Vuelta 2018 stage 19: Lleida - Col de la Rabassa 154.4 km

[Robert5091]

Vuelta 2018 stage 19: Lleida - Col de la Rabassa 154.4 km start 13.30 CET

The 19th stage at the Vuelta a España sets off in Lleida to head north to Andorra. The route climbs gradually for 154.4 kilometres to the foot of the only KOM of the day, which is the Col de la Rabassa. Summit finish at the end of the 17.5 kilometres climb at 6.3%.

Departure place Lleida is located at an altitude of 150 metres and the Rabassa begins at 940 metres. Generally the route is a rolling false flat with some sections standing out – for instance the upward stretch to Cubélls. The riders move through Oliana and La Seu d’Urgell to reach Sant Julià de Lòria at the foot of the Col de la Rabassa. The haul up to the top recently featured in the Vuelta’s of 2015 and 2017, although not as the final climb.

The Rabassa amounts to 17.5 kilometres and it kicks in hard with double digit ramps in the first half, yet the climb flattens out in the second half. The slope is mostly hovering around 4 to 5% with a few 7% sections standing out. When the flamme rouge flies over their heads the riders hit an uphill kick of 8%, and that’s it. The average gradient of the Col de la Rabassa is 6.3%.

weather forecast is 25C & cloudy - colder up in Andorra

Coll de la Rabassa climb

more details of climb

 

[Laplaz]

Movistar has to control the break in order to get the bonus seconds, but it won't be easy alone.

 

[Red Rick]

Breakaway win incredibly likely. Small chance someone close in GC sneaks into the breakaway and they don't get 15 minutes. LottoNL was really weak yesterday, Astana is not gonna ride pace until they hit the climb.

Rabassa would be more interesting if the last km wasn't the hardest of the final 10km

 

[Robert5091]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/vuelta-a-espana-2018/stage-18/results/

"It's going to be very difficult, I know that," Yates said. "I know the stages now, so maybe that helps a little bit. But it's going to be very difficult and I'll give it my best shot."

Two short hard stages left - first, classic hockey stick profile, but it's nearly all uphill from the start. 2000 metres high finish and this could prove troublesome for Valverde. Quintana's legs seem to have gone, so it's Superman, Yates, Mas & Kruijswijk (if recovered) to fight it out.

Maybe one of the guys thinking of the Worlds to get in the break and win the stage.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Movistar has to control the break in order to get the bonus seconds, but it won't be easy alone.

If they don't get help, driving hard on the flat is a waste of energy, and it's better to use that energy to ride faster up the climb.

 

[rick james]

Please no head wind on the final climb

 

[Inquitus]

Re: Re:

Movistar has to control the break in order to get the bonus seconds, but it won't be easy alone.

If they don't get help, driving hard on the flat is a waste of energy, and it's better to use that energy to ride faster up the climb.

Would you not think QS, Movistar and Astana all have a vested interest in keeping the bonifications in play for these last 2 stages with the current gaps?

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Vuelta 2018 stage 19: Lleida - Col de la Rabassa 154.4 k

Astana Or LottoNL might drill it on the early slopes of the climb because of of their leaders need a lot of time but if they don't this will be a borefest. Valverde to sprint away from Yates on the final kilometer to gain 3 seconds

 

[Velolover2]

Nothing to happen. Lopez will try but get caught again.

Valverde win from a reduced sprint of 5-6-7 riders.

 

[Cookster15]

Climb not very steep but altitude might hurt Valverde? Yates might seal the win here he also has his twin brother to help.

 

[Inquitus]

Re:

Climb not very steep but altitude might hurt Valverde? Yates might seal the win here he also has his twin brother to help.

Aye tomorrow seems to suit Yates better than Valverde, although Stage 20 is so hard that it could upend the whole race potentially!

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

Climb not very steep but altitude might hurt Valverde? Yates might seal the win here he also has his twin brother to help.

You need 7-8-9% gradients + high altitude to make him suffer. The last 10 km are like 5% where you can benefit greatly from just following wheels.

If this climb was introduced earlier in the Vuelta, it would be like Etna. A group of 15-20 riders making it to the finish.

 

[Red Rick]

The only good thing about this climb is teammates dropping back from a breakaway can be tremendously useful in the final 10km.

