Vuelta 2018 Stage 7:Puerto Lumbreras - Pozo Alcón 185.7km

[Keram]

Re: Re:

Sagan is just so crazy.

Why?

Anyway quite demanding finale and he would won if Tony wouldnt escape so he is in some sort of form now finally. Good to see him beat Bala for second.

Because he followed and beat the best riders in such a stage when everybody thinks his level is way below the usual.

Well he is closer to his best than we think I hope he will win at least once at Vuelta

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re: Re:

Sagan is just so crazy.

Why?

Anyway quite demanding finale and he would won if Tony wouldnt escape so he is in some sort of form now finally. Good to see him beat Bala for second.

Because he followed and beat the best riders in such a stage when everybody thinks his level is way below the usual.

So which aspect of his performance is it that impresses you? 1) That he's able to get top results when not in shape, or in contrast, 2) that he's apparently found form from one day to the next?

If it's aspect 1, I am not impressed by it. Because we already knew of his high base level, and I am no longer astounded.

If it's aspect 2, I am somewhat more impressed. Finding shape can happen to almost any rider, but it's definitely not everyone who can do it instantly from day to day.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

GC

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

Sagan is just so crazy.

Why?

Anyway quite demanding finale and he would won if Tony wouldnt escape so he is in some sort of form now finally. Good to see him beat Bala for second.

Because he followed and beat the best riders in such a stage when everybody thinks his level is way below the usual.

Well he is closer to his best than we think I hope he will win at least once at Vuelta

Oh yes he will, after today I'm sure of that. Maybe even tomorrow...

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

Sagan is just so crazy.

Why?

Anyway quite demanding finale and he would won if Tony wouldnt escape so he is in some sort of form now finally. Good to see him beat Bala for second.

Because he followed and beat the best riders in such a stage when everybody thinks his level is way below the usual.

Well he is closer to his best than we think I hope he will win at least once at Vuelta

Oh yes he will, after today I'm sure of that. Maybe even tomorrow...

Agreed. After what he did today, he's healthy. He will will get a stage win somewhere.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

Sagan is just so crazy.

Why?

Anyway quite demanding finale and he would won if Tony wouldnt escape so he is in some sort of form now finally. Good to see him beat Bala for second.

Because he followed and beat the best riders in such a stage when everybody thinks his level is way below the usual.

So which aspect of his performance is it that impresses you? 1) That he's able to get top results when not in shape, or in contrast, 2) that he's apparently found form from one day to the next?

If it's aspect 1, I am not impressed by it. Because we already knew of his high base level, and I am no longer astounded.

If it's aspect 2, I am somewhat more impressed. Finding shape can happen to almost any rider, but it's definitely not everyone who can do it instantly from day to day.

I think it's a combination. I mean it's not often we see him below-par, is it? I just think I was positively surprised to see him do what he did today. I had hoped, but only half-believed (or a minor fraction than half). Also, he often says he dislikes the heat (though it usually doesn't seem to influence too much on his performance), so many things were speaking against him, I think.

I'm not sure his sprint is at his best yet, though - perhaps his injuries are hampering him in that aspect, but he definitely seems to be better than I had hoped climbing-wise and has improved massively since Sunday.

Edit: He also almost crashed when Benoot and co went down with 17 kms to go. He showed his amazing anti-crash reflexes again, sliding sideways a couple of metres down on the gravel without going down. How he crashed in the Tour remains a mystery.

 

[tobydawq]

Interesting performance by Gibbons as well - he came in alone right after the favourites' group which included Campenaerts!!

 

[Flamin]

Exciting finale. Superb attack from Gallopin. That's what freshness (and top shape) does for you in the Vuelta.

Also good to see Sagan improving bit by bit.. Hopefully he can snatch a stage later.

 

[tobydawq]

I think Lluís Mas wants to go to Movistar or is a good friend of Valverde. Otherwise his tactics today with leading the peloton into the final 200 metres and then dying was pretty strange.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

A week in, and still got the whole field racing. A good thing, of course, as it means no serious injuries, but I suspect that hasn't happened for a while.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

A week in, and still got the whole field racing. A good thing, of course, as it means no serious injuries, but I suspect that hasn't happened for a while.

