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

[Libertine Seguros]

Contador attacked with Bardet and MAL on Monachil IIRC, which is harder than the first 5km of Velefique, and of them only MAL survived against the onslaught of the Sky train.

There's no defensive Sky train this year, which is the only advantage todays stage has.

I would also say taking GC from Culoz instead of Anglefort didn't help, but I wouldn't have been surprised if it would still be a Pog vs Rog uphill sprint

Unless you descend back down to Pinos Genil and go up Hazallanas again, Monachil is pretty much part of the same climb if you're going to Pradollano from there though, even more so than Télégraphe + Galibier. Attacking on Monachil on that stage is kind of attacking early on the final climb in my book.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Kuss spending 12 kilometres chasing on the flat may well end up impacting this stage in a good way.

 

[Red Rick]

Kuss spending 12 kilometres chasing on the flat may well end up impacting this stage in a good way.

If he was behind cars I doubt it'll matter that much.

 

[Netserk]

Kuss spending 12 kilometres chasing on the flat may well end up impacting this stage in a good way.

Do we know if he has been out of the cortege after his mechanical?

 

[sir fly]

Is that TJV applying last season's tactics by no one letting ahead?

 

[Red Rick]

Jakobs DNF.

Movistar down to 6.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Any coverage yet?

 

[sir fly]

Now a less tight leeway... fought out by a stronger group.

 

[Red Rick]

That break looks safe enough to me.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Majka will win this stage unless GC guys go crazy. I have no clue about GC, Roglic is kind of stable but isolated. Any mechanical or flat tire can put him in danger

This prediction might be spot on.

 

[sir fly]

Hopefully the GC protagonists will try to bridge a little later on.

Yet, the gap's expanding towards unbridgeable.
... there's gonna be some helpful droppings, sure.

 

[glassmoon]

Jakobs DNF.

Movistar down to 6.

Another crash?

 

[Red Rick]

Hopefully the GC protagonists will try to bridge a little later on.

Yet, the gap's expanding towards unbridgeable.
... there's gonna be some helpful droppings, sure.

Smells like Gesink pace for the next 70km to me

 

[sir fly]

Smells like Gesink pace for the next 70km to me

Stinks.
If it stays at two and a half anything's possible.

 

[Rackham]

Stinks.
If it stays at two and a half anything's possible.

It's over 3 minutes now.

 

[glassmoon]

Why is ESP showing yesterday's boredom?

 

[RedheadDane]

Why is ESP showing yesterday's boredom?

Coz they don't have live-images yet?

 

[sir fly]

It's over 3 minutes now.

Yeah...
The dropped ones will be the bridging target.

 

[Rackham]

Yeah...
The dropped ones will be the bridging target.

Looks like JV have pulled some time back, i.e. it's 2'47" now.

 

[Rackham]

Oh, according to Pro Cycling Stats, it's Ineos who're now pulling.

 

[RedheadDane]

And we've got images!

 

[Gigs_98]

It is.

Calar Alto was actually really hampered by a strong headwind that year, which turned to cross wind on the final ramp IIRC. It's a proper climb, but I quite simply think it's too early in the Vuelta for all or nothing moves for primary contenders.

Yeah the wind was a huge issue in that flattish section before the final ramp, but Contador and Nibali attacked prior to that and distanced Chaves (who at the time was perceived as possibly Froome's most dangerous rival). To be fair it really wasn't that great of a stage but I'm just generally pretty nostalgic about everything Nibali and Contador related in that Vuelta so I have pretty fond memories.

 

[postmanhat]

Break down to 1'24" now according to PCS. Looks like Bardet might miss out on his KOM points

 

[Gigs_98]

If Ineos is pulling now this might actually be a sign for a Carapaz long range attack. One can hope.

Edit: Or Yates rather than Carapaz actually. Carapaz might honestly be too far down to be a danger.

 

[glassmoon]

And we've got images!

Aaaaaand... they're gone.