Vuelta a España - Stage 9: September 7 - Alcoy - Xorret de Catí, 186km

[craig1985]

Vuelta a España - Stage 9: September 7 - Alcoy - Xorret de Catí, 186km

Have to go for Samuel Sanchez for the win. If he gets clear over the top in 1st place, they won't see him again until the finish.

 

[issoisso]

Perfect stage for Valverde or Cunego.

 

[Czerstwy Witold]

Perfect stage for Valverde or Cunego.

Rather Purtito,than Valverde...but yeah...Cunego can do it

 

[Bala Verde]

Sanchez in the descent? Or how steep is the descent actually. Gesink said that his Spanish team mates told him it couldn't be called a descent in the true word. Valverde seems a good bet and Cunego showed his form yesterday.

More importantly, who will lose time today?

Gesink and Evans have shown on Huy and/or Montelupone that they can suffer on the shorter steeper climbs. But Basso? Danielson?

Where is Di Luca when you need him

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The descent is nothing at all, just a straight way down. Nothing hard.

 

[ak-zaaf]

from the live ticker:

Stijn Devolder
Belgian DEVOLDER Stijn (145) has won the Tour of Flanders on two occasions and is currently considered one of the leading Classics riders. His wins in the iconic Flemish race have converted him into a hero for cycling fans from the Low Lands. An all-round rider, he performs equally well in TTs and mountain stages. Although he attempted to compete for the GC in Grand Tours, finishing 12th in 2006 Vuelta and wearing the leader's jersey in the 2007 edition, he has since concentrated on one-day races and week-long tours.

That's a nice way to spin it. Thought Lefevere gave him a carte blanche for the tour.

The 7-man break is composed of DEVOLDER Stijn (145), LOPEZ GIL José Antonio (023), MARZANO Marco (126), CESAR VELOSO Gustavo (212), DE LA FUENTE RASILLA David (103), TAARAMAE Rein (079) and SANCHEZ PIMIENTA Julian (081)

Over 5 minutes now.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I finally picked a breakman, in DDLF, but he's already had a visit to the doc and a "mechanical"!

Cati is a "first to the top, wins", kind of finish. It may be like 4 Muy de Huys stacked on top of eachother, but it's a very short sharp decent.
Minimal time advantage can be gained there.

Even a "dead on his feet" Roscioli, managed to hold his finishing position, once over the top, back in 2000.....

 

[hfer07]

expect some attacks from Frank Schleck, Simon Gerrans or philippe Girlbert - the GC contenders with ride together until the last 3km of the last climb.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The descent is very easy and in no way technical, doesn't have any opportunity for good downhillers, it's simply too easy for that.

 

[Bala Verde]

Hmm from the cyclingnews live report it seems like a rather boring stage. Nothing happening, break away 7m ahead and no one in the peloton interested in the stage win. Easy day in the saddle for Evans & co?

Rein taarame didn't he recently win the queen stage in tour de l'ain...

 

[Cobber]

Sanchez in the descent? Or how steep is the descent actually. Gesink said that his Spanish team mates told him it couldn't be called a descent in the true word. Valverde seems a good bet and Cunego showed his form yesterday.

More importantly, who will lose time today?

Gesink and Evans have shown on Huy and/or Montelupone that they can suffer on the shorter steeper climbs. But Basso? Danielson?

Where is Di Luca when you need him

According to Neil Stephens, it is fast, but only ~2km long.

There's a steep climb near the finish - 39x25 kind of stuff - then two or kilometres of fast descent. It's about 80 or 90km/h descending a windy road to the finish.

 

[issoisso]

Hmm from the cyclingnews live report it seems like a rather boring stage. Nothing happening, break away 7m ahead and no one in the peloton interested in the stage win. Easy day in the saddle for Evans & co?

Rein taarame didn't he recently win the queen stage in tour de l'ain...

Nothing with the Xorret de Catí is easy.

I guarantee this break will be caught before the top of the climb. Watch them die when they get there

 

[ak-zaaf]

Nothing with the Xorret de Catí is easy.

I guarantee this break will be caught before the top of the climb. Watch them die when they get there

Devolder is thinking: pfff, it doesn't even have cobbles.

 

[BroDeal]

Hmm from the cyclingnews live report it seems like a rather boring stage. Nothing happening, break away 7m ahead and no one in the peloton interested in the stage win. Easy day in the saddle for Evans & co?

They look to be taking it easy, but I don't see how nothing can happen on the final climb. The grades are so steep that there will surely be gaps, even with the short descent.

The riders are mugging for the camera right now.

 

[issoisso]

Devolder is thinking: pfff, it doesn't even have cobbles.

He'll still get dropped though

Anyway, the peloton has relaxed, so with 6 minutes they may very well stay away. 3 minutes, no chance at all. 4, doubtful. 6, very possible!

 

[ak-zaaf]

He'll still get dropped though

Anyway, the peloton has relaxed, so with 6 minutes they may very well stay away. 3 minutes, no chance at all. 4, doubtful. 6, very possible!

That makes it time to play the 'Which Lucky ******* Will Take Te Stage' game.

I'll go with Cesar Veloso. =/

 

[issoisso]

That makes it time to play the 'Which Lucky ******* Will Take Te Stage' game.

I'll go with Cesar Veloso. =/

I'll go with De la Fuente

 

[Mellow Velo]

Nothing with the Xorret de Catí is easy.

I guarantee this break will be caught before the top of the climb. Watch them die when they get there

I think I'd take that bet. They are not all Fabio Roscioli's up there.
Grovel? Yes
Die? Heavy casualties, but someone will survive.

I'll go with De la Fuente

Ah...I see you have reviewed and gone for earlier pick.

 

[issoisso]

I think I'd take that bet. They are not all Fabio Roscioli's up there.
Grovel? Yes
Die? Heavy casualties, but someone will survive.

That post was made when the break's advantage was lower than it is now and it was coming down fast. They would've had 3 minutes tops at the bottom. Now they have far, far more

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

They look to be taking it easy, but I don't see how nothing can happen on the final climb. The grades are so steep that there will surely be gaps, even with the short descent.

The riders are mugging for the camera right now.

for sure someone will go, and cause a reaction.

 

[issoisso]

Notice how only good climbers dared to get into the break. Everyone else wants to get there as fresh as possible so they can survive it.
This climb is very very good for Cunego. And Rodríguez, as someone posted on the first page.


Basso will lose time on a climb like this

 

[ak-zaaf]

Wuyts is saying riders will have bodypainted sponsornames on their legs at the worlds.

On a more relevant note: are the really steep parts of this climb short enough for a classic guy like Gilbert?
If it's Redoute or Huy times 3 he might actually try to stay with Evans.

 

[issoisso]

Wuyts is saying riders will have bodypainted sponsornames on their legs at the worlds.

On a more relevant note: are the really steep parts of this climb short enough for a classic guy like Gilbert?
If it's Redoute or Huy times 3 he might actually try to stay with Evans.

Or he might try to drop Evans

But past experiences with this climb suggest that no, it's too long for such riders.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Or he might try to drop Evans

[aussiemode] He probably will! His team is only out to hurt him![/aussiemode]

He might try. Until now he seems to think the worlds are being held in this race.

 

[BroDeal]

Wuyts is saying riders will have bodypainted sponsornames on their legs at the worlds.

That is a bad trend. I hope the UCI steps in the stop this.