Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2024, stage 16: Luanco - Lagos de Covadonga, 181.3k

[Earns1985]

Basically because they gave up right after the group formed, following a few attempts at creating one. No one seems to want to spend the energy or helpers necessary to chase them at this point.

Yes, stage win will go to someone from the break.

So who is the favourite? Vine? Keep an eye on Riccitello today..

 

[Heston]

Van Aert looks like he's sprinting against a toddler, should've attacked ages ago if you wanted it to be like this lads.

Vine is probably fine with getting 2nd on the first climb. The next 2 climbs are harder so Vine should still come out ahead today.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Plz tell sick noob why the break has 10 minutes 😫

They all think that their GC guy is most disadvantaged by energy expenditure before the last climb.

But they can't all be right.

 

[Landeirovic]

UAE without Pogacar is hard to watch. What a joke of a team... I hope van Aert mugs them and takes the KOM jersey.

That team with 68 wins right?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

So who is the favourite? Vine? Keep an eye on Riccitello today..

If the rest of the climbers in the group has any sense, they will try to distance Vine on the descent of Llomena.

 

[noob]

Something like this - Decathlon happy to let the bonuses go/maybe want O'Connor to save energy/can't win anyway, Movistar don't have the team, Bora not convinced Roglic is much better than Mas on the climbs.

Basically because they gave up right after the group formed, following a few attempts at creating one. No one seems to want to spend the energy or helpers necessary to chase them at this point.

Thanks. It seems they might regret it now so we'll see.

Maybe I can enjoy watching graceful Wout alone getting filmed. Granted not as majestic as in a cx bike bit it might do for today

 

[Brullnux]

I'm finding all this handwringing pretty entertaining but I have to disagree here, i.e. some of us did actually mention those mitigating circumstances in Rog's situation, it's just the majority chose to ignore it.

Th primary mitigating factor being he wasn't chasing to get back into the bunch after being dropped and he could have achieved the exact same result (aka getting back in the peloton) just by using his teammates wheels. There would have been no difference. Why? Because those teammates dropped immediately as soon as the climb started anyway, i.e. "saving their legs" by riding behind the car had no incidence on GC. None whatsoever.

But... everyone has pretty much made up their mind though, so here we are.

Be serious, Bora hatched a plan to change a bike to have an advantage on the climb and to bridge the time loss caused by the bike change by drafting behind a car for a minute. While I respect them trying something different and taking the risk, it's obviously against the rules/spirit and an obvious 20s penalty. There shouldn't even be controversy over this.

 

[noob]

They all think that their GC guy is most disadvantaged by energy expenditure before the last climb.

But they can't all be right.

You get added points for the plot twist 🍨🍫🥦🙏

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Time for double Ventoux Wout!

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Just go for it Wout.

 

[Rou]

That team with 68 wins right?

Yes, 22 of which come from one rider. Oh, and if we remove all their Mickey Mouse wins that number will become drastically lower. Don't get me wrong. They have the most talented riders in the world but their tactics and DS'es are a complete ZERO.

 

[Heston]

UAE without Pogacar is hard to watch. What a joke of a team... I hope van Aert mugs them and takes the KOM jersey.

Almeida probably podiums this race without the illness to be fair

 

[tobydawq]

Yes, 22 of which come from one rider. Oh, and if we remove all their Mickey Mouse wins that number will become drastically lower. Don't get me wrong. They have the most talented riders in the world but their tactics and DS'es are a complete ZERO.

How many wins do the other teams have if you remove the wins from their biggest stars and wins in smaller races?

 

[Peyroteo94]

I already said this 100 times but I will say again, WVA with a free role is a joy to watch, marvelous! It is a crime seeing him on duty work.

 

[ManicJack]

Be serious, Bora hatched a plan to change a bike to have an advantage on the climb and to bridge the time loss caused by the bike change by drafting behind a car for a minute. While I respect them trying something different and taking the risk, it's obviously against the rules/spirit and an obvious 20s penalty. There shouldn't even be controversy over this.

Are you people seriously still having a p*ssing contest over this? 🙄

 

[Tim Cahill]

Chaotic yes, but I've been enjoying UAE in this race, a welcome addition considering they would be strangling the racing otherwise.

 

[carolina]

Yes, 22 of which come from one rider. Oh, and if we remove all their Mickey Mouse wins that number will become drastically lower. Don't get me wrong. They have the most talented riders in the world but their tactics and DS'es are a complete ZERO.

If you remove Tadej's wins, UAE is still the team with most wins this season.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Van Aert has a great fluid pedalling action, always makes it look like he's not doing much whilst going pretty fast.

 

[Luthor]

two minutes recovered by Decathlon against everyone except WvA? The plot thickens.

 

[Ricco']

If you remove Tadej's wins, UAE is still the team with most wins this season.

Due to sheer strenght of their riders vs the opposition. Whenever there is the need for them to cooperate between them in order to a single rider, which isn't Pogacar, they underperform massively.

Like today, their focus should be 100% to get Vine to do the maximum number of points possible. They are the team most represented on the break with 3 guys and they let the only challenger to Vine get away solo, gaining time and at the same time losing distance to the peloton.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Let the horse run! Love to see Wout on the loose. This is how it should be every single race. So entertaining when he has free rein.

 

[AmRacer]

I'm finding all this handwringing pretty entertaining but I have to disagree here, i.e. some of us did actually mention those mitigating circumstances in Rog's situation, it's just the majority chose to ignore it.

Th primary mitigating factor being he wasn't chasing to get back into the bunch after being dropped and he could have achieved the exact same result (aka getting back in the peloton) just by using his teammates wheels. There would have been no difference. Why? Because those teammates dropped immediately as soon as the climb started anyway, i.e. "saving their legs" by riding behind the car had no incidence on GC. None whatsoever.

But... everyone has pretty much made up their mind though, so here we are.

The majority is fine with Roglas penalty.

 

[Brullnux]

Are you people seriously still having a p*ssing contest over this? 🙄

In my defence I missed the pissing contest on Sunday bc I was busy, so this is effectively my first piss attempt

 

[Luthor]

UAE without Pog is a Mickey Mouse team in terms of tactics. Wins simply because of their budget doesn't excuse it. They simply have the best team in Vuelta but they got almost nothing so far. The wins from Yates/McNulty are simply pure strength.

 

[topcat]

In my defence I missed the pissing contest on Sunday bc I was busy, so this is effectively my first piss attempt

Off camera.
I want a camera on Wout, a camera on Rog and a camera on Pablo.