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

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

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.

me too, I wanna see him win personally, but I think he will be slightly disappointed after today. Still, I expect he will only get better.

 

[salixcycling]

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.

Did anyone see when Menchov came in? - official site hasn't found him yet in the first 3:30

 

[sublimit]

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

Nice. Anton is a very good, class bike rider and my pick for the overall. And HTC showing Cav isnt the only capable rider on the team, Velits, Van garderen are doing very well.

 

[nvpacchi]

Menchov is gonna take 3+ minutes out of the leading trio on the TT .

B/c there is no way he is taking time on any mountain stages.

 

[The Hitch]

Did anyone see when Menchov came in? - official site hasn't found him yet in the first 3:30

Yep i saw Menchov come in with 1 other rabo ( i think Garate) at around the 3 30 mark or so

 

[icefire]

Just heard from Igor Antón on TV. Purito took a 1s bonus in the first intemediate sprint. The race commissairs decided to invalidate the sprint because it was too close to a place where there was a massive crash.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Red Rodriguez takes the hot potato.
Schleck a big loser, but not as big as Menchov.
Where is he?

In the hospital with a broken arm or wrist at the moment.

 

[Grzdylu]

Menchov + 3'45"

 

[Zoncolan]

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.

I still don't know the exact gap. Third week could be very different.

Right now, Nibali looks to be favorite for the overall.

 

[The Hitch]

Nice. Anton is a very good, class bike rider and my pick for the overall. And HTC showing Cav isnt the only capable rider on the team, Velits, Van garderen are doing very well.

When you say " HTC showing Cav isnt the only capable rider on the team," you mean specificaly at the HTC Vuelta team, not the whole Htc team?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

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

He's signed with Movistar.

 

[sublimit]

When you say " HTC showing Cav isnt the only capable rider on the team," you mean specificaly at the HTC Vuelta team, not the whole Htc team?

No, specifically the Vuelta team

 

[Zoncolan]

Menchov is gonna take 3+ minutes out of the leading trio on the TT .

B/c there is no way he is taking time on any mountain stages.

He can ride himself back into form and take 2 mins on Nibali and 3 on Purito and Anton. Also, on a different type of climb, he might be able to stay with them.
I don't think he'll win the Vuelta, it's just that I wouldn't rule out his chances completely.

Sastre looked much better than I expected. Such a shame he rode the Tour.

Nibali looks best right now IMO.

 

[maltiv]

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.

 

[royalpig180]

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.

I agree. Regardless of who is coming into or going out of form, Nibali, Anton, and Rodriguez are the best climbers in the race right now. Out of those three, Nibali is the best time-trialist by a mile, so I see him winning the Vuelta...

 

[hrotha]

Moncoutié is class. Great win.

The problem with Menchov is that, even if it was just a bad day and he could still get better, the chances of him saying "to hell with it" and sitting up are quite big. As for Sastre, I think he could be close to the podium, or perhaps he'll crack big time when the next mountain comes, no idea.

I still can't see Purito's form lasting throughout the whole Vuelta, and somehow I'm not entirely confident about Antón's consistency, so right now Nibali is my favourite.

Pity that Van Garderen is so unexperienced, but at least he survived the stage and will have learned his lesson. He's looking good for a top 10, but right now everybody from 5 to 20 appear to be rather close so who knows.

Caisse should be interesting. Half their team are GC threats, and tomorrow they have a nice stage to use that advantage. Send any 2 of Luisle, Urán, Arroyo, Plaza and Bruseghin up the road and have fun.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

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

 

[nvpacchi]

He can ride himself back into form and take 2 mins on Nibali and 3 on Purito and Anton. Also, on a different type of climb, he might be able to stay with them.
I don't think he'll win the Vuelta, it's just that I wouldn't rule out his chances completely.

Sastre looked much better than I expected. Such a shame he rode the Tour.

Nibali looks best right now IMO.

Giro d'Italia, Stage 10 : Pesaro - Urbino I.T.T. (39.4 km) 2008

6. MENCHOV Denis RAB 46"
7. NIBALI Vincenzo LIQ 54"

Taking 2 minutes out of Nibali might be tough. This is the closest ITT I found where both were on form.

I am strongly pulling for Anton, but Nibali is very ominous.

 

[sublimit]

He's signed with Movistar.

So many class riders working for one rider in GC's and its not good.

 

[vcampbell]

He can ride himself back into form and take 2 mins on Nibali and 3 on Purito and Anton. Also, on a different type of climb, he might be able to stay with them.
I don't think he'll win the Vuelta, it's just that I wouldn't rule out his chances completely.

Sastre looked much better than I expected. Such a shame he rode the Tour.

Nibali looks best right now IMO.

3 mountain finish, and Menchov never was in the same group with the best. It's clear, that this isn't because the type of the climb, but his form. He is just not strong enough to compete with Anton, Nibali or J. Rodriguez.

 

[icefire]

Only way to see Nibali losing time is with a sustained attack in one of the long MTFs, but I can't see either Antón or Purito going that way.

 

[Zoncolan]

Giro d'Italia, Stage 10 : Pesaro - Urbino I.T.T. (39.4 km) 2008

6. MENCHOV Denis RAB 46"
7. NIBALI Vincenzo LIQ 54"

Taking 2 minutes out of Nibali might be tough. This is the closest ITT I found where both were on form.

I am strongly pulling for Anton, but Nibali is very ominous.

That ITT was uphill half the course. http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2008//giro08/?id=stages/giro0810

I like Anton too, but I have no idea whether he can last the three weeks.
Again, Nibali looks the hot favorite.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

So many class riders working for one rider in GC's and its not good.

Who's the GC man at Movistar then? From the list of announced names we know they have Bruseghin, Soler, Arroyo, Tondó, Plaza, Intxausti. Possibly LL Sánchez and Urán, though they may be moving on.

That's a strong team but without any clear leader as far as I can see - so it should be a free for all to claim that leadership. Soler would probably be the best candidate if they could find a way to keep him upright for three weeks at a time.

 

[sublimit]

Who's the GC man at Movistar then? From the list of announced names we know they have Bruseghin, Soler, Arroyo, Tondó, Plaza, Intxausti. Possibly LL Sánchez and Urán, though they may be moving on.

That's a strong team but without any clear leader as far as I can see - so it should be a free for all to claim that leadership. Soler would probably be the best candidate if they could find a way to keep him upright for three weeks at a time.

Good question, they all look very good, Probably Soler for overall and Sanchez to go for lumpy stages and move up the leaderboard.

its very hard to say but they are strong riders that are capable of crushing the opposition on climbs.

 

[icefire]

Caisse without Valverde looks like the Spanish Radioshack