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

[Red Rick]

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.

What's up is I know I don't have to watch any stage before this because they're all shitting themselves too much.

 

[Netserk]

What's up is I know I don't have to watch any stage before this because they're all shitting themselves too much.

Make it stage 1 then.

 

[Red Rick]

Make it stage 1 then.

Make it a one day race is basically my standard thought about all the stupidly hard unbalanced climbs and mountain stage designs we see floating around.

 

[CyclistAbi]

In my opinion this stage will deliver. That is at minimum GC favourites will shift some time. If by any chance JV, SOQ or UAE to decide this is the day. Then it will be carnage.

 

[Sciatic]

I am ready! Home office ftw!

I’m with ya—I usually go to the “real” office on Friday but WFH sounds good for tomorrow

 

[Andy schleck]

Vingegaard and ayuso will be strongest tomorrow, and they will fight for the vuelta.

 

[Lequack]

Are you folks just ignoring Marc Soler or what?

 

[Bonimenier]

Are you folks just ignoring or what?

Who is or what?

 

[Gratemans]

In my opinion this stage will deliver. That is at minimum GC favourites will shift some time. If by any chance JV, SOQ or UAE to decide this is the day. Then it will be carnage.

I think the next one will deliver more. This one will reveal Jumbo's tactics though.

Vingegaard and ayuso will be strongest tomorrow, and they will fight for the vuelta.

Yes to the first, no to the latter. Vingegaard will never contest this Vuelta (barring Primoz confusing ski-jumping for cycling once again). Feel free to quote 'n' gloat afterwards if I turn out to be wrong of course

 

[houtdffan]

Make it a one day race is basically my standard thought about all the stupidly hard unbalanced climbs and mountain stage designs we see floating around.

At least I'd balance the course with something like 150km of ITT and 75km of TTT

 

[BullsFan22]

Jumbo could sweep the stage tomorrow, 1, 2, 3, arms aloft

 

[Izzyeviel]

Jumbo could sweep the stage tomorrow, 1, 2, 3, arms aloft

are we talking about the vuelta or the tour of britain?

 

[nightowl]

Jumbo could sweep the stage tomorrow, 1, 2, 3, arms aloft

The way this race is shaping up they could legitimately go 1,2,3 for the Vuelta in general.

 

[Sciatic]

Who is or what?

What’s on second.

 

[Rob5091]

I'm guessing a slow chugging up the Tourmalet as everyone is thinking, "Tomorrow's hard too. Better save some energy." Bardet, Caruso, Carthy, Rubio, etc up the road a bit and the break takes it. Mas to yoyo because of his desceding non-skills.

 

[gregrowlerson]

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.

"You had me at..."
"Hello?"
"Nah. Sepp Kuss out of red."

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Remember, remember, the eighth of Sepp-tember
Kuss will smash

 

[Nick2413]

Tomorrow is going to ruin some people's life..just a question of who gets broken into bits.

Is this a bike race or a Quentin Tarantino movie?

 

[gunara]

Remember, remember, the eighth of Sepp-tember
Kuss will smash

Today we'll see the clearer sign. He's American anyway, they won grand tour with pellets in the body, being 430-year old, and with all sorts of miracles you could not believe; having ridden and being domesticated for 2 GTs is nothing.

 

[RedheadDane]

Where do you work?

A company in Århus that delivers lunch to other companies.
I clean. I have nothing to do with the food.

Gets off around 15:15, and since I'm slow-ass it takes me nearly an hour to get home...

 

[Berniece]

The way this race is shaping up they could legitimately go 1,2,3 for the Vuelta in general.

How? Vingegaard seems to be losing form (ITT and almost dropped), and Kuss has already shown some cracks uphill. I still think they’ll win the Vuelta, but it will be with Roglic and the podium won’t consist out of other JV riders.

 

[tobydawq]

Make it a one day race is basically my standard thought about all the stupidly hard unbalanced climbs and mountain stage designs we see floating around.

No good riders would ride such a race. Mountains are just not compatible with one-day racing.

People get too exposed.

 

[RedheadDane]

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

Tourmalet does not need redemption. This is what happened last time a GT stage ended on Tourmalet:

 

[wheresmybrakes]

I reckon Remco is gonna go a little earlier today to rip up the race. If he can eliminate some of the GC lot today and stay up the pointy end of GC himself, he can maybe work on the leftover GC lot later in the race. Whether he's good enough for that, time will tell. I'm gonna hope Bernal goes in the break and wins.

 

[frisenfruitig]

Curious how today's stage will pan out. So far it seems to me like Roglic has the best cards to win this Vuelta. Looks really solid uphill and his TT also indicates he is in excellent shape. I would love to be proven wrong on that though.