Vuelta a España - Stage 8 Villena - Xorret del Catí 190km

[Zoncolan]

Top 20 on GC:

1 ANTON, Igor EUS 32h 28' 49''
2 RODRIGUEZ, Joaquin KAT m.t. 1º
3 NIBALI, Vincenzo LIQ + 2''
4 TONDO, Xavier CTT + 42''
5 BRUSEGHIN, Marzio GCE + 1' 10''
6 PLAZA, Ruben GCE + 1' 15''
7 MOSQUERA, Ezequiel XAC + 1' 18''
8 ROCHE, Nicholas ALM + 1' 19''
9 VELITS, Peter THR + 1' 26''
10 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay THR + 1' 26''
11 URAN, Rigoberto GCE + 1' 28''
12 DANIELSON, Thomas GRM + 1' 42''
13 SCHLECK, Frank SAX + 1' 47''
14 GILBERT, Philippe OLO + 1' 55''
15 KARPETS, Vladimir KAT + 1' 57''
16 ARROYO, David GCE + 1' 58''
17 SASTRE, Carlos CTT + 2' 11''
18 SÁNCHEZ, Luis León GCE + 2' 21''
19 NIEVE, Mikel EUS + 2' 35''
20 MENCHOV, Denis RAB + 3' 16''

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Soler would probably be the best candidate if they could find a way to keep him upright for three weeks at a time.

Stabilisers.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

one guy that bobody seems to notice is bruseghin, he's now 5th in gc and is notorious for having a great 3rd week as well an an incredible grand tour timetrial. we will see how well he can perform. although I think uran is better especially in teh 3rd week also considering he's only been training since 3 weeks after his broken collarbone

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Caisse without Valverde looks like the Spanish Radioshack

Yea, looks a lot like the Astana squad from the '09 Giro and Vuelta - pack the top 20, but not pack the top 5. Bet they're ruing not giving Rodríguez the money he deserved last offseason, though they probably couldn't compete with Katyusha financially.

Of course, next year the Amazing Madrazo will come of age and crush the opposition in all three GTs. Probably.

 

[icefire]

Yea, looks a lot like the Astana squad from the '09 Giro and Vuelta - pack the top 20, but not pack the top 5. Bet they're ruing not giving Rodríguez the money he deserved last offseason, though they probably couldn't compete with Katyusha financially.

Of course, next year the Amazing Madrazo will come of age and crush the opposition in all three GTs. Probably.

Don't know if Rodríguez left Caisse only about money. He definitely left about not being selected to race the Tour.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

He also didn't want to work for valverde anymore and he was very much right about that as we can see now.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I still see Nibali losing 2 minutes on 1 of the big MTF finishes

To whom, specifically?

 

[icefire]

Regardless of whether he wins or not the Vuelta Purito can grab enough points to finish the season as no.1 in the UCI Pro Tour ranking.

 

[icefire]

To whom, specifically?

To Moncutie or the like

 

[El Pistolero]

Regardless of whether he wins or not the Vuelta Purito can grab enough points to finish the season as no.1 in the UCI Pro Tour ranking.

Which shows how little that ranking means.

 

[webvan]

This is going to be fun! Video starts 15 minutes early tomorrow.

Where do you guys watch the video ?

 

[icefire]

Which shows how little that ranking means.

I know, but he's very well placed too in any of the alternative cycling rankings, and above any other Caisse rider.

 

[issoisso]

Don't know if Rodríguez left Caisse only about money. He definitely left about not being selected to race the Tour.

Last year he was told: "Yeah, you can be the Giro and Vuelta leader.....but you have to be in top form from the Tirreno in March to the end of the Giro". it's impossible to hold form that long, and predictably that caused him to blow up at the Giro. He obviously wasn't happy at that.

After that he prepared for the Vuelta....and at the last moment he was told he had to work for Valverde. At that point he just stopped caring. Wouldn't everyone?

I know, but he's very well placed too in any of the alternative cycling rankings, and above any other Caisse rider.

If he wins the Vuelta, he'll top the CQ Ranking

 

[Barrus]

Where do you guys watch the video ?

I know sporza (flemish tv) will start at 15:00 tomorrow.

Great ride by Moncoutie, ot the start of the final climb, I was really worried about him, but he rode the climb brilliantly. Disappointed by Anton and Rodriguez, that they didn't try to distance NIbali when they had the chance.

