Vuelta a Andalucia (Ruta Del Sol) 2.HC // 18.2 - 22.2

[jens_attacks]

something like indurain/rominger for now let's be honest

a long way until coppi/bartali.

 

[Taxus4a]

Don't think much will happen tomorrow in terms of GC, the run in to the finale is basically flat as a pancake and Froome just needs to magnetize himself to Contador's back wheel. I'll go with Degenkolb after what he did on Hatta Dam.

SKy has showed better in the flat than Saxo and Froome has got two top 20 in the flat stages, but tomorrow has a urban final with climb, so it is possible splits and differences.

As well is possible some splits alll the stage by the wind. An stage quite up and down.

I think Contador will try something, but he has really difficult to do it.

It will be a nervious stage, they have to be always in the front to avoid any crash or echelon, and mainly in the final climb to put well his rider. I think Froome and Contador will be both in the top 10 tomorrow, at least one of them, the 800 metres previous to the last 200 m are at 6 %, and there will be 200 m at 8 %, in the last stage, splits are almost sure in the top 20 riders.

http://alhaurinsocial.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/altimetria.jpg

Of course Lobato and Degenkolb are the favourites.

I am not sure if there is bonus seconds at intermediate points

 

[richwagmn]

What an outstanding race. Great to see both of them actually fighting for the win this early in the season.

And that's what's outstanding about both of them. Neither of them give up.

For me, it's far preferable to have two riders like Froome and Contador that have to fight for the win over having one dominant rider like Indurain or Armstrong.

 

[Taxus4a]

Vuelta 2012, Froome was still nowhere near being a rival. Contador had far more problems with Purito.

Tour 2013, Contador was at Kreuziger level, a rival only on paper for Froome who in fact had no rival.

Last year's Vuelta was the first time when they were proven rivals.

So it is early to speak about a rivalry, it's rather a developing situation.

And Tirreno, and Dauphin?, and Oman, etc...

 

[Bushman]

Today it was a long and hard day, more with the wind and rain, and the vbevgining was fast during 50 kms, and it is a second day of effort. That is better for Froome.

Big % slopes is not the best for him, but today was an ally, becouse that way is easier to drop anybody.

The team did very well today, not as yesterday, and they could use Nieve.

Tomorrow there is still fight for GC.

Great spectacle.

Today it was a shorter and more explosive climb than yesterday, how can you say otherwise?

 

[Vasilis ho Megas]

Anyone know about Kiryienka? PCS shows he abandoned.

 

[Jspear]

Today it was a long and hard day, more with the wind and rain, and the vbevgining was fast during 50 kms, and it is a second day of effort. That is better for Froome.

Big % slopes is not the best for him, but today was an ally, becouse that way is easier to drop anybody.

The team did very well today, not as yesterday, and they could use Nieve.

Tomorrow there is still fight for GC.

Great spectacle.

I don't think you know very much about what suits Froome. Just yesterday you said that today would suit AC more than Froome....
Also Froome does fine on steep slopes. If you remember last year in the Vuelta, Froome did better than AC on the extremely steep slopes as well.

 

[Bushman]

It's really not true that short steep hills doesn't suit Froome, he has done really well on Pena Cabarga, La Planche Beilles Filles and other quite short, explosive climbs.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Bot AC and Froome can do short and steep well if they have a good day. It is february, they are both overweight, and lack intensity in their training. To have a bigger variation in form from day to day is not unatural. Today we had a slightly sub-par AC fighting a decent Froome, yesterday this was reversed.

They won't have a chance against Nibbles come July anyway, so why even care?

 

[Bexon30]

Missed today's stage but it sounds like Froome battered everyone. Any kind person share a video clip link of the last climb please.

 

[The_Juan]

There you go Chris! Atta boy! Bring the fight to him. Don't give up.

This TdF is going to be legendary.

 

[no crostis no party]

Thanks for the excellent write up of today's stage. It is one of the best, if not THE best I have ever read. Wish you would have posted who wrote it.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Wow! I for one do not see that one coming. I just caught up on highlights and a stunning win for Froome. A real psychological blow for Alberto but I'm sure he will come back strong.

This season will be epic, I can feel it!

