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

[royalpig180]

Antón wins this.

Ehhhhh what?


I'm not sure what race you've been watching, but I don't see Anton bouncing back that fast. Maybe, just maybe, if he's lucky, he could do something in the Basque country at the end of week 3. But tomorrow? Nope.

I'll pick Van den Broeck for the stage win. Rodriguez to hold his lead, with Wiggo and Nibali both losing time.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Ehhhhh what?


I'm not sure what race you've been watching, but I don't see Anton bouncing back that fast. Maybe, just maybe, if he's lucky, he could do something in the Basque country at the end of week 3. But tomorrow? Nope.

I'll pick Van den Broeck for the stage win. Rodriguez to hold his lead, with Wiggo and Nibali both losing time.

Yeah I know. Gotta hope for the best though Anyway he was 6th today on what was arguably the toughest finish so far, so in any case he's improving and I'm sure he will take any opportunity that arrives to "save" his Vuelta. I don't think it's unrealistic for him to win tomorrow - if he's feeling well that is, which of course is hard to know.

 

[Poursuivant]

Is their time bonuses in the TT??

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Ehhhhh what?


I'm not sure what race you've been watching, but I don't see Anton bouncing back that fast. Maybe, just maybe, if he's lucky, he could do something in the Basque country at the end of week 3. But tomorrow? Nope.

I'll pick Van den Broeck for the stage win. Rodriguez to hold his lead, with Wiggo and Nibali both losing time.

Antón was 6th today. Given that there's no other climbs today, it could end up being rather like Alto de Aitana in the 2009 race, and given that Antón is 3 minutes down he might be able to sneak away late on.

I think his form is still hard to judge, since I think that adverse reaction to the heat has probably contributed to his poor showings in week 1...

 

[Swede1]

Denis Menchov will win. Yep.. you heard me

This is my pick also. He will win in a sprint out of a group of about 8 and just beat JRod. It will be the foundations of his Vuelta win!

 

[icefire]

Is their time bonuses in the TT??

No. Read the UCI rules before asking why.

 

[Havetts]

JRod to go apeshit on this climb, will win it too.

 

[Swede1]

JRod to go apeshit on this climb, will win it too.

He will attack too early and the other GC riders will come back when he cracks. Just like Andorra last year.

 

[Fergoose]

Menchov, Van den Broeck & Wiggins have got to be feeling good after today, they seemed to lose less than folk thought they might. So much for Wiggin's alleged sore throat and Van den Broeck's sore knee after crashing at the finish on stage 7 (although VdB did apparently say it was no big deal).

I wouldn't think much would happen on Stage 9 as I don't think any of the above named really know yet if they need to try and attack yet and, with the exception of Geox (if Sastre is willing to work with Cobo for Menchov, which I doubt he will be at this early stage), they don't seem to have teams capable of whittling down the field with a decent uphill pace. I think they'll hang fire until after the Time Trial when they'll know what exactly they need to do. Of course, the slight chin.k in the armour of Nibali and the uncertain condition of Anton will probably mean I'm completely wrong and someone will want to see if they can punish them.

Stagewin
Scarponi with a sprint finish to pip Van den Broeck.

Prediction Score: 0 out of 8

 

[Swede1]

Menchov, Van den Broeck & Wiggins have got to be feeling good after today, they seemed to lose less than folk thought they might. So much for Wiggin's alleged sore throat and Van den Broeck's sore knee after crashing at the finish on stage 7 (although VdB did apparently say it was no big deal).

I wouldn't think much would happen on Stage 9 as I don't think any of the above named really know yet if they need to try and attack yet and, with the exception of Geox (if Sastre is willing to work with Cobo for Menchov, which I doubt he will be at this early stage), they don't seem to have teams capable of whittling down the field with a decent uphill pace. I think they'll hang fire until after the Time Trial when they'll know what exactly they need to do. Of course, the slight chin.k in the armour of Nibali and the uncertain condition of Anton will probably mean I'm completely wrong and someone will want to see if they can punish them.

Stagewin
Scarponi with a sprint finish to pip Van den Broeck.

Prediction Score: 0 out of 8

Is Wiggins sick?

