Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2020: Stage 16 (Salamanca - Ciudad Rodrigo, 162 km)

[Devil's Elbow]

Really dangerous day for the GC riders, with the opening 20k looking like prime echelon terrain under current weather forecasts.

(profile below matches up from the junction to Madroñal)

 

[Leinster]

Echelons in the opening 20km won't do much. Unless they catch Martin and/or Carthy out.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Echelons in the opening 20km won't do much. Unless they catch Martin and/or Carthy out.

Last year's race says otherwise.

 

[Leinster]

Last year's race says otherwise.

I wouldn't hold my breath over it. That Guadalajara stage last year had cross-tailwinds the whole way on a flat/downhill course, and Roglic still only really lost time to Quintana. The climbs tomorrow aren't huge, but they're enough to deter anyone from doing anything reckless from the gun.

If someone can pull something off, my hat is off to them.

 

[Koronin]

It looks almost like a replay of today's stage.

 

[DanielSong39]

Let me take a wild guess
Breakaway, all the way
No GC action

 

[gregrowlerson]

Let me take a wild guess
Breakaway, all the way
No GC action

I am waiting for The Barb to recommend a Sunweb win, before putting the house that I don't own on those riders.

 

[tobydawq]

I wouldn't hold my breath over it. That Guadalajara stage last year had cross-tailwinds the whole way on a flat/downhill course, and Roglic still only really lost time to Quintana. The climbs tomorrow aren't huge, but they're enough to deter anyone from doing anything reckless from the gun.

If someone can pull something off, my hat is off to them.

Yeah, but that was not Roglic's fault. If Valverde had gone with Quintana, he would have won the race. Jumbo were completely caught out as was shown in their Vuelta documentary. However, it is not going to happen today.

 

[ice&fire]

Escartín knows that there were echelons in the '99 Vuelta stage that finished in Ciudad Rodrigo and has made a stage design including those climbs closer to the finish to prevent it on purpose.

Vuelta a España 1999 Stage 5 results

Vuelta a España 1999 Stage 5 from Béjar to Ciudad Rodrigo was won by Jan Ullrich before Abraham Olano and Frank Vandenbroucke. Abraham Olano was leading the general classification.

www.procyclingstats.com

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Yeah, but that was not Roglic's fault. If Valverde had gone with Quintana, he would have won the race. Jumbo were completely caught out as was shown in their Vuelta documentary. However, it is not going to happen today.

Wasn’t a reason that Roglic missed that split that he was sitting with Valverde? So if Valverde had made the front group, Roglic would’ve done it also.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Dawg to drag Carapaz into the lead echelon leaving TJV to die in the wind.

 

[tobydawq]

Wasn’t a reason that Roglic missed that split that he was sitting with Valverde? So if Valverde had made the front group, Roglic would’ve done it also.

It didn't appear that way but it may be possible.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Interesting stage. This should definately be something for the break.
I see Valverde on the top 3 or even top 2 on the odds sites.
However, I think he'll be hunted down if trying to breakaway. If not by TJV or Ineos, then at least by Bora, EF Education and Israel Start-up Nation.
And I don't exactly see him up there in a gathered GC field in the finish. Oh yes, if we wrote 2003

 

[SafeBet]

How's the weather?

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

How's the weather?

Depends a bit on which weather forecasts you use. The one I normally trust in says
Temps : ~17°C (could though be a bit colder in the heights during the day)
Winds: 5-7 m/s from SE, i.e. for the last part direct tailwind.
Preticipation: None. However bit of rain drops starting between 5pm and 6pm local time (<0.1mm per hour)
To me it sounds like perfect weather for cycling.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

LLS doesn't start today.
Hasn't had a result since becoming Spanish champ (top 10 (20 even!)).
What will he do next year?

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

LLS doesn't start today.
Hasn't had a result since becoming Spanish champ (top 10 (20 even!)).
What will he do next year?

Reason? LLS a Covid-19 positive?

 

[TomLPC]

Sky and EF will save their matches for tomorrow, best chance of drama is if Movistar want to try something.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Reason? LLS a Covid-19 positive?

Don't know, I just saw it on the PCS live site.
Checked now on Astanas twitter: 'due to personal reasons'.

 

[Eclipse]

Feels like they may not let anyone go until it's a bit more sheltered

e: seems like drips and drabs are being allowed off to slowly form something

 

[ice&fire]

Half the Burgos team is on the attack today

 

[Faserr]

Bora and UAE are riding.

 

[BlueRoads]

So Cavagna is in the break?
Crazy guy. How often has he been in a break or on the attack this year?

 

[richwallone]

So Cavagna is in the break?
Crazy guy. How often has he been in a break or on the attack this year?

A lot

He has the most km in the breakaways in the TdF:

Tour de France 2020 Stage 21 results

Tadej PogaÄar is the winner of Tour de France 2020, before Primož RogliÄ and Richie Porte. The stage from Mantes-la-Jolie to Paris was won by Sam Bennett.

www.procyclingstats.com

... and he is up there in the Vuelta:

La Vuelta ciclista a España 2020 Stage 16 results

La Vuelta ciclista a España 2020 Stage 16 from Salamanca to Ciudad Rodrigo was won by Magnus Cort before Primož RogliÄ and Dion Smith. Primož RogliÄ was leading the general classification.

www.procyclingstats.com

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Half the Burgos team is on the attack today

Does that include their team cars?