Vuelta Ciclista a Andalucia - Ruta del Sol 2023 (February 15-19)

[Tim Cahill]

Wish Mas would stop looking about when he attacks, he doesn't know his own strength I think.

 

[Salvarani]

Pog wins!

Very impressive performance. What a rider!

 

[Tim Cahill]

Really enjoyed the race despite the dominance

 

[perico]

Is he though? When Mas can follow? Isn't it just that he's very good uphill and then has an amazing acceleration that others can't match which results in sprint wins

Mas has always had the talent to challenge the best. He weakness has been in his head

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Good effort by Mas but Pogacar is unstoppable right now.

 

[Netserk]

Great finish. Mas fought well.

 

[KZD]

Beautiful finish once again. Pogačar actually looked in a little trouble when Mas attacked but his punch at the end made the difference.

 

[Faserr]

Yes. Really nice race. Pog is fun to watch.
Mas was really strong today.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Teddy has too much energy at the start of the season and can't help himself. Similarly last year during TA he was even in a breakaway on a rolling stage. Congrats on win #50! Since last autumn Mas has shown capabilities to win big races, maybe Vuelta this year?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Nick Schultz in 6th, think he's got the form for a big stage this season.

 

[Valv.Piti]

We have our Vuelta a Espana winner

 

[Netserk]

We've been treated well here with some good racing for a February race. In part, I think that is thanks to the pacing of the stages:

I don't really get why they put the hardest stages in the beginning. We will just get 3 breakaway wins the upcoming days, with probably certain riders getting free top 10 places in GC too.

You say that like it's a bad thing. Far better than the hardest stage at the end, blocking the rest and deciding the race on its own.

 

[Netserk]

And the GC battle behind Pogi has been close and fought over several stages. Bahrain has been fortunate to end up with 2nd and 3rd, as the strongest of the rest (Mas) lost that battle because of a mechanical, and Rodriguez as the other rival had a mechanical in the first stage as well (though that likely didn't change the outcome) and crashed today.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

We have our Vuelta a Espana winner

Depends on who else is racing it. There are still 4-5 GC riders better than him.

 

[Netserk]

Depends on who else is racing it. There are still 4-5 GC riders better than him.

I don't think so, not at the Vuelta. We know Vingegaard won't race it, and I don't know if the fifth rider you had in mind was Thomas, Hindley, or Carapaz, but I wouldn't favour any of them ahead of Mas there. Ah, probably Bernal?

 

[capuldemetal]

pcs gives as winner of the vuelta andalucia pogacar.isn't another stage tommorow if i remember well?

 

[Salvarani]

pcs gives as winner of the vuelta andalucia pogacar.isn't another stage tommorow if i remember well?

They have not. It is only the results of todays stage up on PCS. Yes, the last stage is tomorrow.

 

[johnymax]

Pogi barely beating Mas. Not a good sign. No big wins for him this year it seems

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Pogi barely beating Mas. Not a good sign. No big wins for him this year it seems

Barely beating Mas was enough to win a big race last year.

 

[Eeslliw]

Isn't Mas known as a slow starter? Mark my words as he wins Tour de France 2023!

 

[perico]

Isn't Mas known as a slow starter? Mark my words as he wins Tour de France 2023!

he’s more known for crashing early the last two years than starting slow. He was in good form last year but couldn’t stay upright until August.

 

[perico]

Barely beating Mas was enough to win a big race last year.

Two of them, if you count a 3 week race.

 

[perico]

I don't think so, not at the Vuelta. We know Vingegaard won't race it, and I don't know if the fifth rider you had in mind was Thomas, Hindley, or Carapaz, but I wouldn't favour any of them ahead of Mas there. Ah, probably Bernal?

I wouldn’t rate Bernal ahead of him right now. Bernal hasn’t looked like a world beater since 2019 and even when he won the Giro, he was hanging on against Damiano Caruso. Mas beat him by a good bit later in the year at the Vuelta and then last year happened. I don’t know if we’ll ever see Bernal of 2019 again.

I’d rate Pog, Rog, and Jonás as stronger riders, and Remco if there is a flat TT in the course. Mas is capable of beating anyone else. He would have to take the last step in his progression and limit the amount of seconds he always seems to lose in sprints on a stage like today.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Congratulations to Tadej Pogačar for turning 50.

Sivakov put in a good fight in the breakaway. Unfortunately for him UAE was instructed to chase it down. On the penultimate climb Haig was apologizing to Pogačar. For initiating an attack. Pogi went back to think about it. He said no mas. Vamos. Yes Mas. That was the only response he got. Moho did a stellar job today. Always there for their race leaders. But ultimately today it was a Pogačar vs Mas showdown. Movistar as a team not all that good.

Bahrain might settle with what they got so far. Still likely they should install dropper post on Moho bike tomorrow. For initiating some Milano-Sanremo training.

 

[Lequack]

He can't stop winning, this race has been a real UAE domination. But the racing from Pog is just always so exciting, great to see.