Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2021: Stage 9 (Puerto Lumbreras - Alto de Velefique, 188.0 km)

[Carols]

Allthough Roglic hasn't shown it often, but at this years Tour of Basque (I'm sorry, but I can't recall the offcial name) Roglic sustained a very long range attach.
Still Roglic rarely drops everyone from far out so I don't think he can that often.

He said he did it 'because it was unexpected' and left them for dead. Incuding Pogi.

 

[tobydawq]

Yeah I don't believe in GTs being done and dusted with half a minute seperating #1 and #2 and 2 weeks to race.

Right, and you have never claimed anything prematurely being in a bag...

 

[topcat]

After repeated Duracell bunny accelerations in week 3, Roglic pops and Superman wins the vuelta. Caruso "I'm not going for gc" to end up on the podium.

 

[Red Rick]

Right, and you have never claimed anything prematurely being in a bag...

Thanks for reminding me the Giro of 2022 is in the bag and getting me hyped on this quiet rest day.

 

[perico]

Was at the football but I'm glad you missed me?

Looks like it was a pretty decisive day. I'll be very happy if Mas makes this a fight, but suspect that with Roglic not having ridden the full tour and Mas having done so there's little chance the former will fade more than the latter.

GC done and dusted and the hat trick in the bag for Rogla.

I missed your constant reminder that Mas is Levi Leipheimer reincarnated and the head exploding when Mas attacked with 4 KM left.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I missed your constant reminder that Mas is Levi Leipheimer reincarnated and the head exploding when Mas attacked with 4 KM left.

At his best Levi was close to prime Contador - losing to him TdF'07 and Vuelta'08 by seconds (while being a super domestique esp. at the latter race).

 

[bajbar]

It's more about the generic visuals of how Roglic looks like when he's struggling than "he's this bad now"

Meanwhile I agree with @Eeslliw that pure endurance is the biggest difference between Roglic and Pogacar. Roglic' in-race recovery is the only thing that can seem kinda weak to me. I think that when super fresh Rogl might actually have a better 20min W/kg but the difference would be small anyway

Meanwhile I also don't think Pogacar can just go on indefinitely, and I think his form did go down a bit after the Alps in the Tour.

The signs Roglič is on the limit or cracking are: showing his teeth, riding with elbows sticking out while in the saddle and erratic caddence.

Basically just look at the last 4km of the Planche last year or every time road went up in the Giro 2019 after week 1.

 

[perico]

At his best Levi was close to prime Contador - losing to him TdF'07 and Vuelta'08 by seconds (while being a super domestique esp. at the latter race).

I know that. I was talking about his reputation as the biggest wheelsucker to never attacks and just Leipheimer’d his way up the climbs. I think he was Contador’s best domestique by far until Lance came back and Levi chose poorly.

 

[Andre]

It seemed they were sprinting up that last climb. Every separate group was really busting it at their own rhythm. Enough power was being put out to light up a small city... a lot like the Lance Armstrong commercial... Incredible pace!!!

 

[CyclistAbi]

Roglič finishing ahead of all other GC contenders clearly exposed he is cracking.