Vuelta a España Vuelta a España, stage 6: La Vall d'Uixó - Pico del Buitre, 183.1k

[Volderke]

Just tuning in for the expected GC showdown on the final climb only to find a 39 man break with almost 4 minutes. You got to love these chaotic stages.

You missed a chance on a cardiac arrest if you tuned in an hour ago, when they had more than 7 minutes without good organisation in the peloton!

 

[noob]

The colours!!!!

 

[Volderke]

If they keep pulling like this, they can still reduce the gap to around 1'30 at the climb and if there is GC action in the peloton, who knows the stage winner can still be coming out of the peloton.

edit: I wonder why they hold Cattaneo in the break. He would have been ideal on a stage like today to work in the peloton.
another edit: in fact, SQS's best scenario is when the break holds it, so no need for Cattaneo and no need to pull too hard.

 

[stekelegel]

Peleton / top GC contenders dodged a bullet here. If all the domestiques in the front group would have ridden 100% the gap would have been 10 minutes or more.

 

[Riek s]

JV is preparing for the climb by dropping some weight.

 

[dgodave]

Oooh. Neat hole in the ground!

 

[SafeBet]

If they keep pulling like this, they can still reduce the gap to around 1'30 at the climb and if there is GC action in the peloton, who knows the stage winner can still be coming out of the peloton.

edit: I wonder why they hold Cattaneo in the break. He would have been ideal on a stage like today to work in the peloton.

I think Soudal doesn't necessarily want to catch the break. Ideally they give away the jersey with Remco not more than a couple of minutes behind Martinez/Kuss. Not an easy balance to find but I reckon they're doing a decent job considering how the day started.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Hello, why is Ineos wasting Italian Cavendish today?

 

[topcat]

Why isn’t there hysteria about Landa winning the stage, taking red and keeping it?

 

[Samamba]

If they keep pulling like this, they can still reduce the gap to around 1'30 at the climb and if there is GC action in the peloton, who knows the stage winner can still be coming out of the peloton.

Almost everyone in that front group is fresh tho, so 1'30 would probably even be enough for someone.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

The colours!!!!

The scenery or Christmas Bora?

 

[Volderke]

I think Soudal doesn't necessarily want to catch the break. Ideally they give away the jersey with Remco not more than a couple of minutes behind Martinez/Kuss. Not an easy balance to find but I reckon they're doing a decent job considering how the day started.

I wonder if Jumbo is thinking the same and thereby not going the extra mile to pull in the breakaway?
They maybe just wanted to make SQS work and nervous and it succeeded, so that's already a small win for the day?
If now Vingegaard can do something good (he doesn't even have to), it could be a very good day for Jumbo, even if Kuss didn't go anywhere: they wore out SQS, Bagioli DNF,... So if they are playing the long game, they are doing it right.

 

[Volderke]

Almost everyone in that front group is fresh tho, so 1'30 would probably even be enough for someone.

Soler already worked? I don't know about Kuss and Martinez. Others are maybe fresher, but are also, on paper, 1-2 minutes slower than Remco / Vingegaard on such a climb.

 

[Riek s]

Soler already worked? I don't know about Kuss and Martinez. Others are maybe fresher, but are also, on paper, 1-2 minutes slower than Remco / Vingegaard on such a climb.

Soler is always better doing Soler things though.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Ooooh, some wicked , jaggedy limestone hills now

 

[noob]

The scenery or Christmas Bora?

Burnt scenery colours! Absolutely amazing!

 

[RedheadDane]

Ooooh, some wicked , jaggedy limestone hills now

Danish commentators made up some whole story about it being a dragon that died.
Dunno what they meant about died! It's just asleep, it'll wake up some day.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Burnt scenery colours! Absolutely amazing!

As long as there is some green foliage also I can dig it

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Why isn’t there hysteria about Landa winning the stage, taking red and keeping it?

experience

 

[dgodave]

Ooooh, some wicked , jaggedy limestone hills now

Yeah really pretty geography here. Perhaps lacking in iglesias and puentes. But still lovely

 

[peterfin]

Why isn’t there hysteria about Landa winning the stage, taking red and keeping it?

Working for his leader, Remco.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Surely Lazkano will attack before the climb.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Marc 'totally not going for GC' Soler in action.

Although he might also have gone for it just to spite Movistar.

 

[RedheadDane]

As long as there is some green foliage also I can dig it

I actually it's easier to dig if there isn't foliage.

 

[Volderke]

If Soler wants the red jersey, shouldn't he calm down a bit and save his energy for the climb?
Or does Soler have to do Soler things?