Greatest thing today: the banner for Johnie Walker. I think Footon really is a cult-team, part of me thinks its a pity Geox will take over the team (a completely irrational part, the rational part of me think it is a wonderful thing )

 

[luckyboy]

Pity about Menchov, but great win by Moncoutie Hope he can get the blue n white polkadots this year. Sad news about Txema Gonzalez. RIP.

 

[The Hitch]

I'm surprised to see Carlos Sastre doing so well, wouldn't think this is a climb that suits him. If he continues improving and comes into great shape in the 3. week as he usually does, he could become a threat in the mountains. At least I hope so.

Nibali is looking more and more like a GT winner.

Pretty much word for word what i was reading about him in the giro. Especially after he only lost 20 seconds in the itt. WHo knows. Maybe this time it will work.

 

[icefire]

I guess his breakaway a few days ago and this video interview in the bar has something to do with Johnnie Walker's popularity among Spanish fans:

http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20100902/repor-barra-johnnie-walker/866409.shtml

 

[Barrus]

I guess his breakaway a few days ago and this video interview in the bar has something to do with Johnnie Walker's popularity among Spanish fans:

http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20100902/repor-barra-johnnie-walker/866409.shtml

Could you translate it a bit?

I think it also has to with the fact that the Spanish television try to catch him in the image as often as they can

 

[Arnout]

Could you translate it a bit?

I think it also has to with the fact that the Spanish television try to catch him in the image as often as they can

Like last year or the year before with Talabardon. Never heard of him again.

 

[icefire]

Could you translate it a bit?

I think it also has to with the fact that the Spanish television try to catch him in the image as often as they can

Johnnie tells that everybody (riders and press) makes fun of his name at every race he enters but he's not bothered by that. He also says that after the second stage he felt so bad because of the heat that Matxin had to help him to his hotel room as if he was drunk, but he only drinks whisky (his brand name, of course) a bit in the off-season.

 

[issoisso]

Johnnie tells that everybody (riders and press) makes fun of his name at every race he enters but he's not bothered by that. He also says that after the second stage he felt so bad because of the heat that Matxin had to help him to his hotel room as if he was drunk, but he only drinks whisky (his brand name, of course) a bit in the off-season.

Wait till Jack Bauer makes it to a top team

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

Wait till Jack Bauer makes it to a top team

Is Footon doing that on purpose? Hiring cool sounding riders to get cheap publicity?

It it's the case then it's cool and lame at the same time
________
Volcano Vaporizer Review

 

[Libertine Seguros]

He also didn't want to work for valverde anymore and he was very much right about that as we can see now.

Naturally, but I find it difficult for the people at Caisse not to have had contingency plans for the inevitable. In fact, it was borderline ridiculous what they told him for last year, once the stuff with Valverde came out they could have given him a month and a half off and then do the Tour - he couldn't have done any worse than Pereiro, who was clearly not 100%. He'd done two top 10s in support of Valverde at the Vuelta so it's no surprise that he would want to move up in the world.

Besides, in 2008 they tried the Tirreno through to the Giro thing, and it had disastrous results for his GC bid in the Giro, though he was highly visible to be fair, all over breakaways, mostly getting left behind when they got to the last climb of the day by Emanuele Sella.

I guess you could argue that between them, Bruseghin, Cobo and Soler could take up the slack, but Bruseghin's been injured, Soler too, and Cobo's been awol all year, so Rodríguez and Moreno have been sorely missed.

 

[The Hitch]

Is Footon doing that on purpose? Hiring cool sounding riders to get cheap publicity?

It it's the case then it's cool and lame at the same time

I wouldnt think so but maybe its why they sent johnie walker in to a breakaway on the first stage they could.

 

[Sophistic]

one guy that bobody seems to notice is bruseghin, he's now 5th in gc and is notorious for having a great 3rd week as well an an incredible grand tour timetrial. we will see how well he can perform. although I think uran is better especially in teh 3rd week also considering he's only been training since 3 weeks after his broken collarbone

Was thinking the same, that was definietly not a climb for him and still lost just 19s. Some of the remaining mtfs might also be too hot for him to stay with the best but i wouldnt be surprised if he is still in striking distance till the ITT and then everything is possible.