Vuelta al País Vasco 4–9 April 2016

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re: Re:

I suppose the issue of whether the finish today would be one for the GC climbers or for the Mur de Huy boys was pretty conclusively answered, with only Henao making the top 10 for team "potential winners of Fleche".

Samu has two podiums in Fleche...

At the end of this stage, the three best riders of the chasing group have all podiumed Flèche Wallonne.

If you really want to be pedantic, neither Sanchez nor Contador are remotely likely winners of the Fleche at this stage in their careers.

If you don't want to be pedantic, my point was not that there is no overlap between punchy riders and out and out climbers. Of course there is a considerable overlap - most are not as specialised as a Quintana on the one hand or a Gilbert on the other. The point is that this climb turned out to suit the guys whose range of talents skews more towards "climber" than it does the riders whose abilities skew more towards "punchy". So we have a top 10 with Contador, Quintana, Pinot, Gesink while Purito, Martin, Gerrans, Mollema, Slagter, Moreno etc were out of the running. The only rider in the top 10 who will be a legitimate top favourite for Fleche is Henao. He's not the only one who could conceivably win it, but he's the only one of them anyone sensible would put their own money on.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Re:

Honestly if he doesnt loose a lot of time on the mtf (and there have never been huge time gaps in the last years on that climb) I don't see anyone in the top 10 right now who I would expect to beat him. Maybe Pinot with his new TT skills but for me he is still a big question mark in the TT's.

The Arrate stage is a little different this time, bit harder

Why? I dont think so, very similar always the last years...

This time one of the previous climbs to Arrate is from Matsaria side, a harde one

Ok, I dint know that, thanks. It is the same climb, but this way maybe could split the field by itselt.

 

[ferryman]

Re: Re:

Bit of a greenedge Yates fail today aswell, not in top 26 and over 43 seconds down

They targetted the wrong Yates for GC - Adam did all the work and had to push himself to get back and pace Simon for the last 2kms.

Anyway Landa showed he's the best pure climber in the peleton.

Unfortunately we wont se him going mano mano against Froome his rival for that title

Your vision is to be applauded. You won't see it for a long time, if ever with Quintana looking over his shoulder...

 

[Pricey_sky]

Finally caught up on highlights having missed the stage. A nice win for Landa, I did not expect that after just a handful of days racing so far. Henao was strong as we have already seen this year. Contador and Pinot keep their GC hopes alive with solid performances and they should be strong in the TT.

Disappointed to not see one of the Yates twins up there, they've been mopping up top 10's on stage race uphill finishes like this over the past 2 years.

 

[cantpedal]

The team that knows nothing about tactics seemed to have ridden this one pretty well.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

The team that knows nothing about tactics seemed to have ridden this one pretty well.

Which team that knows nothing about tactics did well today?

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

The team that knows nothing about tactics seemed to have ridden this one pretty well.

Which team that knows nothing about tactics did well today?

He probably means Lotto-NL

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

He probably means Lotto-NL

Yes

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

The team that knows nothing about tactics seemed to have ridden this one pretty well.

Sky? Definitely one of the best tactical teams out there, they have rode a super spring.

 

[manafana]

Fat Landa will ease off still the plan for Henao in this one, Pinot good today type of day that doesn't always suit him

 

[SafeBet]

Re:

Felline likes steep climbs? This should be too tough for him but he finished quite well in 20th. Climbed really well on Mortirolo last year as well

Felline likes every kind of terrain. The problem is that he's not the best in any of them. He should try to get in breaks more often, especially in GTs: that way he could win a lot more races.

I think he has a shot in AGR if he can approach the Cauberg close to the front, which is normally his biggest problem.

 

[Miburo]

Today, should be good. Last 30 km looks really promising

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Today, should be good. Last 30 km looks really promising

Yes, but even more tomorrow, hoping for a good race by the 2nd tier riders. Contador probably can't stop trying to do something either when he tried on stage 1. That would defy logic

 

[liamito]

Re: Re:

Like you need TT skills for saturday It will just be a matter of climbing fast and taking lots of risks in the (wet?) downhill.

