Vuelta a Espana Stage 9: Villacastín - Sierra de Bejar. La Covatilla 183,0 km

[just some guy]

After a very interesting 1st section of the race we come to the 1st stages which have the potential to be the big shake up on the GC, stages 9 and 10.

a lumpy day with the climb La Covatilla the 1st true MTF of this years race.

La Covatilla is 19.9 km long climb toping out at 1966 m at a average of 5.8%

km 12 and 13 of the climb are over 10 % and if we are going to see a break of the GC it should be here.

The last 3 km should not be decisive

 

[just some guy]

The hot weather of the 1st week has also be replaced with more manageable Temps.

 

[Lupetto]

2002
2004
2006

 

[craig1985]

I wish Monday was a public holiday so I could watch this stage and not go to work the next day.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I wish Monday was a public holiday so I could watch this stage and not go to work the next day.

Show some dedication to your sport Craig!

I also wish it was a public holiday but I will probably still watch it. I generally just go for a sleep during the day or during the evening and watch the final hour of the stage.

 

[Fetisoff]

Denis Menchov will win. Yep.. you heard me

 

[hrotha]

Typical Vuelta stage with a single real climb. A bit of a waste.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Denis Menchov will win. Yep.. you heard me

I'd say avatar bet, but we both lost one already

 

[Fetisoff]

I'd say avatar bet, but we both lost one already

No way. The only time I'm ever avatar betting with you again, is like in December or something, when there's no real races going on.

Anyway, good thing about these far-fetched predictions like this is usually (fail in this case i guess) nobody pays any attention to it, and then if by some chance it comes true (i mean Denis has to grab a win at some point finally, why not here), you can come back, quote it and say "Ha, look at me, how cool am i now"

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The previous stages were much tougher; the 2006 stage went over the Puerto del Piornal (cat.1), Puerto de Honduras (cat.1) and the Alto de Lagunilla (cat.2) before finishing on La Covatilla; however it came earlier in the race. The 2004 stage was almost identical, but instead of Lagunilla it went over the cat.3 Alto del Cerro; it was also in the final of the week. The climb was also right near the end in 2002; they didn't use the Puerto del Piornal that year, starting off with the Puerto de Honduras. However, they did put two cat.2 climbs in between it and Bejar to soften the legs up, with the Puerto de Tornavacas and Puerto de Tremedal cresting, the latter descending straight to the base of La Covatilla.

This year's stage, by contrast, is pretty mundane; I wouldn't expect the gaps to be too massive here, unless somebody strong in the ITT like Wiggins or Menchov struggles on the steepest section, whereupon it might need a bit of aggression to shape it.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

good that the climb has a tougher finish.

I look forward to this.

Hoping Kruijswijk and Mollema can do a good ride. Probably the first real indication for steven.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Scarponi ftw

 

[icefire]

The last 3 km should not be decisive

Don't be misled by profiles that are rounded up to full km marks.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

The previous stages were much tougher; the 2006 stage went over the Puerto del Piornal (cat.1), Puerto de Honduras (cat.1) and the Alto de Lagunilla (cat.2) before finishing on La Covatilla; however it came earlier in the race. The 2004 stage was almost identical, but instead of Lagunilla it went over the cat.3 Alto del Cerro; it was also in the final of the week. The climb was also right near the end in 2002; they didn't use the Puerto del Piornal that year, starting off with the Puerto de Honduras. However, they did put two cat.2 climbs in between it and Bejar to soften the legs up, with the Puerto de Tornavacas and Puerto de Tremedal cresting, the latter descending straight to the base of La Covatilla.

This year's stage, by contrast, is pretty mundane; I wouldn't expect the gaps to be too massive here, unless somebody strong in the ITT like Wiggins or Menchov struggles on the steepest section, whereupon it might need a bit of aggression to shape it.

