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

[Gigs_98]

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

The 2012 Mortirolo side might be up there if they had ridden it all the way to the top, but iirc they started descending 2 km before the pass. It was still a brutal climb, but I don't think as hard as the Gamoniteiru.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

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

Hochtor from its hardest side in the 1971 Giro. Maybe Stelvio or Fauniera from their hardest sides due to altitude, but the likes of Angliru, Galibier or Agnel already fall short for me too.

 

[tobydawq]

Roglic did his trademark 1km sprint and got a gap of 1min30 on the other GC riders. Basically all you need to know.

Bernal being led up the whole climb by Yates.

 

[BlueRoads]

So... fun stage... but then I just looked at the results and was a bit disappointed to realize that apart from Martin and Eiking expectedly dropping and Vlasov dropping due to his crash nothing at all happened in the standings...
So, I guess we will see the effects tomorrow instead.

 

[roundabout]

Did something happen to Landa not to be in the top-140 on the stage or did he just lose the transponder?

Edit: not top-140, top-127 for now

 

[Gigs_98]

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

I guess it depends a lot on how climbs are ridden. The first half of the Gamoniteiru could be an absolute bloodbath which the first half of the Angliru is a lot less likely to be. Then again I think it's possible to more or less "softpedal" the Gamoniteiru until they are already relatively close to the finish because it never has those completely ridiculous gradients which will always make the race explode like on the Angliru.

 

[johnymax]

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.

But he did try, he just couldn't follow.

 

[Descender]

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

Curious why you omitted Angliru. It's close but IMHO the hardest % edge it over Gamoniteiro.

But Mortirolo ranks below Gamoniteiro pretty clearly I'd say.

Maybe Stelvio East could be in the mix, but that's it.

 

[ice&fire]

But he did try, he just couldn't follow.

Bernal and Roglic already had a small gap when he tried. He was late.

 

[Mayomaniac]

The 2012 Mortirolo side might be up there if they had ridden it all the way to the top, but iirc they started descending 2 km before the pass. It was still a brutal climb, but I don't think as hard as the Gamoniteiru.

I've climbed worse stuff than the Gamoniteiru (Zoncolan from Ovaro and the old road to Oberbozen https://www.cronoescalada.com/index.php/puertos/view/3411)
It's a super hard climb, but I'm not a fan of adding a few extra steep kms on top of an already good climb. The fact that the central part of the climb is not so steep and the final km the steepest one is usually an indicator that the racing won't be great, but after today we should get big gaps.

 

[Fantastico]

I guess it depends a lot on how climbs are ridden. The first half of the Gamoniteiru could be an absolute bloodbath which the first half of the Angliru is a lot less likely to be. Then again I think it's possible to more or less "softpedal" the Gamoniteiru until they are already relatively close to the finish because it never has those completely ridiculous gradients which will always make the race explode like on the Angliru.

The problem with Angliru is that nowadays it is often ridden in a very passive way where everyone is reluctant to race hard early on due to the hardest part at the end. And then at the hard part it's almost too steep to be decisive so that the gaps often are way smaller than expected for a climb of this caliber.

 

[Sciatic]

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.

That’s a COVID precaution? When they put on the jersey on the podium (in the past) the podium helpers stood much closer to the rider to help him get the jersey on.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I guess it depends a lot on how climbs are ridden. The first half of the Gamoniteiru could be an absolute bloodbath which the first half of the Angliru is a lot less likely to be. Then again I think it's possible to more or less "softpedal" the Gamoniteiru until they are already relatively close to the finish because it never has those completely ridiculous gradients which will always make the race explode like on the Angliru.

I would, at least before today's stage, have laid good odds on little occurring before they pass Cobertoria, similar to when they first introduced Bola del Mundo and all the action came after Navacerrada, or Cuitu Negru atop Pajáres. Even if Cobertoria east is already a very tough climb, it's on wide, well paved roads that the péloton will have done before (albeit not that often as it's the side frequently descended).

However, typical expectations would have had today as being a shootout on Los Lagos because of the fear of Gamoniteiru tomorrow, and that obviously did not happen. Collada Llomena is not that much tougher than Mirador del Fito, but it's new, and it offers opportunities. Holy 2011 Tour, Batman, a race is breaking out!

I have to say that when I looked at the stage profile, I was reminded of the 2010 Cotobello stage due to the two steep climbs mid stage then the lengthy false flat down and up before the final climb, however that was at the end of the mountain trifecta and not at as difficult or iconic a climb as this so I didn't expect as much. But that stage gave us the Euskaltel Team Time Trial as they dragged Nieve to the front to salvage the race now that Igor Antón had crashed out. This was like that stage, only if Fuji had still been there, and had gone on that move that Nieve did. With Nieve as his helper. OK, so it wasn't the team masterstroke of, say, Heras on Pajáres, but I did think of the 2011 Tour here, as after two weeks of grumbling, we suddenly get an epic, Primož Roglič gets a proper signature ride, Bernal wins the hearts and minds battle, and Movistar show that they can put what their men in the cars learnt from their trip to the Volta a Portugal into action.

