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

[Eyeballs Out]

Looks like Moncoutie is going to seal the mountains jersey with more than half the race to go

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Of all Caisse guys, only David López? Bah.

You think they were going to let Bruseghin, Plaza, Urán, Sánchez or Arroyo get up the road? López is 10 mins down. If they let them gain time, Barredo would get into red, and López would be able to put himself up in the top 25. 6 riders in the top 25 would mean they could go ballistic trying to inject themselves further into the GC mix because they would have so many fall back options, and they could really blow the race apart day after day trying to get in early breaks and destroy opposition domestiques.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Looks like Moncoutie is going to seal the mountains jersey with more than half the race to go

They've gone to a system similar to that for the Giro. Even if Moncoutié takes maximum points for today (29) - and I'm not convinced he will, he got outsprinted to the line by Martínez and Pujol in the first KOM yesterday, and Pujol's in the break today - plus Egoï Martínez and Dario Cataldo may show interest - that would put him on 55; with 15 points available for MTF winners, Moncoutié would need to be out in some other breaks or coming inside the top 5 on MTFs to sew the jersey up, if the GC candidates are prepared to fight for the stage wins.

 

[insideout leadout]

6 riders in the top 25 would mean they could go ballistic trying to inject themselves further into the GC mix

Funny...

 

[Viskovitz]

They've gone to a system similar to that for the Giro. Even if Moncoutié takes maximum points for today (29) - and I'm not convinced he will, he got outsprinted to the line by Martínez and Pujol in the first KOM yesterday, and Pujol's in the break today - plus Egoï Martínez and Dario Cataldo may show interest - that would put him on 55; with 15 points available for MTF winners, Moncoutié would need to be out in some other breaks or coming inside the top 5 on MTFs to sew the jersey up, if the GC candidates are prepared to fight for the stage wins.

Yeah, its crazy. Today there's 29 points on the line... bt the winner in La Bola will recieve 20!!

There's a posibility that one guy wins all the jerseys: GC, KOM, points and combinada. And that sucks.

 

[roundabout]

Moncoutie said that he looked at the stages at Pal and Covadonga

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Funny...

don't laugh, Rubén Plaza says Operación Puerto ruined his career!

Yeah, its crazy. Today there's 29 points on the line... bt the winner in La Bola will recieve 20!!
There's a posibility that one guy wins all the jerseys: GC, KOM, points and combinada. And that sucks.

That's just like the Giro though - first over the Gavia gets 20, but second category climbs only give 5 points, and they're quite stingy with the classifications - in 2004, Passo Tonale only gave 5 points. Didn't Menchov win all except points in 2007? Valverde in 2003 is the last combinada winner not to win GC. The problem was, the old KOM system was very generous, and led to accumulating points by cruising out of the bunch after a large breakaway had gone; they've tightened it up to make it tougher to win, but that entailed giving bigger bonuses for coming 1st, and limiting the number of people scoring points - which means if the GC guys win a couple of MTFs they inevitably come right into it - note how Matty Lloyd won the Giro KOM with 56 points, and Basso, by virtue of three mountaintops, was able to overtake him on stage 19. There is usually two ways to win the Giro KOM - so I expect it to be the same for the Vuelta now. Either get into seven or eight breaks and accumulate those 3s and 5s like Lloyd and Wegmann, or go on one big solo break on a high mountain stage like Piepoli and Garzelli. You can double this up and dominate the classification if you like, like Rujano and Sella. It's feasible the GC winner can also win the KOM, but I doubt Moncoutié will let that happen.

Moncoutie said that he looked at the stages at Pal and Covadonga

I am surprised that he would be interested in these since there are no other categorised climbs. I thought Cotobello would be far more his kind of thing - he could gain 23 points before they even get to the final climb.

