Vuelta a España - Stage 9: Calpe - Alcoi 187.7 km

[icefire]

Vuelta a España - Stage 9: Calpe - Alcoi 187.7 km

Here is the map:

Profile and weather:

The last 3km:

As usual, CN still hosting the old profile:

Note the official course has one more climb at the end of the stage and the finish is 1.5 km uphill.

 

[ttrider]

Looks like an awful stage for Euskatel to control, surely they willlet a break go to take the bonuses and then we will see some crazy classics style action, if break caught Gilbert ftw

 

[Tornadin]

looks like a good stage for a break to succeed, so I guess there is a whole bunch of riders to think about for the win.

I'm gonna go with Txurruka, from a break =).

 

[Mellow Velo]

Only to add these:
Coll de Rates 6,8km @ 5,15% 2nd cat
Alto de Guadalest 5,3km @ 7,17% 2nd cat
Alto de Confrides 11,8km @ 3,47% 3rd cat
Alto de Tudons 7,2Km @ 4,78% 2nd cat
Puerto de Torremanzanas 8,3km @ 5,42% 2nd cat
Puerto de Benifallín 5,3km @ 5,00% 3rd cat
Alto del Revolcat 5,9km @ 4,41% 3rd cat

 

[Arnout]

looks like a good stage for a break to succeed, so I guess there is a whole bunch of riders to think about for the win.

I'm gonna go with Txurruka, from a break =).

I don't think Txurruka, or any orange Basque (except maybe for Garate...) will feature in a break tomorrow.

 

[taiwan]

I don't think Txurruka, or any orange Basque (except maybe for Garate...) will feature in a break tomorrow.

Didn't know Garate was Basque, cheers.

He's not that far down on GC, though, I don't think.

There are 29 potential KOM points in this stage, so I think Moncoutie and Martinez might have to join the break again.

 

[Sasquatch]

A break will take it.

No point exerting a lot of energy to defend the jersey today. It's too early in the race.

 

[kukiniloa]

Didn't know Garate was Basque, cheers.

He's not that far down on GC, though, I don't think.

There are 29 potential KOM points in this stage, so I think Moncoutie and Martinez might have to join the break again.

Moncoutie seems to be dealing with the heat quite well, is +11:45 on GC...so this is a safe bet. But who will take the stage? It looks to my eye to be more difficult than it appears...joke. I could almost see a Moncoutie repeat, but he certainly won't fight it out at the end. So I would have to guess something like this:
1. Bruseghin
2. Sastre
3. Van Garderen

I only put Tejay in there because of the obvious...

But this is only because I am not really familiar with riders like Serafin Martinez, and it ignores tons of quality in the top 20 right now, including Anton and Rodriguez and Nibali and Uran and even Roche....or Arroyo

If it's a slightly larger bunch I would favor Karpets, which I find likely since the GC contenders are not likely to force a late selection. "He's due" as they say.

But what the heck is F Schleck up to? What is he training for? What is he waiting for? Is he Sandbagging with eye for a new year and a new team?

Say, is there anywhere that wagering on professional cycling is legal? And please don't tell me "Vegas"?

 

[craig1985]

Carlos Barredo to get in a break IMO.

 

[Michele]

This route is something all the riders know very well, cause it's the most typicall winter training area.

 

[Viskovitz]

The profiles of the climbs:

Alto de les Planes, the second little climb in the begining:

Alto de Llosa, the climb before Coll the Rates:

Coll de Rates, only the last 7km of the profile:

Guadalest - Turron Duro, the hardest of the day:

 

[Viskovitz]

Puerto de Confrides: the profile includes Guadalest as well, so properly Pto. de Confrides is only the last 8km of this

Puerto de Tudons, the same as yesterday, only th last 8km of the profile:

Puerto de Torremanzzanas - Pto. de Teix, with a veeery steep section and the best point to attack:

Puerto de Benifallim - Rentonar, only the last 5km:

In the middle of the downhill of Rentonar, there a little wall, something like 800m. at 10%.

Then, there's the Puerto de Revolcat, 6km at 4,5%.

The finish is like 1,1Km at 5,5%.

----------------------

Did you know that this stage was designed by a cycling fan from one of the villges near Alcoy, member of a popular spanish cycling forum? And a gruop of people of that forum (see my signature) send the stage to Unipublic (we do that a lot, xD). No wonder is the best designed stage of them all, xDDD.

