Vuelta 2012, Stage 8: Lleida - Andorra, Coll de la Gallina (174.7 kms)

[Waterloo Sunrise]

kinda makes sense that he will get better as he builds up the racing days

He was in good form at Eneco - I wouldn't be surprised if it is later in the race when the total lack of race base hits.

 

[CasperVg]

Valverde confirming he's the smartest rider!

Best wheelsucker anyways.

Anacona and Gesink suprisingly good today.

 

[Peccio89]

Someone should teach Froome how to change gear, he stopped about three times when he had to change it.
And the way in which he stares at the SRM every two or three second is becoming annoyng.

Instead of banning race-radios they should ban SRM and heart rate monitors.

 

[hfer07]

I think the Spaniard trio have just found the "weakness" of Froome: allow him & his team to do what they please the entire stage until they hit the mountains-shred all the help down to Froome himself & let him dictate the speed until he wears out... he might be strong but lacks the tactic wisdom that AC,AV & J-Rod have......

 

[The Hitch]

No for closing the gap. He could've brought Froome with him but hey that's cycling right.

I will quote myself:

"No! No you're not supposed to do that to your friend!" (in high-pitched voice)

Contador did not want the stage. He wouldnt know what to do with it. For his comeback win he wants an Etna, an Angliru a Verbier. Somwhere where he breaks the field and solos in for a bang bang, after earning the victory.

Wheelsucking Froome for 5k then finding oneself in front with 600 to go and crawling in to a stage victory 5s ahead of chasers, that was not the way to do it.

 

[DominicDecoco]

I've seen more than 1 poster insisting Froome won't show tiredness from the Tour and will win the Vuelta comfortably.

Yep. The stage thread was hilarious when Alberto lost 15 seconds the other day.

 

[LaFlorecita]

They actually friends then? I suppose they probably had a lot of time to chat while sitting in the gynaecologists waiting room waiting for their wives to finish their appointments.

Funny *not*

 

[dgodave]

...Anyone paying any real attention knew Froome would have difficulties keeping form through 2 gts....

For sure.
.
Froome will destroy the vuelta.
Froome isnt a "real" climber.
.
Both are silly.
.

 

[Publicus]

Anyway Contador is the first guy that cracked Froome.

Still pretty good

I wouldn't say Contador cracked him so much as Vroome just ran out of energy.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Anyone but me that finds it extremely awesome that Valverde is back in his good old awesome shape?

 

[Kwibus]

I've seen more than 1 poster insisting Froome won't show tiredness from the Tour and will win the Vuelta comfortably.

Well honestly that's the idea the Sky riders do give us. I'm glad he lost time, but it's almost the same as AC lost on Java. It can happen any day. It doesn't mean he's tired from the TdF yet.
I'm just glad he's human

 

[LaFlorecita]

Contador did not want the stage. He wouldnt know what to do with it. For his comeback win he wants an Etna, an Angliru a Verbier. Somwhere where he breaks the field and solos in for a bang bang, after earning the victory.

Wheelsucking Froome for 5k then finding oneself in front with 600 to go and crawling in to a stage victory 5s ahead of chasers, that was not the way to do it.

Stage 14 ?

 

[roundabout]

Lovely how wheelsucking is now tactical wisdom, but other people who ride to their strengths are not smart

 

[LaFlorecita]

Anyone but me that finds it extremely awesome that Valverde is back in his good old awesome shape?

I do find it awesome but he shouldn't steal wins from Alberto

 

[DominicDecoco]

No one has mentioned how decent this mountain was or am I just blind?

 

[bigcog]

Froome got it wrong today, too aggressive. From now on he should either sit on Contadors wheel or ride is own pace up, hopefully dropping them (if you're a froome fan). Will be interesting to see how the ITT goes. Wonder how Valverde got his form back

 

[Parrot23]

I repeat that Wiggins would get destroyed here.

Agree. I think so. This is a much tougher field than the Tour (best two climbers weren't there, but certainly are here...and they smart too).

 

[Epicycle]

Valverde is such a terrific finisher. Reminded me of when he surprised Heras on the Angliru.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

And yet again lost at least some of the time by not being on the shoulder of the "heads of state" when it goes off,behind a few who had lost the wheels of leaders.
Not saying he would of finished with them but how much harder riding in 5th rather than 10th or 12th when still 25 left in group?

No, this was not the case this time. He started the climb well but Sky rode a hard pace and you saw Gesink losing places. So this time, positioning is not to blame. Not strong enough yet. He's riding like JvdB last year. Good, but not superb.

He'll probably finish 5th though because the guys behind him are much weaker in ITT and don't really gain much time uphill. Moreno is a domestique on top of that. Anton is too irregular.

 

[hrotha]

I thought Froome rode pretty badly. All those pointless accelerations, making a track stand and then going again for like 3 seconds. Killing his own legs for nothing. Thinking he should automatically take responsibility despite being the strongest time-trialist on paper.

Overconfident?

 

[roundabout]

No has mentioned how decent this mountain was or am I just blind?

I did. .....

 

[Arnout]

According to Dutch commentators, Valverde was waving at Sky riders and staff after the finish. Nice touch

 

[djlovesyou]

Lovely how wheelsucking is now tactical wisdom, but other people who ride to their strengths are not smart

Wheelsucking is tactically acceptable if you like the rider that's wheelsucking. If you don't like them it's cowardly and boring, and a major contribution to the death of cycling as we know and love it.

 

[DominicDecoco]

I did. .....

Alright
_____

 

[Arnout]

No, this was not the case this time. He started the climb well but Sky rode a hard pace and you saw Gesink losing places. So this time, positioning is not to blame. Not strong enough yet. He's riding like JvdB last year. Good, but not superb.

He'll probably finish 5th though because the guys behind him are much weaker in ITT and don't really gain much time uphill. Moreno is a domestique on top of that. Anton is too irregular.

In climbs like this Anton can't hide his talent by bad form. Last year, when he was in worse form, he still was sixth on the Angliru. He will be worse on climbs to come again.