Vuelta a Espana: Sept 18: Stage 19 Ã￾vila - La Granja 179.8 km

[Bala Verde]

Vuelta a Espana: Sept 18: Stage 19 Ávila - La Granja 179.8 km

With the GC contenders so close, this stage could become a tie-breaker for those who don't want to or cannot rely on the ITT.

With 4 classified climbs and one long descent to la Granja, there are ample opportunities to attack and reap the rewards. The first bump in the road is the Puerto del Léon, only a 3rd cat climb, followed by the Puerto de Navacerrada, a first cat climb that will be crested twice. The first time it features a 9.8km ascent, with only one easier section, namely right at the start, after which it becomes much steeper, up to 10%, and averaging 7%.

The third climb of the day is the Puerto de la Morcuera, approximately 11.5km at 5.6% average.

Then the riders will see a return of the lovely Puerto de Navacerrada, slightly longer, 11.9km at an average of 6.3% of which the last section is the again the toughest.

After that a descent of 10km will follow and another 8km of flat to the finish.

 

[craig1985]

I love it how they make the riders do the same mountain twice.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I had the feeling, watching some of yesterday's stage,
is that the deal has been done, with Caisse and EE.
I hope I'm wrong and it's a do or die day.

 

[Sasquatch]

Didn't Sanchez try and outsprint Valverde to the line yesterday?

 

[rolfrae]

Valverde usually has one bad day in every GT - am I right in saying he hasn't had one so far this race? He and Caisse aren't going to be beaten if Sanchez or Basso wait until the last climb. The attacks need to happen on the first of the Cat 1 climbs, turn this into a nightmare day and hope Valv and/or his team cracks.

 

[Sasquatch]

Euskaltel need to work with another team and do dummy attacks with that team to make Caisse do unncessary work on the early climbs to try and make them drop off one by one.

 

[Sasquatch]

Valverde usually has one bad day in every GT - am I right in saying he hasn't had one so far this race? He and Caisse aren't going to be beaten if Sanchez or Basso wait until the last climb. The attacks need to happen on the first of the Cat 1 climbs, turn this into a nightmare day and hope Valv and/or his team cracks.

Valverde's bad day was on Sunday.

Just none of the main contenders had enough balls to attack him earlier.

 

[rolfrae]

Valverde's bad day was on Sunday.

Just none of the main contenders had enough balls to attack him earlier.

Sunday? He did pretty well for a bad day. Tommy D would kill for bad days like that.

 

[rhubroma]

Valverde's bad day was on Sunday.

Just none of the main contenders had enough balls to attack him earlier.

Valverde said he prefered to sit back and control at that moment. I would not have believed him had he not caught back up and then attacked and dropped Basso and others.

He was perhaps having a badish day, but knew exactly how to manage it and his reserves. Tactically the guy is extremely astute. Basso was the big loser.

I doub't he can make a difference today, unless there are multiple attacks and Valve-Piti runs out of juice.

 

[Sasquatch]

Well this break out the front, if it can get established, if Vacansoleil and Liquigas can get someone in there will more than likely succeed. Zubelida is good at descending? He or De La Fuente would be my tips for the stage if this is the break of the day.

 

[powderpuff]

Well this break out the front, if it can get established, if Vacansoleil and Liquigas can get someone in there will more than likely succeed. Zubelida is good at descending? He or De La Fuente would be my tips for the stage if this is the break of the day.

break caught

now dan martin has a go

 

[Sasquatch]

Yeah I would expect that from Martin.

 

[Sasquatch]

3 man break, over 2 minutes ahead. Riblon, Vorganov and either Martin or Intxausti

 

[Sasquatch]

Confirmed.

It is Martin. They have 3'44 on the peloton at the first climb.

I assume there will be fireworks today but if Martin is fit and healthy, he should anihilate this break group on the final climb and he could go solo whilst the others fight it out in the peloton.

 

[cyclingforall]

Daniel Martin is a racer that in future I will do great things in the stage race. Currently she is learning

 

[Bala Verde]

219 Vorganov (RUS, XGZ) +26:57
18 Riblon (FRA, ALM) +1:08:48
116 Martin (IRE, GRM) +1:12:19

almost 7m on the peloton. I see the Irish have found their pot of gold in Spain....

 

[ak-zaaf]

Daniel Martin is a racer that in future I will do great things in the stage race. Currently she is learning

The Irish Caster Semenya?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Valverde's bad day was on Sunday.

Just none of the main contenders had enough balls to attack him earlier.

balls had nothing to do with it. they tried, they just didn't have he legs. \

will be a really tough day for gesink

 

[Mellow Velo]

Christophe Riblon, Eduard Vorganov and Daniel Martin, with a lead of 6'-45".

 

[Izoard]

So looking at the stage profile, that is quite the descent at the end. Does anyone have any idea how technical it is?

SS is known to be a pretty good descender, so a well timed (and partly lucky) attack with a killer descent might make a pretty big difference on a day like today. Of course, that is assuming EE and CdE have not made a deal already.

 

[Bala Verde]

balls had nothing to do with it. they tried, they just didn't have he legs. \

will be a really tough day for gesink

reading a piece on his website, it looks as if he might/will break today. He suffered a lot yesterday, was pale when he crossed the finish line, his wound continued to leak blood throughout the day (although it didnt worsen or got infected), and according to Moerenhout, he was at his limits in terms of bearing the pain.

Attacks from Eusk are imminent, and a well timed jump at the top of the last climb could open up a gap that no one will be able to close in the descent...

The article concluded... "can a man podium with 1.5 legs..."

 

[ak-zaaf]

The article concluded... "can a man podium with 1.5 legs..."

..And the author of that article is usually ridiculously optimistic.
I think Sanchez got a good chance of doing some real damage today.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

reading a piece on his website, it looks as if he might/will break today. He suffered a lot yesterday, was pale when he crossed the finish line, his wound continued to leak blood throughout the day (although it didnt worsen or got infected), and according to Moerenhout, he was at his limits in terms of bearing the pain.

Attacks from Eusk are imminent, and a well timed jump at the top of the last climb could open up a gap that no one will be able to close in the descent...

The article concluded... "can a man podium with 1.5 legs..."

yeah doesn't look good. will probably drop out of the top 5. Really unlucky... I get the feeling we might not see gesink at the worlds either.

 

[ak-zaaf]

GESINK Robert continues trailing by 38 seconds, although it is likely the Dutch racer will reconnect with the main pack on the downslope. But it is also probable he will have a tough time handling the final climb up Navacerrada.

He's obviously suffering.
At that age i'd say: fuk the podium, get off your bike and we'll see you again around here in February.

 

[Bala Verde]

He's obviously suffering.
At that age i'd say: fuk the podium, get off your bike and we'll see you again around here in February.

And that was on the third, easier climb... He won't be on the podium now, so perhaps he should, as you say, just abandon instead of injuring himself even more.

EDIT> in the descent he made it back to the peloton