Vuelta a España - Stage 8: September 6 - Alzira - Alto de Aitana, 206km

[BroDeal]

About 50/50 Him or Cunego.
I would have thought the Italian would have favoured Cati, for his stage win, so, all in all, a day of surprises.
(except for Caisse doing a USPS, doing a Disco, doing an Astana....)

Cunego's form must be extraordinary. For him to keep up with all the top climbers on a stage like today and then crush them in the last kilometers is something we don't see often from him. I wonder if he has mistimed his peak. It is still a while to go before the Worlds.

 

[elapid]

Wow... what a great stage today. It's also good to see all of the favorites still in the hint after the first week and after the first mountain stage. The next week or so are going to be really fun to watch!

+1. The next two weeks will be interesting with the big boys showing their colours. Despite his relatively poor ITT and this being only the first mountain stage, Evans showed some good early signs. Gesink dug deep to get a few more seconds. I would be great to see Cunego sustain his efforts throughout the Vuelta. Valverde wants this tour, but just waiting for his inevitable bad day in the mountains. Tommy D - where did he finish today?

 

[samb01]

Gerdemann dropped.

Bahahahhhhahhh

Oh how that makes me laugh/smile

Same here. I haven't forgotten how cocky this supposedly talented rider used to be.

 

[Anonymous]

i feel sick...

mr personality in gold

 

[craig1985]

+1. The next two weeks will be interesting with the big boys showing their colours. Despite his relatively poor ITT and this being only the first mountain stage, Evans showed some good early signs. Gesink dug deep to get a few more seconds. I would be great to see Cunego sustain his efforts throughout the Vuelta. Valverde wants this tour, but just waiting for his inevitable bad day in the mountains. Tommy D - where did he finish today?

11th and is now 4th 13 seconds back.

 

[auscyclefan94]

i feel sick...

mr personality in gold

All i can say is hahahahahaha.(no offense). Trying to keep a lid on it as it is early days but i'm pretty happy. Basso lost some seconds in the finish. Nice ride by cunego and gesink looks like he's got some good form.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Chapeau Gesink. Best of the GC riders, although I don't know whether we count Cunego among those now. He was 2:30 down on Evans at the start of the stage.

Yes it was a good ride by gesink but what damage did he do? gained 8 seconds with an attack.

 

[dblueroom]

Very disappointing showing from Team Saxo Bank... I guess now it looks like Evans, Valverde, Sanchez, Gesink, Cunego and Basso. Let's see whether tomorrow's stage will offer more clues.

 

[luckyboy]

Would've been nice to see Mouncoutie win. Still, it was pretty exciting seeing Cunego dart away

 

[luckyboy]

Very disappointing showing from Team Saxo Bank..

Yeah, what happened to Fuglsang? The last I remember was that he was with Cancellara People were talking about him doing pretty well

 

[Tugboat]

Yeah, what happened to Fuglsang? The last I remember was that he was with Cancellara People were talking about him doing pretty well

Maybe he's still hurting a bit after hitting that tanker truck a couple of days ago??

 

[halamala]

Yeah, what happened to Fuglsang? The last I remember was that he was with Cancellara People were talking about him doing pretty well

Maybe he's still hurting a bit after hitting that tanker truck a couple of days ago??

”I had an off-day today but I was also still sore from the crash and the pain undoubtedly troubled my performance today so I chose to find my own rhythm on the last climb. After losing more than ten minutes I will focus on stage victories rather than holding on to the dream of the GC. With Andy out of the race we have naturally lost an important card to play on the road but we have also lost a rider who is extremely important for team when we are not on the road. Andy means a lot for the team spirit”, said Jakob Fuglsang after the race.

http://www.team-saxobank.com/ny_news.asp?n_id=2504

 

[Moondance]

Yes it was a good ride by gesink but what damage did he do? gained 8 seconds with an attack.

8 seconds, plus 8 for 3rd place, so 16 in all, a decent haul given how close it was at the start. Tougher mountain stages loom, and Evans, Sanchez, Valverde and Basso all have way more experience, but Gesink proved the best at the first mountain hurdle is all I'm saying.

I'm not saying he's the favorite all of a sudden; but he attacked, which Valverde, Evans and Sanchez didn't bother to do, and he was rewarded. I like to see attacking riders get rewarded, just like Cunego, and as such i take my hat off to Robert Gesink's performance today.

 

[luckyboy]

Maybe he's still hurting a bit after hitting that tanker truck a couple of days ago??

What?!

Must've missed that stage, apologies :/

 

[Walshworld]

Danielson has the legs!

Tommy D got 7th. He's looking super strong and for once, confident. He could be the revelation in this year's Vuelta. I'm blogging the Vuelta with a comedy edge. CHeck it out at: http://walshworld.wordpress.com/

 

[Anonymous]

Nope, my man Tommy D. will win it. And I'll laugh my ass off if that happens.

