Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2024, stage 6: Some random Carrefour - Yunquera, 185.5k

[Carols]

I don't usually play DS but All of the GC riders DS should be looking in a mirror and asking, 'why was I so Dumb?' especially Boras!!!

 

[Sciatic]

I look at this stage entirely from a Rog fandom standpoint.

As such, I'm quite happy to see him the role of chaser. I mean we'd already started to hear the usual whining about 'oh noes here comes the mountain sprinter' after Tuesday's win.

Now he gets to MTF sprint, attack & basically ride aggressive whilst the fans get excited as O'Connor's lead gets progressively cut down to... nothing.

I don't know but it would take an O'Connor with better legs than he had in the Giro to defend his lead from here on IMO.

I can be optimistic about that happening. While also knowing could get a week 3 procession like last year, but in this case because teams figure they are too far behind and “chasing-group syndrome” sets in.

 

[Samamba]

@Danes here: what did Kron say in his interview after the finish about his crash and the consequences?

 

[Finn84]

Giving up the leader's jersey was quite understandable but giving almost 5 minutes of lead to O'Connor doesn't make sense at all.

 

[staubsauger]

Giving up the leader's jersey was quite understandable but giving almost 5 minutes of lead to O'Connor doesn't make sense at all.

They gave 13 minutes to Kiviliev at the 2001 Tour de France.

We're simply back in that era.

 

[staubsauger]

@Danes here: what did Kron say in his interview after the finish about his crash and the consequences?

Oh no, he crashed?

Hoped Kron would go for the polka dots jersey with his great climbing shape! 😕

 

[Escarabajo]

I don't usually play DS but All of the GC riders DS should be looking in a mirror and asking, 'why was I so Dumb?' especially Boras!!!

It is only Bora. It is their responsibility.

 

[Rackham]

It is only Bora. It is their responsibility.

Why not Kuss? Isn't he the defending champion? Jumbo did absolutely nothing today.

 

[YavorD]

Yup, what is it with stage 6 in the Vuelta recently and complete foolishness and underestimation of a genuinely pretty strong rider nowadays?

I know it's only 3-4 minutes he has in hand, not like it's Arroyo 2010 or Pereiro 2006, but it was enough for Giovannetti and Kuss.

Well, Pereiro was given only 2-3 minutes if I remember correctly. And yet that was enough.

Giving O'Connor 5 minutes buffer is dangerous but at least will open up the race.

 

[search]

@Danes here: what did Kron say in his interview after the finish about his crash and the consequences?

there's an interview on TV2's website now. Going by the google translation of it, he seems to be more or less okay

Dansker giver opdatering efter styrt

Det er Andreas Krons første styrt i en Grand Tour.

sport.tv2.dk

The video doesn't work for me, though, even with Danish VPN

 

[Netserk]

@Danes here: what did Kron say in his interview after the finish about his crash and the consequences?

Dansker giver opdatering efter styrt

Det er Andreas Krons første styrt i en Grand Tour.

sport.tv2.dk

He says it hurt, but that he seems okay. He mostly seems annoyed and frankly frustrated with Riccitello (who fought for Eetvelt's wheel and then made an error that took them both down).

Først og fremmest, Andreas, er du okay?
Ja, jeg har lidt ondt hist og pist, men jeg er bare glad for at jeg kom til målstregen, og så må vi se, om der er noget, der skal scannes eller hvorledes, men jeg er egentlig bare glad for, at jeg stadig har muligheden for at køre videre, for det var ikke et sjovt sted at lande, vil jeg sige.
Hvad skete der?
Jeg sad på hjul af Riccitello, som gled, så havnede jeg ude i murbrokerne.
Hvordan var forholdene på den nedkørsel?
Jeg kendte den faktisk godt, den er jo faktisk meget fin, men vejene er bare lidt halvglatte, og så træder han lidt for tidligt, og jeg har allerede kæmpet med ham lige inden, for jeg ville gerne sidde på hjul af Lennert, men så var det sådan, at han ville ikke trække sig, åh, men jeg har ikke lyst til at styrte, men så styrter vi alligevel. Nu er det min fjerde Grand Tour, første styrt i en Grand Tour, så det er vel okay, men jeg har ondt og så må vi se hvordan det er i morgen.

