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

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

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.

I think that's pretty much a given regardless.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

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.

It could be, Pratonevoso also exceeded my expectations during the Giro

 

[Laplaz]

Astana will go full gas on the hard early slopes, but what afterwards? Absolutely no idea, because I don't think MAL will attack before the 4-5% section. Reduced sprint of 5-6 riders is far more likely.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

I think the break will suit medium sized rouleur types / classics specialists who can climb a bit like Di Marchi, Benoot, Kwiatkowsi, Teuns, Felline, Also Cummings if he has any form yet. KOM contenders plus climbers wait till tomorrow

 

[SafeBet]

This is the day Alejandro Valverde Belmonte loses the Vuelta, unfortunately.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re:

This is the day Alejandro Valverde Belmonte loses the Vuelta, unfortunately.

He is so thin and fit, young and full of watts that it's impossible.

 

[Robert5091]

Re:

This is the day Alejandro Valverde Belmonte loses the Vuelta, unfortunately.

I have a feeling too that Valverde's stage 19 at the Vuelta will be similar to Yates's stage 19 at the Giro - not so many minutes but ... Will Yates share his fate though?

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re:

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.

Watched that too. You can put english auto-generated subtitles on if you want a good laugh

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Re: Re:

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.

Watched that too. You can put english auto-generated subtitles on if you want a good laugh

'That you win your mother is worth that good god. Really Marc, a pleasure with you for stop coming'.

 

[Flamin]

Rabassa is just a brilliant climb. You HAVE to attack from >10km out if you want to gain significant time, no other option possible. Then you have a mano a mano between the big guys (or should have at least) on 4-5% slopes where drafting and tactics are pretty heavily involved.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

Rabassa is just a brilliant climb. You HAVE to attack from >10km out if you want to gain significant time, no other option possible. Then you have a mano a mano between the big guys (or should have at least) on 4-5% slopes where drafting and tactics are pretty heavily involved.

The problem is, no you don't have to attack from 10 km out, you have to if you want to gain a lot of time but you can also just not attack at all and wait for the uphill sprint. It can be great but I think chances are, it won't be

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Rabassa is just a brilliant climb. You HAVE to attack from >10km out if you want to gain significant time, no other option possible. Then you have a mano a mano between the big guys (or should have at least) on 4-5% slopes where drafting and tactics are pretty heavily involved.

The problem is, no you don't have to attack from 10 km out, you have to if you want to gain a lot of time but you can also just not attack at all and wait for the uphill sprint. It can be great but I think chances are, it won't be

I can see Kruijswijk, Quintana and Lopez trying something from the bottom of the climb, because they don't have much to lose. Okay, maybe Quintana is not as likely because of Valverde. But if one of them attacks, the group could be blown to pieces. Even better if Mas joins.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

If you didn't before
count Aru out for today
he is running a 39° fever:
https://www.gazzetta.it/Ciclismo/14-09-2018/vuelta-notte-39-febbre-aru-parte-ma-rischio-ritiro-290987398764.shtml

 

[bambino]

Re: Re:

Rabassa is just a brilliant climb. You HAVE to attack from >10km out if you want to gain significant time, no other option possible. Then you have a mano a mano between the big guys (or should have at least) on 4-5% slopes where drafting and tactics are pretty heavily involved.

The problem is, no you don't have to attack from 10 km out, you have to if you want to gain a lot of time but you can also just not attack at all and wait for the uphill sprint. It can be great but I think chances are, it won't be

I can see Kruijswijk, Quintana and Lopez trying something from the bottom of the climb, because they don't have much to lose. Okay, maybe Quintana is not as likely because of Valverde. But if one of them attacks, the group could be blown to pieces. Even better if Mas joins.

If Quintana would have the legs, the best way to help Valverde would probably be attacking from the bottom of the climb and make MS chase hard immediately. But I don't think he has those legs.

