Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2023, stage 15: Pamplona - Lekunberri, 158.3k

[tobydawq]

You must appreciate the absolute tactical brilliance of this win. He also had to close Buitrago and Kämna on the descent, the latter unfortunately crashing but Costa was about to reel him back anyway. People are just lazy when they say he "wheelsucked". He was also the first rider that followed Remco in the move that ended up being the break. Just so smart. Incredible rider. What a great win this was.

I'm not entirely sure that he would have caught Kämna.

He is definitely a gambler. I like it.

 

[Faserr]

Shame that Kämna crashed. But he nearly was gone. Good for him that he already won a stage.

 

[RobertCrawley]

Are we witnessing Grandpa G's last GT?

 

[Andy262]

Kaemna with the f bomb

 

[Netserk]

If Santi was more experienced, he would have pulled hard after Kämna crashed, and then only wheelsucking Costa closer to the kite, so that the German would have posed a threat.

 

[HelloDolly]

I feel exactly the same if you substitute remco for Costa

and yet Rui is the antithesis of Remco

But there is room for all in cycling which is improved by many types of riders and winners

 

[Escarabajo]

I heard that Purito and Valverde were screaming at the TV cheering for Santiago.
Not to be anyway. Rui Costa making a living of doing this. Good for him.
Rest day everyone. Hoping that Ayuso gets some recharged batteries.

 

[bill1109]

The blood of the innocents.

Better than crying like remco.

 

[Scarponi]

Come on Santiago, now say you rode with and beaten by a legend!

“Former world champion” too

 

[movingtarget]

Nice win by Costa. He enjoyed that one.

 

[Escarabajo]

Buitrago also attacked multiple times to drop Costa on the climb. He definitely earned this one.

If someone keeps attacking. You dont go to the front. Would be a mistake. You shouldnt help someone who is trying to drop you.

Costa was never ever going to help Buitrago. He won it because he has a business doing this. Which is OK, because that's what he does best. But Buitrago's only chance was to drop him on the climb and he tried.

 

[Salvarani]

Costa was never ever going to help Buitrago. Please. He won it because he has a business doing this. Which is OK, because that's what he does best. But Buitrago's only chance was to drop him on the climb and he tried.

Im not arguing any of this?

Costa masterclass in tactics but he still had to work for it too. That was my only point. He didnt just wheelsuck his way to it. That would be undermining the brilliance of this win.

 

[gunara]

“Former world champion” too

Oh, yes😁

 

[Escarabajo]

Im not arguing any of this?

I am just bolding that part that when someone attacks you don't go to the front to help the attacker. Which is true for most of the cases. But for this case was not true because Costa never had the intention of helping Buitrago in any scenario. He knew that Santiago had to attack to have any chance.

 

[Salvarani]

I am just bolding that part that when someone attacks you don't go to the front to help the attacker. Which is true for most of the cases. But for this case was not true because Costa never had the intention of helping Buitrago in any scenario. He knew that Santiago had to attack to have any chance.

Ok, I never said he had the intention to either in any scenario? Whatever.

Great win by a great rider.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Probably one of my favorite breakaway stages, a battle between the ‚just ride‘ strategy of Remco, the ‚don‘t ride‘ strategy of Costa and the middle ground of Kämna, who are all among the best at this riding style, plus Buitrago to animate the racing. 10/10

 

[saunaking]

Even though he won, did he make a mistake not working with Santiago after Kamna fell?
Butriago had zero sprint in the end, and Costa's chances seemed better 1 on 1 v Butriago rather than
having to watch 2 guys...

 

[Mayomaniac]

I heard that Purito and Valverde were screaming at the TV cheering for Santiago.
Not to be anyway. Rui Costa making a living of doing this. Good for him.
Rest day everyone. Hoping that Ayuso gets some recharged batteries.

Nah, just like back in the day Valverde was probably cheering for Rui Costa.

 

[Netserk]

Even though he won, did he make a mistake not working with Santiago after Kamna fell?
Butriago had zero sprint in the end, and Costa's chances seemed better 1 on 1 v Butriago rather than
having to watch 2 guys...

Santi refused to pull, and if the two of them were ahead in the last km, Costa would have to ride to keep Kämna behind and win the sprint.

 

[Unchained]

The Vuelta has been far superior from a racing point of view.