And they're now going to have to get just as creative if they want to win this race. I have been saying, semi-seriously, all along that Movistar are in the perfect position for them, holding 2nd and 3rd, but realistically... they might just be settling for that, although if they were simply stunned into submission by Jumbo allowing Roglič to actually try to maximise gains rather than try to win by as little as possible. Their only hope now is for Roglič to collapse Yates '18 style, it would seem.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

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!"

1. It was perfectly safe, he was looking towards the oncoming riders.
2. Short of waiting 45 minutes for the last man to finish, he had no choice, and he was doing exactly what the race organisers expected, and probably insisted upon. It happens all the time on small MTF locations.

Every other rider (except those right in the gruppetto) rode down with others climbing towards them. Is your complaint against all of them, or just Roglic?

 

[Red Rick]

I would, at least before today's stage, have laid good odds on little occurring before they pass Cobertoria, similar to when they first introduced Bola del Mundo and all the action came after Navacerrada, or Cuitu Negru atop Pajáres. Even if Cobertoria east is already a very tough climb, it's on wide, well paved roads that the péloton will have done before (albeit not that often as it's the side frequently descended).

However, typical expectations would have had today as being a shootout on Los Lagos because of the fear of Gamoniteiru tomorrow, and that obviously did not happen. Collada Llomena is not that much tougher than Mirador del Fito, but it's new, and it offers opportunities. Holy 2011 Tour, Batman, a race is breaking out!

I have to say that when I looked at the stage profile, I was reminded of the 2010 Cotobello stage due to the two steep climbs mid stage then the lengthy false flat down and up before the final climb, however that was at the end of the mountain trifecta and not at as difficult or iconic a climb as this so I didn't expect as much. But that stage gave us the Euskaltel Team Time Trial as they dragged Nieve to the front to salvage the race now that Igor Antón had crashed out. This was like that stage, only if Fuji had still been there, and had gone on that move that Nieve did. With Nieve as his helper. OK, so it wasn't the team masterstroke of, say, Heras on Pajáres, but I did think of the 2011 Tour here, as after two weeks of grumbling, we suddenly get an epic, Primož Roglič gets a proper signature ride, Bernal wins the hearts and minds battle, and Movistar show that they can put what their men in the cars learnt from their trip to the Volta a Portugal into action.

And they're now going to have to get just as creative if they want to win this race. I have been saying, semi-seriously, all along that Movistar are in the perfect position for them, holding 2nd and 3rd, but realistically... they might just be settling for that, although if they were simply stunned into submission by Jumbo allowing Roglič to actually try to maximise gains rather than try to win by as little as possible. Their only hope now is for Roglič to collapse Yates '18 style, it would seem.

Tbh I expect Bernal to just launch it in the first half tomorrow.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Juan Pedro Lopez in the Top 15.

That was yesterday: now top-14

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Tomorrow Landismo

'fraid not

SÁNCHEZ Luis León Astana - Premier Tech-DNF
EINHORN Itamar Israel Start-Up Nation-DNF
ELISSONDE Kenny Trek - Segafredo-DNF
LANDA Mikel Bahrain - Victorious-DNF
ARMÉE Sander Team Qhubeka NextHash-

Did something happen to Landa not to be in the top-140 on the stage or did he just lose the transponder?

Edit: not top-140, top-127 for now

see above

 

[hfer07]

Quite ironic- Bernal's attack while dragging Roglic along was the best gift ever to Movistar & Yates to regroup, reset & give it all out on Lagos to drop them both & gain time on Roglic ......

anyways, I'm still trying to figure Movistar's tactics (if they ever have one)

 

[carton]

Tbh I expect Bernal to just launch it in the first half tomorrow.

Way too knackered. Too much of an ask. Heck of a show, though. Well played by Roglic.

 

[Scarponi]

Way too knackered. Too much of an ask. Heck of a show, though. Well played by Roglic.

Yates should

 

[Lequack]

Some more pics

 

[jmdirt]

AS you all know, I love it when a break succeeds, but I especially love it when the break is two big guns! I love it when they TAKE the win!

 

[DaLong]

Some more pics

Jeez, Jakobsen's quads

 

[staubsauger]

Was it just weakness by Bernal or a hunger knock light as he didn't feed himself enough on top of Llomema?

 

[Red Rick]

Was it just weakness by Bernal or a hunger knock light as he didn't feed himself enough on top of Llomema?

It's just getting cracked at the end of a huge, long effort.