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

[issoisso]

Official timing showing Antón in red.

Good. Rodríguez has already been there.

 

[theyoungest]

Menchov is out of it, I guess. Anton looks the strongest to me. Right now I'd say the podium will be 1. Anton, 2. Rodriguez, 3. Nibali, but certainly for Rodriguez it's been a long season and I don't know if he can keep this up.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

He always climbs in his own pace.

na. He was up there for much of the climb, but rather then ride his won pace tried to follow. Hr cracked and ended up falling behind a lot (overtaken by other riders) in the last km of the climb.

 

[The Hitch]

I think Purito is lucky not to get the extra seconds. Anton in red, so Katusha dont have to defend jersey. Unloess he figures he will lose in the 3rd week anyway and just wants a jersey for now.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Oh well, it's Anton.
Nibali has the paella boys worried.

 

[maltiv]

In the giro he was in the laquilla break and i was expecting him to go for pink. He failed. So i wasnt expecting too much this time, especially without a 9 minute advantage. But he has held with them every hill. Was with the elite 4 guys today again.

In the Giro he became really ill in the last week.

 

[Arnout]

I think Purito is lucky not to get the extra seconds. Anton in red, so Katusha dont have to defend jersey. Unloess he figures he will lose in the 3rd week anyway and just wants a jersey for now.

Rodriguez is surprisingly good indeed, will be interesting to see if he can keep things up considering the season he's had.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Roche and Danielson only lost 30 seconds,

Nice riding by both of them. Roche was in the small group of top contenders and seems to have had the sense not to completely destroy himself trying to keep with the explosive attacks once they started. Danielson kept to his own pace the whole way up as far as I can tell.

 

[Zoncolan]

Provisional GC standings:

1. Anton
2. Rodriguez 0:00
3. Nibali + 0:02
4. Tondo + 0:42
5. Bruseghin + 1:10
6. Plaza + 1:16
7. Mosquera + 1:18
8. Roche + 1:18
9. Velits + 1:26
10. Van Garderen +1:26

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

^ Tondo is good enough for top ten. An underrated a rider imo.
But I wouldn't expect him to compete for the win -- or the podium.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

na. He was up there for much of the climb, but rather then ride his won pace tried to follow. Hr cracked and ended up falling behind a lot (overtaken by other riders) in the last km of the climb.

He and Roche were the two who were dropped when Rodriguez attacked the contenders group.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

In the Giro he became really ill in the last week.

He was actually really ill before that, but after the success of the L'Aquila break put him and Sastre back in contention he stuck it out much longer than was perhaps advisable.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

He and Roche were the two who were dropped when Rodriguez attacked the contenders group.

i know. At that point there were about 7. But unlike roche TJVG really struggled after being dropped, and got passed by a lot of riders (I believe he came in with schleck in the end... unless i'm wrong, then my mistake). I'm merely suggesting he should have paced himself better.

 

[sublimit]

Now we see why Cervelo worked so hard. Xavier Tondo is the real deal.

Tondo looks a good rider, Should go to Sky as a leader but will end up as another domestique for Geox.

 

[The Hitch]

I guess i should add Ezequiel to the list of contenders, if he can ride himself into form for the 3rd week. Everyone else has done other things this season. Mosquera has been waiting for la vuelta (galicia dont really get invited to much else)

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

i know. At that point there were about 7. But unlike roche TJVG really struggled after being dropped, and got passed by a lot of riders (I believe he came in with schleck in the end... unless i'm wrong, then my mistake). I'm merely suggesting he should have paced himself better.

Yes, you are probably correct. Still, it would be pretty remarkable if he didn't make some beginners mistakes at this point in his career.

 

[ttrider]

i think that shows who the contenders our and there are 5:
Rodriguez
Anton
Nibali

and to a lesser extent Tondo and Bruzegin (he has a gun tt)

Dont think Nibali cracked on Antons attack, he just tryed to respond in the wrong gear
Hard to know who will win but i rekkon Nibali with his tt can take it so long as he stays near Anton. I think Rodriguez will crack

 

[icefire]

Moncutie broke the champagne cork and couldn't open the bottle!

 

[The Hitch]

Either way. With Menchov 99% out of the running, we seem certain to have a new member added to the " I won a gt " club.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I guess i should add Ezequiel to the list of contenders, if he can ride himself into form for the 3rd week. Everyone else has done other things this season. Mosquera has been waiting for la vuelta (galicia dont really get invited to much else)

Problem with Mosquera is he is a bad itt'r. Gesink kept pace with him last year whilst having a hole in his leg. So really, he cannot afford to lose anytime to the contenders in the mountains.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

At this stage all we've had are shortish, steep, climbs. There have been a few stages with them, and the same groups of riders have looked the strongest, but things could conceivably be a little different when the high mountains arrive.

 

[hfer07]

what an exiting last 20 km - Moncoutie delivering the goods-and the big battle for the overall-got to give lots of credit to Sastre the way he fought today to stay with the leaders-Anton might want to loose the Rojo jersey ASAP to widen his chances for podium-Purito wants it and would be easy to hand it over..Nibali is the one with an impeccable performance so far-and if he gets in Rojo by the end of 2nd week/begining of 3rd week- then it's done deal.

 

[Zoncolan]

Still plenty of racing to go.
I wouldn't rule out Mosquera, Menchov, and Schleck just yet. A short sharp climb like this really doesn't suit either Menchov or Mosquera.
Also, Menchov and Schleck will get better as the race goes on, with Menchov taking a lot of time out of the current leading trio in the ITT.

 

[Arnout]

Problem with Mosquera is he is a bad itt'r. Gesink kept pace with him last year whilst having a hole in his leg. So really, he cannot afford to lose anytime to the contenders in the mountains.

Mosquare did also fall in that same stage (AFAIK he was the cause of Gesinks crash).

I hope he can at least win a stage and possibly finish on the podium. He deserves that.

 

[Arnout]

Still plenty of racing to go.
I wouldn't rule out Mosquera, Menchov, and Schleck just yet. A short sharp clim like this really doesn't suit either Menchov or Mosquera.
Also, Menchov and Schleck will get better as the race goes on, with Menchov taking a lot of time out of the current leading trio in the ITT.

I can't see Menchov gaining on the leaders in the mountains and he is already too far behind on the leading trio to catch up for that in the ITT. I expect him to throw the towel for the GC after today, knowing Menchov.