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

[goggalor]

Today was the most aggressive I've seen Wiggins ride as a GC contender, so chapeau to him. He has little if any punch so he normally rides conservatively, staying on the wheels and staring down at his computer, but today he confidently went to the front and put the hurt on Basso-style.

 

[theyoungest]

Something must have gone wrong! Second rate rider Mollema is currently leading the Vuelta! How pathetic some people are.

TGBM is, of course, the greatest. He'll take it all the way

 

[Mellow Velo]

The question is how much it'll help him. He has never done anything better than Top 15 in a long and flat TT. Maybe 14th or 15th even was his best result. It would be great though if he'd manage to get in the Top 10 somehow tomorrow.

You were quite right with your assessment of Wiggins, over the long course and you are correct with this, on Nibali.

Dislike of Wiggins is commonplace, (I have been accused of it elsewhere) and clouds judgement across the forums.

Classed as an ITTing diesel, who can't climb, he's now having this facet of his game questioned, by some folks on here.

If he takes a healthy lead out of tomorrow's ITT, I see it as positive for the race.
The mountains will still decide this GC............one way or the other.

 

[maxmartin]

Agree. i think this Vuelta will be a nasty battle for Wiggins, Menchove and Nibali

Today was the most aggressive I've seen Wiggins ride as a GC contender, so chapeau to him. He has little if any punch so he normally rides conservatively, staying on the wheels and staring down at his computer, but today he confidently went to the front and put the hurt on Basso-style.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I´m gonna have to call impossible on that one.

Urkiola is basically a Pena Cabarga, and other than that the stage is completely flat. How are Sky supposed to eliminate all the domestiques so convincingly that they can´t regroup and chase down Wiggins over 50 kms?

Urkiola is longer than Peña Cabarga, but I accept that it's not especially long.

It's not totally flat anyway:

It's unlikely but I'm trying to make lemonade out of a lemon of a stage profile here.

 

[Parrulo]

is just me or over the last year and a half(since the 2010 giro) nibali has been getting more and more fans on this forum?

if i remember correctly there weren't a lot of people supporting him at last years vuelta while this year. . .

 

[Gingerale]

My comment was directed towards Lafleur. But, yes I agree that one smart Squalo!

LOL...that's what i've been thinking about vincenzo nibali since last vuelta

 

[Poursuivant]

Got to say, I love Wiggins' jersey.

 

[hatcher]

is just me or over the last year and a half(since the 2010 giro) nibali has been getting more and more fans on this forum?

if i remember correctly there weren't a lot of people supporting him at last years vuelta while this year. . .

I can't think of a single reason not to like him. Gives it his all, never stops fighting, and bombs downhill. He's great.

 

[Parrulo]

I can't think of a single reason not to like him. Gives it his all, never stops fighting, and bombs downhill. He's great.

i can't think of one either as i have been a fan since the 2009 tour. but many people disliked him and were cheering for pretty much every1 else lol

 

[Descender]

Something must have gone wrong! Second rate rider Mollema is currently leading the Vuelta! How pathetic some people are.

TGBM is, of course, the greatest. He'll take it all the way

I think I made pretty clear I was teasing.

Urkiola is longer than Peña Cabarga, but I accept that it's not especially long.

It's not totally flat anyway:

It's unlikely but I'm trying to make lemonade out of a lemon of a stage profile here.

I hope you´re right, but I just can´t see anything happening in that stage.

 

[jobiwan]

Missed this stage! WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED??

 

[Libertine Seguros]

is just me or over the last year and a half(since the 2010 giro) nibali has been getting more and more fans on this forum?

if i remember correctly there weren't a lot of people supporting him at last years vuelta while this year. . .

Yea, but last year many felt like Antón had it for the taking which took a bit away from it, and he was also going up against Mosquera, who can't TT or descend, was on a small team and who was tearing up the mountains with no care as to who was following him (see Pal, where he just lets them take his wheel, and turns a pretty mediocre climb into a really good stage).

 

[icefire]

Missed this stage! WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED??

Worth catching a replay instead of watching the Colorado race.

 

[jobiwan]

Worth catching a replay instead of watching the Colorado race.

Can't do either right now! I'll catch the replay as soon as possible! Sounds like a great watch!

 

[maltiv]

I wonder what Sky will feel about signing Cavendish if Wiggins were to win the vuelta. You can't combine having a TDF favorite on your team with having the best sprinter in the world without losing out in both regards. Cav doesn't only need a leadout, he needs a couple of men who throughout the race will be used for nothing but to pull the peloton for kilometers after kilometers on the flat to pull back breakaways. Leaving almost no one to watch out for Wiggins, or a team that's already exhausted when the mountains come around.

