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

[Netserk]

Alberto Contador will be more glorious than hookers and blow

_O_

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Vuelta Stage 18: Suances → Santo Toribio de Liébana - 16

Ok I just looked it up and I'm now 100% sure that FlammeRouge profile is not the final climb. The last kilometer is very steep but not over 14% steep. The profile on the first page is the correct one

 

[Asturiano]

Re:

Tomorrow's stage finish is located about 20 km from Fuente Dé.

In fact, they climb tomorrow "Collado de la Hoz" where Alberto Contador won La Vuelta to Purito on Fuente Dé stage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPEz84ZSo0A

 

[Asturiano]

- Alto de Labarces (hasta km 3,5), np (km 70):  200 m – 3,5 km – 4,5 %
- Collada de Carmona, 3ª (km 109,5):  600 m – 4,8 km – 7,2 %

- Collada de Ozalba, 3ª (km 126):  556 m – 6 km – 6,6 %

- Collada de la Hoz, 2ª (km 139,7):  658 m – 7,2 km – 6 %

- Santo Toribio de Liébana, 3ª (Meta):  510 m – 3,2 km – 6,4 %

 

[rei_da_montanha]

Re: Vuelta Stage 18: Suances → Santo Toribio de Liébana - 16

Ok I just looked it up and I'm now 100% sure that FlammeRouge profile is not the final climb. The last kilometer is very steep but not over 14% steep. The profile on the first page is the correct one

You are right. But, the % average are quite similar.

Long. 2,21 km Alt. Inicial 315 m Altitud 514 m Desn. 199 m Pend. Media 9% Coef. 60

You can see here: http://recorridosciclistascantabria.blogspot.com/2012/01/santo-toribio-de-liebana-por-mieses.html

 

[rei_da_montanha]

Re:

- Santo Toribio de Liébana, 3ª (Meta):  510 m – 3,2 km – 6,4 %

I don't think that info is accurate.
Source: http://recorridosciclistascantabria.blogspot.com/2012/01/santo-toribio-de-liebana-por-mieses.html

 

[klintE]

Re: Vuelta Stage 18: Suances → Santo Toribio de Liébana - 16

Ok I just looked it up and I'm now 100% sure that FlammeRouge profile is not the final climb. The last kilometer is very steep but not over 14% steep. The profile on the first page is the correct one

The profile on the fist page is the same profile

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Vuelta Stage 18: Suances → Santo Toribio de Liébana - 16

Ok I just looked it up and I'm now 100% sure that FlammeRouge profile is not the final climb. The last kilometer is very steep but not over 14% steep. The profile on the first page is the correct one

You are right. But, the % average are quite similar.

Long. 2,21 km Alt. Inicial 315 m Altitud 514 m Desn. 199 m Pend. Media 9% Coef. 60

You can see here: http://recorridosciclistascantabria.blogspot.com/2012/01/santo-toribio-de-liebana-por-mieses.html

The profile you posted is the right one, the FlammeRouge profile is wrong since it would have a final kilometer with a gradient of over 14%, which is simply not the case.

 

[The Hegelian]

Off topic, but anyone why know why Rohan Dennis DNS right before the TT?

 

[Ruudz0r]

Re:

Off topic, but anyone why know why Rohan Dennis DNS right before the TT?

Illness

 

[BYOP88]

Froome to win this with room to spare. He's had his *"GT off day"*.


*The one where he pretends to be sick or just having a bad day.

 

[ice&fire]

Re:

Froome to win this with room to spare. He's had his *"GT off day"*.


*The one where he pretends to be sick or just having a bad day.

If that was the case I must say that his acting was miles ahead of TommyV

 

[Tonton]

Re:

Alberto Contador will be more glorious than hookers and blow

_O_

Incorrigible...

The break to take it. Surprised that Bardet (and even more Alaphilippe) stuck in there today, it would be a great opportunity for a stage win facing inferior opposition.

GC wise, who has an interest in turning the screw, putting the squeeze on Froome? Only Nibali, and Contador (he won't call it quit). How do they feel? How do the Wilco and Ilnur feel with the Angliru looming? They don't care about the overall at this point, just about killing each other for a podium spot. They will probably react depending on what Bertie does. Not initiate anything.

I'm afraid that the HC contenders will take a day off and Froome will take time. He is good on those finishes. Tired yes, not burnt.

You can't just get MTFs week 3, this could be the calm before the storm.

 

[cipurian]

I'm a Froomey fan, but damn if I didn't wish for Contador to win or at least deliver the win to Nibali.

 

[GraftPunk]

Re:

Alberto Contador will be more glorious than hookers and blow

_O_

Tom Boonen disagrees.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Froome will lose this bike race.

Well there is a reason it's almost impossible to do a double in the modern era..........he gets closer than most people but it was never a certainty and his Tour form made it even less likely. It will be a great achievement if he does it.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Froome to win this with room to spare. He's had his *"GT off day"*.


*The one where he pretends to be sick or just having a bad day.

The photos from yesterday indicate he is an actor of Shakesperean talents then.............but his GT career shows it is rare for him to be off two days in a row but he is getting older and hasn't looked as dominant this year as previous years.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Re: Re:

Froome to win this with room to spare. He's had his *"GT off day"*.


