Vuelta 2018 Stage 3:Mijas to Alhaurín de la Torre 178.2 km

[Robert5091]

Monday's stage -
Vuelta 2018 Stage 3:Mijas to Alhaurín de la Torre 178.2 km

Start 13.06 CET -
Following the start in Mijas the riders head for Marbella and hit the Puerto del Madroña. The 20.1 kilometres KOM-climb is averaging around 5% and peaks at an elevation of 1,065 metres, yet the route climbs a little higher after a few flat kilometres. The riders drop down to Ronda before it goes back up again, yet not as long as and also less steep than the former climb. Once again the route breaks through the 1,000 metres ceiling before a long drop with a few intermediate hills transfers the riders to 135 metres above sea level. Still 50 kilometres to go.

A rolling climb leads to Mijas – not the departure place though, but the white pueblo inland. The route once again drops down to the coast and moves through Torremolinos. 10 kilometres left to race, firstly a false flat down before the road starts to go (false flat) up with 7 kilometres left. With 4.1 kilometres out the riders turn left at a roundabout to hit an extended final straight. The first half of it slopes at 2.5%, while the second half begins with a downhill false flat. When the flamme rouge flies over the road the route is flat until the line.

Puerto del Madroño climb -

After today's fun and games, Lord knows how this will end!

 

[Koronin]

The finish looks flat, but are there going to be any sprinters left by the time they get to the finish?

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Vuelta 2018 Stage 3:Mijas to Alhaurín de la Torre 178.2

That first climb could potentially make things interesting. If the pace is high and a lot of riders try to get into the break the sprinters might drop which would give the break a decent chance. Maybe a gc contender shows some weakness on the first climb but I have the feeling that because it's so early in the race the gc teams wouldn't keep the pace high all the way to eliminate that rider.

 

[Escarabajo]

It will be a funny sprint tomorrow. The climbs are too much for the sprinters. Sagan seems to be off his game. Maybe there is a sprinter out there that can climb other than Valverde and Kwiat.

 

[Flamin]

Might go to a break with so many riders already way down in gc. Sky won't bother if the right guys go up the road, Bora is out of the chase... Hard to predict.

 

[Lequack]

Viviani will win this stage.

 

[Amazinmets87]

Is there a final km profile?

 

[rei_da_montanha]

Re:

Is there a final km profile?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

A break will take it.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

It will be a funny sprint tomorrow. The climbs are too much for the sprinters. Sagan seems to be off his game. Maybe there is a sprinter out there that can climb other than Valverde and Kwiat.

Now that's a great question. Valverde and Kwiat in another sprint only this time a flat sprint for another 1-2 stage placement?
This is a great example of why the points jersey many times goes to a climber and why Valverde has 3 of them.

 

[HelloDolly]

BMC will win from the break after todays catastrophe...de Marchi or Brookwalter

 

[Amazinmets87]

Who will take the initiative to drop the sprinters?

What is the profile of the final difficulty beginning at 135km?

 

[rlntlssly]

I can't see anyone having an interest in dropping the sprinters on the climb. The GC teams will want the sprinters to stay involved so that their teams help with the chase. No way are Movistar and Sky going to ride all day to set up Valverde and Kwiatkowski for a flat sprint.

You can imagine a break going and even threatening the red jersey, but I imagine QSF (Viviani), MS (Trentin) and maybe Trek (Nizzolo) will bring it back. And Sky will probably try to keep the red jersey, even if they don't ride for the stage.

 

[Laplaz]

This profile is similar to the Gualdo Tadino stage in this years Giro.

 

[Robert5091]

Re:

What is the profile of the final difficulty beginning at 135km?

According to https://www.cyclingstage.com/vuelta-2018-route/stage-3-spain-route-2018/
Length: 8.5 km. Avg grade: 2.5 %

It's up and down with a short max section at 8%. A 2.5 km section in the middle is the toughest part with 5 to 8% gradients.

 

[Robert5091]

Can see a breakaway interested in the KOM jersey/points being reeled in after the two classified climbs, and the race starts again with about 40 km to go.
Would not be surprised if LRP & Sagan go home early too.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Can see a breakaway interested in the KOM jersey/points being reeled in after the two classified climbs, and the race starts again with about 40 km to go.
Would not be surprised if LRP & Sagan go home early too.

You think they'll abandon tomorrow?

Sagan won't, don't know about Richie.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Valverde to take the stage solo and gain red plus more points for the points classification.

 

[Amazinmets87]

Re: Re:

What is the profile of the final difficulty beginning at 135km?

According to https://www.cyclingstage.com/vuelta-2018-route/stage-3-spain-route-2018/
Length: 8.5 km. Avg grade: 2.5 %

It's up and down with a short max section at 8%. A 2.5 km section in the middle is the toughest part with 5 to 8% gradients.

So plenty difficult to drop any true sprinters (an in-form Sagan should be able to hold on) however one would expect the peloton to coalesce on the 15km of flat terrain.

Unless sprinters are dropped hard on the cat1 climb or the break makes if hard to see this not ending in a bunch sprint.

 

[klintE]

Re:

A break will take it.

Quality break with de Gent, de Marchi etc. could even do this
But it's not gonna happen IMO

Top ten:
Viviani
Trentin
Danny
Nizzolo
McCarthy
Van Asbroeck
Nacer
Aberasturi
Kwiato
Tosh

 

[DNP-Old]

Soto for a top 10.

 

[Jungle Cycle]

did any team has already won the 3 gt`s in the same year with 3 different cyclist??

 

[The Barb]

Re: Vuelta 2018 Stage 3:Mijas to Alhaurín de la Torre 178.2

A strong break has a bit of a chance but not much. Quickstep won't want to let a chance like this pass for Viviani, who must take opportunities like this if he is going to compete for the points competition.

Of note, since the start of the Giro, Viviani has contested 12 sprints and:

Has won 9;

Has finished 2nd three times (twice to Bennett at Giro and once to Ackerman in RideLondon).

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Vuelta 2018 Stage 3:Mijas to Alhaurín de la Torre 178.2

A strong break has a bit of a chance but not much. Quickstep won't want to let a chance like this pass for Viviani, who must take opportunities like this if he is going to compete for the points competition.

Of note, since the start of the Giro, Viviani has contested 12 sprints and:

Has won 9;

Has finished 2nd three times (twice to Bennett at Giro and once to Ackerman in RideLondon).

That said, the competition in most of these sprints hasn't been superb and Bennett and ackerman aren't exactly top tier sprinters

 

[The Barb]

Re: Vuelta 2018 Stage 3:Mijas to Alhaurín de la Torre 178.2

A strong break has a bit of a chance but not much. Quickstep won't want to let a chance like this pass for Viviani, who must take opportunities like this if he is going to compete for the points competition.

Of note, since the start of the Giro, Viviani has contested 12 sprints and:

Has won 9;

Has finished 2nd three times (twice to Bennett at Giro and once to Ackerman in RideLondon).

That said, the competition in most of these sprints hasn't been superb and Bennett and ackerman aren't exactly top tier sprinters

Not sure I'd agree. Sure, he hasn't been beating Kittel or Groenewegen but he he doesn't have to here, either.

In his two most recent sprints:

Hamburg - 1st, beating Demare, Kristoff, Degenkolb, Nizzolo, Trentin etc
London - 2nd, beating many Vuelta riders, plus Greipel, Bauhaus, Cavendish etc.

I'd say the Vuelta field of sprinters is well down on either of those races once one factors in Sagan being clearly off his peak.