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

[dacooley]

Re:

Hope roads will be sufficiently wet.

sufficient wet for froome not winning the whole thing is what you meant I'm guessing?

 

[Lexman]

article on L'Angliru from eurosport website
http://www.eurosport.com/cycling/vuelta-a-espana/2017/langliru-the-dreaded-climb-that-could-make-or-break-chris-froome_sto6323588/story.shtml

 

[Kwibus]

If it really rains tomorrow this stage cant be dissapointing, unless one of the top 5 crash out.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

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

Their Italian DSs are

Who? I know there's the Slovenian guy for Nibs and De Jongh for Contador, don't know about the 2nd DS for each.

 

[jsem94]

Re: Re:

Hope roads will be sufficiently wet.

sufficient wet for froome not winning the whole thing is what you meant I'm guessing?

For it to be a brutal race and the descents to be extremely tricky allowing riders to escape and add entertainment value to the race. Froome doesn't have to lose, but I don't want Moscon to be controlling the race until 9km to go.

 

[Gigs_98]

The last three times the Angliru was climbed in the Vuelta each time a different champion was in the centre of attention.

2008 it was Alberto Contador who was first on top of the mythical mountain. While still being pretty young and only riding the 4th grand tour of his career he had already won a tour and a giro and his home grand tour was the last one missing on the palmares of the spaniard. However it was anything but easy to win the general classification especially because of his own teammate Levi Leipheimer who was almost as strong as Contador. But after stage 12 of the Vuelta a España 2008 nobody was almost as strong as him. He demolished all his rivals and took a beautiful stage win on one of the hardest ascents in Spain. He won his first ever Vuelta stage on the angliru and now he has the chance to win not only his last Vuelta stage, but his last cycling race on the Angliru as well.

2011 was a Vuelta of big surprises. The winner of the general classification was already surprising but the even bigger shocker was the man who got 2nd place. A young Sky rider, not really well known to the wide public, but as only some experts already knew (or at least they claimed so afterwards) a huge talent. It was Chris Froome, a man who started the Vuelta as the domestique of Bradley Wiggins. However while the plan was to use Froome only as a helper it soon turned out he was as strong or even stronger than his famous teammate. Nevertheless the roles weren't switched. Everyone expected the newcomer to fade but it didn't happen and when the peloton tackled the Angliru, the penultimate mountain top finish of the whole race, Froome was still 2nd overall only 7 seconds behind his team leader. But when the brutal ramps of the Angliru started it once again turned out that Wiggins was weaker than Froome, but even when Juan Jose Cobo, 4th overall, only 55 seconds behind the red jersey, attacked the newcomer stayed loyal. The team orders were clear, Froome had to help Wiggins to defend, but meanwhile Cobo gained more and more time, rode into virtual red and Sky had to make an important decision: Should they support Wiggins or let Froome attack. At the end they decided to give Froome freedom and he rode away from his old leader, but the decision came too late and after stage 21 Froome was 13 seconds behind Cobo. Today Froome is a 4 times tdf champion but he still hasn't won the Vuelta, but as the peloton tackles the Angliru again things could turn out differently this time.

2013 was the year of Vincenzo Nibali. He had already been a strong gc rider for years, and already won the Vuelta in 2010, however he was never considered as one of the best gc riders and was always clearly rated one class below the likes of Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck, Cadel Evans or Bradley Wiggins. However in 2013 everything changed and the good gc rider became a brilliant one. He won the giro in a dominant fashion, winning a mountain time trial and a mtf on the tre cime in a snow storm on the way. When he started the Vuelta he was the clear favorite. Contador and Froome weren't riding the race, Valverde and Rodriguez both had the tour in their legs and other possible gc contenders were already too old...or were they. Because right when nobody capable of beating a rider like Nibali was in sight something nobody expected happened. Chris Horner, back then 41 years old, out of nothing had the shape of his life and when the road went up he beat the Italian over and over again. However due to his TT abilities Nibali was still only 3 seconds behind and with the Angliru on the penultimate day winning still seemed possible. Shortly before the super steep 2nd half of the mythical climb started Nibali attacked and opened a little gap. He kept pushing on when the ramps started and it seemed like nobody could follow his brutal attack. But Chris Horner once again closed the gap slowly but surely. Nibali tried to get rid of the American again and again but it didn't work and at the end Horner left Nibali in his dust and became the oldest grand tour winner in the history of cycling.