*The one where he pretends to be sick or just having a bad day.

The photos from yesterday indicate he is an actor of Shakesperean talents then.............but his GT career shows it is rare for him to be off two days in a row but he is getting older and hasn't looked as dominant this year as previous years.

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.

 

[Bolder]

Nibali has to test Froome today with an attack on the last climb. If he waits till the finish he might gain only 10 seconds or so.

I expect that Contador will try something but I'd rather see Nibali take the initiative. If Froome responds strongly, then you'll have your answer. But if he goes into defensive mode then Nibali/Contador/Zakarin/Lopez have to work together to get a decent gap. We know CF had an off day yesterday but what we don't know is how fast -- or if -- he will recover.

At least this is what I'd like to see...

 

[DFA123]

Some potential good news for the stage today; there will be a slight tail wind for the uphill drag through the valley from the bottom of La Hoz until Potes (start of the final climb). It's only light in theory (5-10km/h), but it's a narrow gorge most of the way and the wind often gets really funnelled up there, so could be stronger on the road.

In any event, even if its negligible, it's going to encourage attacks more and make for a harder stage finale than a headwind would.

 

[jarvo]

Just to put it out there as I haven't read anybody mention it (apologies if it has been mentioned) but with Froome having a bad day yesterday people are assuming he is done. What is to say that Nibali doesn't have a bad day today? or on the Angliru? There was absolutely no indication the previous days Froome would have a bad day, so why is nobody thinking others may also have a bad day in the next few days? Its been a hard 3 week tour, so anyone in the GC classification could also have a bad day coming up. Heck, even Contador at 3 mins down could win this tour still, going to be an interesting last few days

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Froome to win this with room to spare. He's had his *"GT off day"*.


*The one where he pretends to be sick or just having a bad day.

The photos from yesterday indicate he is an actor of Shakesperean talents then.............but his GT career shows it is rare for him to be off two days in a row but he is getting older and hasn't looked as dominant this year as previous years.

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.

Ah yes maybe he also thinks the forest is closing in on him ?

 

[Eclipse]

Re:

Just to put it out there as I haven't read anybody mention it (apologies if it has been mentioned) but with Froome having a bad day yesterday people are assuming he is done. What is to say that Nibali doesn't have a bad day today? or on the Angliru? There was absolutely no indication the previous days Froome would have a bad day, so why is nobody thinking others may also have a bad day in the next few days? Its been a hard 3 week tour, so anyone in the GC classification could also have a bad day coming up. Heck, even Contador at 3 mins down could win this tour still, going to be an interesting last few days

There's definitely been historical precedent for Froome having bad days in the third week of a Grand Tour - particularly when the racing is hard - and we know how much effort and strain trying to win a double puts on a rider's body. There's a reason most people were expecting Froome to lose time to people this week, the big question was whether a) it would be early enough that there were more opportunities for him to be put in trouble and b) if the others would be close enough to capitalise. Both circumstances have now occurred and the rest of the race really seems on a knife edge.

Nibali on the other hand is typically an excellent third week rider and expectation has always been that he would struggle a bit early but would maintain very good form from the 2nd week onwards.

Of course there is nothing to say nobody else will blow up or something completely insane will happen, but typical logic dictates that Froome will be in a fight to hold his lead now rather than simply defending it like he was at the Tour.

 

[jarvo]

Re: Re:

Just to put it out there as I haven't read anybody mention it (apologies if it has been mentioned) but with Froome having a bad day yesterday people are assuming he is done. What is to say that Nibali doesn't have a bad day today? or on the Angliru? There was absolutely no indication the previous days Froome would have a bad day, so why is nobody thinking others may also have a bad day in the next few days? Its been a hard 3 week tour, so anyone in the GC classification could also have a bad day coming up. Heck, even Contador at 3 mins down could win this tour still, going to be an interesting last few days

There's definitely been historical precedent for Froome having bad days in the third week of a Grand Tour - particularly when the racing is hard - and we know how much effort and strain trying to win a double puts on a rider's body. There's a reason most people were expecting Froome to lose time to people this week, the big question was whether a) it would be early enough that there were more opportunities for him to be put in trouble and b) if the others would be close enough to capitalise. Both circumstances have now occurred and the rest of the race really seems on a knife edge.

Nibali on the other hand is typically an excellent third week rider and expectation has always been that he would struggle a bit early but would maintain very good form from the 2nd week onwards.

Of course there is nothing to say nobody else will blow up or something completely insane will happen, but typical logic dictates that Froome will be in a fight to hold his lead now rather than simply defending it like he was at the Tour.

Do you think there is something in the notion that Froome as he is getting older cannot do the explosive steep gradients anymore? At TdF I remember him losing some time on the steep 20% section at the end of Planche des Belles Filles where in 2012 he attacked, then the final climb today was obviously over 20% in many places and he struggled again. thoughts?

 

[The Barb]

@jarvo
I definitely think there is something to what you say. It's a curious thing that he is on the brink of winning a GT double he's never been able to do before, while also looking the weakest he has for 5 years.