[Closed] Vuelta 2017 thread - contains spoilers!

Yeah, Lopez's stage win was nice but in the end I still have a feeling he was "allowed out" while everybody else was just ground down by the skydozer and that just seemed inevitable; froome taking 5-10 seconds a day from his nearest rivals

another ultimately disappointing day where "who cracked?" is a much bigger topic than "who did something amazing/exciting?" - I'm going off stage racing; think I'm a classics man at heart

I'm going off stage racing when Sky are involved. Does Froome ever look tired? He's leading his second grand tour in weeks and looks fresher than I do when I get on my bike.

Was rooting for Yates, he was close until Lopez went. Not a particularly exciting stage though I thought. It looks like Froome has gone into defence mode now. Hopefully it will pick up again next week.

Well I must be watching a different race to some as enjoying it loads. Yes sky doing what they do but other going for breaks and sky reacting at time just not standing up.

Hate myself but have warmed to contador this race.

Don't get me wrong, it's been a pretty good race so far. And maybe for that reason I was expecting more today. Contador has been great throughout, aside from that one bad day he had. He's not had the results, but it's great to watch. I warmed to him a lot when he lost, was it Paris Nice - by about 1 second, after a monumental long range attack. Nibali's been good too. Enjoying it all for the main part.

ITT today, exciting stuff 🙂

Be interesting to see the gaps at the end of the day and how the GC guys pace it with a hard week to come. It's a long effort and if you're not well adapted to your TT position you're not going to have a good day. Advantage to Froome with all the time checks going last (though no super suit for him.) I'd expect him to pace it to try and put a bit of time into Nibali but not that much, and Nibali seems to be going well now. Looking at the top 10 I can't really see too much changing. Chavez and Aru maybe dropping back. Lopez and Woods, should go ok. Contador up to 6th maybe.

Rohan Dennis must be gutted today - he rides 15 stages, waiting for the TT to come round, and then has to withdraw the night before.

Makes Froome the favourite - my guess is he will put 2 mins into Nibbles

Nibali in an ITT, can do a good one, can also do a very bad one, I wonder which it will be today? He could easily find himself down behind Zakarin and Wilco.

Only 2 minute starting gaps. Nibali might be a target for Froome to chase in the closing stages.

I would pay good money to see the look on nibali's face if Froome sailed by...

Dirty Bertie to launch a pointless attack for the cameras and then sit behind the guy starting after him complaining he's not doing enough work?

Contador has been great throughout

When ever I see him I just think drug cheat who shouldnt be racing. He got caught taking steriods which give an advantage for the whole career if you keep training properly.

well that was impressive

And that, is the end of that discussion as to who's going to win.

Could he lose a couple of minutes on the last climb?
Potentially, but it seems improbable.

Could Nibali launch off the top of the first climb tomorrow?
Maybe, but it's a long way.

And that, is the end of that discussion as to who's going to win.

Unfortunately true! The drugs are too strong with that one!

Could still lose 2mins on angliru but that would need some back luck

[img] ?01[/img]

Ouch.

Ouch indeed and it's not just the gradient to deal with on this one
http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/vuelta-a-espana/the-vuelta-a-espana-will-take-on-an-incredibly-steep-31-climb-and-these-photos-show-just-how-tough-it-is-345302

I've done similar climbs in that area (Cantabria) on a mountain bike, that concrete will be really unpleasant on a road bike!

Wow, that looks pretty mental for a grand tour route. Are the team cars following at those points?! If 31 percent gradient isn't enough, they're basically riding on a glorified shed base with grooves in it.
Brilliant!

Been raining here on t'north coast too. There won't be cars up there but let's hope no motos fall over onto the riders as per GvA in the Klasikoa a couple of years ago, similar gradient and surface.

I ride a lot of roads like this with 32c tyres at 60psi and still find it hard to keep traction on wet concrete. Though my pedal stroke by that point is far from smooth!

At least it's not something like Thwaites Brow or the other cobbled climbs in West Yorks where you don't just have the slots running across the road but have to avoid those in the line of your tyres as well!

Wow, that looks pretty mental for a grand tour route. Are the team cars following at those points?! If 31 percent gradient isn't enough, they're basically riding on a glorified shed base with grooves in it.
Brilliant!

I seem to remember reading somewhere that there'd be no team cars or spectators allowed up there as it's too narrow but that teams could put static crews up there with wheels & spares.

There's a hill like that not far from mine, basically just a farm access track. Concrete slabs with horizontal grooves cut in it. A local Sportive uses it once a year, it's brutal even on a CX bike.

[quote=weeksy ]And that, is the end of that discussion as to who's going to win.

[quote=anagallis_arvensis ]Could still lose 2mins on angliru but that would need some back luck

Remember how his "luck" was on the ride to Formigal last year? No wonder he's not getting complacent.

Let's hope Sky mechanics can adjust a B screw properly. They'll all be on mtb cassettes. Looks like a gentle Dartmoor climb to be honest 😈

there's rain knocking around, tough getting traction on 30% when the road is wet 🙂

they could really do with the new 11 speed Ultegra cassette in 11-34. 😉

wet descent, will they be testing froomes confidence?