I think Valverde will fade on one of the mountain stages...but then again, he has nothing to lose. He might be super "prepared."

There's a Cubs fan in all of us...

I would also suggest waiting a bit before you jinx him with a "lighting it up" thread here. In other news, I hope he does well. He hung today, but it looked like he was being dragged and not actually being an engine in that group. Time will tell.

 

[titan_90]

What?!

Must've missed that stage, apologies :/

Here is a video of the accident.

 

[dblueroom]

But that could just be enough.
I'm not convinced by Valverde as a GC man. Basso need a new gyno. Saxo is out. Cunego is a classics man. Marchante is fragile. Gesink needs more years. Mosquera is hurt. Sanchez has everything to prove in a grand tour.

I think if Evans just plays his steady game, he could finally take his big win.

If Gesink had the form, he would have tailed Cunego, since he had more time to make up for. I don't think Cunego is going to be top three, and Sanchez has to prove himself. Evans and Valverde need to attack to win. I'll go with Evans, Valverde and Sanchez for podium.

 

[blaxland]

If Gesink had the form, he would have tailed Cunego, since he had more time to make up for. I don't think Cunego is going to be top three, and Sanchez has to prove himself. Evans and Valverde need to attack to win. I'll go with Evans, Valverde and Sanchez for podium.

I agree with your top three(evans,valverde,sanchez)and maybe gesink will finish top 5?

 

[Bala Verde]

The first 30K flat TT:
Sanchez 0:00:47
Cadel 0:01:02
Valverde 0:01:05
Gesink 0:01:33

Gesink lost 46s; 31s; 28s to other contenders. So he needs to make up time in the mountains, in order to maintain his spot in the final, little less flat, 27.5k TT. I don't know how much Valverde, Sanchez and Evans exerted themselves, the day before the first mountain stage. On the other hand, the last TT should suit Gesink a little better. Perhaps he needs to start 50s ahead of the other contenders? He is now 29s behind, so add 50 to it....That seems a little ambitious given the competition. Nonetheless. one well timed attack, an opponents bad day. It's still early in the race...

Today he attacked - stating he couldn't match Cunego's acceleration - around the last 1K, gaining 16s including bonus time. Since the gaps are still close, every second counts.

What's interesting is that nobody reacted, since he is not an unknown or unmarked rider. Were they just not concerned, knowing the Vuelta is another 2 weeks, or could they not close the 8s? Or because of the former, they chose to not bridge 8s. Or were Valverde and Evans only eyeballing each other?

The only thing, as he states, he [Gesink] is worried about is whether or not he will have a lesser day and lose time.

Tomorrow a steep painful, shortish climb. There lies fireworks ahead!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

The first 30K flat TT:
Sanchez 0:00:47
Cadel 0:01:02
Valverde 0:01:05
Gesink 0:01:33

Gesink lost 46s; 31s; 28s to other contenders. So he needs to make up time in the mountains, in order to maintain his future spot in the final, little less flat, 27.5k TT. I don't know how much Valverde, Sanchez and Evans exerted themselves, the day before the first mountain stage. On the other hand, the last TT should suit Gesink a little better. Perhaps he needs to start 50s ahead of the other contenders?

Today he attacked - stating he couldn't match Cunego's acceleration - around the last 1K, gaining 16s including bonus time. Since the gaps are still close, every second counts.

What's interesting is that nobody reacted, since he is not an unknown or unmarked rider. Were they just not concerned, knowing the Vuelta is another 2 weeks, or could they not close the 8s? Or because of the former, they chose to not bridge 8s. Or were Valverde and Evans only eyeballing each other?

The only thing, as he states, he [Gesink] is worried about is whether or not he will have a lesser day and lose time.

Tomorrow a steep painful, shortish climb. There lies fireworks ahead!

he should top 5. I think they did react, not initially but soon after. Thus the group was more depleted when they came over the line (sanchez, valverde, evans and basso behind

 

[auscyclefan94]

If Gesink had the form, he would have tailed Cunego, since he had more time to make up for. I don't think Cunego is going to be top three, and Sanchez has to prove himself. Evans and Valverde need to attack to win. I'll go with Evans, Valverde and Sanchez for podium.

I thnk Valverde, gesink and basso need to attack with the tt finishing off la vuelta. I'm really looking forward to the Sierra Nevada stage. Should be a ripper!

What happened to Mosquera?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yes it was a good ride by gesink but what damage did he do? gained 8 seconds with an attack.

Make that 16 seconds, because Gesink got 8 seconds boni's as well.

And it was only an attack with 1km to go. He didn't spend all that much energy (like for instance Cunego).

But normally Evans, Valverde and Sanchez gave a stronger impression.