Vuelta a Andalucía 2013 (17th - 20th February)

[Maaaaaaaarten]

TGBM is giving of some signs of either peaking wrong or going to have a great season, because he usually needs lots of racing to be in shape.

I think he's usually quite decent at prologues though, so a random 10th place isn't out of the ordinaiy I think.

 

[theyoungest]

Mollema in the top 10. . Pretty solid by Quintana too.
Gesnik seems to be still afraid of crashing, going slow in the rain.

Mollema, like VDB, is a pretty good prologue rider. Nothing shocking there.

What is surprising is that he did so well while riding in the rain, unlike VDB and Valverde, for instance.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Mollema, like VDB, is a pretty good prologue rider. Nothing shocking there.

What is surprising is that he did so well while riding in the rain, unlike VDB and Valverde, for instance.

TGBM is a bit of a daredevil.... see the TT in Pais Vasco last year. He got 2nd there because he was riding like an idiot on an idiotic parcours. Only an excellent bike-handler like Samu could beat a reckless person like that, on that parcours.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Tom Dumoulin also complaining he was screwed by rain, and the roads were dry again just minutes after he finished.

 

[Descender]

y u no post all the profiles?

Great stages. Honorable mention to the Puerto del León, categorised as a 1st cat despite not being really worthy of any categorisation at all from that side.

 

[roundabout]

Valverde to sweep all stages

 

[RedheadDane]

So... how's it looking in regards to live feeds?

 

[Flamin]

Valverde, what a boss.

 

[Leonardus]

Great stages, is there a livestream the coming days?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Some casulties:
90 32 NIEVE, Mikel ESP EUS a 36"
92 31 ANTON, Igor ESP EUS a 37"
110 13GESINK, Robert NED BLA a 43"

This can only mean one thing. Risk taking, longer distance.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Some casulties:
90 32 NIEVE, Mikel ESP EUS a 36"
92 31 ANTON, Igor ESP EUS a 37"
110 13GESINK, Robert NED BLA a 43"

This can only mean one thing. Risk taking, longer distance.

they have nothing to lose, but Anton didn't seem in form yet. And Movistar is too strong to break up from long distance with Quintana AND Valverde

 

[Flamin]

Great stages, is there a livestream the coming days?

only highlights, unfortunately.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

they have nothing to lose, but Anton didn't seem in form yet. And Movistar is too strong to break up from long distance with Quintana AND Valverde

well, some of these guys better look at the result today and make an alliance somehow. Must be others at 25s+. Let Mollema etc sit in the Movistar train meanwhile.

 

[Flamin]

He's quite explosive, yes that other prologue had a hill in it but the effort is similar.

who? VDB?

no...

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

21 7QUINTANA, Nairo COL MOV a 14"

wow!!!

6 km flat, totally unsuitable to quintana in his first race. seem he worked even more on his timetrial

 

[ILovecycling]

21 7QUINTANA, Nairo COL MOV a 14"

wow!!!

6 km flat, totally unsuitable to quintana in his first race. seem he worked even more on his timetrial

Great result,I hope he is ready for mountains too!

Ryo,do you know what his schedule looks like?

edit: probably PN after this ,huh?

 

[theyoungest]

who? VDB?

no...

Yes, he says he isn't. But if you look at him, and look at the climbs/efforts he's best at, he's better at shorter climbs and shorter time trials. He has never even made the top-10 in a long TT.

He doesn't get better as the effort lengthens.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yes, he says he isn't. But if you look at him, and look at the climbs/efforts he's best at, he's better at shorter climbs and shorter time trials. He has never even made the top-10 in a long TT.

He doesn't get better as the effort lengthens.

His worst climbing performances are usually also on the longest climbs (FE tourmalet, madeleine)

 

[Netserk]

Yes, he says he isn't. But if you look at him, and look at the climbs/efforts he's best at, he's better at shorter climbs and shorter time trials. He has never even made the top-10 in a long TT.

He doesn't get better as the effort lengthens.

IIRC he did quite well on Mende in '10.

 

[Dedelou]

21 7QUINTANA, Nairo COL MOV a 14"

wow!!!

6 km flat, totally unsuitable to quintana in his first race. seem he worked even more on his timetrial

Ahhhh! Look at that.. This boy has done some extra homework this winter and it shows.. This is a good promise of a dangerous duo for later races.. great result

 

[Zam_Olyas]

EL Gorrion de cazona?

 

[Bushman]

Valverde finding his form! great

 

[will10]

Quintana is gonna trash this with Balaverde glued to his wheel. Two man show.

 

[theyoungest]

Valverde can win every stage in this race. Next.

 

[RedheadDane]

Bit of a "funny" story:
Birdie's suitcase was delayed, which meant he had to do the prologue in a regular Astana outfit. So they had to convince the organisers that he does indeed have a nat champ skinsuit, and that it wasn't just a case of "Danish champ, can't be bothered."