 

[DenisMenchov]

Such a surprise for me today. Not a win itself, but talking the overall lead is quite a shock.

 

[hfer07]

It was Thrilling to watch the duel among the best of the best. Kudos to Froome- great come back & this result only adds more drama to the rivalry.

 

[GuyIncognito]

I swear this forum is bipolar.
Guys oscillating wildly in performance from one day to the next in February is the most common sight in cycling....doesn't stop everyone from going ape**** every day

 

[happytramp]

I don't blame people for getting excited (it is exciting) but there's no chance of Contador/Froome being remembered in the same light as Coppi and Bartali, Any other cycling rivalry, maybe but not Coppi/Bartali. Cycling was a national obsession in Italy. Their rivalry represented much, much more than sporting endevour. There rivalry represented a split in class, politics, religion a different way of life. Street brawls among their respective fans were common during there time. Millions of newspapers were sold off the back of it, songs and poetry was written about it. Everyone in the country was either for or Coppi or Bartali, not just cycling fans.

But prehaps the main reason there rivalry will be most strongly remembered?.... they were on the same team. The in-fighting on the Italian team between the staff, riders and fans is legendary.

 

[happytramp]

You are FOREVER making excuses. A 16.7KM climb isn't long enough for Froome to be competitive??? Lol...:rolleyes

EDIT: I do love the grasping of straws to put lipstick on this pig for Froome. On similar form, Contador has demonstrated he's better (Vuelta 2014 and now this race). No qualifiers/explanations are needed IMO.

Didn't catch the racing live but having read back through the last two days posts some of them seem fairly hilarious in hind-sight. I love how things can switch so much in one day. Hopefully it's a sign of a good season to come.

 

[Arredondo]

They are rivals,of that there is no doubt but you asserted it was comparably as great a rivalry as Coppi/Bartali.Not true.Great rivalries in cycling are for me probably Coppi/Bartali,Merckx/DeVlaeminck,Anquetil/Poulidor.

The Froome/AC rivalry has a ways to go before it can be discussed in the same breath as the above.

I'm saying that, if this is going to continue for some years, it will be judged as a great rivalry like we had in the 50's/60's/70's, or whatever time you pick. Because history will place a rivalry like this in it's right perspective.

 

[mojomonkey]

Missed today's stage but it sounds like Froome battered everyone. Any kind person share a video clip link of the last climb please.

Vuelta a Andalucia 2015 HD - Stage 4 - FINAL 10 KILOMETERS

 

[Tournesol]

I'm saying that, if this is going to continue for some years, it will be judged as a great rivalry like we had in the 50's/60's/70's, or whatever time you pick. Because history will place a rivalry like this in it's right perspective.

Its not going to continue for some years though,AC is retiring next year so for that reason it will never attain the legendary status of the rivalries i mentioned.

Its a rivalry of a time like AC/Lance and AC/Andy were,not particularly special IMO.

 

[Arredondo]

Its not going to continue for some years though,AC is retiring next year so for that reason it will never attain the legendary status of the rivalries i mentioned.

You really believe that?

Its a rivalry of a time like AC/Lance and AC/Andy were,not particularly special IMO.

AC-Andy was not a rivalry at all. There only faced each other in the Tour, in all the other races Schleck was horrible or Contador didn't rode for the win.

Froome and Contador fight each other in every race they encounter. That's a big difference.

 

[Tournesol]

You really believe that?



AC-Andy was not a rivalry at all. There only faced each other in the Tour, in all the other races Schleck was horrible or Contador didn't rode for the win.

Froome and Contador fight each other in every race they encounter. That's way different.

That was my point,if we accept Le Tour is the most important race then they've only faced off properly once just like AC/Lance AC/Andy.You can believe its a great rivalry if you want.

 

[Arredondo]

That was my point,if we accept Le Tour is the most important race then they've only faced off properly once just like AC/Lance AC/Andy.You can believe its a great rivalry if you want.

I say it will be a great rivalry in general sense (i think it already is), because i believe they will face each other many times in great races in the future, including more then 1 Tour.

 

[Flamin]

The GC isn't decided yet. Besides the uphill final tomorrow, there's a 180? turn at the 200m mark, which increases the possibility of small gaps on the line.