Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2025, Stage 9: Alfaró – Estación de Esquí de Valdezcaray (195.5k)

[Moose McKnuckles]

In any case, the real story here, I think, is he massive, massive gap between Pog-Vingo-then everyone else when it comes to GTs. The gaps are only slightly smaller in monuments, where we just have Pog-MvdP-others.

 

[Ripper]

Why should pidcock give him a turn? Almeida is the weird one for expecting pidcock to help him win the vuelta. They both said the right things in the interviews.

To help reduce the gap further for himself as well.

But if he can't, oh well. But then sprinting for a few bonus seconds just doesn't have a good look. And I am very skeptical that the difference between Almeida and Pidcock will be a free seconds.

Did he have to do a turn or not sprint? Of course not. Would he look less doooooshy if he did either? I think yes

 

[Oldman]

Almeida rightfully critical of the team. He deserves more support than this.

He needs to save that sentiment to the team meeting. Management takes a big responsibility for the fiasco we just saw.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

What would he focus on if Pog was there? Trying to stay on his wheel or going off early for his own agenda? Another young rider's hubris will be his undoing.

I was talking about the UAE team ? I never mentioned any one rider

But without Pog the team seems to be just a group of guys wearing the same shirt and in truth the responsibility lies with the manager and DSs

If they want to win GC then they cant be letting riders off up the road for themselves but I guess just like Visma at the Tour I guess they DONT believe they can win GC so don't even give it their best team shot)

 

[Unchained]

Seems to me UAE wants to keep them all happy and I guess not that focused if Pog is not there

Don't know the exact saying but something like , when you try to make everyone happy you end up pleasing nobody

 

[Roku]

Raul Garcia pernia !!!!!

FYI - Pernia is an actual surname in Spain, so this might be the first purposedly incorrect spelling that gets right.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

UAE without Pog is like a bunch of sheep without the border collie.

 

[Netserk]

He's avoiding Vingegaard, clearly.

If it was easy to perform here after the Tour, he'd be here. But he was too tired after the Tour.

Gee, I wonder if that also affects how Vingegaard and Visma ride ...

 

[hayneplane]

Why isn't he here?

We probably won’t get the complete picture on that until the end of the season. To my mind it’s still unclear whether he really didn’t want to ride it or the team were happy he opted out so they could get Ayuso in to try and keep him happy.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Pidcock vs Gall in the tt if they’re close in GC could be one of the great mid-offs of our age.

Imagining the promos now

“Your worst guy… against our worst guy”

 

[movingtarget]

Pidcock outsprinting Almeida after riding his wheel, underscoring the last 4 letters of his last name.

There must have been a slight downhill...........

 

[Ripper]

But to largely sit on and then pull the weak bs of taking a couple of bonus seconds from Ayuso that will mean nothing to Pidcock's chances. D*ck move.

This is it (but I think you meant Almeida). Having experienced this firsthand (I'm guessing you have as well, because most people who race much have), you just shake your head

 

[Ripper]

RR, this didn't weather too well today. Surprised Vine checked out so early. When Ayuso was at the back before the climb you could tell it was going to be a very bad UAE conference after the race.

Yup. Honestly, it was a matter of when, not if

 

[Netserk]

To help reduce the gap further for himself as well.

But if he can't, oh well. But then sprinting for a few bonus seconds just doesn't have a good look. And I am very skeptical that the difference between Almeida and Pidcock will be a free seconds.

Did he have to do a turn or not sprint? Of course not. Would he look less doooooshy if he did either? I think yes

Pidcock wouldn't have to save himself for the sprint if Almeida had told him that he'd gift it to him. But as he gives no gifts, he should expect nothing in return.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

We probably won’t get the complete picture on that until the end of the season. To my mind it’s still unclear whether he really didn’t want to ride it or the team were happy he opted out so they could get Ayuso in to try and keep him happy.

I thought Pog was weary of racing and the press etc after the Tour ...seemed to be the case when he talked about how many years he had left and when he said to ITV that he might not be here (at the Tour) next year. It was probably a long season and he needed a break to rediscover his love of racing

 

[Ripper]

Seems to me UAE wants to keep them all happy and I guess not that focused if Pog is not there

When pog is not at the race, UAE tends to race stage races like Movistar.

Wait! Is there a Movistar connection here? Why, I believe there is!

 

[Tim Cahill]

Not that it was a great time in the past but climb record by err, 4 minutes apparently

 

[AnotherArmChair]

When pog is not at the race, UAE tends to race stage races like Movistar.

Wait! Is there a Movistar connection here? Why, I believe there is!

Movistar ....ah yes I remember them...whatever happened to them ?

 

[E_F_]

You know you're watching the tour of Spain when all the fun is in intra-team drama, and generally making fun of all the clear GC failures!

 

[Netserk]

Vine said yesterday that he expected today to be won from the peloton and that he will help Almeida.

Vine was spot on. A true profe$$ional.

Gets the job done and knows his role.

 

[ice&fire]

Today was even worst than I expected

My biggest fear is seeing Vingegaard putting a show in Cerler leading to Unipublic thinking it's cool to have Cerler again in the route every 3 years.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Not that it was a great time in the past but climb record by err, 4 minutes apparently

Race organisers/the UCI should consider introducing punishments for when 3+ year old climb records aren't broken.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Ayuso just trundled home in 157th

I know it’s not good and I feel a bit sorry for Almeida but I can’t pretend the whole thing isn’t extremely amusing.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Vingegaard isn't boring in interviews. He's honest, even mentioning the randomness of certain decisions he has made. I think in general interviews in cycling are more interesting than interviews in sports like football and tennis. At least these days.

 

[Brullnux]

Ayuso just trundled home in 157th

El Principe.