Good info Libertine. What I like about stage 9, not that it's different, but what the difference could mean in the way the race unfolds. I'm thinking guys will be fresher by the time they get to the final climb, and so we could see some real fireworks on the final climb. It all depends on how the stage up to the final climb is raced, but fireworks is what I'm hoping for.

 

[just some guy]

Don't be misled by profiles that are rounded up to full km marks.

Nice find thanks

 

[Carols]

Very depressed...hurricane Irene is coming (about 10 hours away) and I'll probably miss the next few days at the La Veluta How sick is it when you're in the path of a hurricane that your first thought is...geez I'll miss the MTF and the ITT at the minimum. Sure hope I'm back in business by the rest day so I can get the recap program on Tuesday. Don't suppose they'll put it on in a shelter though, haha!

 

[roundabout]

It's a nice climb but as so often is the case it's the only big climb on the stage. I guess Anton will go for it if today wasn't just a blip in the right direction but otherwise there will be a lot of looking around as I don't know who will be strong and confident enough to attack early on the day before the TT. Maybe Rabo.

 

[just some guy]

Very depressed...hurricane Irene is coming (about 10 hours away) and I'll probably miss the next few days at the La Veluta How sick is it when you're in the path of a hurricane that your first thought is...geez I'll miss the MTF and the ITT at the minimum. Sure hope I'm back in business by the rest day so I can get the recap program on Tuesday. Don't suppose they'll put it on in a shelter though, haha!

Good luck

 

[nvpacchi]

Very depressed...hurricane Irene is coming (about 10 hours away) and I'll probably miss the next few days at the La Veluta How sick is it when you're in the path of a hurricane that your first thought is...geez I'll miss the MTF and the ITT at the minimum. Sure hope I'm back in business by the rest day so I can get the recap program on Tuesday. Don't suppose they'll put it on in a shelter though, haha!

Which part of pa are you in? I know for harrisburg we're catching only the west end of the storm

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Very depressed...hurricane Irene is coming (about 10 hours away) and I'll probably miss the next few days at the La Veluta How sick is it when you're in the path of a hurricane that your first thought is...geez I'll miss the MTF and the ITT at the minimum. Sure hope I'm back in business by the rest day so I can get the recap program on Tuesday. Don't suppose they'll put it on in a shelter though, haha!

stay safe 1st. We heard Irene has been downgraded from Cat2 to Cat1 (unlike a bike race, that's less severe) . So that's good. Less wind, but still lots of water in the air that must come down somewhere.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Antón wins this.

 

[Tank Engine]

I think a breakaway has some chance tomorrow, since a) there's no real clear favourite as there was today, b) the TT's the day after. The teams that might chase are Lampre, Katusha and EE, depending on the composition of the break. After today, it looks like Leakygas will be on the defence. Anton is improving and he and Nieve will be looking to attack. Also, Scarponi, VdB, TGBM and JRo will be looking to put more time into the Shark before the time trial. Hope Danny Boy is feeling good again tomorrow. Roche will be struggling in the final couple of k to limit his losses and Wiggins will be looking to ride tempo before the TT (though this suits him a bit more than today's stage). As for the stage winner.. mmm.. tough call... VdB

 

[Carols]

Which part of pa are you in? I know for harrisburg we're catching only the west end of the storm

Langhorne, Lower Bucks near the NJ border. Just hoping to ride (not on the bike!) it out

And yes I know a Cat1 hurricane is lower as opposed to a Cat 1 vs Cat2 race and that a Cat 1 climb is harder then a Cat2 climb

Glad to see Anton show some recovery today, hope he goes on to better things. Hope Nibali recovers from the crash and that isn't what stopped him today. Would love to see Jrod do well tomorrow and eventually podium. Mencov rode well today and Scarponi looks good! It'll be a bike race

There is always youtube after the fact....

 

[Nielsa]

There's cyclingtorrents.nl too!

 

[maltiv]

Anton to return from the ashes and destroy them all.