Actually, in the 2016 Tour, Michael Mørkøv was the first rider to abandon on the 8th stage. But this is highly unusual.

 

[Valv.Piti]

What a nice finish! Super impressive by Sagan after his pretty dreadful showings so far in the race. Valverde looked good and very happy he moved up to 2nd - hopefully a leaders jersey on Sunday!

Nice attack by Gallopin. And great to see Edu Prades doing so well against the best riders in the world!

 

[Koronin]

Re:

I think Lluís Mas wants to go to Movistar or is a good friend of Valverde. Otherwise his tactics today with leading the peloton into the final 200 metres and then dying was pretty strange.

They are good friends. They train together sometimes and there are pictures of them together on training rides floating around.

 

[Robert5091]

Re: Re:

Taking over Tonton's Prediction Jersey -

One name. Omar Fraile.

I kind of agree, although it has been reported that he’s still suffering from his crash on Stage 2 and won’t be going for stage wins until next week.

Don’t know what to make of that given his improved performance yesterday. I doubt he’ll go in the break but if it’s a reduced sprint he’s a very conceivable winner.

Didn't knew about that ... then i'll go with Gallopin

Told you

Chapeau! (Fraile 5th too)

Chapeau Gallopin! Good to see Sagan at the pointy end and not dangling off the back of the peloton. Uran up there too.

 

[Koronin]

Have you all seen Tiesj Benoot's picture of his knee on twitter? Um wow, not sure how he managed to finish the stage.

https://twitter.com/TiesjBenoot/status/1035638403243692033

 

[Koronin]

As for what Valverde is or isn't doing, he's back to basically saying may, let's see how I feel. This is his comment about it:

"¿Disputar la general? Hay que esperar. Queda mucho. Vamos poco a poco”.

He's keeping the door open to go after GC if he wants to/feels like it.

 

[shalgo]

No combativity prize for Woods? Talk about adding insult to injury.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

No combativity prize for Woods? Talk about adding insult to injury.

It seems that this year that award is only going to Spaniards. I think the race needs to come up with some new award that is only for Spaniards so that this one can go back to what it should be.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

No combativity prize for Woods? Talk about adding insult to injury.

It seems that this year that award is only going to Spaniards. I think the race needs to come up with some new award that is only for Spaniards so that this one can go back to what it should be.

Apparently, the organizers nominate three riders and then the Spanish public have a vote about it...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Have you all seen Tiesj Benoot's picture of his knee on twitter? Um wow, not sure how he managed to finish the stage.

https://twitter.com/TiesjBenoot/status/1035638403243692033

Oh come on, it looks horrific but it's a wound, not a fracture. And it looks like they opened it up a bit to clean it out, which makes it look even worse.

 

[ice&fire]

Re: Re:

No combativity prize for Woods? Talk about adding insult to injury.

It seems that this year that award is only going to Spaniards. I think the race needs to come up with some new award that is only for Spaniards so that this one can go back to what it should be.

Apparently, the organizers nominate three riders and then the Spanish public have a vote about it...

And the poll is closed some minutes (20-30?) before the end of the stage. So anything that happens in the last kms can't be taken into account.

 

[yaco]

Reckon the more pressing award should be a Young Rider's jersey - The Vuelta is one of the few stage races that don't offer this prize.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Reckon the more pressing award should be a Young Rider's jersey - The Vuelta is one of the few stage races that don't offer this prize.

I think they should get it. Nobody ever rides for the combined jersey, which only makes a GC contender more or less recognizable depending on if you're aware of who has it.

 

[Hakkapelit]

Re:

Reckon the more pressing award should be a Young Rider's jersey - The Vuelta is one of the few stage races that don't offer this prize.

Mayby if they get a diapersponsor or something for the jersey, the current wants a big name in their colors wich the current competition seems to ensure to a higer degree.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

Did Quintana fall off the road??

That was Carapaz.

Thanks.

So, apparently it wasn't that Carapaz crashed. What happened was that Quintana had a puncture, and Carapaz gave him his bike, so quick nobody even saw!