Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2021: Stage 20 (Sanxenxo - Castro de Herville, 202.2 km)

[VayaVayaVaya]

Do GT fans not watch classics? This was pretty straight forward: Roglic had the most to lose, he would always be the winner on that uphill sprint. Mas, Yates et al tried to get away, but couldn't. So when an outsider attacks, you look at Roglic to chase, the only pressure you can add onto Roglic to possibly weaken him would be to make him chase. But he didn't. Same thing happens all over in the spring.

Anyone saying Mas, Yates, Haig threw away a chance today are not being realistic. They were not going to beat Roglic in the uphill sprint. They did in fact try to get away before.

I think what a lot of us disagree with this take is on 3 things:

1. Mas had better odds of winning the race if he kept Champoussin from going up the road and if the race was on from farther out.
2. Roglic might have gifted the stage to Mas.
3. Yates should have ridden differently due to what was at stake for GC, in addition to stage win possibility. When you're fourth, not a great ITTer, and haven't won a stage, you should go all-in.

 

[RedheadDane]

And now they're saying Lopez might not be DNF after all...

 

[movingtarget]

The profile didn't do that course justice. Ineos don't care abvout third places on GC and Movistar ..........well I'm not sure what is going on there..............

 

[Ricco']

There are reports of Lopez coming back on his bike.

Vuelta's time limits are so ridiculous that MAL can be dropped 5 minutes by Roglic, stop for a chitchat on the road, get inside the team car for a cup of tea and scones, call home and than go back to the race.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Legendary implosion. Wow.

Forget Roglic, Lopez actually has the worst Stage 20s in the world. The fan incident at the 2019 Giro, losing white at the 2019 Vuelta, imploding and losing third at the 2020 Tour, and now this to top it all.

 

[Gratemans]

Yes, but that sure as hell wasnt from me. I want to watch the best rider win, not some random french rider I have barely heard off

Ok, Pogacar isn't here but still, if I were Roglic I'd take any chance I could to save some energy for the final TT of a GT.
What happened in last years Tour must still be in the back of his mind I'd imagine.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Mader got a bit stronger...

 

[Mayomaniac]

So it looks like the first Vielta without any Spanish stage wins since 1996 (?).

 

[Tim Cahill]

Odd Christian Eiking is 16 seconds off 10th!!!

Edit: Nvm he's a *** tter

 

[topt]

Let's hope that this stage impacts GT race design the way AdH 2011 did.

this, 5 CAT2s with steep ramps is much better than this extra CATs

 

[titan31]

And now they're saying Lopez might not be DNF after all...

His career should be DNF at this point. Can't back him in a race after that.

 

[Põhja Konn]

Mas and Yates trying to bluff the only guy in the group who had already won stages in this Vuelta and could afford to miss out on another one into closig the gap and leading them out. Absolutely deserved to get mugged by the third party.

 

[Bonimenier]

I think what a lot of us disagree with this take is on 3 things:

1. Mas had better odds of winning the race if he kept Champoussin from going up the road and if the race was on from farther out.
2. Roglic might have gifted the stage to Mas.
3. Yates should have ridden differently due to what was at stake for GC, in addition to stage win possibility. When you're fourth, not a great ITTer, and haven't won a stage, you should go all-in.

Mas' best chance to win is to let Roglic waste energy and close the gap so he was right not to chase himself. Same counts for Yates.

No way Roglic gifts the stage to anyone.

 

[Carols]

But he DID drop him and when he saw Rogla and Mas on his wheel, he stopped. Very weird riding.

If I was Roglic id win as much as possible. He basically threw a sure stage win here and a very memorable on at that! Mas, disappointing effort as well.

You ain't dude!

He just wanted to put a little stomp on those who 'thought' they might be able to beat him.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

I think what a lot of us disagree with this take is on 3 things:

1. Mas had better odds of winning the race if he kept Champoussin from going up the road and if the race was on from farther out.
2. Roglic might have gifted the stage to Mas.
3. Yates should have ridden differently due to what was at stake for GC, in addition to stage win possibility. When you're fourth, not a great ITTer, and haven't won a stage, you should go all-in.

I hear you. I agree in the big picture of the stage. I think I was reacting to the finale after the cards were on the table.

3) You're suggesting a penultimate-climb or earlier attack? I agree. Definitely not his style, unfortunately. Yates did play the hand he was dealt on the last climb. More than...
2, 1) Mas. For someone who made his name on playing the wild card, he seems to think he's now above those kind of tactics.

But yeah, would always be better to see more rolling of the dice

 

[the delgados]

Three things I remember from this memorable stage:

1. Track stands on a climb
2. The lone breakaway rider takes turns at the front after getting caught. C'mon, you slug, do some work for gawdsake.
3. The stage winner. He was dropped and only caught up to the red jersey group near the end. Then he puts on his raging maniac face and takes off.

 

[Valv.Piti]

You ain't dude!

He just wanted to put a little stomp on those who 'thought' they might be able to beat him.

Oh Im not? Thanks

 

[Red Rick]

So it looks like the first Vielta without any Spanish stage wins since 1996 (?).

Maybe the motor bikes can do wonders in the ITT?

 

[burning]

Rojas has finished, MAL is still MIA

 

[Rackham]

Yates was only trying for the stage win and considering he hasn't had one yet, that was more important to him than gaining a few seconds on haig for a potential podium that he could lose in the time trial

It looks like Ineos lost the white jersey & couldn't actually win the stage because Yates was afraid of Roglic, as was Mas.

Good entertainment though. Oh & the people having a go at Roglic because he "threw away a stage win..." yeah, how about he just won the Vuelta & already has 3 stages? And possibly a fourth tomorrow.

Great day.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Would love to be a fly on the wall at Movistar's dinner table tonight....

 

[ice&fire]

Rojas has finished, MAL is still MIA

TVE has shown a mobile video of MAL entering the team car

 

[BlueRoads]

Bernal was closer to 4th than Yates. Now they’re 4th, 6th, and no jersey when they could have been 3rd, 5th/6th, and jersey.

Yates needed to attack at about 6k out and try to get on that podium! I mean, I didn't watch that part, but didn't Bernal practically sacrifice his own placing for that possibility?

 

[BlueRoads]

TVE has shown a mobile video of MAL entering the team car

Honestly, I know I'm just a nosy soap-lover, but why does TV not show that?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Bernal saying how delighted he is for Mader

Compare and contrast