Vuelta a España 2025 discussion

[Netserk]

C'mon, at least read my post to the end. I'm saying that what we got was better than if Vingegaard and Roglic had been holding hands, just without Kuss.

That would never have happened in any scenario, and the alternative was for the deal on the second rest day to stay in force so all three would race for the victory.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

C'mon, at least read my post to the end. I'm saying that what we got was better than if Vingegaard and Roglic had been holding hands, just without Kuss.

I also disagree with that statement. Three men doing a badly-acted dance while Redditors and JV's twitter followers congratulate themselves in their hugbox because they got the happy ending they wanted is worse than two men doing a badly-acted dance.

 

[Gigs_98]

That would never have happened in any scenario, and the alternative was for the deal on the second rest day to stay in force so all three would race for the victory.

I was stating in my post that I preferred what we got over a scenario where Roglic and Vingegaard are not attacking each other. @Libertine Seguros then wrote something about how a proper battle would have been preferable. Obviously I agree with that, but my whole point was that I don't think a good battle was ever gonna happen.

Regarding your "Why would Kuss not be there?" I thought we were discussing an alternative of what would happen if Kuss wasn't a factor for gc. Frankly if they did properly race each other it never would have been a 3 way battle because Kuss had absolutely no shot against the other two in a straight fight. But in general, my point that the outcome was never gonna be a proper battle between Vingegaard and Roglic still stands. If they were gonna ride Bejes to "gift" the stage to Roglic in a sprint, how is that more competitive than "gifting" the stage to Vingegaard? You are saying they should have raced according to the pre week 3 agreement but that agreement was reached and Roglic and Kuss didn't respond to Vingegaard regardless. Of course that makes me highly skeptical they were actually ever gonna properly race each other.

 

[Netserk]

if they did properly race each other it never would have been a 3 way battle because Kuss had absolutely no shot against the other two in a straight fight.

Rogla needed to take 1'37" on Kuss in the last week, and he only managed to take 19" on Angliru when he went all-out. The other two wouldn't cooperate against him, if anything he should have been able to defend against Vingegaard with the help of Rogla.

 

[Red Rick]

Rogla needed to take 1'37" on Kuss in the last week, and he only managed to take 19" on Angliru when he went all-out. The other two wouldn't cooperate against him, if anything he should have been able to defend against Vingegaard with the help of Rogla.

Rog had been sitting on better legs than Kuss the entire Vuelta.

Visma also didn't really pace to blast off on the Angliru, the Bahrain pace wasn't spectacular, and so when you get a negative split, gaps don't blow up.

 

[Netserk]

Rog had been sitting on better legs than Kuss the entire Vuelta.

Visma also didn't really pace to blast off on the Angliru, the Bahrain pace wasn't spectacular, and so when you get a negative split, gaps don't blow up.

I think Kuss was stronger on Tourmalet.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Guys: this thread is Vuelta a España 2025 discussion. If you really want to discuss what did and didn't happen 2 years ago, please start a thread or find a more relevant already existing thread, and continue it there. Let me know if you do so and I can move what belongs there into that thread.

 

[Red Rick]

Guys: this thread is Vuelta a España 2025 discussion. If you really want to discuss what did and didn't happen 2 years ago, please start a thread or find a more relevant already existing thread, and continue it there. Let me know if you do so and I can move what belongs there into that thread.

Is it an idea to have a thread for reengaging old arguments rather than bumping threads every time?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Is it an idea to have a thread for reengaging old arguments rather than bumping threads every time?

Say you want to put me in a containment zone without saying you want to put me in a containment zone.

 

[topcat]

Is it an idea to have a thread for reengaging old arguments rather than bumping threads every time?

It is an idea. It would get good if we had say 10 arguments going on simultaneously in the same thread with absolutely ludicrous takes

 

[topcat]

Rog had been sitting on better legs than Kuss the entire Vuelta.

Visma also didn't really pace to blast off on the Angliru, the Bahrain pace wasn't spectacular, and so when you get a negative split, gaps don't blow up.

Other teams helped Kuss on Angliru just like they did for Contador. Kuss is a Contador-like figure. Oops, should this be in another thread?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Mods, please move topcat's post to the correct location: the "who can trigger LS fastest?" thread in Games and Fantasy Cycling

 

[Netserk]

Other teams helped Kuss on Angliru just like they did for Contador. Kuss is a Contador-like figure. Oops, should this be in another thread?

I do think Kuss is possibly a podium candidate this year.

 

[Red Rick]

I do think Kuss is possibly a podium candidate this year.

Sadly, Roglic will not be there, so we will never get that Nibali mowing down Chris Horner for absolutely no reason moment.

 

[topcat]

I do think Kuss is possibly a podium candidate this year.

He will finish fifth but go down in a blaze of glory, attacking in every mountain stage (pacing for Vingo and dropping way too early).

 

[topcat]

Sadly, Roglic will not be there, so we will never get that Nibali mowing down Chris Horner for absolutely no reason moment.

Nibali took no prisoners on Hautacam. He put the boot in on Horner ("I wanted the stage win for the team and to make Horner eat SHlT). He also had to shoulder barge a girl in a bikini who was standing in the middle of the road on a hairpin (as one does). Pure ciclismo.

 

[P4rthen0n]

No chance Almeida can keep up with Vingegaard on the steepest parts of the Angliru.

The Almeida-Ayuso battle will be most interesting.

I just hope Almeida can get back to the same level he was at the end of Tour de Suisse ... or TdF 2024.
Vingegaard should have tired legs after racing an hard Tour, but he's still the favourite to win it.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Tragic. Enric isn't riding! Horrible!

 

[ice&fire]

Tragic. Enric isn't riding! Horrible!

The podium positions for the taking just increased by 50%. How can that be bad news?

 

[Valv.Piti]

The podium positions for the taking just increased by 50%. How can that be bad news?

Because Mas is La Vuelta, and La Vuelta is Mas!

Its like Valverde not riding. Hard to get used to that.

 

[ice&fire]

Because Mas is La Vuelta, and La Vuelta is Mas!

Its like Valverde not riding. Hard to get used to that.

Two days Ayuso vs Almeida drama will help you get over it.

 

[Rob5091]

Two days Ayuso vs Almeida drama will help you get over it.

The way things seem to go recently , I would not bet on both of them finishing the Vuelta, but it will no doubt be hugely entertaining while it lasts.

 

[Charlyghoul]

Vingegaard has already won this one then?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Two days Ayuso vs Almeida drama will help you get over it.

Vingegaard has already won this one then?

Fantastic, UAE and Visma duking it out against each other. That's what I love about cycling. The variety.

 

[Netserk]

The variety.

Let's hope Sepp Kuss can sneak in a breakaway and get a buffer.