Vuelta a España - Stage 4 Málaga - Valdepeñas de Jaén 183.8km

[Frosty]

Menchov almost exactly a minute down on Nibali, Anton and Rodriguez. Frankie is 40 seconds down on that trio too.

 

[hrotha]

I was going to post exactly what theyoungest said, almost word for word.

Also impressed by Gilbert.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I think Tondó got to the front of the group at the top of the cat.2 to take the GPM points.

Of the Caisse boys I'd say Arroyo's the most likely to wind up being protected; Luísle is not a GT rider, especially not in a climber's race like this one, and Urán just got off a broken collarbone. though admittedly, Rubén Plaza has never finished outside the top 5 in the Vuelta a España.

 

[jaylew]

I'm actually most impressed by Tejay van Garderen today... didn't think he'd like this kind of explosive finish. Good stuff from the 22-year-old.

I'm surprised as well. I would have expected him to be in the 36" group.

 

[Mellow Velo]

First time I've seen guys sprinting up a 25% ramp!
Proper racing. Much better than we have had..........since May.

Will we now have a "TGTJVG" thread?

 

[Moondance]

F.Schleck is soooooo not going to win this Vuelta, or even podium matter-of-factly.

Anton ftw, can't wait for the actual mountains where Anton will throw minutes at others

Yes... These are the stages that should've been primed for him. I think he could still podium though; even if its only an outside chance.

I think top-favorite Menchov should also be considered seriously out of the running, even though he'll club those Spaniards in the TT like so many baby seals. He's probably gonna lose major time on Xorret de Cati, and after that very likely he'll be too deep in the hole to win, even with the TT; since I don't think he'll be dropping Anton or Rodriguez on an MTT with the form being what it is.

Also. Rodgriguez' consistency is amazing this season

Paris-Nice: Great
Catalunya: Fantastic
Basque: Only one off day (could've won it otherwise)
Classics: Great
Switzerland: Good
TdF: Great
San Sebastian: Great
Vuelta: Looking like a winner

Anton is very impressive too. I didn't count him among the top favorites, but he's proving me wrong in a big way.

 

[El Pistolero]

What stage do you guys think Gilbert will lose the leaders jersey?

I think stage 8 or 9.

 

[skidmark]

F.Schleck is soooooo not going to win this Vuelta, or even podium matter-of-factly.

What about today made you think that? Not that I would be surprised if he finished lower than 3rd, but he seems to be in a good position right now, about 40 seconds back of Anton and Rodriguez and Nibali (who aren't dominant time triallers) and 20 seconds ahead of Menchov. A podium doesn't really seem soooooo out of reach, especially with no high mountains yet...

 

[roundabout]

The TT and major mountain stages are almost 2 weeks away and yet winners and losers are already decided based on 3 km uphill?

Pffft. What if someone does a Basso?

 

[jaylew]

though admittedly, Rubén Plaza has never finished outside the top 5 in the Vuelta a España.

Hasn't he only ever finished the Vuelta once, though?

Awesome shot of them coming up three wide!

Agreed. Terrific shot!

Yes... These are the stages that should've been primed for him. I think he could still podium though; even if its only an outside chance.

I think it's a bit early to write him off considering he only did one race between his injury and the Vuelta. I wouldn't expect him to be tip-top for an explosive finish like that yet.

 

[Moondance]

What stage do you guys think Gilbert will lose the leaders jersey?

I think stage 8 or 9.

Xorret de Cati will be very difficult for him. Rodriguez or Anton will take it there I warrant.

If he survives there too though I guess he could hold it until Andorra. Stage 9 is a 'War of Attrition' type stage where he should be able to grit and survive if he wants to.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yes... These are the stages that should've been primed for him. I think he could still podium though; even if its only an outside chance.

I think top-favorite Menchov should also be considered seriously out of the running, even though he'll club those Spaniards in the TT like so many baby seals. He's probably gonna lose major time on Xorret de Cati, and after that very likely he'll be too deep in the hole to win, even with the TT; since I don't think he'll be dropping Anton or Rodriguez on an MTT with the form being what it is.

Also. Rodgriguez' consistency is amazing this season

Paris-Nice: Great
Catalunya: Fantastic
Basque: Only one off day (could've won it otherwise)
Classics: Great
Switzerland: Good
TdF: Great
San Sebastian: Great
Vuelta: Looking like a winner

Anton is very impressive too. I didn't count him among the top favorites, but he's proving me wrong in a big way.

I said before the Vuelta, Anton, to me, is in the top 3 climbers of the world at the moment. Just based on what I saw of him this season and the times he was actually good. I think he's very close to the level of Contador and Andy Schleck if in top form.

