Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2021: Stage 1 (Burgos - Burgos, 7.1 km / Prologue)

[Lequack]

Wow what a victory! Feel sorry for Aranburu in the hotseat for a whole day. Really happy for Roglic.

 

[Lequack]

 

[Rollthedice]

Heras record of four Vuelta wins already in danger.

 

[Lequack]

GC times, Mas time is a mistake, he's 0:18 down.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1426619171870289924

View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1426619171870289924

 

[KZD]

A truly golden performance from Roglić. Bahrain and Ineos with already a few seconds to make up.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Heras record of four Vuelta wins already in danger.

It's not the first time though

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Fingers crossed that Rogla winning today means we are spared from my nightmare scenario, Sepp Kuss in red after Picón Blanco.

On the minus side, that likely means Kuss being stapled to Rogla's hip again.

 

[BlueRoads]

Somehow, with Kuss in the mountain dots I am more okay with his performance. Otherwise, seeing him as a really good time trialer, I would have had to readjust my whole world-view.

 

[dicanio_michael]

At least give the Combativity Award to Aranburu. Lol

 

[BlueRoads]

One major disappointment of today are all the ugly haircuts, eh, -shaves. Probably because of the heat nobody wants hair on their head?

 

[Big Doopie]

Bernal was not good

46th...

imagine if there were a standard amount of TT...

 

[luckyboy]

27 seconds in 7km. Yikes.

 

[luckyboy]

46th...

imagine if there were a standard amount of TT...

Then Roglic and Pogacar would win every Grand Tour and there would be no suspense or competition unless they were against each other lol...

 

[Lequack]

Bernal now having to work for Adam Yates.

 

[titan31]

Bad for Landa though losing 39 seconds. Was expecting him around the Bernal, Carapaz range.

 

[BlueRoads]

Bernal now having to work for Adam Yates.

I wonder, wasn't that the plan in the beginning of the season, that Yates would be the leader here?

 

[Big Doopie]

Then Roglic and Pogacar would win every Grand Tour and there would be no suspense or competition unless they were against each other lol...

and that is what it should be. instead of manufactured suspense where someone who is good in only one (and not both) GC skills can be fabricated into a contender based off a route design that does not fulfill the real test of a GT.

 

[tobydawq]

Fingers crossed that Rogla winning today means we are spared from my nightmare scenario, Sepp Kuss in red after Picón Blanco.

On the minus side, that likely means Kuss being stapled to Rogla's hip again.

You're a smart woman. Can you tell me a scenario that would make Kuss rise in your esteem?

Or are you just going to twist every single performance into somehow enhancing your weird hatred for him?

I mean, I love Sagan but I understand your dislike there. This just seems so silly...

 

[Lequack]

I wonder, wasn't that the plan in the beginning of the season, that Yates would be the leader here?

I think so, Adam Yates was supposed to be targeting this as a leader.

 

[luckyboy]

and that is what it should be. instead of manufactured suspense where someone who is good in only one (and not both) GC skills can be fabricated into a contender.

I would rather see fabricated GTs where climbers can do something instead of 3 GTs where only 2-3 guys have any chance to win. Time trials are anti-entertainment.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Great and expected performance by Primoz. He looked relaxed and happy even before the start, confident in his chances. Some guys (i.e. Bernal) lost more time than expected despite a small climb in the first part of the TT.

 

[Red Rick]

Overall it looked to me like Roglic did a similar thing as in the Olympics. Paced himself extremely well, didn't push high watts in the descend and just hammered the flat super hard in the end.

It's like he used his punching ability to chill on that hill and stay fresh for the 2nd part of the prologue.

 

[titan31]

I think so, Adam Yates was supposed to be targeting this as a leader.

Think at best he's a co leader. Unless Bernal and Carapaz completely collapse or crash, I can't see Ineos fully backing Yates in any GT. He hasn't shown the ability to be competitive in 3 weeks in a long time.

 

[Big Doopie]

I would rather see fabricated GTs where climbers can do something instead of 3 GTs where only 2-3 guys have any chance to win. Time trials are anti-entertainment.

the race of truth, really...?

sure if you want to tip the balance in the favor of the weaker riders.

i like my GTs won by the strongest rider. do not care by how much they win. rather that than wonder why some guy who can either not TT OR not climb well is going to win a GT...

there is a beauty to a rider who can match (or at least come close to) the best climbers and then crush them in a TT. it tells you who is really the best.

question: if roglic finished 46th in every mountain stage, would you think him a deserving winner of the Vuelta...?

rhetorical.

 

[Lequack]

Think at best he's a co leader. Unless Bernal and Carapaz completely collapse or crash, I can't see Ineos fully backing Yates in any GT. He hasn't shown the ability to be competitive in 3 weeks in a long time.

Well the three amigos strategy is a proven Movistar strategy, tested time and time again.