Vuelta a España - Stage 11 Vilanova i la Geltrú - Andorra 208.4km

[issoisso]

he struggles with the steep stuff, this was on show at the giro.

kash. nice ride.

Which is why he's well suited to the Tour de France.

 

[Frosty]

he struggles with the steep stuff, this was on show at the giro.

Yeah, second up the Mortirolo, why does he bother?

 

[zapata]

impressed by peter velits.

 

[roundabout]

Nice job by old man Cuesta. Looks like the classification is missing one of the Caisse riders who came in with Uran.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Which is why he's well suited to the Tour de France.

yeah, he will ride the tour next year anyway.

Anton should win the vuelta, this is obvious.

 

[Sophistic]

~23:25 for the last 10k for Anton, thats about 400 Watts or 6,8 W/kg for him

 

[Mellow Velo]

In the end, Caisse and Cervelo, who looked out of it, came out pretty good.
Only big losers are Katusha and Rabo.

Nibali has cracks appearing in his armour. Frank S starting to find some form.

 

[The Hitch]

he struggles with the steep stuff, this was on show at the giro.

kash. nice ride.

I always had that opinion too but he did go over the Monte Grappa with Basso, Evans, Scarponi and even more impressively over the mortirolo in front of Evans

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Nibali cracked back to the group F.Schleck
Nibali will lose 3/4 minutes on Covadonga/Bola del Mundo.

No way he is going to keep up with REAL climbers like Anton or Mosquera. Just as I predicted. Bleh.

Where is that F.Schleck-top-climber group now?

You predict very well. And you are even better at pointing that out

 

[Arnout]

~23:25 for the last 10k for Anton, thats about 400 Watts or 6,8 W/kg for him

Its quite easy to get impressive figures on a short climb after a flat stage.

 

[vcampbell]

Nice job by old man Cuesta. Looks like the classification is missing one of the Caisse riders who came in with Uran.

I think that was Brushegin.

 

[Ney the Viking]

Frank S starting to find some form.

Well it is a few stages late, even though there is lot of vuelta left, he has thrown quite some time by now.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Wasn't too far off with my feelings about this stage. Hoped Rodriguez wouldn't blow up until the weekend, but he went early.

Superb climb. Bring on the rest!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Yeah, second up the Mortirolo, why does he bother?

I always had that opinion too but he did go over the Monte Grappa with Basso, Evans, Scarponi and even more impressively over the mortirolo in front of Evans

Zoncolan was the real steep test. He didn't cut it.

Montirlo they benefited from the previous climb. At this stage, the better climbers - evans - were wrecked form an already demanding spring.

I am not suggesting eh is bad at the steep stuff, he just doesn't cut it when compared to the better climbers. The giro was epic, but other than evans, basso and scarponi who else was there ? (with form anyway).

 

[The Hitch]

Im not going to blow my horn like dekkertifosi but a friendly

Harmon expects a minimum of 16 riders contesting the finish

I was expecting a lot less than that.

It's a very easy climb until the last 2kms.

The mountains don't REALLY start until the weekend

agree with isso. It's a pretty easy climb.

 

[Kwibus]

Wow. Until Mosquera attacked I was kinda worries this stage would be a dissapointing MTF.

Well thank you Mosquera! And I really wished he won it, because he made the stage.
Purito and Nibbles hanging in there for too long and blowing themselves up. Very nice allthough I like both so it were mixed feelings.

Still nothing decided for the GC.

Oh and very nice and smart race by Anton!

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

What a great stage!

 

[The Hitch]

I told you guys this was going to be a great stage. Maybe we are all still suffering from tdf disilusionment syndrome where they even manage to make the col de tourmalet look like Milan San remo.

 

[indurain666]

Great stage! Lots of action! Time gaps were not big but the racing was cool

Frank Schleck really could have used some help specially when he got stuck in no-mans land trying to connect with Nibali. He could have used some help there, where was his brother? Oh yeah, right, watching the race on TV at some local pub having one drink or two.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Im not going to blow my horn like dekkertifosi but a friendly

I still don't think it was harder than previous stages, the pace was just really high from a long way out. And the demanding season get's tougher as this race goes on.

The time gaps were not all that big.

The vuelta always has more attacks but, which is good.

 

[Frosty]

Zoncolan was the real steep test. He didn't cut it.

Montirlo they benefited from the previous climb. At this stage, the better climbers - evans - were wrecked form an already demanding spring.

Well he had put in a big attack the previous day... Did ok on the Corones tt.

You're also forgetting that he wasnt even supposed to be riding the Giro

Anyway, was only 1 off on my tommy d prediction for today as well (provisionally, someone said Bruseghin had got lost in the system so that might be two). Go me

 

[The Hitch]

I still don't think it was harder than previous stages, the pace was just really high from a long way out. And the demanding season get's tougher as this race goes on.

The time gaps were not all that big.

Fair enough, though at least i can say i beat Harmon, considering his 16 riders contesting the finish prediction.

And its not just the steepness or length of the climb which made me think there was going to be action. Its the fact that yesterday Xacebo were pushing it on the small climb 40k out. This is a competition with no king and many pretenders. There are many who are going to try to reeach out and grab the crown. As it happens i rightly guessed it was Mosquera who did this by attacking but it could have been anyone.

 

[Frosty]

Was going to say that Moncoutie had done well in the king of the mountains comp having come seventh but points only went down to 5th

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Fair enough, though at least i can say i beat Harmon, considering his 16 riders contesting the finish prediction.

And its not just the steepness or length of the climb which made me think there was going to be action. Its the fact that yesterday Xacebo were pushing it on the small climb 40k out. This is a competition with no king and many pretenders. There are many who are going to try to reeach out and grab the crown. As it happens i rightly guessed it was Mosquera who did this by attacking but it could have been anyone.

Mosqeura is good at animating the vuelta, he has done so the last few vueltas. makes the race better, unfortunately his early attacks harms his chances imo.

I have preferred the vuelta and giro over the tour for a long time.

 

[whittashau]

I think you're all being too quick to judge Nibali. This could just be his off day.