 

[Frosty]

Article is here

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/moncoutie-makes-his-mark-at-the-vuelta

Didnt realise he was continuing for another season as well

 

[hrotha]

You think they were going to let Bruseghin, Plaza, Urán, Sánchez or Arroyo get up the road? López is 10 mins down. If they let them gain time, Barredo would get into red, and López would be able to put himself up in the top 25. 6 riders in the top 25 would mean they could go ballistic trying to inject themselves further into the GC mix because they would have so many fall back options, and they could really blow the race apart day after day trying to get in early breaks and destroy opposition domestiques.

Having David López up there won't change anything though, they already have enough people up in the GC to go ballistic, and they're all more solid than David López. And if they do indeed go ballistic, this is the kind of stage to do it. Of course the bunch would *not* let them, but they have the stronger team and lots of hilly terrain ahead, so it wouldn't be easy, and regardless the likes of Urán and Luisle and pretty much all their "leaders" could enjoy some leeway if it becomes apparent you have to choose between blowing up your teammates in a chase, or letting them go and get themselves into the GC.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Retiring today:

43 Bichot (FRA, BTL),
111 Petacchi (ITA, LAM),
133 Delage (FRA, OLO),


source
http://nos.html.infostradasports.com/cache/lib/Tour/1/TheASP.asp@PageID%3D102081&Taalcode%3D1&StyleID%3D0&SportID%3D102&CompetitionID%3D20695&SeasonID%3D478&GenderID%3D1&EventPhaseID%3D467068&PhaseID%3D587757&Cache%3D2.html?314144&refreshauto=2&rnd=1283690673637

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Today's break

113.0 km left to go
Gap 5min 30s


141 Barredo (SPA, QST) +3:30 VIRTUAL LEADER
137 Péraud (FRA, OLO) +6:59
55 D. López (SPA, GCE) +10:53
65 Moncoutié (FRA, COF) +11:45
125 Kreuziger (TSJ, LIQ) +13:10
182 G. Caruso (ITA, KAT) +14:15
74 E. Martínez (SPA, EUS) +17:20
6 Pujol (SPA, CTT) +20:29
218 Rabuñal (SPA, XAC) +22:09
142 Cataldo (ITA, QST) +26:48
36 Gasparotto (ITA, AST) +34:11
16 Kadri (FRA, ALM) +44:49
46 Quemeneur (FRA, BTL) +45:50
139 J. Vanendert (BEL, OLO) +47:54
28 Ramírez (SPA, ACA) +51:45

 

[sublimit]

Coverage in Flemish?

http://streamz.yolasite.com/ch-16.php

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Dutch feed

dutch feed

Edit: see sublimit above!

 

[Mellow Velo]

Well done lads, since Eurosport schedules have been put back 30 minutes.

 

[icefire]

Looks like Barredo has been kindly asked to drop by his breakaway mates

 

[sublimit]

Looks like Barredo has been kindly asked to drop by his breakaway mates

It looks that way. Its a shame because he could of gone for the stage.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Lucky they ain't flying, as Eurosport tag on yet another delay.
The break should stick now, judging from the peloton.

 

[salixcycling]

Moncoutie has been beaten on every KOM so far today - should still overtake S. Martinez.

(come on Eurosport, stop with the overrunning on pre-recorded sports )

 

[The Hitch]

I fear this could be another one of those - breakaway wins by huge margin, gc contenders dont bother - the worst type of stage.

 

[icefire]

Hah! Men in the breakaway ask Barredo to drop and now Peraud is within time to become virtual leader. Will they ask him to drop as well?

 

[Arnout]

Hah! Men in the breakaway ask Barredo to drop and now Peraud is within time to become virtual leader. Will they ask him to drop as well?

I heard he had stomach problems.

 

[roundabout]

There's no risk of the break getting caught so everyone can go for it

This bit of the climb looks like hard work, too bad it's effectively wasted

Edit: and yet the bus is formed

 

[Kazistuta]

What the heck is up with that Rabunal character? He's destroying the field and (more importantly) his breakaway companions. Didn't see that coming

 

[vcampbell]

I like this Johnnie Walker cult

 

[icefire]

The GC men are taking an extra rest day. Enjoy the fight for the stage win.