First of all, Andreas, are you okay?
Yes, I'm a bit sore here and there, but I'm just happy that I made it to the finish line, and then we'll see if there's anything that needs to be scanned or how, but I'm really just happy that I still have the opportunity to continue, because it wasn't a fun place to land, I would say.
What happened?
I was on the wheel of Riccitello, who slipped, then I ended up in the rubble.
What were the conditions like on that descent?
I actually knew it well, it's actually quite fine, but the roads are just a bit slippery, and then he pedalled a bit too early, and I already fought with him just before, because I wanted to be on Lennert's wheel, but then it was like he wouldn't let go, oh, but I don't want to crash, but then we crash anyway. Now it's my fourth Grand Tour, first crash in a Grand Tour, so I guess it's okay, but I'm in pain and we'll see how it is tomorrow.

 

[Bolder]

Why not Kuss? Isn't he the defending champion? Jumbo did absolutely nothing today.

And give Roglic a hand? Why? This is on Bora 100%

 

[Rackham]

And give Roglic a hand? Why? This is on Bora 100%

I think people are freaking out over a nothingburger.

I'm way, way more concerned about the slippery road surfaces in this Vuelta than I am about Ben O'Connor having a five minute lead in GC.

Sunday in particular could be crazy, i.e. there will be gaps on that final cat 1 climb & I fear the descent (if the roads are dry & dusty) could be very treacherous for the first riders over the summit.

 

[scribers]

Bora relied on others to chase, others relied on Bora, and here we are.

What was brutal was they were at 2.5 minutes and just sat up to over 5 minutes. Unreal.

 

[Samamba]

So is AG2R going to use Gall as a domestique now? For a rider that's leaving the team? Are they gonna drop him back if OConnor drops?

 

[ice&fire]

I think people are freaking out over a nothingburger.

I'm way, way more concerned about the slippery road surfaces in this Vuelta than I am about Ben O'Connor having a five minute lead in GC.

Sunday in particular could be crazy, i.e. there will be gaps on that final cat 1 climb & I fear the descent (if the roads are dry & dusty) could be very treacherous for the first riders over the summit.

They will do a large part of that descent two times and part of it three times, so they can learn how to do it.

 

[noob]

Never mind Roglic can go in the break tomorrow


BTW Ag2R are wining the team classification by alot with 2st, 9th and 11th on GC

UAE probably cares more about that than Almeida losing 5 minutes on GC

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Top Ineos rider in 20th place.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

So is AG2R going to use Gall as a domestique now? For a rider that's leaving the team? Are they gonna drop him back if OConnor drops?

A Vuelta podium would be the biggest result AG2R have had for years, a Vuelta win would be the biggest result full stop. They would be fools not to pursue it just because O'Connor is leaving.

 

[Samamba]

A Vuelta podium would be the biggest result AG2R have had for years, a Vuelta win would be the biggest result full stop. They would be fools not to pursue it just because O'Connor is leaving.

Yes of course but like you've seen today, teams often act like fools.

 

[Sciatic]

So is AG2R going to use Gall as a domestique now? For a rider that's leaving the team? Are they gonna drop him back if OConnor drops?

I would hope so. If I was the DS I would have a team meeting and say, “guys whatever strategy we had for the race before and whatever individual targets you had for yourselves—that all goes out the window now. This opportunity had dropped into our lap out of a clear blue sky, so we’re going to make the most of it. That is, everyone all in for Ben.”

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I think people are freaking out over a nothingburger.

I'm way, way more concerned about the slippery road surfaces in this Vuelta than I am about Ben O'Connor having a five minute lead in GC.

Sunday in particular could be crazy, i.e. there will be gaps on that final cat 1 climb & I fear the descent (if the roads are dry & dusty) could be very treacherous for the first riders over the summit.

Have you ever seen the Purche/Hazallanas descent? It's basically a highway, as untechnical as it gets. You need to actively be riding like an idiot to crash there.

 

[search]

Before the race, Gall also said that he has no GC obligations himself, as O'Connor is the leader.

That may habe been just blah-blah as he can't perform under pressure, but he can hardly complain if that leader now needs him to do some work.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

So is AG2R going to use Gall as a domestique now? For a rider that's leaving the team? Are they gonna drop him back if OConnor drops?

They shouldn't. Gall should get a free ride for as long as O'Connor stays in Red. O'Connor is good at his own pace (as we saw today) and they potentially have other climbers to help him anyway

 

[Cookster15]

Woah, how did that happen? Congrats to Ben O'Conner for a huge breakaway win. I hope he can finally rediscover his 2021 Tour legs, coz now he will really need that level. Also came 4th in the Giro so he's obviously on a good season. He is 28 now so in the sweet spot for a pro - another reason why it was stupid to give him so much time.