 
Mar 17, 2009
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So here's the image of AC attacking the peloton:

get-pic.php
 
Dec 27, 2010
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Garmin guy gets on the radio "Contador attacks. WTF"

Is that Anton sorta kinda not really responding?
 
Jun 14, 2010
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will10 said:
Garmin guy gets on the radio "Contador attacks. WTF"

Is that Anton sorta kinda not really responding?

Reminds me when he attacked 100 out on 19 and there were like 50 guys trying to get in a break up the road and every single one of them as they looked back and saw Contador drilling it right next to them were like - ah rats.
 
Sep 2, 2011
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So Katusha still had 4 or 5 men there when Berto attacked. They completely collapsed.
 
Sep 8, 2009
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incredible that purito wasn't in alberto's wheel all the time
didn't see that coming after saxo was sending guys up front?
 
Aug 29, 2012
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I did wonder when he was near the back of the Peloton in the penultimate climb of Cuitu Negro. Fortunately that time Bertie also dropped back to 'have a look !' when they could have probably snapped the elastic.

In that photo either all the Katusha domestiques were either asleep or completely shot. I hope for their sakes all their legs were gone... would not like to be them facing the DS this evening !
 
Jun 10, 2010
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Purito said not following AC immediately was a tactical decision. A very stupid tactical decision.
 
Mar 20, 2010
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I'll say there were enough Katushas there.....silly decision to watch him ride off LOL!
 
Jul 29, 2012
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hrotha said:
Purito said not following AC immediately was a tactical decision. A very stupid tactical decision.

I think he couldn't follow him. He was alone with Valverde at the climb. Contador just dropped him.

Purito wasn't good today, that's just it.
 
Jun 14, 2010
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Escarabajo said:
LOL. Contador!!!

Time to collect from Tiralongo. Anyone has any doubts about gifting stages in exchange of a GT win?

LOL.

Henao!! Free role. You should have been top ten Sergio. What a Pity.

Lets hope Anton repays his debt at the Tour :D