Vuelta Stage 14: Écija - Sierra de la Pandera (175 km)

[Orbit501]

Re: Re:

Berto was at his limit, he would've worked it was in his own interest also. I don't think it's gonna be bad blood between them and I hope his legs don't desert him completely, he is the only valuable ally for Nibs to try and break Froome.

This. The man was cooked, he got dropped in the final for 6 seconds. Yet people keep yapping against him. As if he wouldn't have pushed on with Nibali if he could!

Nibali is stronger but he needs Alberto. They are the only 2 in the race with the B*lls to put it all on the line. Hopefully Alberto has enough left to give it another go tomorrow.

Whilst I agree that Nibs and Bert have the balls to put it all on the line, it's not true to say they're the only two. Chaves should be included in that number to be fair to him.

 

[movingtarget]

Froome is a bit banged up and is riding a sensible race. Could not have gone much better for him today.

 

[portugal11]

Contador is the most agressive cyclist in the world and theres are people calling him wheelsucker

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Nibali needs Contador more than Contador needs Nibali. You need to remember that.

Nibali's little outburst shows a man under a lot of pressure to deliver and if he blows up the alliance then he'll have nobody to work with and Froome will have a strong team..

I hardly ever agree with your posts but this is spot on... and I don't think Nibali will refuse a future alliance just because of what happened today.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Whilst I agree that Nibs and Bert have the balls to put it all on the line, it's not true to say they're the only two. Chaves should be included in that number to be fair to him.

I thought it was brave of him to try an early attack today considering his losses on stage 11. He paid for it in the end but kudos for trying.

 

[Blanco]

Re:

Ok enough Contador bashing from my side...Following Froome seems to be the safest way if you want to finish the Vuelta on the podium. Kelderman and Zakarin didn`t attack a single time so far and are 3rd and 4th in the GC. They stay behind the Sky train and wait for Froomes move.

They attacked today, but closed down by Contador.

 

[Orbit501]

Re:

Contador is the most agressive cyclist in the world and theres are people calling him wheelsucker

Exactly!

People can call Bert what they like but wheelsucker he certainly ain't!

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re: Re:

I want to see Enric, Atapuma, Majka and Bardet in the break.
Lame break lacking riders with climbing abilities will kill me.

I'm afraid Majka has no legs. No shape in this race.

I wonder what sort of carnage he will cause in the professional cycling ranks when he gets himself into shape :lol:

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re:

Ok enough Contador bashing from my side...Following Froome seems to be the safest way if you want to finish the Vuelta on the podium. Kelderman and Zakarin didn`t attack a single time so far and are 3rd and 4th in the GC. They stay behind the Sky train and wait for Froomes move.

Kelderman actually tried to attack when he caught up with the front group. But he was immediately countered by Contador. Then Lopez went... no reaction :lol:

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Isn't that why he is retiring ?

It's been a good while since his last great performance on a long MTF. We might even have to go back to 2014. I don't know why people expected more from him, this is exactly what could have been expected and perhaps a bit better than that. I hoped he would be great and win of course but that's not realistic. I feared he'd do much worse. As you say, if he could still match anyone uphill this wouldn't be his last race.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re: Re:

Ok enough Contador bashing from my side...Following Froome seems to be the safest way if you want to finish the Vuelta on the podium. Kelderman and Zakarin didn`t attack a single time so far and are 3rd and 4th in the GC. They stay behind the Sky train and wait for Froomes move.

I tend to agree but both Kelderman and Zakarin tried an attack today. Although they were quite irrelevant attacks.

They were irrelevant because your boy countered them both (why? I really do wonder). Then Lopez went and he did nothing, and in the end he even blew himself.
Strange tactics by Berto (i do like him, don't get me wrong)

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Great ride from Majka. Froome in complete control of Nibali and Contador despite some injuries. Nibali riding a good race and should continue chipping away. Contador has nothing more than the strength required to follow Nibali, he was in the red.

Froome in complete control wouldn't lose bonus seconds to Nibali. Nibali will strike again tomorrow...

And then lose the minimal gains in the TT.

So? Better to gain 20s and then lose 90s than gain nothing and lose 90s.