Everyone and their mother will be in this breakaway. That's also why there will be a big fight for the breakaway, and it might be the only reason to neutralize the break if say Movistar get 3 dudes in the break then Orica might just choose to pull it back

 

[Rollthedice]

I don't know, according to the organizers it looks like it will be between Viviani and Sagan.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Movistar, Quickstep, and Mitchletin Scott to control break.
Quintana, Pinot, and Uran attack at the bottom of climb.
Krushweak to attack and bring Bala, Yates, and Mas up to Quintana, Uran, and Pinot with 6km to go.
The 6 all together with 4km to go.
Mas to attack at 3.5km, gain 30 secs while everyone looks to Quintana to work while he looks at Bala.
Krushweak to set the pace with only Bala and Yates able to follow.
The group of 3 is within 15 secs of Mas with 1.5 km remaining.
Bala with his drive to prove he is better than Contador outs everything on the table with an attack with Yates following.
Yates to crack completely with .5km remaining.
Bala to win stage with Mas finishing same time, Krushweak in 3rd 26 secs back, yates 30 secs back, uran, Quintana, and Pinot 36secs back.

Quintana to than give interview stating he is still leader and everything is going to plan.

 

[Tonton]

Re: Vuelta 2018 stage 19: Lleida - Col de la Rabassa 154.4 k

Funny post .

My feeling is that Pinot will be in the break, MS and Movistar keep the time gap under 4 minutes, it's all about The Simon vs. the Don at this point. Only MAL has a strong team in that 3-6 GC group (Nairo put aside, but he's Batman-Valverde's Robin at this point). They will count on the BOD to fight each other in the final, whomever survives gets seconds.

Who could be in the BOD? I think Pinot, Majka definitely, Zakarin will give it a shot, Nibali for sure (unless he banks on stage 20 to give everybody a statement). Aru? The dude is desperate. Wilco could be a player on a not-so-difficult climb and win it. The BOD will be loaded with guys who want to save their Vuelta or make a statement ahead of the RRWC, and stage 20 will be a mess...tomorrow is THE opportunity.

GC-wise, considering that you can win or lose 2' on stage 20, I can only imagine action in that last 2km part, 6.8% is enough after that long drag, steep beginning, all at fast paced. Seconds, but 30" between 3-6 is good to get.

It should be interesting, plots and sub-plots. Viva La Vuelta...

 

[SHAD0W93]

Yea, I'm not very good at predicting so go with what I want to see. As long as it is not boring.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

Yea, I'm not very good at predicting so go with what I want to see. As long as it is not boring.

Same here .

 

[Koronin]

I'll go with break wins and not much happens in GC maybe a couple of seconds here or there in time gaps.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Porte to win the stage from the BOD, raising everyone's expectations of him for the World's.

He then will fail to finish the World's RR.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Breakaway win incredibly likely. Small chance someone close in GC sneaks into the breakaway and they don't get 15 minutes. LottoNL was really weak yesterday, Astana is not gonna ride pace until they hit the climb.

Rabassa would be more interesting if the last km wasn't the hardest of the final 10km

Yeah especially with the size of many of the breaks and the quality of many of the riders. De Gendt and Mollema will be there again, maybe Nibali and some of the BMC riders like Teuns and maybe even Porte this time. I think Yates will cope with this stage. The following stage is a bigger test for him. Astana and Movistar will have to work hard to control this break. Don't really see that happening. The single climb should suit a rider like Porte. May not be a bad stage either for someone like Stephen K or even Pinot.

 

[Sciatic]

I can kind of see these break-takes-it scenarios. On the other hand, many of Movistar and Astana non-climber domestiques May get dropped quite early on Sat. So what is the point of saving themselves? Why not go hard and keep the bonus seconds in play for their leaders?

 

[rick james]

And the sprint is where?????

 

[spalco]

I just watched the Delgado/Soler video, and although I don't understand everything they said, I think the climb is hard and long enough to produce significant gaps after how difficult the Vuelta has been.

I'm really looking forward to this stage; I think it will be exciting.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Re:

And the sprint is where?????

Sant Julia de Loria, 17.7 km to go, already in Andorra and climbing.

Where the big green circle with a white S is in the profile in the OP.