Vuelta a España 2019 stage 19: Ávila - Toledo > 165.2 km

[Noddy97]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1172542581592510465

View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1172542581592510465?s=20

MAL is crazy ahahahah. Fireworks, tomorrow, for sure

 

[roundabout]

If the 3 second rule is in effect for this race on "expected mass sprint arrival" stages, then I'm a bit confused as to how Gilbert managed to win stage 17 by 2 seconds

3 seconds rule applies to the group containing the highest number of riders.

I did not watch stage 17, so I can't comment how correctly the rule was applied from results alone

 

[Noddy97]

Wow!
I wasn't expecting this. Now MAL can take some of what he said back and we all kiss each other and back to cycling again.
LOL.

Do you really beleive that movistar is saying the true?

 

[Escarabajo]

Do you really beleive that movistar is saying the true?

Don't know. But taking the step to apologize must mean something.

 

[Koronin]

Don't know. But taking the step to apologize must mean something.

More than Astana, Sky or Belkin ever did.

 

[Koronin]

Lopez has apologized to Movistar and specifically Valverde publicly. With this I suspect he will apologize to Valverde privately as well. I must give him credit for doing so.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1172621174339231744

View: https://twitter.com/SupermanlopezN/status/1172621174339231744

 

[DanielSong39]

I hope one of these days they get rid of "fair play" and "peloton etiquette", it makes Grand Tours look more like a parade and less like a race.

Granted, stuff like this has been around for a hundred years so it's not exactly new.

I prefer 1-day races these days for exactly this reason.

 

[ice&fire]

Do you really beleive that movistar is saying the true?

The fact is that Movistar were at the front not by chance or as an afterthought following the crash but because they knew that after that town there would be open roads exposed to cross winds and they had anticipated that movement before entering that town. One of their DS (Lastras) comes from a town they've crossed today which is 25km from the place of the crash, so these are his home roads. Posts #38 and #39 in this thread tell about open roads, predicted wind speed and direction and the possibility of echelons. A quick look at a terrain map tells where the open roads start for those who don't know the area. So it's very likely that the crash was caused by the stress of the situation as the bunch approached that critical point and there were more riders pushing to go to the front than the road width allowed.

 

[Grrr]

I've just lost all respect for Lopez. He obviously has no clue what he's talking about. Lopez is critizing Movistar for doing exactly what his own Astana team did to Contador in the 2015 Giro. Guess he doesn't like turn about being fair play.

Appears the UCI has fixed the Vuelta this year from what they did on this stage.

With what happened today it's obvious the UCI has it out for Movistar.

With what the UCI did today, may as well just end pro cycling all-together. There's literally no reason to bother racing as they just told everyone they aren't allowed to have a real race as the winner must be whom THEY want the winner to be. Thanks UCI for showing us that the results for all races MUST now be questioned.

Why the heck were there not time gaps at the end that were obvious?

Did Lopez ride for Astana in 2015? Was he at that race? Asking for a friend

 

[ice&fire]

Did Lopez ride for Astana in 2015? Was he at that race? Asking for a friend

To the first question, yes

 

[HelloDolly]

That MAL guy is definitely a hot head

 

[movingtarget]

Apples and oranges. Movistar have been the instigators and victims of such things before. Even Movistar's explanation is open to interpretation...............Lopez can say what he likes of course and some people have long memories.

 

[Blanco]

Actually I think it was a bag full of blood

You won't be here for long if you continue like that.

 

[Carols]

I have no idea why anyone would be surprised by Movi going Full Gas with riders strewn all over the ground. They have always taken advantage of those situations in the past so why be shocked they would do it again?

 

[Blanco]

I have no idea why anyone would be surprised by Movi going Full Gas with riders strewn all over the ground. They have always taken advantage of those situations in the past so why be shocked they would do it again?

They were often a victims of those situations as well.

 

[Carols]

They were often a victims of those situations as well.

Maybe as pay back for all the times they do it?

 

[Blanco]

Maybe as pay back for all the times they do it?

Maybe, who knows

 

[yaco]

Since when has Movistar ever tried echelons racing ? They have enough trouble keeping their leaders from losing time in echelons.

 

[Koronin]

Before today's stage MAL personally apologized to Valverde for what he said.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Since when has Movistar ever tried echelons racing ? They have enough trouble keeping their leaders from losing time in echelons.

Paris-Nice 2010, stage 1

 

[yaco]

Paris-Nice 2010, stage 1

So it's been a long time which supports my post.