A few seconds bonuses here and there won't win the race for Nibali. He should have let Contador sit on, why is he worried about Contador in the last few kms ? Nibali gets a gap then looks for help then slows down. Way to win a bike race. Either save it for another day or attack seriously.

 

[bambino]

Re: Re:

Contador is the most agressive cyclist in the world and theres are people calling him wheelsucker

Exactly!

People can call Bert what they like but wheelsucker he certainly ain't!

Well he definitely was today.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

I hope there will be no brake. Pure GC battle.
2. Lopez +10
3. Nibali +15
4. Zakarin +30
5. Kelderman +30

This was a great prediction though!

 

[bambino]

Re: Re:

Great ride from Majka. Froome in complete control of Nibali and Contador despite some injuries. Nibali riding a good race and should continue chipping away. Contador has nothing more than the strength required to follow Nibali, he was in the red.

Froome in complete control wouldn't lose bonus seconds to Nibali. Nibali will strike again tomorrow...

And then lose the minimal gains in the TT.

So? Better to gain 20s and then lose 90s than gain nothing and lose 90s.

A few seconds bonuses here and there won't win the race for Nibali. He should have let Contador sit on, why is he worried about Contador in the last few kms ? Nibali gets a gap then looks for help then slows down. Way to win a bike race. Either save it for another day or attack seriously.

Well it would be bit suspisious if someone rides simply away on this level. Even Froome hasn't done that for ages.

There is no man that can crack the Sky train just by himself.

 

[bambino]

Re: Re:

I hope there will be no brake. Pure GC battle.
2. Lopez +10
3. Nibali +15
4. Zakarin +30
5. Kelderman +30

This was a great prediction though!

Although the #1 was obvious in all Sky fans. As was it that Nibs will lose time in this single MTF stage.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Ok enough Contador bashing from my side...Following Froome seems to be the safest way if you want to finish the Vuelta on the podium. Kelderman and Zakarin didn`t attack a single time so far and are 3rd and 4th in the GC. They stay behind the Sky train and wait for Froomes move.

I tend to agree but both Kelderman and Zakarin tried an attack today. Although they were quite irrelevant attacks.

They were irrelevant because your boy countered them both (why? I really do wonder). Then Lopez went and he did nothing, and in the end he even blew himself.
Strange tactics by Berto (i do like him, don't get me wrong)

They were irrelevant cause those were half-hearted attempts, kind of like they hoped to sneak away with no one countering. Lopez was determined to get away.

 

[Forever The Best]

Re: Re:

Ok enough Contador bashing from my side...Following Froome seems to be the safest way if you want to finish the Vuelta on the podium. Kelderman and Zakarin didn`t attack a single time so far and are 3rd and 4th in the GC. They stay behind the Sky train and wait for Froomes move.

I tend to agree but both Kelderman and Zakarin tried an attack today. Although they were quite irrelevant attacks.

They were irrelevant because your boy countered them both (why? I really do wonder). Then Lopez went and he did nothing, and in the end he even blew himself.
Strange tactics by Berto (i do like him, don't get me wrong)

If he responded to Zaka and Kelderman but not to Lopez then his tactics were definitely weird.
He was on his limit though so that may explain him not working with Nibali.

 

[huge]

Re: Re:

Great ride from Majka. Froome in complete control of Nibali and Contador despite some injuries. Nibali riding a good race and should continue chipping away. Contador has nothing more than the strength required to follow Nibali, he was in the red.

Froome in complete control wouldn't lose bonus seconds to Nibali. Nibali will strike again tomorrow...

And then lose the minimal gains in the TT.

So? Better to gain 20s and then lose 90s than gain nothing and lose 90s.

A few seconds bonuses here and there won't win the race for Nibali. He should have let Contador sit on, why is he worried about Contador in the last few kms ? Nibali gets a gap then looks for help then slows down. Way to win a bike race. Either save it for another day or attack seriously.

Yes, he was definitely riding for the 4 secs bonus today...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re: Re:

Ok enough Contador bashing from my side...Following Froome seems to be the safest way if you want to finish the Vuelta on the podium. Kelderman and Zakarin didn`t attack a single time so far and are 3rd and 4th in the GC. They stay behind the Sky train and wait for Froomes move.

