Vuelta stage 20. Corvera → Alto de El Angliru - 119km

[bigcog]

Lopez for the stage win.

 

[lenric]

All aboard the hype train, comrades! I'm on it for sure.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re: Re:

somehow im fancying a massive letdown something like the 2014 zoncolan with the break taking it.

Zonc was a disappointment because making up 3' on Nairo would've been pretty tough, and nobody could be bothered to try and change anything in the GC. Here, however, everything is really tight, and making up 1'37" on Froome is definitely possible for Nibali.

edit:

Even if Froome does get distanced, he'll keep it to 45" or so like on Los Machucos and win the Vuelta

Los Machucos was, however, just a 27 minute ascent (well, longer for Froome) whereas Angliru will be about 45 minutes, and the gruelling part comes at the end. Plus there's a much harder set of climbs before.

Yea, but the really hard bit is similar length. Easier to get into a rhythm as far as Viapará. Still not easy, it's not super consistent, but then few Asturian climbs west of the Caudal are.

 

[jens_attacks]

alberto contador will win this bike race.



for the last time ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

alberto contador will win this bike race.



for the last time ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

RIP Heras' Angliru record

 

[jsem94]

Re:

alberto contador will win this bike race.



for the last time ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

Lol, he will obviously win on the Madrid circuit with a blistering Vino-style attack in the final kilometer. What are you on about?

 

[ice&fire]

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Contador has given us so many unforgettable memories and tomorrow he will give us his last one. Hopefully it will be one of the best.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

alberto contador will win this bike race.



for the last time ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

God damn it

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh dear, there's gonna be a lot of disappointed people this time tomorrow. He's tried and tried and tried again, but failed, failed and failed again. He can but try, but the tears will flow in disappointment from a lot of his fans and memories will be all that is left.

I will eat my words if the highly unlikely happens.

 

[Tank Engine]

One of the following will happen:

a) Everyone rides the stage in formation and Contador is allowed to cross the line first.

b) Same as above, except the peloton waits for 4 minutes after Contador crosses the line, to ensure him a final glorious overall victory in the Vuelta.

c) Contador will win this bike race after an eruption of mayhem.

d) The cyclingnews forum members after a fit of rage demand a rerun.

I hope it's c)

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re: Re:

alberto contador will win this bike race.



for the last time ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

RIP Heras' Angliru record

One thing is for sure. That is not going to happen (regardless of how the weather turns out)

 

[GraftPunk]

Contador all day long!!

 

[HelloDolly]

Tomorrow needs to be ridden hard on the climb before the Angliru ...Trek needs to call in some favours

Climb does not suit Lopez nor Kelderman according to reports from Cycling podcast
Descents before do not suit Zakarin

I can see Contador getting on the podium
But can Nibali put 1.38 minutes into Froome...yes especially if he get bonus seconds...

 

[masking_agent]

I hope for Contador to finally get a stage win, but i don't think it will happen. I think more of the same, at the base of the Angliru Team Sky will drill it up and deliver Froome en route to his victory with the likes of Nibali following or having blown up after repeated attacks.

 

[HelloDolly]

Remember last time up Angliru when Valverde gave his drink to Nibali ...guess he didnt want Horner to win

 

[Brullnux]

The fact all climbs are above 9% mostly, meaning domestiques aren't that useful, and there is not a metre of flat in the last 50km is excellent for attacks. Hopefully Nibali goes before Angliru

 

[Laplaz]

I can also see Kathusa doing work for Zakarin Grappa-Style up to Cobertoria and Cordal.

 

[dacooley]

Re: Re:

somehow im fancying a massive letdown something like the 2014 zoncolan with the break taking it.

Zonc was a disappointment because making up 3' on Nairo would've been pretty tough, and nobody could be bothered to try and change anything in the GC. Here, however, everything is really tight, and making up 1'37" on Froome is definitely possible for Nibali.

edit:

Even if Froome does get distanced, he'll keep it to 45" or so like on Los Machucos and win the Vuelta

Los Machucos was, however, just a 27 minute ascent (well, longer for Froome) whereas Angliru will be about 45 minutes, and the gruelling part comes at the end. Plus there's a much harder set of climbs before.

people pray for mayhem before any big mountain stage meanwhile in actual fact it happens quite rarely, this vuelta has had a single semi-mayhem on machucos cause mainly by brilliant contador and fading froome. fairly sure, nibs is able to overtake the jersey, however it'll take a supreme level of form from him and a real collapse from froome at the same time. who will manage to glue to contador's wheel when he lauches his wind-breaking attack will decide very much.

 

[GraftPunk]

Hopefully Contie and Nibbles are having an excellent conversation about strategy tonight

 

[HelloDolly]

Re:

Hopefully Contie and Nibbles are having an excellent conversation about strategy tonight

Their Italian DSs are

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Kelderman said he still feels extremely well and even though the Angliru doesn't suit him he isn't nervous or anything. He says wether he'll end 3rd or 5th the Vuelta is still a success. But ofcourse he'll give everything to defend 3rd. I think his only chance of podium is if Nibali or Froome collapse. Because I think it's near certain Zakarin or Contador or both are going to pass him

 

[jsem94]

Hope roads will be sufficiently wet.

 

[python]

...thinking aloud of tomorrow and what to make of the alberto seeming ease with which he dropped zaka today.

i thought ilnur started his acceleration too late and too far to bridge to alberto who's acceleration was violent. does not mean ilnur would have been able to stay with alberto had he started in a more favorable position, but one cant exclude that ilnur seeing the futility of his effort simply chose a more rational option of waiting for the peloton.

if the stage 17 is to inform of anything it is that alberto - provided he's fully recovered - was superior to everyone on the final climb which is similar to angliru. meaning: alberto gaining 2 minutes on EVERYONE tomorrow would be a reasonable projection. i'd be though careful to cast this into a concrete prediction b/c attacking every day in the last week must be costly...

my sense of the race dynamic tomorrow is that alberto will go off earlier than would be optimum, while the other gc contenders will wait for the sky train actions. and only after that they may attack the dawg who is supposed to suffer on the super steep slopes like he was on stage 17.

my sense is that nibali may lose a podium and that alberto and zaka will stand below the dawg in the final...

 

[Lequack]

Photos of the Alto de L´Angliru finish in 2013 — flockton/sirotti
http://www.steephill.tv/2013/vuelta-a-espana/photos/stage-20/

Photos of the Alto de L´Angliru finish in 2011 — flockton/sirotti/reuters
http://www.steephill.tv/2011/vuelta-a-espana/photos/stage-15/