Tomorrow will be the last time these three cycling champions and the most successful gc riders of their generation will fight against each other. One will try to repeat what he has already done here and two will seek revenge. Therefore we can surely all look forward to what almost has to become an incredible stage.

Alberto Contador will win this bike race

 

[Cance > TheRest]

@Lequack - Love the camera angle magics of the 3rd to last picture. It makes it look seriously steep, even though it's actually quite flat there as it comes after the last steep ramp of the climb

 

[bob.a.feet]

It's time, it's happening. No one can hide behind teammates on the Angliru. Alberto Contador will give everything to win this stage. Vincenzo Nibali will give everything to win this Vuelta. Chris Froome will give everything to hold on to this jersey. Louis Meintjes will give everything to defend his 14th place. They will all give everything, but who will get everything in return? I don't know that, but what I do know is that it will be a stage for the ages, the final battle between three of the greatest GT riders of all time. For the last time: Contador vs Nibali vs Froome. Who will win?

 

[May0maniac]

I've never cheered for Contador to win a gt, but I hope that he'll be victorious when we see him dancing on the pedal on a climb for the last time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB6lfs4Q2jo&t=181s

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Contador to go thermonuclear on Cobertoria 45 km from the finish. It'll encourage Nibali and a few other strong climbers to attack on Cordal and join him. Team Sky will be forced to chase and burn their domestiques. Isolated Froome will crack on Angliru. Unfortunately Alberto will pay for his huge effort on steep Angliru slopes but his move will decide the race: the winner will be Shark of Messina.

 

[miguelindurain111]

Would be cool to see Froome winning this and destroy some romantics. Well it's hardly gonna happen

 

[Lexman]

if Contador attacks before the Angliru I hope one or more of the other GC riders dares to go with him and shows he/they has/have some b***s : Aru, Lopez, Nibali, Zakarin whoever even Kelderman and nobody sits and rides the sky train...

I suppose Aru/Lopez and Zakarin might be the best chances for Contador to attack with...

 

[Breh]

Nibali, Trentin, De Gendt.

Obvious Zakarin win.

 

[Jagartrott]

Re:

Would be cool to see Froome winning this and destroy some romantics. Well it's hardly gonna happen

What would be cool is the entire Sky team save Froome taking a wrong turn after 50 km, and never catching back on. *Then* we will have a race.

 

[b.broadhurst]

Froome will have an extra man tomorrow in De La Cruz to help him up the mountain.

 

[miguelindurain111]

Re: Re:

Would be cool to see Froome winning this and destroy some romantics. Well it's hardly gonna happen

What would be cool is the entire Sky team save Froome taking a wrong turn after 50 km, and never catching back on. *Then* we will have a race.

Naah that would be cool only if you are a fanboy of a guy with big heart but small brain :lol:

 

[killswitch]

Re: Re:

Would be cool to see Froome winning this and destroy some romantics. Well it's hardly gonna happen

What would be cool is the entire Sky team save Froome taking a wrong turn after 50 km, and never catching back on. *Then* we will have a race.

Naah that would be cool only if you are a fanboy of a guy with big heart but small brain :lol:

Yeah, nobody wants to see the leaders going mano a mano from 80kms out.
Oh wait...

 

[phil-i-am]

The last three times the Angliru was climbed in the Vuelta each time a different champion was in the centre of attention.

2008 it was Alberto Contador who was first on top of the mythical mountain. While still being pretty young and only riding the 4th grand tour of his career he had already won a tour and a giro and his home grand tour was the last one missing on the palmares of the spaniard. However it was anything but easy to win the general classification especially because of his own teammate Levi Leipheimer who was almost as strong as Contador. But after stage 12 of the Vuelta a España 2008 nobody was almost as strong as him. He demolished all his rivals and took a beautiful stage win on one of the hardest ascents in Spain. He won his first ever Vuelta stage on the angliru and now he has the chance to win not only his last Vuelta stage, but his last cycling race on the Angliru as well.