 

[Gingerale]

very happy with the weekend Vuelta stages!!

yeah. JRod to at least keep the leader's jersey and build on his lead.

he'll need all the time he can get before the ITT.

Anton is making progress.

he'll light it up the last week

 

[The Hitch]

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

I thought you were at the Vuelta.

 

[hatcher]

Is Wiggins sick?

He has been on antibiotics for his throat. Not entirely sure what the problem is.

 

[khardung la]

Van den Broeck and Anton for the win

The climb becomes very hard from the km 12 to the 16, just when it becomes also very exposed and barren, with some strange and sticky curves. It will create havoc and it is a good opportunity to try geting some time to JRod before Angliru and Peña Cabarga (if someone is strong enough)

Probably the following profile represents better how hard the last 7,7 km are:

 

[nvpacchi]

Antón was 6th today. Given that there's no other climbs today, it could end up being rather like Alto de Aitana in the 2009 race, and given that Antón is 3 minutes down he might be able to sneak away late on.

I think his form is still hard to judge, since I think that adverse reaction to the heat has probably contributed to his poor showings in week 1...

Diario Vasco said Antón was still struggling with complications from gastrointestinal ailment from about a month ago. Perhaps he has finally pushed passed it and can slowly build for tiptop shape by next weekend.

 

[Thomsena]

Dilemma, dilemma, dilemma!.. United - Arsenal or this cracking finish of a stage. Argh!

 

[nvpacchi]

I thought you were at the Vuelta.

Im leaving Monday, flying into Lisbon and should be in ponferrada for the end of stage 13. Unless this stupid hurricane wrecks my plans

 

[craig1985]

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.

I start work at 6am! Believe me, it's not financially viable to take a day off.

 

[luckyboy]

No. Read the UCI rules before asking why.

It doesn't actually explain why, just says:

2.6.021 Bonuses shall be shown only in individual general classification by time. No bonuses shall be awarded
for individual or team time trial events.

Don't see why someone who has a good short kick uphill should get a bonus while someone who doses their effort over an hour doesn't. The Tour has the right idea. At least the bonuses should be a lot smaller.


Anyway, hopefully there is a selection tomorrow and Menchov will be up there at the end. Can't see Nibali losing much for some reason.

 

[Jamsque]

Put up or shut up day for a lot of guys. There are 28 riders within 3 minutes of the lead, this stage will put a lot of them out completely out of contention.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

1 climb, not too high altitude wise, not too hot, nothing too super steep, and relatively even within its macro sections.

If Wiggins can't look decent tomorrow he never will.

 

[Lanark]

It doesn't actually explain why, just says:



Don't see why someone who has a good short kick uphill should get a bonus while someone who doses their effort over an hour doesn't. The Tour has the right idea. At least the bonuses should be a lot smaller.

Time bonuses are in place to give GC-men an extra incentive to try to go for stage wins. There is absolutely no point in giving a time bonus in an ITT, because everyone is going at a 100% anyway.

 

[icefire]

Don't see why someone who has a good short kick uphill should get a bonus while someone who doses their effort over an hour doesn't. The Tour has the right idea. At least the bonuses should be a lot smaller.


Anyway, hopefully there is a selection tomorrow and Menchov will be up there at the end. Can't see Nibali losing much for some reason.

Time bonuses are there to promote aggressive riding for the win in mass start stages avoiding things such the love scenes we saw last year on top of the Tourmalet. Promoting aggressive riding in TTs is pointless.

Discussing about whether they should be larger, smaller or not be at all is like discussing whether there should be more or less TT kms, or more or less mountains or more uphill or downhill finishes. They are at least smaller than they used to be in the 80s (30, 20, 10)

 

[jens_attacks]

igor anton to come back slowly just like santi perez in 2004 and vino in 2006.i pray for an epic battle between him and purito.

damn 2004 covatilla was just out of this world.a 2000 VAM santi perez slaughtering the invincible roberito heras,just flying on that mountain.poor valverde was pushed by vino himself up the climb but he still lost big time.and of course el gato winning the stage in virenque style.good times.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

igor anton to come back slowly just like santi perez in 2004 and vino in 2006.i pray for an epic battle between him and purito.

They'll be engaged in mortal combat for 25th place on Monday evening