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

[johnymax]

A spectator holding a sign in the side of the road - everybody: "how reckless - what an idiot!"
Roglic riding against the race direction on a narrow road - everybody: "he's a big champion!"

Wtf...everybody was riding against the race direction after the finish. Because there's no room for team caravans at the top. Blame the organisers

 

[Red Rick]

I think we're sleeping on the significance of tomorrow's stage. I don't think I can name five climbs harder than this one in the history of GTs.

Zoncolan from Ovaro, Mortirolo and Finestre and that's probably it for me?

 

[Red Rick]

EGAN BERNAL WINS COMBATIVO

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Bernal giving a classy interview... he was just enjoying himself through all the struggles and he congratulated Roglic for having better legs today.

 

[HelloDolly]

Eiking 23rd on the day.

Not bad after crashing and being in trouble on the first Llomena.

Although ultimately the time gap was too much to hope for a final top 10

Not sure yet ..A few Doms ahead of him

Also he is still ahead of Louis Meintjes

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Tomorrow Landismo

 

[movingtarget]

Bernal looked better than Roglic on the second last climb but when Roglic fully committed to the pace making Bernal started to struggle after already doing so much work.

 

[Escarabajo]

Roglic could say hello to all the finishers

LOL. Roglic trying to discourage the contenders!!!!!!

 

[Danskebjerge]

Wtf...everybody was riding against the race direction after the finish. Because there's no room for team caravans at the top. Blame the organisers

It happens often that riders go downhill again, but not that nummer one does it when knowing that there are riders coming in fast shortly after him. I've never seen it.

 

[Escarabajo]

What was Adam Yates doing?

Same as Movistar, who were following Bahrain!

 

[movingtarget]

LOL. Roglic trying to discourage the contenders!!!!!!

No words needed............

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Simply epic! Congrats to Roglic on his greatest victory and also congrats to Bernal on a fantastic long-range attack!

When I saw Ineos pushing hard on Colleda Llomena and recalled Bernal's recent interview I felt big things are about to happen. Bernal's attack was brutal and only Roglic followed. They gained 45 seconds pretty quickly, it was a very intense effort from both guys, some distance above anaerobic threshold. They gained even more on the wet descent (Bernal misjudged one curve but fortunately nothing happened to him, some guys from the chasing group fell down including the leader) and increasing the gap to 1'30''. Primoz initially only followed the wheel but started helping Bernal when the road got flatter. They initially increased the gap to over 2' but started losing it before Covadonga (it came back to 1'30''). This flat part was very difficult for the duo. Especially for Egan, who is smaller and generates less watts. He went too deep for his capacities and payed for it on the Covadonga. I feel sorry for him, he was definitely a hero and made the race today and I wanted him to reach the podium. Primoz didn't accelerate hard, it was the Colombian who couldn't maintain the pace. From then on Roglic was closing on most epic victory in his life in a dramatic scenery of rainy and cloudy mountains. Chapeau bas!

 

[limak_]

Wtf...everybody was riding against the race direction after the finish. Because there's no room for team caravans at the top. Blame the organisers

I think the problem here is just Roglic starting to go down to soon. He should've been made to wait until at least first 10 riders behind him (all those who were likely to sprint for the line) have passed.

 

[search]

I struggle to see what Movistar did wrong.
Lopez tried to go after Bernal and Roglic but wasnt strong enough. The last climb also clearly showed Mas didn't have the legs.
What should they have done differently?

I agree. If anyone is to "blame" it's Bahrain, who preferred to save Mäder for a potential Top 10 GC + Team Classification instead of starting a full-out chase when it was still possible. But in the end Haig didn't look great either, so maybe they were also right not to even try, and risk to end up with nothing instead.

 

[johnymax]

It happens often that riders go downhill again, but not that nummer one does it when knowing that there are riders coming in fast shortly after him. I've never seen it.

Well I saw Bernal a minute later go down the same way. They were riding for 4+ hours in the rain. They have to go change as quickly as possible.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Zoncolan from Ovaro, Mortirolo and Finestre and that's probably it for me?

Angel maybe (steep second half and high altitude)?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Zoncolan from Ovaro, Mortirolo and Finestre and that's probably it for me?

The 2012 side of the Mortirolo probably also, that one was nasty. Maybe San Pellegrino in Alpe?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Angel maybe (steep second half and high altitude)?

Yeah, probably.

 

[Gigs_98]

Zoncolan from Ovaro, Mortirolo and Finestre and that's probably it for me?

And Mortirolo is debatable I think. There are also a few others which I think are in a similar region of difficulty like Agnello, Angliru, Fauniera, Großglockner (the northern side was ridden in the Giro once, ages ago) or Blockhaus all the way to the top, but I don't think any of those is "clearly" harder. Togehter with the Angliru it's definitely one of the two hardest climbs in the history of the Vuelta.

 

[johnymax]

I think the problem here is just Roglic starting to go down to soon. He should've been made to wait until at least first 10 riders behind him (all those who were likely to sprint for the line) have passed.

They shoud have been faster to the line then
Like I said I saw Bernal and the others going the same way later, disrupting the ones who sprinted for places around 30th for the stage. Why do people search for problems when there's none...

 

[Red Rick]

And Mortirolo is debatable I think. There are also a few others which I think are in a similar region of difficulty like Agnello, Angliru, Fauniera, Großglockner (the northern side was ridden in the Giro once, ages ago) or Blockhaus all the way to the top, but I don't think any of those is "clearly" harder. Togehter with the Angliru it's definitely one of the two hardest climbs in the history of the Vuelta.

I'm honestly not as high on Angliru anymore, because it's effectively like 6km

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Lovely shots of the scenery while we wait for the rest of the peloton to finish up, the grotto was especially nice.

 

[Netserk]

It really bothers me on a day like this that when Rogla got the red jersey on the podium, he just appeared already wearing it. It's much cooler when we actually see the rider getting the jersey on.

 

[Escarabajo]

I think where Movistar had it wrong is not having Lopez following Bernal and Roglic. They missed the free ride there. I can understand why Mas didn't go there but Lopez should have tried to go there. After that it was just a waiting game for them.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

I agree. If anyone is to "blame" it's Bahrain, who preferred to save Mäder for a potential Top 10 GC + Team Classification instead of starting a full-out chase when it was still possible. But in the end Haig didn't look great either, so maybe they were also right not to even try, and risk to end up with nothing instead.

But isn't this what Movistar normally do, save Valverde for a potential top 10 in GC and Team classification. That must have been the problem for Movistar today, they still think Valverde is in the race.