I tend to agree but both Kelderman and Zakarin tried an attack today. Although they were quite irrelevant attacks.

They were irrelevant because your boy countered them both (why? I really do wonder). Then Lopez went and he did nothing, and in the end he even blew himself.
Strange tactics by Berto (i do like him, don't get me wrong)

They were irrelevant cause those were half-hearted attempts, kind of like they hoped to sneak away with no one countering. Lopez was determined to get away.

No, Lopez attack was the same as the others. But at a flatter section. And a second difference, really no reaction. Of nobody. Contador was almost immediately on the wheel of Zakarin and Kelderman

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Ok enough Contador bashing from my side...Following Froome seems to be the safest way if you want to finish the Vuelta on the podium. Kelderman and Zakarin didn`t attack a single time so far and are 3rd and 4th in the GC. They stay behind the Sky train and wait for Froomes move.

I tend to agree but both Kelderman and Zakarin tried an attack today. Although they were quite irrelevant attacks.

They were irrelevant because your boy countered them both (why? I really do wonder). Then Lopez went and he did nothing, and in the end he even blew himself.
Strange tactics by Berto (i do like him, don't get me wrong)

If he responded to Zaka and Kelderman but not to Lopez then his tactics were definitely weird.
He was on his limit though so that may explain him not working with Nibali.

no one could have countered Lopez, well, maybe Froome. His attack was super explosive, while Zakarin and Kelderman just did a minor acceleration.

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

Contador is the most agressive cyclist in the world and theres are people calling him wheelsucker

Exactly!

People can call Bert what they like but wheelsucker he certainly ain't!

He is the the most aggressive rider the sport has seen since Pantani!

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

Berto was at his limit, he would've worked it was in his own interest also. I don't think it's gonna be bad blood between them and I hope his legs don't desert him completely, he is the only valuable ally for Nibs to try and break Froome.

This. The man was cooked, he got dropped in the final for 6 seconds. Yet people keep yapping against him. As if he wouldn't have pushed on with Nibali if he could!

Nibali is stronger but he needs Alberto. They are the only 2 in the race with the B*lls to put it all on the line. Hopefully Alberto has enough left to give it another go tomorrow.

Whilst I agree that Nibs and Bert have the balls to put it all on the line, it's not true to say they're the only two. Chaves should be included in that number to be fair to him.

I was speaking about a long term style of riding, phrased it poorly I guess.

Yes Chavito gets kudos for his effort today .

 

[del1962]

Re: Re:

Disappointing to see Contador just wheelsucking and not offering Nibali a hand - perhaps suggests he's got his eyes on a podium positions and sees Nibali as the bigger threat than Froome.

You're like a broken record. Contador says A "it suggests his goal is the podium" Contador does B "it suggests he is defending his podium position" Contador tries C "clearly, he is eyeing a podium spot". Your agenda is so obvious.

But you said he wants to win. Always. Nothing else matters. I didn't see that all or nothing attitude today. Not a single time. If he waa on the limit earlier, then how the hell he followed all accelerations later?

I thing called recovery as the slopes eased

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

Ok enough Contador bashing from my side...Following Froome seems to be the safest way if you want to finish the Vuelta on the podium. Kelderman and Zakarin didn`t attack a single time so far and are 3rd and 4th in the GC. They stay behind the Sky train and wait for Froomes move.

I tend to agree but both Kelderman and Zakarin tried an attack today. Although they were quite irrelevant attacks.

They were irrelevant because your boy countered them both (why? I really do wonder). Then Lopez went and he did nothing, and in the end he even blew himself.
Strange tactics by Berto (i do like him, don't get me wrong)

If he responded to Zaka and Kelderman but not to Lopez then his tactics were definitely weird.
He was on his limit though so that may explain him not working with Nibali.

no one could have countered Lopez, well, maybe Froome. His attack was super explosive, while Zakarin and Kelderman just did a minor acceleration.

Far from true. Lopez tried earlier but Contador marked him, like he did with Kelderman and Zakarin. Only reason why Lopez attack stick is that nobody countered for at least 5-6 seconds. It was false flat and that's why it looked like super explosive.