Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2024, stage 7: Archidona - Córdoba, 180.2k

[Devil's Elbow]

Another blazing hot day, fortunately there aren't many brains left to fry. On paper, it should be a reduced bunch sprint, but probabilities are kind of out of the window at this point.

Alto del 14%:

Note that they take a longer route from the KOM to the finish compared to the 2021 stage, taking the ridge road and then descending the side of Alto de San Jerónimo they usually use as a climb whenever the race rocks up in Córdoba. The closest comparison of the many previous stages here is the 2011 one, won by Sagan after Liquigas lit up the descent (which is not the same descent as the one used on this stage).

 

[Red Rick]

You know you want to Primoz

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWesG3-xPTQ

 

[QueenStagiaire]

You know you want to Primoz

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWesG3-xPTQ

He did crash on the descent on that stage, though.

 

[Lequack]

O'Connor to take even more time, Pogacar style.

 

[Heston]

Which team will want to chase the break here? Visma for Wout maybe, but I dont see who else would.

Feels like the break should have a good chance

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Which team will want to chase the break here? Visma for Wout maybe, but I dont see who else would.

Feels like the break should have a good chance

Alpecin for Groves
IPT for Strong
Lotto for Kron
Ineos for Narváez

 

[RedheadDane]

Alpecin for Groves
IPT for Strong
Lotto for Kron
Ineos for Narváez

Yeah, he should be okay after his crash.

 

[Red Rick]

Alpecin for Groves
IPT for Strong
Lotto for Kron
Ineos for Narváez

Groves never surives surely

 

[Red Rick]

I don't know if a big break tries to go, but if it does, Bora and all the others should already start sending the men ahead.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Groves never surives surely

Degenkolb won a harder version of this stage in 2014. Groves is unquestionably the better climber.

 

[RedheadDane]

I don't know if a big break tries to go, but if it does, Bora and all the others should already start sending the men ahead.

Like,  now?

 

[Red Rick]

Degenkolb won a harder version of this stage in 2014. Groves is unquestionably the better climber.

My expectation is the race will be much more aggressive this time around.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

My expectation is the race will be much more aggressive this time around.

Who's going to make the race hard? Very difficult for the GC riders to drop each other on the climb and there aren't many Ardennes types here. Assuming it isn't a breakaway day, I think Groves is at least fifty-fifty to make it over the climb.

 

[Samamba]

Lotto for Kron

Absolutely never happening because of 1. his crash today and 2. that he doesn't stand a chance at winning this. He isn't even faster than Van Eetvelt right now. Kron is slower this year, less explosive, but better climber.

 

[Samamba]

Who's going to make the race hard? Very difficult for the GC riders to drop each other on the climb and there aren't many Ardennes types here. Assuming it isn't a breakaway day, I think Groves is at least fifty-fifty to make it over the climb.

I mean they did mess up hard today, so maybe Bora wants to test OConnor after today. He might feel his legs. Probably not hard enough, but If I were them I would literally use everything right now.

 

[Red Rick]

Who's going to make the race hard? Very difficult for the GC riders to drop each other on the climb and there aren't many Ardennes types here. Assuming it isn't a breakaway day, I think Groves is at least fifty-fifty to make it over the climb.

I would expect Visma to just make it hard.

 

[Lequack]

I mean they did mess up hard today, so maybe Bora wants to test OConnor after today. He might feel his legs. Probably not hard enough, but If I were them I would literally use everything right now.

Why would they bother tomorrow if they didn't bother today?

 

[Samamba]

Why would they bother tomorrow if they didn't bother today?

Yeah why would they bother on any stage when they didn't bother today? Just give it to OConnor I guess?

Maybe cause they realize they messed up?

Just to be clear, I don't expect it, but It wouldn't be that weird either.

 

[search]

I would expect Visma to just make it hard.

We haven't really seen much climbing shape from WvA yet this year. Not sure he really wants a hard stage, when he can can win a 80 men sprint as well.

 

[Samamba]

I would expect Visma to just make it hard.

They might be tired from today, cause for some reason Uijtdebroecks is under the impression they chased today and they are the ones that didn't get any help from others lmao

 

[QueenStagiaire]

They might be tired from today, cause for some reason Uijtdebroecks is under the impression they chased today and they are the ones that didn't get any help from others lmao

Maybe he has bad team support and thinks he‘s at Bora again.

 

[Red Rick]

They might be tired from today, cause for some reason Uijtdebroecks is under the impression they chased today and they are the ones that didn't get any help from others lmao

If blobloblo pulls for Van Aert then Groves is certainly gonna make it.

 

[search]

Jumbo has no one to control the finale anyway, so some Alpecin guys probably wouldn't hurt. Otherwise it'll basically be down to Valter alone to keep things together.

 

[Squire]

Yeah, I can easily see Groves surviving this one. It's 1km of tough climb, then 25 km of flat/downhill until the finish. WVA can't take Pog level of tempo on the climb anyway, so I don't think Groves will be distanced by much, then someone has to be willing to ride reasonably hard for the whole final 25 km.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

You know you want to Primoz

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWesG3-xPTQ

Roglic on the attack. Rare footage