It might be ridicolous and completely 'wrong' based on actual facts, but Anton is one of those guys who always falls at wrong times or is injured at wrong times so he hasn't had the ability to show his skills much. But this time he might actually do it and show it to everyone. Just like Castilla y Leon earlier this year

 

[hrotha]

I don't see how Menchov and Fränk doing about as well as could be expected in these last two stages would rule either of them out from the overall victory.

 

[theyoungest]

The TT and major mountain stages are almost 2 weeks away and yet winners and losers are already decided based on 3 km uphill?

Pffft. What if someone does a Basso?

Well, the rider most likely to do a Basso in this race is Anton... and he's already ahead. There's no way that Fränk Schleck will be able to ride him off his wheel. For Menchov, it's less of a problem. He needs to limit his losses, and try to take some bonus seconds in a less steep uphill sprint, after which he absolutely crushes every other climber in this race in the TT.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

What about today made you think that? Not that I would be surprised if he finished lower than 3rd, but he seems to be in a good position right now, about 40 seconds back of Anton and Rodriguez and Nibali (who aren't dominant time triallers) and 20 seconds ahead of Menchov. A podium doesn't really seem soooooo out of reach, especially with no high mountains yet...

In the high mountains he will lose even more. F.Schleck has always been better at short steep hills than longer climbs. The longer the worse even in my opinion.

 

[jaylew]

What about today made you think that? Not that I would be surprised if he finished lower than 3rd, but he seems to be in a good position right now, about 40 seconds back of Anton and Rodriguez and Nibali (who aren't dominant time triallers) and 20 seconds ahead of Menchov. A podium doesn't really seem soooooo out of reach, especially with no high mountains yet...

Nibali may not be a dominant TTer but he's damn good and puts many of the GC guys here to shame(J-Rod, Anton, Mosquera, Schleck...)

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The TT and major mountain stages are almost 2 weeks away and yet winners and losers are already decided based on 3 km uphill?

Pffft. What if someone does a Basso?

F.Schleck is no Basso. F.Schleck isn't even a pure climber in my opinion. More like a slightly improved version of Boogerd. A classics rider (hills) who can place high in mountain stages, with the difference F.Schleck is slightly more consistent (but still a bit irregular) in high mountain stages and generally better (higher level).

But no way he can ever dream of following Anton/Mosquera/*insert pure climber here* in high mountain stages when they are all in peak form. And especially in Spain

 

[theyoungest]

Nibali may not be a dominant TTer but he's damn good and puts many of the GC guys here to shame(J-Rod, Anton, Mosquera, Schleck...)

Don't know about that, in a 45 k TT he won't be too far ahead, I don't think.

 

[Frosty]

Kreuziger lost 2.48

Nordhaug was the only Sky rider to finish in the top 100 today. Flecha and Stannard have both finished but Lovkvist not in the 149 confirmed finishers so far so lost at least 15 minutes.

 

[jaylew]

Also. Rodgriguez' consistency is amazing this season

Paris-Nice: Great
Catalunya: Fantastic
Basque: Only one off day (could've won it otherwise)
Classics: Great
Switzerland: Good
TdF: Great
San Sebastian: Great
Vuelta: Looking like a winner

Agree with you on J-Rod, but that's precisely why I don't expect him to contend ultimately. I think he will run out of gas at some point in the 2nd or 3rs week.

 

[roundabout]

Kreuziger lost 2.48

Nordhaug was the only Sky rider to finish in the top 100 today. Flecha and Stannard have both finished but Lovkvist not in the 149 confirmed finishers so far so lost at least 15 minutes.

In Vuelta there are always some people "missing" (not picked up by transponders at the line) in the initial results. But 161 was dropped very early.

There was a second Liquigas rider in the main group after the selection was made on the last cat 2 climb????

 

[joy118118]

Kreuziger lost 2.48

Nordhaug was the only Sky rider to finish in the top 100 today. Flecha and Stannard have both finished but Lovkvist not in the 149 confirmed finishers so far so lost at least 15 minutes.

RK said he would work for Nibali.

 

[Moondance]

Kreuziger lost 2.48

Nordhaug was the only Sky rider to finish in the top 100 today. Flecha and Stannard have both finished but Lovkvist not in the 149 confirmed finishers so far so lost at least 15 minutes.

Not very surprising. I've seen him do domestique work (even on the run-in to stage 2) several times now. Kreuziger's cards are not being played this Vuelta, and that was clear from the start.

 

[Frosty]

In Vuelta there are always some people "missing" (not picked up by transponders at the line) in the initial results. But 161 was dropped very early.

I think its more the case that some groups are yet to come in or are yet to be processed in some way. Probably the Cav autobus and a few stragglers are waiting to be officially classified.

 

[roundabout]

I think its more the case that some groups are yet to come in or are yet to be processed in some way. Probably the Cav autobus and a few stragglers are waiting to be officially classified.

Hushovd is 149th as of now on the stage, i'm going to take a guess that he won't be when the full results are available.