Vuelta a Espana Stage 4: Baza - Sierra Nevada 170.2 km

[roundabout]

Movistar seem pretty strong as they had 4 people in the 1.43 group.

They should attack again.

 

[boomcie]

Go cry me a river with that calimero behaviour, please

Go fill me a bucket of Smurfs with that Gargamel behavior.

And also, stop trying to fit everything into your speculative nationalistic theories. Please.

 

[just some guy]

Movistar seem pretty strong as they had 4 people in the 1.43 group.

They should attack again.

I read that quickly and I´m like have they started already. but I gather your talking yesterday

 

[just some guy]

Any chance you 2 can let it go and discuss the race?

 

[Duartista]

This is going to be breakaway ftw surely? Nobody is interested in bringing this back unless some bigshot goes in it. Moncoutie could target this one as he could get quite a few KOM points.

I mean even yesterday the chase wasn't really on at any point, and today, neither Leopard, Rabobank or Liquigas can be very interested in bringing this back, Movistar don't have the strength

I'm not sure this is good stage for a breakaway, as there is long way between the two climbs and the final climb is very long and on a wide road. I think Moncoutie will attack on Sierra Nevada rather than going for the break (in any case, he is too close on GC to be allowed up the road early on).

 

[Winterfold]

Please can you Euro's leave the blinkered nationalism to those who know how to do it best and most offensively - ie us and he Aussies

Quite looking forward to this today, working from home, and interesting to have a mountain top finish on Day 4 - especially it is the kind of mountain which doesnt rule out tempo climbers and rouleurs who can hang on the climbs.

No idea how it will pan out - just hope they decide to have a race.

i think it is to Wiggins and Nibali to make the race today, and maybe VDB2.

 

[boomcie]

Any chance you 2 can let it go and discuss the race?

Sure. My pleasure.

 

[The Hitch]

To counter that frank actually had a 3week tour in their legs, those that crashed didnt have a tour to recover from just a crash.

Eh? He crashed out on stage 4 or 5 and he hadn't done the Giro. However, I'm not sure how relevant the example is to Brajkovic, Wiggins, VDB etc.

For today, I would pick Moncoutie. Unlike most riders, he is enjoying the heat and has said he will test himself today.

No he didn't. Fränk crashed out in stage 5 and didn't ride the Giro.

Memories, memories

Frank crashed out on the cobble stage into Arenberg which was

drumbeat.

Stage 3.

(though it is obviously the 4th day of racing as day 1 was - prologue).

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

It's a pleasant change to have a stage that will sort out the people with uncertain form so early. It's unlikely that we'll know who is going to win today, but we'll certainly know that a few possible contender won't win, and that a lot of guys with aspirations for a top 10 aren't in the running.

 

[greenedge]

I am going for Fuglsang to claim red again. I can envisage him surviving. I think a break will last and Liquigas will control the race with Movistar. I think Nieve is a great chance for the stage.

 

[PedalCastro]

Dan Martin to attack today?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I hope so, he is one of the guys who can't wait until the ITT.

Martin, Rodriguez, and other climbers have to attack to gain a buffer now.

 

[The Hitch]

Lastras has high hopes for today

From post race interview on stage 3

"hoy classica, manana gruppeto"

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I hope so, he is one of the guys who can't wait until the ITT.

Martin, Rodriguez, and other climbers have to attack to gain a buffer now.

I hope so too, but I'm not sure that this is really a climb which favours the flying midgets.

 

[greatking88]

Dan Martin to attack today?

Hoping we see some big attacks from him today though I'm not sure how Dan goes in the extreme heat..

 

[PedalCastro]

I hope so too, but I'm not sure that this is really a climb which favours the flying midgets.

Sadly, my favorite flying midget, Duarte is not in the best of form still expect an attack from the little guy though!

 

[Climbing]

Nibali will show you detractors again how he can't climb and get the stage win.
A breakaway could hold possibly, too.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I hope so too, but I'm not sure that this is really a climb which favours the flying midgets.

