Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2023, stage 2: Mataró - Barcelona, 181.8k

[RedheadDane]

Also to Vacchi for correctly identifying Kron after only a moment of confusion.

Danish commentators were able to identify him almost immediately, because "He rides a bit like Chris Anker."

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Can you ever talk about anything without comparing it to something that happened between 2006 and 2011?

Well, I could, but then it would be rather like my posting style in around 2010-11 when those references were current so people did not need to be reminded of those precedents.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

DSM the only team with their GC riders in the front group. I might have to switch allegiance for one time and one time only this Vuelta.

 

[Danskebjerge]

The TTT should have been rescheduled or cancelled showing very WEAK leadership from the promotor AND the UCI money money money before riders, welfare AGAIN.

The usual “the riders are always right” argument.

 

[HelloDolly]

This is the other side of it...Groves not been allowed to race

Who knows who else in GC wanted to race

 

[Samamba]

Groves audibly not happy with Jumbo and Soudal.

I honestly hope a lot of teams are publicly annoyed by them this time. Too many times these arrogant rich teams think they can decide what happens in races.

 

[Bonimenier]

Groves audibly not happy with Jumbo and Soudal.

I understand DSM not being happy with them, but why would Groves be mad? He was just not good enough to follow Kron. If anything he should be happy because if the GC guys went for it , he wouldn't have finished top 20.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Marc Soler managed to slip into the front group. Good man Marc. Vamos.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

This is the other side of it...Groves not been allowed to race

Who knows who else in GC wanted to race

Sadly Movistar have Txente and Velasco in the cars at the Vuelta, and Jürgen Roelandts at the Renewi Tour. If they had Roelandts in the car they'd probably have raised all kinds of carnage when the weather got bad.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Milesi gingerly rolling in

 

[ciranda]

Tim Cahill said:
Can't wait to suggest that whoever wins looked so good that they probably would've won even if the GC guys were there.

why be a jerk was the important part but yes normally a top ~five/ten finish is what you would expect from kron on a stage such as this

 

[HelloDolly]

I honestly hope a lot of teams are publicly annoyed by them this time. Too many times these arrogant rich teams think they can decide what happens in races.

this

All ok if you are earning big bucks and have many chance to win

But dont race if you dont want to but dont tell others what to do

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Marc Soler managed to slip into the front group. Good man Marc. Vamos.

Quite possibly defying team orders in the process given what the rest of UAE did. I feel some major entertainment on his part coming.

 

[noob]

Kudos to Kron and Lotto.

Also to Vacchi for correctly identifying Kron after only a moment of confusion.

Vacchi?

 

[RedheadDane]

Kron: "A couple of years ago, I said that if I ever won a GT stage, I'd dedicate it to my mother, who died 12 ago from cancer. But, she can wait. This is for Tijl De Decker!"

 

[HelloDolly]

The maths guy with the calculator in the back tent must have been on the beer last night after that first stage - ie the guy doing the scores on the doors

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

"to hear on" is almost a worse Danglicism than brutto troup

Hah, thanks for the laugh - and you're right. Can I be excused by my 8yo daughter very eager to demonstrate that she has started on English lessons? Maybe I'll sit in by her class tomorrow. A second chance for me?

 

[HelloDolly]

Marc Soler managed to slip into the front group. Good man Marc. Vamos.

of course Soler kept going and ignored everyone

 

[postmanhat]

More of these anticlimactic stages pls!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEEEES.

In honour of Tijl!

Van Eetvelt looking decent too. Lotto could feature in a quite a few stages with those two on good form.

 

[Volderke]

I think what you have just described is called racing.

They decided not to race (and that's also part of what I would call racing), actually in Renewi Tour today they had a protest so it isn't an isolated thing.

Racing is like life. Sometimes the key protagonists strike. In this case, because they feel it's not a fair race when they are forced into a situation they are not comfortable with, with regards to their safety / crashing out...

Learn to live with it, riders deciding not to race, is part of racing.


In general (related to some other posts above):
I'm really curious if those who complain (about the GC riders not following wheels on the climb and thus not really racing) are also complaining about other safety issues, the peloton not taking a stance or not agreeing to come up for their rights against organisers / UCI...
The message, after yesterday's farce, from the GC riders was one of 'don't mess with us'. They got a neutralised GC and they took it.
To the surprise of many on this forum, who said yesterday that riders could have known before the start of the TTT that it would have been dark, the GC riders took the opportunity of the neutralised GC to soft-pedal. I mean: those forum members should, like the riders yesterday, have known at the start of today's race what was coming, but now they are surprised? Commenting about riders and teams not anticipating on yesterday's TTT, but clearly themselves not anticipating on how the race would end.

 

[rallybanana]

On the flip side you have that Vuelta a Colombia stage a couple of years ago where they had a sprint with so much standing water that riders were going all over the place. Not neutralising that finish was an absolutely reckless organisatorial decision that deserves every bit as much criticism as some of the BS cancellations and neutralisations we've had ever since Adam Hansen woke up one morning in Italy and decided he didn't fancy a long ride in the rain.

Was that the stage where the winner crashed into his wife?

 

[Miss Violet Smith]

Vacchi?

Yes, Swedish commentator, who was told by what he called "official sources" that therider in front was Van Eetvelt, but almost immediately course-corrected - kudos.

 

[SafeBet]

Organizers apparently asking fans to show videos so they can understand the gaps and decide who the red jersey is...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1695826032136261855

View: https://twitter.com/raulbanqueri/status/1695826032136261855?t=wmHIf9PPmYI6dyK0PnyiIA&s=19

 

[Volderke]

DSM the only team with their GC riders in the front group. I might have to switch allegiance for one time and one time only this Vuelta.

DSM could take the jersey with Bardet, going over the top first (+6s) and finishing first (+6s) which would have him same time as Piccolo, but higher because of points / placement.

 

[HelloDolly]

‘Another day in paradise’ - Remco Evenepoel blasts Vuelta organisers for insufficient stage neutralisation

GC times on stage 2 to be taken at summit of final cat. 3 climb, but riders say that’s not enough

www.cyclingnews.com