Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2023, stage 13: Formigal - Col du Tourmalet, 134.7k

[Mayomaniac]

I also think the breakaway climbers aren't that strong this Vuelta anyway.

Sad Landa noises...

 

[Lexman]

When it's a crazy start of the stage curious to see which favourite will be behind , might Remco have learned his lesson?

 

[ice&fire]

Ok but whats the point of the (basically) downhill start?

Don't think the little kicker at the beginning is enough to get riders up the road.

The Tourmalet stage was in the 2020 route but had to be cancelled because of cross-boundary travel restrictions active at the time due to COVID. The stage was redesigned with the finish at Formigal. This stage starting at Formigal is presumably a gesture of gratitude from Unipublic for having hosted the 2020 stage on such a short notice.

 

[Rackham]

When it's a crazy start of the stage curious to see which favourite will be behind , might Remco have learned his lesson?

What's the descent from Portalet like? I can think of a few riders (like Almeida) who really don't like descending who might have a few problems tomorrow because there's hardly any flat whatsoever.

 

[search]

Sad Landa noises...

he'll win from the favourites' group, of course.

 

[YavorD]

For me, this is the best 3 stages combo in a GT for a really long time. Hardest MTF --->"easy" MTF with a really tough climb before---->tricky hilly stage before the rest day. Great job on the pacing.


As for tomorrow, the stage is really tough, buy I don't see anything happening before Tourmalet, I don't expect crazy gaps as noone (okay, except for Mas) has the incentive to go all or nothing, but this is the Vuelta and will see some attacks and perhaps moderate time gaps. Don't really see Jumbo going crazy, they don't really need that.

 

[RedheadDane]

Sad Landa noises...

What noises does a sad Landa make?

 

[Bolder]

Vinge goes long to bait Rrrremco

This is what I am hoping for, although more likely Jumbo (and UAE) ride passively until Tourmalet. Ideally we'll have carnage, with UAE and Jumbo rolling attacks on an isolated Remco.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

What noises does a sad Landa make?

View: https://youtu.be/UDSf1m7qiow?si=XjsjOCQDn6qv6eES

 

[tobydawq]

Neither am I, but I can still glue you to a road.

Please do it.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I have a job I need to do. Also, I'm not in Spain.

Where do you work?

Im off at 9.30 (!!), so yeah. I can probably catch the whole stage..

 

[Libertine Seguros]

There is an outside chance for some reputations to be made and improved here though.

If it ends Sepp Kuss' sojourn in red, the Tourmalet will go some way towards redemption.

 

[Izzyeviel]

Could someone please glue themselves to the road somewhere (early) on the route?
Asking for a friend.

or you could get someone to spill a coke on the first descent so they neutralise the GC til the final climb

 

[tobydawq]

Buchmann, Landa and Bernal should be the favourites. They are the only ones in the race who participated in the bunch sprint the last time a race finished on the Tourmalet.

 

[peterfin]

This is what I am hoping for, although more likely Jumbo (and UAE) ride passively until Tourmalet. Ideally we'll have carnage, with UAE and Jumbo rolling attacks on an isolated Remco.

It's all nice and fun when they decide to all attack Remco continuously but UAE won't win the Vuelta if they can't bridge the gap to Kuss and Jumbo risks exhausting its red jersey.

 

[Volderke]

Could someone please glue themselves to the road somewhere (early) on the route?
Asking for a friend.

You have friends all over the Pyrenees.

 

[Lequack]

From the good old days

https://twitter.com/x/status/1699877290585264443

View: https://twitter.com/faustocoppi60/status/1699877290585264443

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

You have friends all over the Pyrenees.

Punk sheeps?

 

[Volderke]

From the good old days

https://twitter.com/x/status/1699877290585264443

View: https://twitter.com/faustocoppi60/status/1699877290585264443

I hope, if it ever comes to a sprint (which I doubt), Roglic and Remco won't sprint like that!

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Buchmann, Landa and Bernal should be the favourites. They are the only ones in the race who participated in the bunch sprint the last time a race finished on the Tourmalet.

It's bizarre that the best 6 climbers on that stage were Landa, bernal, buckman, pinot, Alaphilippe and Kruijsvijk. The pinnacle of stage racing, and those were the 6 best guys, only 4 years ago. How much has changed

 

[Billie]

Enric Mas lost like 5 minutes on the descent of the Aubisque-Soulor last year. and the way he looked on Xorret de Cati it should be easy for the other teams to get rid of him for GC.

 

[johnymax]

The Roglstomper by 43 seconds.

 

[houtdffan]

This stage is reminiscent of one half of the famous one:

From Casteldelfino to Granon one could create a 95-km monster, even harder than tomorrow's stage. @Red Rick Under 100 km queen stage.

Now that's a proper queen stage. Likely tops Morzine 1983 even

Every GT should have 1 of this type of stage

 

[glassmoon]

I am ready! Home office ftw!

 

[Valv.Piti]

Now that's a proper queen stage. Likely tops Morzine 1983 even

Every GT should have 1 of this type of stage

It tops everything, ever, by quite some margin. This is BY FAR harder than anything else we have seen.

The length of the stage, the altitude, no valley in between, the length of all the climbs, the percentages.. if you have 6 climbs linked up like this, and Izoard by far is the weakest one, you know what's up.