Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2024, stage 20: Villarcayo - Picón Blanco, 172.0k

[Squire]

Axelgaard predicting Landismosaurus Rex as the winner from a big daring breakaway! He better be right.

It's an interesting premise for the stage that there are several big name climbers who has such a meh GC position that they have nothing to lose.

 

[staubsauger]

Mas, Carapaz & Gaudu all need to attack indeed!

 

[KZD]

Breakaway should take the stage but some teams will probably put riders there as satelite riders to help their leader when he attacks. I think UAE is going to send half of their team in the breakaway and both Soler and Vine will likely be there, hope for some drama between them to see who takes KOM.

Regarding GC, the big battle is the podium one, I think both Mas and Carapaz will take time on O'Connor likely overtaking him on GC but not by much as this is the sort of stage where the Australian has been better this Vuelta. Roglič will probably just follow wheels and Rodriguez to overtake Skjelmose in the fight for white jersey.

Kuss to take the stage.

 

[The Barb]

This is a classic “second tier on GC guy who’s holding form while others are fading” stage.

Candidates are Kuss, Yates and Dunbar.

I can’t imagine Kuss won’t give it everything but I kinda like Yates. It’s seems clear the extra 2 mins he dropped yesterday were by design, to provide that little extra freedom.

 

[topcat]

The stage design is not perfect but the terrain is there for all out chaos. I expect a lot less than that.
Pablo for the stage. Mas to move up to second. Carapax to launch a super exciting attack and fail to take 3rd from our hero O'Connor. Landa will try and might make up a couple of places in gc. The camera will be on Landa trying to move from 8th to 6th while we miss the podium battle.

 

[RedheadDane]

Prediction:
De Gendt the first to attack.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Prediction:
De Gendt the first to attack.

Thats a prediction I can get behind.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Today's battle of attrition is completely different from yesterday's standalone bazooka effort. Primoz will probably stay in a defensive mode, in the past he sometimes had problems during stages like this. His task is relatively simple though: keep an eye on Mas and Carapaz, stay with them or in a worse scenario limit the losses (the gap looks very comfortable).

And most importantly, he has to stay on his bike! (sometimes he likes flying during races: post ski-jumping relict).

 

[RedheadDane]

Thats a prediction I can get behind.

PREDICTION SUCKER!

 

[Valv.Piti]

PREDICTION SUCKER!

What??

 

[RedheadDane]

What??

You behind me, refusing to take a (prediction) pull!

 

[Valv.Piti]

You behind me, refusing to take a (prediction) pull!

I have a good 5 min power and looking to preserve my watts until the final kilometres, much unlike you and De Gendt!

 

[tobydawq]

Skjelmose says he will put everything on the table today (unlike what he has been doing so far where he has been riding more within himself) and that the nature of the stage matches what he has been training for.

I won't exclude the possibility of him ending on the final podium.

Don't forget he has been preparing specifically for this race as probably the only one in the top 10.

 

[search]

Skjelmose says he will put everything on the table today (unlike what he has been doing so far where he has been riding more within himself) and that the nature of the stage matches what he has been training for.

Yesterday Skjelmpse said that it's a perfect stage for Carlos Rodriguez, and that he is a bit scared of not being able to follow him.

Good to see that it didn't take him long to find his usual overconfidence again!

 

[Peyroteo94]

Skjelmose says he will put everything on the table today (unlike what he has been doing so far where he has been riding more within himself) and that the nature of the stage matches what he has been training for.

I won't exclude the possibility of him ending on the final podium.

Don't forget he has been preparing specifically for this race as probably the only one in the top 10.

He is a trash talker. Remember Fleche?

 

[RedheadDane]

He is a trash talker. Remember Fleche?

I don't think he's gonna get hypotermia...

 

[tobydawq]

Yesterday Skjelmpse said that it's a perfect stage for Carlos Rodriguez, and that he is a bit scared of not being able to follow him.

Good to see that it didn't take him long to find his usual overconfidence again!

I don't think it's overconfidence, I think he's very realistic to the point of being off-puttingly unenthusiastic. He only focuses on his own performance and as such does not seem to have result-based goals, only performance goals. He said that there would be no reason to kill himself if someone from behind had a blinder of a stage today (presumably Rodríguez was whom he meant).

He also whined about wearing the white jersey because it's of worse quality than the team's normal kit.

 

[tobydawq]

He is a trash talker. Remember Fleche?

Which edition? And how would it be relevant?

 

[ice&fire]

O'Connor dropped in the neutralised

 

[Tricycle Rider]

And they're off, such a blessing to see a stage in its entirely. Should be an exciting day for those who are not stellar time trialists, last chance saloon. Hope Carapaz does well.

 

[ice&fire]

Asgreen first to jump

 

[RedheadDane]

My earlier prediction was wrong.
Asgreen the first to attack.

 

[Valv.Piti]

My earlier prediction was wrong.
Asgreen the first to attack.

Amateur

 

[RedheadDane]

Amateur

Oh, so when your refusal to take a pull causes us to be caught, it's my fault?!

 

[ice&fire]

Roglic losing two teammates