Probably not.

I do hope it creates differences like on the previous times they finished here though.

2009:
1. [FRA] MONCOUTIÉ David COF 5h09'22" 70
2. [ESP] MOSQUERA MIGUEZ Ezequiel XGZ 52" 40
3. [ESP] VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro GCE 01'16" 25
4. [NED] GESINK Robert RAB 01'17" 15
5. [ITA] BASSO Ivan LIQ 01'17" 10
6. [ESP] SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel EUS 01'37" 7
7. [ESP] RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin GCE 02'09" 5
8. [AUS] EVANS Cadel SIL 02'24" 3
9. [ITA] TIRALONGO Paolo LAM 02'31" 2
10. [FRA] MOINARD Amaël COF 03'37" 1

2004 (MTT)
1. [ESP] PEREZ FERNANDEZ Santiago PHO 1h02'29" 70
2. [ESP] VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro KEL 01'07" 50
3. [ESP] HERAS HERNANDEZ Roberto LST 01'51" 35
4. [KAZ] VINOKOUROV Alexandre TMO 03'06" 20
5. [ESP] MANCEBO PEREZ Francisco IBB 03'18" 15
6. [ESP] GARCIA QUESADA Carlos KEL 03'24" 10
7. [ESP] GOMEZ MARCHANTE Jose Angel ALM 03'59" 5
8. [ESP] BLANCO RODRIGUEZ David KEL 04'00" 3
9. [ESP] NOZAL VEGA Isidro LST 04'24" 2
10. [ESP] PASCUAL RODRIGUEZ Javier KEL 04'28" 1

2003

1. [COL] CARDENAS RAVALO Felix Rafael LB2 4h09'35" 70
2. [ESP] MERCADO MARTIN Juan Miguel BAN 05" 50
3. [ESP] SEVILLA RIBERA Oscar KEL 18" 35
4. [ESP] VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro KEL 18" 20
5. [ITA] PIEPOLI Leonardo BAN 21" 15
6. [ESP] DEL OLMO ZENDEGI Txema MIL 31" 10
7. [ESP] OSA EIZAGUIRRE Unai BAN 58" 5
8. [ESP] HERAS HERNANDEZ Roberto USP 01'02" 3
9. [DEN] RASMUSSEN Michael RAB 01'02" 2
10. [ESP] MANCEBO PEREZ Francisco BAN 01'11" 1

But I'm probably hoping for too much. Group of 5 to sprint?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Nibali will show you detractors again how he can't climb and get the stage win.
A breakaway could hold possibly, too.

This is too good to let go. When did Nibali ever win a proper mountain stage that finished uphill, enlighten me.

I have seen him descend to victory in the Giro once. But on MTF's, he can be happy when finishing top 3.

 

[just some guy]

Anton from the start - I want to test my physical condition today.

 

[Climbing]

This is too good to let go. When did Nibali ever win a proper mountain stage that finished uphill, enlighten me.

I have seen him descend to victory in the Giro once. But on MTF's, he can be happy when finishing top 3.

Which is very far away from "can't climb", when he attacked in many mountain stages last year Vuelta.
And btw Bola 2010 would be his win!

PS: Oh... D_T we're back again arguing on Nibbles!

 

[greenedge]

Kreuziger i could envisage going well on this climb if he were here.

 

[Duartista]

Probably not.

I do hope it creates differences like on the previous times they finished here though.


But I'm probably hoping for too much. Group of 5 to sprint?

It is a much easier route up than in 2009 or 2004, and they are not going as high. So those results have little bearing on today's stage.

 

[just some guy]

rolling in the neutral zone. 29.5 c and a cat 1 direct off the bat.

All aboard the bus will be a big one forming early and working hard to get back on. I would guess.

Riders off the front and out the back, 50-60 to ride over the 1st peak together

 

[rmacek]

Kreuziger i could envisage going well on this climb if he were here.

Yeah, but not these days...