The Giro will be far superior from an outcome point of view. I think I might actually have taken Geraint Thomas winning the Giro if I'd known that the price we'd pay

A master of the trade. One way or another, you must stab all your breakaway companions. What a veteran move to take the front in the last km to shuffle the group, so that Kämna came to the front.

most of the race was ruined for me because Rigo Uran, having the day off somewhere in Colombia was featured half screen for the entire broadcast and asked questions about everything other than today's race, truly terrible. Costa has class and is crafty, good win for him, not much said about the curve conditions but people were riding the brakes and going pretty gingerly, except for. Kamna who cut some grass and got up and still contested, good ride..the camera work on the final sprint was telling. Too much game playing almost cost them w a raging Remco closing fast, pretty close.

I read a bunch of stuff overnight, one article by a woman who concludes that life for Jumbo and everyone else is boring because the 3 musketeers have everything wrapped up and they own the Vuelta. Which I found ridiculous, Jumbo and Kuss very very vulnerable in my opinion. Was absolutely blown away by an article written by Kieran Wood for Cycling Up To Date..this guy lives in a different reality and pays no attention to the way Remco acts, talks or races. The article basically says that he was dealt a death blow when he popped early and lost @25 minutes. For another rider I would agree, this time it's a silly conclusion that Remco ,his lungs and legs are toasted. The guy has taken back @12+ minutes in 2 days, stage win and all with hills. Absolutely incredible, extraordinary. The other thing I read in Olympics. com about Kuss again more garbage, Sepp Kuss is brand new to being the leader, newer still at defending a leaders jersey in a gran tour. I really don't see what people are talking about when they say that this is over. Top 10 is all within @8:30 and Remco can take that back, alone, attacking the peloton and being a tiny wind block for 99% of the race..

 

[nunob]

Costa was never ever going to help Buitrago. Please. He won it because he has a business doing this. Which is OK, because that's what he does best. But Buitrago's only chance was to drop him on the climb and he tried.

A business? Costa is a former World Champion in his own right, with 3 Tour de Suisse, multiple GC WT podiums, WT classics victories and podiums and 2 monuments podium and you talk like He is a career breakaway rider. Most Riders would only dreams of having a Palmarés like that.

 

[red_flanders]

What a bunch of wankers.

 

[Red Rick]

I read a bunch of stuff overnight, one article by a woman who concludes that life for Jumbo and everyone else is boring because the 3 musketeers have everything wrapped up and they own the Vuelta. Which I found ridiculous, Jumbo and Kuss very very vulnerable in my opinion. Was absolutely blown away by an article written by Kieran Wood for Cycling Up To Date..this guy lives in a different reality and pays no attention to the way Remco acts, talks or races. The article basically says that he was dealt a death blow when he popped early and lost @25 minutes. For another rider I would agree, this time it's a silly conclusion that Remco ,his lungs and legs are toasted. The guy has taken back @12+ minutes in 2 days, stage win and all with hills. Absolutely incredible, extraordinary. The other thing I read in Olympics. com about Kuss again more garbage, Sepp Kuss is brand new to being the leader, newer still at defending a leaders jersey in a gran tour. I really don't see what people are talking about when they say that this is over. Top 10 is all within @8:30 and Remco can take that back, alone, attacking the peloton and being a tiny wind block for 99% of the race..

Lol.

Jumbo signalled today they're not gonna give Evenepoel anything more than 2-3 minutes for free, while Evenepoel very clearly showed he can't go nuts all day every day.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

For another rider I would agree, this time it's a silly conclusion that Remco ,his lungs and legs are toasted. The guy has taken back @12+ minutes in 2 days, stage win and all with hills. Absolutely incredible, extraordinary.

Yea, but those are the easiest of those minutes to take back. The more minutes the leaders have in hand over him, the more rope he will be afforded. His bounce back from the stage 13 jour sans to winning stage 14 was an incredible turnaround, sure, but let's not act like it's some super exciting act of swashbuckling time gain à la Landis riding everybody away when he was 3-4 minutes ahead of the GC mix when they were actually riding, and then the rest of that time was gained when everybody decided to save their legs in the valley and on the less decisive final climb.

Jumbo will be much keener to keep him on a leash the closer he gets, and then we'll really see. If they can't keep him under wraps then and he goes full Santi Pérez or Emanuele Sella, that'll really raise the game in week 3.

 

[SHAD0W93]

A business? Costa is a former World Champion in his own right, with 3 Tour de Suisse, multiple GC WT podiums, WT classics victories and podiums and 2 monuments podium and you talk like He is a career breakaway rider. Most Riders would only dreams of having a Palmarés like that.

He’s not a career breakaway rider like Voeckler, Voigt, Chavanel, etc. but he does run a successful business out of winning from the breakaway.