Jesus - the camera shots...

[img] [/img]

shit road too ! kind of reminds me of Antur Stiniog

froome looks like he's in trouble.

I see Nibali's Lazarus like form in the last few days of a Grand Tour has returned again 🙁

no quite to the "give wout poels a pat of the arse and off you go son have the win" script

slowpuncheur - Member
I see Nibali's Lazarus like form in the last few days of a Grand Tour has returned again

Yeah, 'cause he was rubbish in the first week wasn't he? Not like he won a stage or anything...

Sorry but I can't get over his 2016 Giro win. 5 mins back with 3 stages left etc. His TT yesterday was his best in many years and today he looked awesome on the really steep stuff which historically he has struggled on I think. I'm not that bothered that Froome lost a chunk, makes for some interest this next few days rather than a procession. I just find mr sticky bottle a bit unbelievable though.

He won that stage in the first week because of his descending and because he has the best kick out of the climbers in that group. He was well distanced on the ascent before the drop to the finish.

Outstanding stage. Oh and if Italians and Spaniards have "special" diets, what's in that Austrian's muesli?

[quote=slowpuncheur ]I see Nibali's Lazarus like form in the last few days of a Grand Tour has returned again

Is that a problem? If it was a thing, you do realise that it's not because he's going faster than he was, but that he's slowed down less than the others, whether because he's timed his peak that way or just recovering better. It's also the sort of thing a certain Chris Froome has been quite good at...

Though if you want to look at this race specifically, then Nibali has never been far off the pace and there were several other riders riding just as well or better than him today. Any time loss by Froome is either him just having a bad day, or simply that as good a job as he's done coming into the Vuelta on peak form, maybe that form is now fading. Or maybe the climb really didn't suit him.

I also note my comment above 8) - the race was far from over after yesterday.

awesome final climb, something the TdF has been missing, although the finish at the Altiport de Peyresourde-Balestas was steep, just not long enough to crack anyone significantly to make the race interesting

bertie proving again while he will be missed, would have loved to see him take that stage

It's interesting that even amongst the best climbers in the world, they can all excel/suffer depending on gradient. E.g. Contador seems to love it when it's steep - I guess it suits his stand-up and dance style. Vice versa for Froome who prefers to TT up gradual climbs from a seated position. Even Michel Angel-Lopez suffered compared to Bertie.

I'm not sure this means much for Froome's form - it was just a climb that didn't suit him. But the reduced time gap means the race is still on!

How different a climb is stage 20?

End isn't as brutal.
[img] [/img]

It is longer, though.

Wow - a race broke out there for a bit. Awesome

So, do we think a bit of a rest day for Froome for the next couple of days and then smash it on the Angliru?

Nope. I reckon he'll lose a fair amount on Angliru too.

Will it be 1:17 though?

I think other teams will have to attack sky in a concerted effort over the next stages to avoid the train being at full power for the AngryLou (in accounts). Nice strong sidewind would help.

Well that's thrown up a bit of a storm. Contador, jeez you have to be impressed. I always take riders on face value and if current tests say he's clean, then i'm happy to respect him.

It is sad though that i was watching the Austrian and thinking "hell, is he on something?"

The GC battle was pretty intense, Froome seemed OK and smiley enough after it, but that was clearly a dark moment or two for him there.

Enjoying it !

Contador was very impressive yesterday, he just hoovered them up.

Would anyone actually be that impressed if Froome managed to hold on? The way (IMO) Sky ruined the TdF and effectively shut it down made his win inevitable; they appear to be trying to do the same but with less fire power?

People say this about Sky in Tours every year, but it's not their fault. That's their job, that's their reason for being, every year they do it with different guys that they've turned from excellent into exceptional, yet somehow it's their fault.

How about we blame Movistar/Trek/etc for not being good enough. Sky use minimally more budget than the other top 2-3 teams but destroy them season after season. That's not their fault though, they're just doing what they're best at.
Some teams focus and target the Classics, like the Bora squad etc, that's fine, Sky leave them to it mostly to an extent with a few exceptions with Kwia now being there.

minimal 😆

Surely this is good news for Froome, cam't have been keen on the pretty hard pace to start with. The break can set their own pace and the peloton will back off it allowing him to sit in the middle and defend.

I wonder if Froomes issue with super steep stuff is a problem with his oval rings. Either can't get one small enough for him to spin his way up or they have a "bio-mechanical" disadvantage over normal rings when the gradient really tips up. He's better than most on traditional alpine gradients 😕

Katusha first to attack

Nibbles cracks on the final climb, that bloody eurosport commentator though, if he had 9 arms he would give each team sky rider a reach around while pleasuring Portal with his tongue as Dave took from behind.

Klunk, I'd heard they can't get ovals small enough so he has to use those low-tech round ones for the uber steeps.

that bloody eurosport commentator though, if he had 9 arms he would give each team sky rider a reach around while pleasuring Portal with his tongue as Dave took from behind.

Don't think that's Kelly's style at all.