 

[jens_attacks]

i reckon that the parcours of this stage is kind of awesome.that guy should send some ideas to proudhomme too.i mean 6 climbs in the last 80 km and an uphill finish,this is how it's done.(that stage to pau from this year's tour still makes me puke).

today,i don't think gillbert will have the strength to arrive at the finish in the front group so no win for him.katusha will push hard for rodriguez because he wants so bad that rojo jersey.i'm so curious about caisse d'epargne.probably rigoberto will strike again and what about sastre and/or menchov?it'll be interesting.

 

[craig1985]

Can you guys please work for ASO and design the Tour de France?

 

[icefire]

The race is already on.

Live flash
http://www.lavuelta.com/10/en/online/pelidin.html

Text feed (requires refresh)
http://www.lavuelta.com/10/en/online/index.html?e=9

I wonder why they don't show the same content in both places.

Spanish TVE announced yesterday that live video would start at 15:00 CET (1h earlier than usual)

 

[rmacek]

Today's winner: Roman Kreuziger. No doubt. (I hope!)

 

[insideout leadout]

i reckon that the parcours of this stage is kind of awesome.that guy should send some ideas to proudhomme too.i mean 6 climbs in the last 80 km and an uphill finish,this is how it's done.(that stage to pau from this year's tour still makes me puke).

today,i don't think gillbert will have the strength to arrive at the finish in the front group so no win for him.katusha will push hard for rodriguez because he wants so bad that rojo jersey.i'm so curious about caisse d'epargne.probably rigoberto will strike again and what about sastre and/or menchov?it'll be interesting.

Having Vino win every single stage at TDF would be a nightmare for Prudhomme.

 

[insideout leadout]

The break:

MONCOUTIE David (065), PERAUD Jean-Christophe (137), KADRI Biel (016), CATALDO Dario (142), CARUSO Gianpaolo (182), LOPEZ GARCIA David (055), KREUZIGER Roman (125), PUJOL MUNOZ Oscar (006) VANENDERT Jelle (139), RABUNAL RIOS Gonzalo (218), QUEMENEUR Perrig (046), BARREDO LLAMAZALES Carlos (141), GASPAROTTO Enrico (036) y MARTINEZ DE ESTEBAN Egoi (074)

 

[Viskovitz]

Can you guys please work for ASO and design the Tour de France?

xDDDD

Thanks, but we are having a hard time with Unipublic. When we're than with them, i promise we would learn french and start to be a pain in the neck of ASO, xDDD.

The Vuelta has improved A LOT with this medium mountain kind of stages (Alcoy, Valdepeñas...) since 2007 (and I reckon, or believe, that we have some influence) but the high mountains...that's another story: there's a lot of mountain top finishes but without any big climbs before.

Anyway, let's hope today we see a great stage, the route is beautiful.

 

[maltiv]

Looks like a very strong breakaway. Double up for Moncoutie?

 

[Frosty]

Looks like a very strong breakaway. Double up for Moncoutie?

Would think he'd be too tired after yesterday but you never know.

Carlos Barredo is best-placed overall. 22nd at 3.30 back.

 

[hrotha]

The break:

MONCOUTIE David (065), PERAUD Jean-Christophe (137), KADRI Biel (016), CATALDO Dario (142), CARUSO Gianpaolo (182), LOPEZ GARCIA David (055), KREUZIGER Roman (125), PUJOL MUNOZ Oscar (006) VANENDERT Jelle (139), RABUNAL RIOS Gonzalo (218), QUEMENEUR Perrig (046), BARREDO LLAMAZALES Carlos (141), GASPAROTTO Enrico (036) y MARTINEZ DE ESTEBAN Egoi (074)

Of all Caisse guys, only David López? Bah.

 

[insideout leadout]

Eus, Kat, Liq are all represented in the break, so I think it will stick. Barredo might end up in red. Anton is likely going to lose it anyway since J-Rod is only 1 second behind.

 

[maltiv]

Eus, Kat, Liq are all represented in the break, so I think it will stick. Barredo might end up in red. Anton is likely going to lose it anyway since J-Rod is only 1 second behind.

Vladimir Gusev is another one in the break that could end up in the red, being only 21 seconds behind Barredo.

edit: although I'm not quite sure if he's in the break or not, the live ticker is kinda confusing.

 

[Kazistuta]

Fun fact: Four from the KOM top10 has made the break today (Moncoutie, Cataldo, Pujol and Egoi M), it's gonna be interesting to see who's going for mountain points during the stage.

EDIT: And Abeja and Kadri also has points in the competition. although very few. Petacchi just withdrew, guess that does it regarding his chances at a Geelong-spot. At least he got a stage win before withdrawing.