Vuelta 2012, Stage 9 - Andorra > Barcelona 194,0 km

[search]

As for Anton, he did much better on such climbs in the past. He'll start sucking again on tempo climbs. Only on very steep climbs like this his awful form doesn't seem to matter and his natural talent wins over. Like Arnout explained in the other thread

he said he suffered from the heat. Additionally, on the first day he lost time they couldn't get bottles because of the echelons and had to do the climb without anything to drink.

But yeah, he still might struggle, its not like the temperatures will decrease rapidly and maybe he just lacks form.

Edit: apparantly they will, doesn't look like heat will be a factor next week

 

[ILovecycling]

If I understand it...Montjuic is like 500m at 13% and last 1000m is at 4,5%?Dont you think its a chance for Piti and Purito?

 

[greenedge]

I expect Meersmann, Breschel/ Boom, Clarke, Degenkolb and Gilbert to all be in the mix at the finish.

My pick shall be Gilbert- if not Breschel/ Boom.

 

[rantanplan]

All about Barcelona´s stage (route, profile, old videos) in

http://www.revistadesdelacuneta.com/tengopagina.php?page=v12et09

 

[Nastyy]

Bouhanni to take this.

 

[Fidolix]

Bouhanni to take this.

loooool

 

[search]

I'll join the dutch mafia for one day and say Michel Kreder will win

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

how exactly steep are those climbs?

this could also be for bennatti

 

[burning]

If purito survives.this easy stage in his homeland, he will create history by becoming the person to.have worn the.red jersey.most ever.

Just.in time before he.loses it.

I guess it is hard to press space while writing with your phone

 

[theyoungest]

I'll join the dutch mafia for one day and say Michel Kreder will win

You're already outdoing the Dutch mafia, saying Gesink can finish on the podium, but this is just too much IMO. Do you expect some laundered guilders to come your way?

 

[Michele]

Bennati winning? lol

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Would be nice to see Boom give it a shot, if it's difficult enough to drop Degekolb. He's been doing well this year and also last year in difficult sprints in smaller races; don't think he'll win or aything, but I'm curious to see how well he could do in this field, which also includes Degenkolb, Gilbert and Valverde.

 

[search]

You're already outdoing the Dutch mafia, saying Gesink can finish on the podium, but this is just too much IMO. Do you expect some laundered guilders to come your way?

lol, yeah, it's more like a long-shot-prediction and most likely he won't win, but it'll be interesting to see what he can do on a finish like this. According to his brother the team will work for him today.

I think it can turn out either was, Degenkolb, Davis, Bennati, even Swifty, Bouhanni etc are quite good in an uphill sprint, but maybe they will lack support in the final km and a puncheur will win. Meersman looks like the the favorite but I'm not sure he will deliver the result, also Breschel should do well on a finish like this. Guys like Terpstra and Ballan will attack for sure, but if they can stay away?! We will see.

Ryo, Alto de Montjuic is quite steep, more that 10% maximum, average of about ~7% for 1km. The finish straight itself is not that steep, about ~4% for 1km, I think it's the same finish Hushovd won in 2009 - but they didn't to the Monjujic before so it'll be more difficult for the sprinter's teams to keep it together this time.

 

[The Barb]

Very open and interesting stage.

Early break or late attack or bunch sprint ... all three are good possibilities.

I'll say Meersman.

 

[theyoungest]

lol, yeah, it's more like a long-shot-prediction and most likely he won't win, but it'll be interesting to see what he can do on a finish like this. According to his brother the team will work for him today.

I think it can turn out either was, Degenkolb, Davis, Bennati, even Swifty, Bouhanni etc are quite good in an uphill sprint, but maybe they will lack support in the final km and a puncheur will win. Meersman looks like the the favorite but I'm not sure he will deliver the result, also Breschel should do well on a finish like this. Guys like Terpstra and Ballan will attack for sure, but if they can stay away?! We will see.

Ryo, Alto de Montjuic is quite steep, more that 10% maximum, average of about ~7% for 1km. The finish straight itself is not that steep, about ~4% for 1km, I think it's the same finish Hushovd won in 2009 - but they didn't to the Monjujic before so it'll be more difficult for the sprinter's teams to keep it together this time.

Didn't they actually finish on the Montjuic when Hushovd won? I thought they did.

 

[search]

Didn't they actually finish on the Montjuic when Hushovd won? I thought they did.

in 2009 they finished at a level of 96 Metres according to letour.fr, the top of the Montjuic is at ~165 Metres above see level, so I don't think so

 

[Cimber]

SaxoBank-TinkoffBank‏@saxobanktinkoff

Update on N. Sørensen in @lavuelta. Still suffers from crash on stage 4 but he is a bike rider! #saxobanktinkoffbank pic.twitter.com/gNiwSI8E

https://twitter.com/saxobanktinkoff/status/239674760882188289/photo/1

I LOLed

 

[movingtarget]

Meh. I don't believe it, the first 4 are so superior atm... yeah it's only short climbs so far. But...

As for Anton, he did much better on such climbs in the past. He'll start sucking again on tempo climbs. Only on very steep climbs like this his awful form doesn't seem to matter and his natural talent wins over. Like Arnout explained in the other thread

I agree. Anton is overrated. To me he is more of a stage winner than a race winner. Gesink would be happy to finish top five I think. Anything better will be a bonus for someone that seems to have so much bad luck. Valverde and Froome are backing up from the Tour and Rodriguez rode the Giro so the third week will have some more twists. Gesink can time trial but he can't compete for the bonuses even if he does finish with the top four because he has not got much of a sprint.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I agree. Anton is overrated. To me he is more of a stage winner than a race winner. Gesink would be happy to finish top five I think. Anything better will be a bonus for someone that seems to have so much bad luck. Valverde and Froome are backing up from the Tour and Rodriguez rode the Giro so the third week will have some more twists. Gesink can time trial but he can't compete for the bonuses even if he does finish with the top four because he has not got much of a sprint.

Actually Gesink is definitely not slow after a hard climb. Often even wins sprints from his group, and won Emilia that way and on Mount Baldy (although against a spent atapuma), but yeah, Rodriguez and Valverde are from a different class in that area. But I'm pretty sure Gesink can handle Contador in a sprint. Problem is he'll usually be dropped before

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

ruben desperately trying to get the conversaiton to go about gesink. he's miste rjoe average again this vuelta. his itt work clealry hampered his climbing and he stopped improving years ago. like most rabo tt3 guys do. early peak

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Ryo randomly blating nonsense again. what else is new

 

[LaFlorecita]

@saxobanktinkoff
Section with possible sidewind. DS Hoffman measuring the wind speed and reports to follow cars. #saxobanktinkoffbank

https://twitter.com/saxobanktinkoff/status/239694133743206400/photo/1/large

 

[Netserk]

 

[The Hitch]

If I understand it...Montjuic is like 500m at 13% and last 1000m is at 4,5%?Dont you think its a chance for Piti and Purito?

Stage 3 of the Vuelta a Pais Vasco - yes.

Stage 9 of the Vuelta a Espana, after mtf, no.

 

[Bushman]

This is one for Breschel.