Would love Contador to go early, take the stage and get a 2min time gap to finish on the podium. Tomorrow looks like it should be a good stage.

Can Froome be beaten?

I'm still of the opinion he might be. Not likely, but...

Froome will take the stage tomorrow.

Bertie will have the ham, instead of the beef, sandwich for lunch. Will go early, blowup.

Aru will gurn and grind his way to second place to piss off his team management, who clearly hate him.

Nibbles will wheel suck, then whine.

Wood will take third.

Possibly.

Hope Bertie can wait until the final climb instead of going on the penultimate one yet again.

Say what you like about him, he has improved this race dramatically with his bamzai attacks.

Part of me wants to see him take the stage win tomorrow.

Yeah, despite his beefy past he's lit up this race and several others in the recent past and I'll miss him (or rather, his racing style)

Yeah, despite his beefy past he's lit up this race and several others in the recent past and I'll miss him (or rather, his racing style)

Agreed.

He's a doper. A cheat. He does race, though.

CaptainFlashheart - Member
He's a doper. A cheat. He does race, though.

Find myself warming to Froome over the course of the Tour and Vuelta this year too - yes, he does have the number crunching and team full of would-be-GC-contenders-in-any-other-squad riders to drag him around, but can't deny he's a bloody competitive, honest, racer who hates to be beaten too...

Kind of hoping Bertie hits them at the bottom of the final climb tomorrow, gets a gap and then Froome goes all in to catch him but doesn't quite make it...

Massive day today, can Froome stay in touch on the steep stuff, its looked his weakness so far. Really looking forward to watching later.

Does anyone else fast forward through Froome-bot's interviews on the highlights show?

Conversely I've been disappointed with Froome this year. He was epic in last years tdf, attacking downhill, into crosswinds with Sagan... this year has been back to a duller model.

He didn't need to excite, his job is to beat everyone.

Froome being interviewed is enough to send anyone in to a deep sleep, no matter what the question he will role out the exact same answers. He clearly follows what he has been taught in his media training class so as not to say anything that can be skewed or taken out of context which means its just plain boring. He is one heck of a rider though, tough as teak. The bonus is his style of riding is as bad as mine so at least in those terms we are equals which thus means i am also a brilliant rider.

Spot on blader, he's been media trained to death.

The tipping point for me was when he flat out lied about the argy bargy with Aru in the tour.

The second most interesting thing he's ever done and he wouldn't even acknowledge it. Must be saving it for his next riveting autobiography.

There's one problem with Bertie going mental every day - everyone expects other riders to do the same. But Bertie has nothing to prove in this race, and he has nothing to lose. If he goes off on some mental attack and ends up losing 20 minutes, it makes no difference to him next week, next year. He's a millionaire, he has no contract to worry about next year, it's simple for him.

You have to love watching it though. Can't wait to see what unfolds this afternoon.

[img] ~c200[/img]

[quote=matts ]There's one problem with Bertie going mental every day - everyone expects other riders to do the same. But Bertie has nothing to prove in this race, and he has nothing to lose. If he goes off on some mental attack and ends up losing 20 minutes, it makes no difference to him next week, next year. He's a millionaire, he has no contract to worry about next year, it's simple for him.

Any team would snap up a rider riding the way he is, whether or not they lose 20 minutes. The reason nobody else is doing it isn't because they're worried about their contract but because they can't. I suppose for those aiming for the podium there's some merit in riding conservatively to maintain that position, but I doubt a top 10 place is worth sitting in the bunch for. Mind you there are a few others who've been on the attack occasionally, and we come back to the reason others haven't attacked as much is because they can't.

You armchair pundits make me laugh, such a lot of negativity towards Froome, he is the best rider of his generation..yet he still isn't good enough for you dullards, boring? take a long hard look at yourselves.

Sorry to burst you're bubble but he has won the vuelta and quite convincingly in my eyes, bravo a true gentleman.

Sorry to burst you're bubble but he has won the vuelta and quite convincingly in my eyes, bravo a true gentleman.

Has it finished though?

I reckon that little weasel nibs wins this afternoon, by a minute or so.

He's probably topping up on a blood bag as I type.

Don't get the hatred for contador on here really. He's no worse than Millar for example, and noone had an issue when he was riding towards the end of his career.

I like Froome he does ride conservatively but he can because he's winning the really boring riders are Woods and Zakarin et al. Bertie being behind meant he can ride like he is. He has niwt to lose and isnt too bothered if he blows up. Nibbles has tried to attack to. Froome is pretty dull on interview but he does seem like a decent bloke.

I like Froome's interviews. Comes across as a decent guy, employed for his legs and lungs not his gob. And his team mates seem to genuinely like him - which helps. The interview with Thomas talking about Wiggins and Froome a year or two ago was enlightening. Thomas did the mrdia trained response about Wiggins, but really started to come alive talking about Froome - not what he said but the way he said it.

Right eyes down, look in. This should be good. One way or another.

Oh and pleased to see a De Gendt win yesterday.

See the weathers come out to play as well

Eurosport player is down - can anyone recommend a Stream?