Vuelta 2018 Stage 9:Talavera to La Covatilla 200.8 km

[Hugo Koblet]

This is it? That's disappointing. Mollema, Teuns, Mate, King, Vanbilsen, Leezer, Mas, Hollenstein, Bagues, Ezquerra and De Gendt.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Why are like 90% of finishing climbs nowadays headwind

Climate change.

Never been more motivated to stop wasting electricity

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

This is it? That's disappointing. Mollema, Teuns, Mate, King, Vanbilsen, Leezer, Mas, Hollenstein, Bagues, Ezquerra and De Gendt.

Seems like a dream break for Mollema if they stay away

 

[ice&fire]

Lots of pee stops now

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

Why are like 90% of finishing climbs nowadays headwind

Climate change.

Never been more motivated to stop wasting electricity

First step, avoid watching for five hours the stage, tune in for the last Km then turn off the TV.

 

[HelloDolly]

Re: Re:

Since it's 80 km from the top of the Puerto de Pena Negra to the start of the La Covatilla climb I'd say it's likely it will be a big group at the start of the last climb. Could well be the Movistar train against "Superman". One things for sure, it'll be hot again.

Maybe yes?
- Team Sky is not dominant enough to really control this stage, plus Kwiatkowski, Henao, and Geoghan Hart are rattled from their big crash
- Murmurs about Superman López / Pello Bilbao finally trying something ? Why would Astana not attack at this point
- FDJ are "adamant" about defending the red jersey as long as possible, but what does that mean ? To get Molard, plus Pinot, Duchesne or anyone decent as a climber into a big late-stage group? Random large groups representing lots of teams changes the tactics
- Movistar is Movistar, will Yates really be able to overpower multiple threats, not certain that he will

All well and good except no mention of the strongest team in the Vuelta ...i.e. Lotto NLJ

If any team can dictate the race its NL Jumbo

 

[ice&fire]

Peloton in line led by FDJ. They must be going all out for Tibopino.

And.. the camera shows Tibopino at the back of the peloton

 

[TourOfSardinia]

What's TiboPinot doing at the back
while his teams pulling on the front?

 

[Eclipse]

If it's a headwind I'm worried we won't see much unless Q is really feeling it.

Perhaps Yates will kick it off again though as he does seem invested in just attacking as long as he can

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Re: Re:

Why are like 90% of finishing climbs nowadays headwind

Climate change.

Never been more motivated to stop wasting electricity

First step, avoid watching for five hours the stage, tune in for the last Km then turn off the TV.

Do I save energy by having it on mute throughout ?

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

Why are like 90% of finishing climbs nowadays headwind

Climate change.

Never been more motivated to stop wasting electricity

First step, avoid watching for five hours the stage, tune in for the last Km then turn off the TV.

Do I save energy by having it on mute throughout ?

No, it's all or nothing. Save the planet.

 

[toolittle]

Re: Re:

I think the break wins this one. If the other GC teams expect Movistar to control the break they'll let it go as they are always conservative when it comes to those things. If no one in the GC goes early, then I'd expect Yates to go close to the finish and the only GC rider who can handle Yates' acceleration and do anything with it is Valverde. This is also likely to be the worst stage of this Vuelta for Valverde.

Why is Valverde ill-suited? Undulating terrain leading up to the final climb. It's not a true multi-mountain stage.

Valverde sprinted yesterday. He will pay the toll today.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

I think the break wins this one. If the other GC teams expect Movistar to control the break they'll let it go as they are always conservative when it comes to those things. If no one in the GC goes early, then I'd expect Yates to go close to the finish and the only GC rider who can handle Yates' acceleration and do anything with it is Valverde. This is also likely to be the worst stage of this Vuelta for Valverde.

Why is Valverde ill-suited? Undulating terrain leading up to the final climb. It's not a true multi-mountain stage.

Valverde sprinted yesterday. He will pay the toll today.

Riight, he always rides gruppetto after having done a sprint...

 

[tobydawq]

Is it too hard to have a spare shirt in the team car?

 

[ice&fire]

Re:

Is it too hard to have a spare shirt in the team car?

A spare shirt won't do for Chetout. He wears a single piece suit.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

Is it too hard to have a spare shirt in the team car?

A spare shirt won't do for Chetout. He wears a single piece suit.

Okay, that would be quite the show, changing that while riding

Is stuff like that really necessary on a stage like today's?

 

[Poursuivant]

What chance do the break have?

 

[Poursuivant]

Ah 7:30 and rising, looks like the break has it.

 

[ice&fire]

The peloton is having a lunch break. There are still more than 50km to the start of the last climb.

 

[Laplaz]

King to take la roja.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Surely Bauke can’t muck it up from here, even if he decides to pull the whole way himself or something similarly stupid.

 

[rick james]

Re: Re:

I think the break wins this one. If the other GC teams expect Movistar to control the break they'll let it go as they are always conservative when it comes to those things. If no one in the GC goes early, then I'd expect Yates to go close to the finish and the only GC rider who can handle Yates' acceleration and do anything with it is Valverde. This is also likely to be the worst stage of this Vuelta for Valverde.

Why is Valverde ill-suited? Undulating terrain leading up to the final climb. It's not a true multi-mountain stage.

Valverde sprinted yesterday. He will pay the toll today.

If Valverde suffers today its not because he sprinted yesterday

 

[Velolover2]

The break have pretty good odds for a stage win. Don't think Ben King will take the jersey tho'.

 

[LaFlorecita]

If Mollema doesn't win this...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Chetout has gotten himself a new kit