Vuelta a España - Stage 20 San Martín de Valdeiglesias - Bola del Mundo 172.1km

[roundabout]

Time gaps =/= excitement of the stage.

Man on Man all the way in the last 20 minutes, we haven't seen that since Zoncolan.

There were big gaps to be made up and yet everybody waited for the last 4 km. Yet the gaps show that it's not possible to gain the needed time only on the final bit.

 

[Scirea]

So much for the carnage. 10 guys came in within 1 minute. Mosquera and Nibali beat guys like Pujol, Jufre and Dupont by 1:30...

 

[theyoungest]

This.

But The Hitch seems to have a personal obsession with my predictions as bad as ACF has with Cadel Evans.

Well, you did seem pretty adamant about Nibali not being good enough, and I gotta say, he clearly was. He surprised me as well, but at least admit that Mosquera really wasn't a stronger climber in this Vuelta... Nibali actually took time on him uphill.

He may not have won against the best field ever, but he did win.

 

[Highlander]

congratulations to Nibali, he was very intelligent throughout the race (of course a bit lucky to win after Igor Anton withdrew but thats part of the game), Mosquera did a great job and to my countryman Peter Velits on the amazing Vuelta he has had!!!

His reward will be getting to serve as part of Cav's leadout train tomorrow, the only thing that HTC really cares about.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Tondo and Sastre have both done 3 GTs this year, or am I wrong?

Tondó skipped the Tour, but Sastre's now come top 20 in all three GTs this season - and top 10 in two.

 

[Christian]

Tondo did great, good to see him recover and finish 6th overall rather than completely losing it in the 3rd week.

Is he gonna go to Garmin next year as well? I forgot

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

(of course a bit lucky to win after Igor Anton withdrew but thats part of the game),

Yes. Are you lucky when a major rival has to withdraw because he crashes? Certainly. But bike handling is an important skill, and bad bike handlers have more crashes. I really like people like Anton and Soler, but their inability to stay upright when it counts isn't just about bad luck.

 

[maltiv]

Great ride by Nicolas Roche, too bad he didn't get into the top 5.

 

[khardung la]

Interestingly enough I saw signs in the crowd "NO VUELTA HERE - SOS SIERRA"

The area is called "La Sierra" by the people in Madrid. there is a plan to create a national park, and that was one of the main reasons why it was so difficult to make a finish there. Many people are worried about the environmental consequences of so many people, helicopters etc... up there.

Anyway, sadly there are as manay as 3 ski stations in the same area, which are pretty packed in the winter months. That is real environmental impact...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Well, you did seem pretty adamant about Nibali not being good enough, and I gotta say, he clearly was. He surprised me as well, but at least admit that Mosquera really wasn't a stronger climber in this Vuelta... Nibali actually took time on him uphill.

He may not have won against the best field ever, but he did win.

On the longer climbs, Andorra, Cotobello, Covadonga, he took time. Except today and Pena Cobarga, when they practically came in together.
Then in my book, Mosquera is the stronger climber.
Hills like Xorret de Cati have nothing to do with being the best climber

And I already admitted Nibali is the best rider of the remaining field.

 

[Zoncolan]

Tondo did great, good to see him recover and finish 6th overall rather than completely losing it in the 3rd week.

Yeah, was expecting him to pull a Tommy D.
Also, impressed by Velits and Roche.
I really didn't know what to expect from Velits.

F. Schleck adds another top 5 in a GT to his palmares.

 

[AtletiSK]

Yes. Are you lucky when a major rival has to withdraw because he crashes? Certainly. But bike handling is an important skill, and bad bike handlers have more crashes. I really like people like Anton and Soler, but their inability to stay upright when it counts isn't just about bad luck.

I wrote "it is part of the game" so I fully agree with you...

 

[Spare Tyre]

Tondó skipped the Tour, but Sastre's now come top 20 in all three GTs this season - and top 10 in two.

Cheers ...

 

[Ferminal]

Is he gonna go to Garmin next year as well? I forgot

He's going to Movistar isn't he?

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Two LG boys rolling 17 mins down!

Now Nibali can thank them!

 

[The Hitch]

Comparing the general cycling insight of TC to TD? Have you no honour Hitch?

BTW, I see you are leading our purist fantasy league with a safe lead. Congrats with the only win that counts. Unless you really fluffed the last 2... in which case you know the only manly way out

Nah. Ryaguas actually won the overall purists.

Yep you are right there is only 1 way out. Not post on the fantasy league thread . I regretfully accept my fate.

 

[Spare Tyre]

Is he gonna go to Garmin next year as well? I forgot

I think Tondo goes to Movistar

 

[AtletiSK]

they never stood a chance, Peter was riding incredibly....partytime in Slovakia tonight!!!!

absolutely, great race by Peto and hopefully we get something to celebrate in WCH in Melbourne as well
btw. I see youre from Zilina as well

 

[hrotha]

Aaaaand of course Danielson manages to be the worst of the top 10 folks. Nevermind that in the previous mountain stages he seemed to be one of the riders who were still moving up. Oh well.

This was a very impressive finish. Glad to see even DT acknowledges Nibali deserves the victory. Props to Mosquera for basically doing everything right.

 

[Barrus]

Wouldn't this be the first GT Tondo completes?

 

[Luis Ocaña]

He's going to Movistar isn't he?

Yep he is.

 

[The Hitch]

Yes. Are you lucky when a major rival has to withdraw because he crashes? Certainly. But bike handling is an important skill, and bad bike handlers have more crashes. I really like people like Anton and Soler, but their inability to stay upright when it counts isn't just about bad luck.

Yep. He should have known better than to have his teamate ride over a part of the road that had a branch in it hence knocking both of them down

Nibali would never have failed there

 

[theyoungest]

On the longer climbs, Andorra, Cotobello, Covadonga, he took time. Except today and Pena Cobarga, when they practically came in together.
Then in my book, Mosquera is the stronger climber.
Hills like Xorret de Cati have nothing to do with being the best climber

And I already admitted Nibali is the best rider of the remaining field.

They're explosive climbs, but they're climbs nonetheless. And actually, they fit Nibali just as badly as Mosquera, but Nibali simply did better on them.

 

[marioni]

Maybe Nibali will finally gets some credit over here.

Bravo to him, what a great race.

 

[Francois the Postman]

But The Hitch seems to have a personal obsession with my predictions as bad as ACF has with Cadel Evans.

Well, if you keep grandstanding by presenting your opinions not as your opinions, but as the gospel truth, and keep depicting the opinions of others as those of inferior beings, even those of pretty decent contributors here, you do kinda volunteer for a slow roasting session on these occasions.

Time to swallow.