Vuelta 2012, Stage 20: La Faisanera Golf-Bola del Mundo (170,7 km)

[The Hitch]

So? That doesn't mean anything. The race was with bonus seconds.

And purito lost. What's your point?

 

[afpm90]

Purito is a coward. That's why he lost the Vuelta and also why he lost the Giro.

 

[cineteq]

Rodríguez > Contador > Valverde.

Here's a question for you: Do you think Contador would have still won the Vuelta if Purito had had as many teammates as him on the flat section between Collado de la Hoz and Fuente Dé?

Guys stop it. If somebody points a gun to me and ask me who was the strongest, I'd say: Rodriguez. Otherwise, who cares who was the strongest? The best rider won, Alberto Contador. A 3-week race is not about the strongest rider, it's about the rider who rode the best, stage after stage, for 3 weeks.

 

[zapata]

Funny how some people whined in July because the winner of the race wasn't the strongest rider, and now they're euphoric because the winner of the race wasn't the strongest rider.

Go figure.

Are you sure they're the same people? "People" have all sorts of disagreements among themselves. I dare you to name a single thing that everyone here agrees upon.

 

[casati]

Rodríguez > Contador > Valverde.

Here's a question for you: Do you think Contador would have still won the Vuelta if Purito had had as many teammates as him on the flat section between Collado de la Hoz and Fuente Dé?

There is no way to know, if you have crystal ball or a time machine, please tell me

 

[hrotha]

Purito is a coward. That's why he lost the Vuelta and also why he lost the Giro.

This plus a million times.

Purito was the strongest. He was also an idiot. He should never win a GT.

 

[Forunculo]

Rodríguez > Contador > Valverde.

Here's a question for you: Do you think Contador would have still won the Vuelta if Purito had had as many teammates as him on the flat section between Collado de la Hoz and Fuente Dé?

But what's the point? The teammates exist to help the leader.

And Contador was sometimes pulling when Paulinho and Tiralongo were with him. Purito only when Losada cracked. And still he lost 20-25 seconds more on a 4% climb. Not everything is Ezaro, Cuitu Negru or Bola del Mundo

 

[Danilot]

Guys stop it. If somebody points a gun to me and ask me who was the strongest, I'd say: Rodriguez. Otherwise, who cares who was the strongest? The best rider won, Alberto Contador. A 3-week race is not about the strongest rider, it's about the rider who rode the best, stage after stage, for 3 weeks.

I know, and I never denied that. Contador was the rider who rode the best in this Vuelta a España, and a worthy winner of the race. His courage and never-say-die attitude in the Fuente Dé stage will go down in the annals of Vuelta history. His victory in this stage race was indeed a very beautiful one.

Therefore, it is completely unnecessary to attempt to embellish his victory by claiming that he was the strongest rider too, when it's blatantly obvious he wasn't.

 

[afpm90]

Maybe Contador wasn't the strongest, but he was the smartest and the most courageous.

 

[cineteq]

And purito lost. What's your point?

My point is that you point was pointless. Now read that, out loud, as fast a you can 10 times in a row.

Isn't that great? I just created a tongue twister, have fun!

 

[Mellow Velo]

Maybe Contador wasn't the strongest, but he was the smartest and the most courageous.

That sums it up for me.
JRod the strongest overall, but Contador was persistent and prepared to take greater risks.

He was within 1km of losing Stage 17.
Today, he may well have been within 1km of losing the Vuelta.

Marginal gains, Spanish style.

 

[Carols]

Are you sure they're the same people? "People" have all sorts of disagreements among themselves. I dare you to name a single thing that everyone here agrees upon.

Humm let's try:

Alverto Contador has won 5 Grand Tours.
Dennis Menchov has won 3 Grand Tours.
Valverde has won 1 Grand Tour.
Purito has won 0 Grand Tours.

Anyone disagree?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Humm let's try:

Alverto Contador has won 5 Grand Tours.
Dennis Menchov has won 3 Grand Tours.
Valverde has won 1 Grand Tour.
Purito has won 0 Grand Tours.

Anyone disagree?

Yes









Alberto won 7

 

[cineteq]

Purito was the strongest. He was also an idiot. He should never win a GT.

He he, it was a matter of time before you say something like this. Too bad you have no way back up your argument.

 

[hrotha]

He he, it was a matter of time before you say something like this. Too bad you have no way back up your argument.

Read the relevant threads (the Fuente De stage thread, and the one at the Clinic) for the reasoning. I'm tired of repeating it, so I'm just stating my opinion: I'm relieved Purito won't win.

 

[nogav1ca]

Funny how some people whined in July because the winner of the race wasn't the strongest rider, and now they're euphoric because the winner of the race wasn't the strongest rider.

Go figure.

One was allowed to try and win it, the other wasn't.

 

[Afrank]

Contador may not have been the strongest on this stage, but over the course of the tour he was just as strong as Purito. Contador attacked numerous times throughout the race. For the most part Rodriguez's "attacks" was him sprinting away to get the bonus seconds at the end of stages. And the only times when he dropped Contador in a real attack was when he attacked with Gilbert and today. All the other times he was just sprinting away at the end of the stage, and Contador would never be able to match Purito in a uphill sprint anyways. Overall Contador was just as strong as Rodriguez throughout the tour. And he definitely was smarter and more courageous, which made the difference between Contador winning and Rodriguez winning.

 

[Carols]

Yes

Alberto won 7

Silly Me...I will delete the post LOL!!!

 

[LaFlorecita]

contador may not have been the strongest on this stage, but over the course of the tour he was just as strong as purito. Contador attacked numerous times throughout the race. For the most part rodriguez's "attacks" was him sprinting away to get the bonus seconds at the end of stages. And the only times when he dropped contador in a real attack was when he attacked with gilbert and today. All the other times he was just sprinting away at the end of the stage, and contador would never be able to match purito in a uphill sprint anyways. Overall contador was just as strong as rodriguez throughout the tour. And he definitely was smarter and more courageous, which made the difference between contador winning and rodriguez winning.

+1

........

 

[airstream]

hrotha and MV, guys, i think you are a little bit categorical. does this stage show real balance of forces between purito and contador in this vuelta? no. it characterizes purely only today's stage. they were equal. contador's image played for him cos everyone mistakenly thought he was able improve more and more which did not happen. i wouldn't blame purito that much. even the fact that he could gain 45 sec on alberto today is revelation for him i guess.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

For Ten Dam, Bola del Mundo was harder than Negru because the road surface on Bola is so bad

 

[Forunculo]

For Ten Dam, Bola del Mundo was harder than Negru because the road surface on Bola is so bad

Well that's the key point of Bola del Mundo the brutal last 3km on cement surface

 

[cineteq]

For Ten Dam, Bola del Mundo was harder than Negru because the road surface on Bola is so bad

Menchov said the same thing.

 

[DenisMenchov]

So, who won the Vuelta?

I didn't really watched it after Denis crossed the line. First GT win since Giro 2009. Pure happiness.

 

[LaFlorecita]

So, who won the Vuelta?

I didn't really watched it after Denis crossed the line. First GT win since Giro 2009. Pure happiness.

Guess who