Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2021: Stage 17 (Unquera - Lagos de Covadonga, 185.8 km)

[IndurainsTdF1994]

Roglic in virtual red even before the Cowabunga. Mas & Lopez keep up. Bernal dropped.
Or perhaps nothing changing will be the biggest change of all.

 

[tobydawq]

The final five days look quite tasty after a mediocre-to-bad race so far. I know the valleys are annoying but things are bound to happen.

 

[search]

about time for Meintjes to take over at Wanty and grab the jersey from the breakaway

 

[klintE]

Majka, Bardet, Caruso, Padun, Storer.

KOM on.

 

[johnymax]

Fantastic week ahead of us. Both in the Vuelta and Benelux Tour.

 

[Red Rick]

The final five days look quite tasty after a mediocre-to-bad race so far. I know the valleys are annoying but things are bound to happen.

We might find out if Ineos race differently

Bernal seems to be the only one talking about attacking big time if he has the legs.

 

[search]

really? Today Bernal said that he is too close in GC to still win a stage, and that a double Top 10 in GC would also be important for the team. Didn't really sound like there's too much to expect from Ineos.

 

[Escarabajo]

Do Ineos care about the double top 10 at the Vuelta? I would be surprised if they did.

 

[Descender]

Honestly, I don't find it that memorable

It was a figure of speech. I get lost on my way to the bathroom every other night.

 

[ice&fire]

It was a figure of speech. I get lost on my way to the bathroom every other night.

I got it as I read it.
Hopefully tomorrow it rains and the TV job is at Giro level on such weather conditions.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

I'm worried that teams want to approach this defensively as they worry they might totally bonk on Altu d'el Gamoniteiru the following day.
But still, after chilling for a week a proper mountain stage has to make a difference in some way so definitely looking forward to it.

 

[ice&fire]

We might find out if Ineos race differently

Bernal seems to be the only one talking about attacking big time if he has the legs.

Just for a laugh

Vuelta a España: Jumbo-Visma management rule out purely defensive strategy in final week

'Martin and Eiking can't be ignored' says sports director Engels

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[glassmoon]

Nothing's gonna happen until the last climb

 

[klintE]

A cderf

Nothing's gonna happen until the last climb

I would take it (full gas, attacks from the foot of Cova)

 

[Red Rick]

Honestly, I don't find it that memorable

I figured it was because they do it so often.

 

[Escarabajo]

Nothing's gonna happen until the last climb

That's OK. The last 2 climbs are too far apart.

 

[Sciatic]

I'm worried that teams want to approach this defensively as they worry they might totally bonk on Altu d'el Gamoniteiru the following day.
But still, after chilling for a week a proper mountain stage has to make a difference in some way so definitely looking forward to it.

I think that’s quite possible, but if there are teams (Movistar, Ineos, ? Bahrain) who still have an idea that they want to try, really try, to win, it seems like a very poor strategy to put all their eggs in one basket/stage. Of course we’ve seen teams do exactly that in GTs before . Also, if they still hope for a shot at the top step I would think they will be pinning their hopes on Roglic wearing down and showing his “rumored” tiring in the 3rd week. So Wouldn’t making tomorrow’s stage hard racing increase the (small) chance he could crack on Thursday? Obviously that could also blow up a team’s own riders, so the decision will be based on how much they want to try to win vs. just claim a podium spot and maybe luck their way into the top step through some mishap/voodoo.

 

[Gigs_98]

really? Today Bernal said that he is too close in GC to still win a stage, and that a double Top 10 in GC would also be important for the team. Didn't really sound like there's too much to expect from Ineos.

To be fair Skineos have bullshited the press in interviews before so I really wouldn't take this as an indicator. If Bernal's shape has improved only a bit I'm pretty certain we will see him on the attack this week. His Vuelta so far has been too big of a disappointment for him to spend the last stages defending something he wouldn't be happy about in the first place. That said, he might very well only focus on winning one of the remaining two mtf's as I think his gap to Roglic is already too big. On a different route, maybe he would be thinking of long range attacks, but the next two stages will be all about the final climbs and stage 20 doesn't look hard enough to properly turn the gc upside down.

 

[Red Rick]

To be fair Skineos have bullshited the press in interviews before so I really wouldn't take this as an indicator. If Bernal's shape has improved only a bit I'm pretty certain we will see him on the attack this week. His Vuelta so far has been too big of a disappointment for him to spend the last stages defending something he wouldn't be happy about in the first place. That said, he might very well only focus on winning one of the remaining two mtf's as I think his gap to Roglic is already too big. On a different route, maybe he would be thinking of long range attacks, but the next two stages will be all about the final climbs and stage 20 doesn't look hard enough to properly turn the gc upside down.

Might have seen ambitious attacks if stages were reversed.

I think Bernal will instead try to attack, win a stage, maybe get 2nd or 3rd. Any real yolo attacks can wait until stage 20.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Watching Odd Christian Eiking try and Voeckler his way up the climbs is actually the main thing I'm looking forward to here.

 

[JosefK]

Eiking to take a page out of Andy Schleck's playbook from the Galibier stage of the 2011 TDF--will attack on the 2nd ascent of Llomena while Roglic, Mas, and the other GC guys look at each other. Having built a 4-minute lead down the valley, he'll hang on to add another two minutes to his GC lead at the top of Covadonga, pulling Voeckler faces all the way.

 

[Gigs_98]

I really like the whole story of a noname wearing the leaders jersey so deep into a gt but just saying people, don't start thinking about him holding onto it (or even the podium for that matter). People always start dreaming when a case like this arises and people get disappointed every single time. Not to forget that this is a much more hopeless case than for example Alaphilippe in 2019 or even Voeckler in 2011.

I know dreaming feels great but don't do this to your sanity.

 

[JosefK]

I really like the whole story of a noname wearing the leaders jersey so deep into a gt but just saying people, don't start thinking about him holding onto it (or even the podium for that matter). People always start dreaming when a case like this arises and people get disappointed every single time. Not to forget that this is a much more hopeless case than for example Alaphilippe in 2019 or even Voeckler in 2011.

I know dreaming feels great but don't do this to your sanity.

Sometimes it's hard to keep a straight face when I'm typing.

 

[roundabout]

might it actually rain?

probably the only hope of something meaningful happening before the last climb

 

[movingtarget]

Think there might be some Ineos action on this one. Bernal and Yates have looked a little better on the recent climbs. Still Roglic has time to play with and can let Ineos take some time back while watching Mas.. I get the feeling that Roglic will be riding a controlled race until the TT unless his closest rivals shows some weakness and he sees an opportunity to add to his gap. Should be some good action in the break with the KOM riders.