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

Rabassa is just a brilliant climb. You HAVE to attack from >10km out if you want to gain significant time, no other option possible. Then you have a mano a mano between the big guys (or should have at least) on 4-5% slopes where drafting and tactics are pretty heavily involved.

The problem is, no you don't have to attack from 10 km out, you have to if you want to gain a lot of time but you can also just not attack at all and wait for the uphill sprint. It can be great but I think chances are, it won't be

Hence why I said, if you want to gain significant time then you simply cannot wait for the final 2k or the sprint.

Of course it could be a big letdown (though I don't think so), that's up to the riders, but such a climb at least invites them to do something and give the viewers much action. Unlike those silly muritos. There you just have to wait until the final (two) k, go full gas, and you can gain/lose a minute like Nairito and Kruijswijk.

 

[Red Rick]

A really funny thing right now would be for Movistar to put Quintana in the breakaway

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Re:

Rabassa is just a brilliant climb. You HAVE to attack from >10km out if you want to gain significant time, no other option possible. Then you have a mano a mano between the big guys (or should have at least) on 4-5% slopes where drafting and tactics are pretty heavily involved.

The problem is, no you don't have to attack from 10 km out, you have to if you want to gain a lot of time but you can also just not attack at all and wait for the uphill sprint. It can be great but I think chances are, it won't be

Hence why I said, if you want to gain significant time then you simply cannot wait for the final 2k or the sprint.

Of course it could be a big letdown (though I don't think so), that's up to the riders, but such a climb at least invites them to do something and give the viewers much action. Unlike those silly muritos. There you just have to wait until the final (two) k, go full gas, and you can gain/lose a minute like Nairito and Kruijswijk.

My response was mainly meant as a reply to you calling it a brilliant climb as I don't agree with that due to the points mentioned above

 

[The_Beach]

Re:

A really funny thing right now would be for Movistar to put Quintana in the breakaway

Would be a waste of energy, Trentin, Edmondson and Mezgec would pull him back immediately. presumably with the help of Astana and maybe Quick-Step

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

Rabassa is just a brilliant climb. You HAVE to attack from >10km out if you want to gain significant time, no other option possible. Then you have a mano a mano between the big guys (or should have at least) on 4-5% slopes where drafting and tactics are pretty heavily involved.

The problem is, no you don't have to attack from 10 km out, you have to if you want to gain a lot of time but you can also just not attack at all and wait for the uphill sprint. It can be great but I think chances are, it won't be

Hence why I said, if you want to gain significant time then you simply cannot wait for the final 2k or the sprint.

Of course it could be a big letdown (though I don't think so), that's up to the riders, but such a climb at least invites them to do something and give the viewers much action. Unlike those silly muritos. There you just have to wait until the final (two) k, go full gas, and you can gain/lose a minute like Nairito and Kruijswijk.

My response was mainly meant as a reply to you calling it a brilliant climb as I don't agree with that due to the points mentioned above

Doesn't "you don't have to attack from 10km" apply to every climb? Nobody forces you to anyway

 

[Flamin]

Movistar keeping the break in check as expected.

3 leaders:

Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky), Simon Clarke (Education First-Drapac) and Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Dimension Data)

 

[wirral]

Movistar seem to have a plan which involves getting the bonus seconds at the line.

 

[Red Rick]

I guess sooner or later a bigger break will go that works together well enough that Movistar can't control it on their own.

 

[Flamin]

Re:

I guess sooner or later a bigger break will go that works together well enough that Movistar can't control it on their own.

Astana should help out if Movistar can't do it alone.

 

[wirral]

Re:

I guess sooner or later a bigger break will go that works together well enough that Movistar can't control it on their own.

If so, they may regret bringing back the 3-man break with Kwiatkowski.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re: Re:

I guess sooner or later a bigger break will go that works together well enough that Movistar can't control it on their own.

Astana should help out if Movistar can't do it alone.

I think they will.