I do remember a very young Spilak really messing up a wet downhill of the Jaizkibel years ago.

After the climb there is flat and after the descent there are 5 Km of flat... not too much but it is not just a question of climbing and descending.

Sure, but probably they won't even ride tt bikes right?

 

[Txrt]

Re: Re:

Honestly if he doesnt loose a lot of time on the mtf (and there have never been huge time gaps in the last years on that climb) I don't see anyone in the top 10 right now who I would expect to beat him. Maybe Pinot with his new TT skills but for me he is still a big question mark in the TT's.

The Arrate stage is a little different this time, bit harder

Why? I dont think so, very similar always the last years...

This time one of the previous climbs to Arrate is from Matsaria side, a harde one

Ok, I dint know that, thanks. It is the same climb, but this way maybe could split the field by itselt.

It is very very hard from Matsaria apparently. The radio guys said on Monday they had the chance to climb it from that side, and that it's very hard, much harder than from where they usually climb it. It has new asphalt just for the race, apparently.

http://www.altimetrias.net/aspbk/verPerfilusu.asp?id=1282

Here you have what it is.

 

[dark_horse]

Re: Re:

http://www.altimetrias.net/aspbk/verPerfilusu.asp?id=1282

Here you have what it is.[/quote]


it's a beautiful climb and beautiful landscape, can't wait

 

[Txrt]

Re: Re:

http://www.altimetrias.net/aspbk/verPerfilusu.asp?id=1282

Here you have what it is.

it's a beautiful climb and beautiful landscape, can't wait[/quote]
I can't either! I was going to go today or tomorrow, and I can't... Will just have to wait for Friday to come already. I'll be somewhere in that new climb and then in the last part of the Arrate climb as well, before they start the little descent.

I had two Easter weeks with no sports events to attend, and suddenly this week I have 3 stages to see, my football team played Sunday at home and plays tomorrow in the Europa League (I'm going to both), we play this weekend too after the stop... All together. Not that I complain, because I love it, but we could have had Itzulia a week earlier during Easter time to go to every stage.

 

[Taxus4a]

Yes, Matsaria is a nice climb, it is a pity the new asphalt.

Toay the y have strong headwind at the begining of the stage, so it will be a slow stage. No rain.

 

[Taxus4a]

Km 8.0Breakaway: KADRI (ALM, 74), DENIFL (IAM, 143), GONÇALVES, D. (CJR, 182), OOMEN (TGA, 167) and TEKLEHAIMANOT (DDD, 108)

Almost 5 minutes at Km 60.

 

[cantpedal]

Re: Re:

The team that knows nothing about tactics seemed to have ridden this one pretty well.

Sky? Definitely one of the best tactical teams out there, they have rode a super spring.

Note the eyerolls. Trying to be sarcastic.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

The team that knows nothing about tactics seemed to have ridden this one pretty well.

Sky? Definitely one of the best tactical teams out there, they have rode a super spring.

Note the eyerolls. Trying to be sarcastic.

I knew you were being sarcastic, should probably have written agree or sm.

 

[BeagRigh]

From the CN Ticker:

15:35:38 CEST
68km remaining from 194.5km

Oomen takes off his jacket and delivers it to the team car, at the same time taking on a bison.

Awesome typo!

 

[HelloDolly]

Seeing pictures of Landa he kinda defies the very thin climber look...he seems so chunky ...not fat but very chunky/muscular ...really no quintana or purito or bardet is he ?

 

[TMP402]

Carlton Kirby just said Oomen's age about three times in a minute.

 

[Cannibal72]

Re:

From the CN Ticker:

15:35:38 CEST
68km remaining from 194.5km

Oomen takes off his jacket and delivers it to the team car, at the same time taking on a bison.

Awesome typo!

Superman Lopez? Pah! What's fighting off a few bandits compared to wrestling a bison mid-race?