 

[El Pistolero]

I wonder what Sky will feel about signing Cavendish if Wiggins were to win the vuelta. You can't combine having a TDF favorite on your team with having the best sprinter in the world without losing out in both regards. Cav doesn't only need a leadout, he needs a couple of men who throughout the race will be used for nothing but to pull the peloton for kilometers after kilometers on the flat to pull back breakaways. Leaving almost no one to watch out for Wiggins, or a team that's already exhausted when the mountains come around.

Erm, winning the Vuelta isn't the same as winning the Tour. In the Tour there will be bigger favorites than Wiggins thus Sky would never have to control the key GC stages. Contador will still be the big favorite if he is at the start line next year. And the Schlecks will also be bigger favorites(especially if they only have one time trial again).

At the Tour I think it's possible to combine because Sky will never be asked to control the mountain stages. 1 or 2 guys with Wiggins in the mountains would be enough. At the Vuelta where he can win I'd support Wiggins instead of Cav.

 

[LaFleur]

Taaramäe apparently went into a fight with Roche today in the climb(from his blog): "Roche was done and started to slip behind just in front of me. I started to pass him and suddenly he found the strength to close the gap with the group (used me to ride the gap back in the sidewind). I tried to push me infront of him but in response I got a hard kick(or something) with his helmet. I responded in the same manner. I went back behind him and he left a gap again! I was freaking mad at him. After the finish he came to me to say something and I thank him, for ruing my chance for a stage win."

 

[Parrulo]

Erm, winning the Vuelta isn't the same as winning the Tour. In the Tour there will be bigger favorites than Wiggins thus Sky would never have to control the key GC stages. Contador will still be the big favorite if he is at the start line next year.

At the Tour I think it's possible to combine because Sky will never be asked to control the mountain stages. 1 or 2 guys with Wiggins in the mountains would be enough. At the Vuelta where he can win I'd support Wiggins instead of Cav.

exactly what i was going to post.

ya on the tour next year saxo, leopard and bmc are expected to control the race and with wiggins tactics he would expect to limit his losses over the mountains to take the yellow on the last itt (like evans did this year) so he doesn't really need a mountain train. 2 strong guys like uran and froome(sp?) besides him should be enough to protect him from the wind bring bottles during the big mountain stages and set a pace over a climb if needed.

 

[jens_attacks]

who remembers perdiguero?

Miguel_Perdi Miguel Perdiguero
@josebabeloki @oscarpereiro @RobertoHeras como ha cambiado el ritmo eh....yo creo q ahora entrenar menos....jajaja

LOL=)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

i see he was on a tv show called Famosos Supervivientes

what a legend!

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Taaramäe apparently went into a fight with Roche today in the climb(from his blog): "Roche was done and started to slip behind just in front of me. I started to pass him and suddenly he found the strength to close the gap with the group (used me to ride the gap back in the sidewind). I tried to push me infront of him but in response I got a hard kick(or something) with his helmet. I responded in the same manner. I went back behind him and he left a gap again! I was freaking mad at him. After the finish he came to me to say something and I thank him, for ruing my chance for a stage win."

That is hilarious.

 

[greatking88]

Can't believe I had to work and I missed Dan Martin's win, been watching every stage waiting for him to confirm his huge potential and take a victory. Thank God for CyclingTorrents Also those 40seconds lost to a penalty might prove very costly come the end of the vuelta(such a joke to lose seconds like that)

 

[goggalor]

Can't believe I had to work and I missed Dan Martin's win, been watching every stage waiting for him to confirm his huge potential and take a victory. Thank God for CyclingTorrents Also those 40seconds lost to a penalty might prove very costly come the end of the vuelta(such a joke to lose seconds like that)

What happened with the penalty? I missed it.

 

[hrotha]

who remembers perdiguero?

Miguel_Perdi Miguel Perdiguero
@josebabeloki @oscarpereiro @RobertoHeras como ha cambiado el ritmo eh....yo creo q ahora entrenar menos....jajaja

LOL=)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

i see he was on a tv show called Famosos Supervivientes

what a legend!

LOL

Perdi is one of the shadiest characters of the shadiest era of the shadiest sport. He doesn't need to be subtle. Bunch of gangsters, the Banda de La Covatilla.

 

[Ragerod]

LOL
Nibali is way smarter than you think, after stage 8 in the italian interview, he said he will conserve every energy he has for the time trial, I guess that is also why he fades a little in the end do not want to go to in red

expect a very good performance from Nibali in the time trial, yes he will lose time to W, but not too much

If Nibali conserved energy today then he's an idiot but I don't think he did as it looked like he was pedalling squares in the last 100 metres.

Conserving energy when all of the big favourites have been dropped is effectively trading guaranteed time today for potential time tomorrow.