2011 was a Vuelta of big surprises. The winner of the general classification was already surprising but the even bigger shocker was the man who got 2nd place. A young Sky rider, not really well known to the wide public, but as only some experts already knew (or at least they claimed so afterwards) a huge talent. It was Chris Froome, a man who started the Vuelta as the domestique of Bradley Wiggins. However while the plan was to use Froome only as a helper it soon turned out he was as strong or even stronger than his famous teammate. Nevertheless the roles weren't switched. Everyone expected the newcomer to fade but it didn't happen and when the peloton tackled the Angliru, the penultimate mountain top finish of the whole race, Froome was still 2nd overall only 7 seconds behind his team leader. But when the brutal ramps of the Angliru started it once again turned out that Wiggins was weaker than Froome, but even when Juan Jose Cobo, 4th overall, only 55 seconds behind the red jersey, attacked the newcomer stayed loyal. The team orders were clear, Froome had to help Wiggins to defend, but meanwhile Cobo gained more and more time, rode into virtual red and Sky had to make an important decision: Should they support Wiggins or let Froome attack. At the end they decided to give Froome freedom and he rode away from his old leader, but the decision came too late and after stage 21 Froome was 13 seconds behind Cobo. Today Froome is a 4 times tdf champion but he still hasn't won the Vuelta, but as the peloton tackles the Angliru again things could turn out differently this time.

2013 was the year of Vincenzo Nibali. He had already been a strong gc rider for years, and already won the Vuelta in 2010, however he was never considered as one of the best gc riders and was always clearly rated one class below the likes of Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck, Cadel Evans or Bradley Wiggins. However in 2013 everything changed and the good gc rider became a brilliant one. He won the giro in a dominant fashion, winning a mountain time trial and a mtf on the tre cime in a snow storm on the way. When he started the Vuelta he was the clear favorite. Contador and Froome weren't riding the race, Valverde and Rodriguez both had the tour in their legs and other possible gc contenders were already too old...or were they. Because right when nobody capable of beating a rider like Nibali was in sight something nobody expected happened. Chris Horner, back then 41 years old, out of nothing had the shape of his life and when the road went up he beat the Italian over and over again. However due to his TT abilities Nibali was still only 3 seconds behind and with the Angliru on the penultimate day winning still seemed possible. Shortly before the super steep 2nd half of the mythical climb started Nibali attacked and opened a little gap. He kept pushing on when the ramps started and it seemed like nobody could follow his brutal attack. But Chris Horner once again closed the gap slowly but surely. Nibali tried to get rid of the American again and again but it didn't work and at the end Horner left Nibali in his dust and became the oldest grand tour winner in the history of cycling.

Tomorrow will be the last time these three cycling champions and the most successful gc riders of their generation will fight against each other. One will try to repeat what he has already done here and two will seek revenge. Therefore we can surely all look forward to what almost has to become an incredible stage.

Alberto Contador will win this bike race

Great post. Thanks for this!

Got really hyped for tommorow, yet I won't be able to watch it live

 

[KyoGrey]

Re:

Would be cool to see Froome winning this and destroy some romantics. Well it's hardly gonna happen

I have problems relating your nickname with your wishes for tomorrow's cycling coolnes.

 

[miguelindurain111]

Re: Re:

Would be cool to see Froome winning this and destroy some romantics. Well it's hardly gonna happen

What would be cool is the entire Sky team save Froome taking a wrong turn after 50 km, and never catching back on. *Then* we will have a race.

Naah that would be cool only if you are a fanboy of a guy with big heart but small brain :lol:

Yeah, nobody wants to see the leaders going mano a mano from 80kms out.
Oh wait...

Yup I like team sports with well calculated moves

 

[PremierAndrew]

Zakarin to ruin the party tomorrow (hopefully not by crashing in the wet but rather winning the stage)

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

Zakarin to ruin the party tomorrow (hopefully not by crashing in the wet but rather winning the stage)

Considering how Contador destroyed Zakarin today I have a hard time imagining that.

 

[miguelindurain111]

Re: Re:

Would be cool to see Froome winning this and destroy some romantics. Well it's hardly gonna happen

I have problems relating your nickname with your wishes for tomorrow's cycling coolnes.

I doubt it's serious though, we all have our little problems

 

[Cookster15]

Contador and Nibali's team need to drill the earlier climbs very hard to soften Froome's legs. If Trek and Merida let a break go and ride passively to the foot of the Angliru Froome will have no problem riding a TT with Sky super domestiques setting a fearsome pace in the first two thirds of the climb. Contador and Nibali won't be able to make anything stick if this happens.
Froome might still crack though. We will see.

 

[markene2]

Illnur Zakarin will win this bike race