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Vuelta Stage 18: Suances → Santo Toribio de Liébana - 169 km

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After today's massacre, the riders will be headed for a tricky medium mountain stage tomorrow, finishing on a short Murito. After Froome's weakness today, a few might be looking for opportunities. One of them will not be suprising. Legends often come back to the places of their greatest deeds. Collada de Hoz shall see spectacle tomorrow

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Expecting a big fight for the breakaway tomorrow, and then hopefully annihalation in the last 60km of the stage
 
Nov 29, 2010
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What's the gradient in the final 2km? Do we know?

I'm wondering if it's a pure sprint or will GC riders be taking bonus seconds etc
 
Re:

deValtos said:
What's the gradient in the final 2km? Do we know?

I'm wondering if it's a pure sprint or will GC riders be taking bonus seconds etc
It's just over 9% average, with the last km averaging over 11% I think. Some ramps up to 16%. So definite possibilities for the GC guys if they control the break.
 
If it was another GT I'd be thinking break and maybe a punt of some GC action but the way this race has been ridden I'm on my toes in anticipation. Every stage feels like something is going to happen at this point, it's quite a lovely feeling.
 
Re:

deValtos said:
What's the gradient in the final 2km? Do we know?

I'm wondering if it's a pure sprint or will GC riders be taking bonus seconds etc

You wont see sprint tomorrow, that's sure. You may see carnage, though. Alberto Contador Velasco is returning to Collada de la Hoz... ;)
 
The Circuito Montañés used to have a very similar stage annually, from Torrelavega, looping around with a couple of early climbs before the same final 75km as tomorrow's stage:
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In 2009, Sergio Pardilla beat Tejay van Garderen on the final climb from a break, with their third breakmate, Jonathan Castroviejo, finishing just behind the American.

It is obviously a puncheur's climb, but it's also one you can grind out - in 2010 cyclocross specialist Niels Albert won at the monastery before the race, at the time Spain's biggest amateur race, went the same way as the Girobio, Giro delle Regioni and several other important development events.
 
Sep 3, 2017
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Well if teams interested in beating Froome , and i say also trek are going to govery fast from the very start , Froome will be weak for the end of for the last 2 stages
 
Sep 3, 2017
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as i said to beat froome they have to go very fast in all the remaining stages , not only a team could beat team sky so Others teams have to cooperate for different aims but with the same effect GO AS FAST AS THEY CAN
 
Re: Vuelta Stage 18: Suances → Santo Toribio de Liébana - 16

The descent of the Collado de Hoz is quite tricky. If Nibali has riders in front who can ride on the flat I'd expect an attack by him. And ofc Contador will attack on the penultimate climb anyway :D