Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2022, stage 17: Aracena - Monasterio de Tentudía, 162.3k

[Miha81]

Surely Mas has to go for it now

He is 2nd now. Mission accomplished. Greatness personified.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

The race from GC perspective seems over. I don't think Mas can challenge Evenepoel. I can see fight for a third place between Ayuso, Rodriguez and Lopez but who really cares about that?

Ayuso, Rodriguez and Lopez.

 

[Valv.Piti]

It seems like barring some 2015 type shenanigans the race is now settled; having been 2nd here twice before Mas might have been inclined to risk a bit more if the team weren't so dependent on him bringing the points home that they can't really afford to risk him hitting the wall and dropping several places by taking high risk low reward speculative chances on the stages to come. They just got effectively a free boost of 105 UCI points with Rogla withdrawing if they just take it home from here, I suspect that unless Evenepoel has a completely unexpected collapse à la Yates in 2018, Mas might have a bit of a dart to see if he can distance Remco on the Puerto de la Morcuera, but otherwise it's likely that Remco has more than enough to hold on given the lack of anything that you'd say is an obvious platform to get rid of him in the stages to come.

I think stage 18 looks like a perfect ambush stage, especially the hilly terrain before the two gradual climbs of Piornal. 1,5 km at 10% (which is actually close to 4 km at 8,7%) can do something, potentially..

 

[Boes]

Remco was "dominant" over "always mediocre and second" Mas, couple unknowns and injured/not prepared Roglič. The moment Roglič got some km in his legs, he became better then Remco and looked dominant over him in the last stage where he would take back huge time on Remco and probably stomped all over him in the next days. There was no dominant Remco left already in week 2 any way.

That kind of Remco has no chance against healthy Roglič and NO chance against Vinge/Pog. But he's very young and has all the time to improve.

Is that you Adam Blythe?

 

[Lexman]

Ayuso, Rodriguez and Lopez.

Almeida

 

[Newcomer]

Is that you Adam Blythe?

Look, I am not suggesting anything, but Adam Blythe would not say the "young and has time to improve" part and would most likely add Thomas to the list of riders that Remco has no chance against.

 

[Lexman]

Taaramäe abandons..

 

[Pirazziattacks]

Well, hopefully this means Mas and Movistar now have no excuse not to go all out for the win. I wouldn't be at all surprised if instead they help QS ride defensively because they're worried about Ayuso, Rodriguez and MAL though. If the only remaining potential for GC action depends on Movistar racing aggressively, things are really grim.

 

[groogster]

Did Ayuso crashed?

 

[Lexman]

Jungels (AG2R), Pacher (FDJ), Champoussin (AG2R), Mäder (Bahrain), Herrada (Cofidis), Uran (EF), Craddock (BikeExchange), Elissonde (Trek), Soler (UAE) ,Guglielmi (Arkéa). with 46 seconds on the bunch

 

[Tim Cahill]

Purposely dropping enough time to get in breaks and win stages but also backdoor the week 3 top 10 is the new meta.

 

[Lexman]

Did Ayuso crashed?

yes, but made it back to the bunch

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Well, hopefully this means Mas and Movistar now have no excuse not to go all out for the win. I wouldn't be at all surprised if instead they help QS ride defensively because they're worried about Ayuso, Rodriguez and MAL though. If the only remaining potential for GC action depends on Movistar racing aggressively, things are really grim.

I don't think that's gonna happen. Movistar has not only a podium but also UCI points to defend.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Did Ayuso crashed?

A farewell salute to Primoz.

 

[Gratemans]

The real tragedy here is Ajuso is going to get a podium at this vuelta , at 19. When I was 19 (not even so long ago) I was peeing in my sink in my room at the university because I was too lazy to go to the shared bathroom before bed.

And this is what cycling is becoming, find the next hypergifted teenager, give him millions, make him anorexic and give him Inigo San Millan or someother top coach, and prosper. There is less flair in the sport anymore , and Roglic have that flair

Anyway for me what happened on the Tour for Roglic was much more of a tragedy than this Vuelta

So we could say you pissed away your future?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Bit of a bland break, I guess a lot of the climbers are waiting for tomorrow.

 

[perico]

Well, hopefully this means Mas and Movistar now have no excuse not to go all out for the win. I wouldn't be at all surprised if instead they help QS ride defensively because they're worried about Ayuso, Rodriguez and MAL though. If the only remaining potential for GC action depends on Movistar racing aggressively, things are really grim.

No they have the perfect reason not to go all out considering the team's position in the relegation battle. Unzue is cracking his knuckles right now telling Mas to stay the course and not rock the boat. Mas goes all out and blows a Top 3 finish and then things get real grim for the future of the only Spanish team left in the top division.

 

[yaco]

Craddock is wasting time going in breaks in which the parcours don't support his characteristics - He will need a miracle to happen and be given 2+ minutes before the final climb. Craddock obviously has good legs but you need to be more selective.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Will Bora and Intermarche pace to defend their top 10s against Uran?

 

[Boes]

Look, I am not suggesting anything, but Adam Blythe would not say the "young and has time to improve" part and would most likely add Thomas to the list of riders that Remco has no chance against.

But good to see you're not suggesting anything

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Break got this stage now?

Lotto and Israel should’ve paced in peloton to avoid Uran getting better GC position. Every point may count lol.

 

[yaco]

Silly crash by Groves - He nearly ended his career in 2021 after having three or four silly crashes.

 

[search]

Will Bora and Intermarche pace to defend their top 10s against Uran?

Intermarché is down to three riders, so most likely not.

 

[search]

Craddock is wasting time going in breaks in which the parcours don't support his characteristics - He will need a miracle to happen and be given 2+ minutes before the final climb. Craddock obviously has good legs but you need to be more selective.

well, what kind of stage is good for Craddock? Today's one is not too bad, I would think. With the relatively easy finishing climb, and there's also no really dominant climber in the break.

Would probably be better to have Hamilton in there for Bikeexchange, but that's about it.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Craddock is wasting time going in breaks in which the parcours don't support his characteristics - He will need a miracle to happen and be given 2+ minutes before the final climb. Craddock obviously has good legs but you need to be more selective.

I for one find Craddock's naivety refreshing in today's peloton