Vuelta Thread, possibly including Spoilers - don't read if you don't want to know!
#51
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Stage 12
Great win for the Pole, great attacking ride from Contador and Froome has his problems but manages to limit his loss. Shows anything can happen when you least expect.
Great win for the Pole, great attacking ride from Contador and Froome has his problems but manages to limit his loss. Shows anything can happen when you least expect.
#52
Senior Member
I'll say it...I miss the podium girls. Each rider that stands on the podium looks lonely and unsure of how long they need to stay there.
I worry about the impact this has on the Podium Girl industry. Hopefully they have training programs to develop other skills that makes them employable.
I worry about the impact this has on the Podium Girl industry. Hopefully they have training programs to develop other skills that makes them employable.
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A-Mercx to that. One of the more exciting stages I've seen in a bit, and that's saying something for this Vuelta. It will be interesting to see how Froomey rides tomorrow, but he didn't look particularly banged up.
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#56
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It's a shame that the Vuelta gets a small fraction of the attention of the Tour. For my money, it'e the most interesting grand tour.
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^agreed.
#58
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I agree. You see a lot more racing between the "heads of state" in the Vuelta. But I guess one downside is that the Vuelta isn't geared for the sprinters and it conflicts with the World Championships. Although one can argue that stages meant for the sprinters make for the most boring racing to watch on TV minus the last 10km.
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Thanks for sharing those. It's horrifying that a fan ran up to that rider and pushed him off his bike. I hope he was arrested. And the cop shoving the fan is a big wtf moment.
#60
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Is it possible that the cop thought the fan was about to get hit by the neutral service moto and was trying to push him out of the way, willingly putting himself into harms way?
Naw...I didn't think so either.
Naw...I didn't think so either.
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Regarding the videos I linked to earlier, here's a link that has some additional videos that show more.
The Spanish cop pushed the fan for running along and getting to close to the rider. He was apparently unaware he was pushing the fan right into the neutral service moto. It was a bad idea, since he could also have pushed the fan into a rider instead, but I understand that those guys are probably on high alert after the terror attacks in Spain in the last few weeks. We've repeatedly seen the police pushing the fans back along the side of the road, which I've never seen before. It's a little less exciting, but it's the rational thing to do.
And I read in the comment section on the page I just linked that the fan who pushed the rider over has Down's Syndrome, so it apparently was a fluke thing where the poor guy was reacting to all the overexcited fans around him.
As for the excitement of the Vuelta, it seems to me that the somewhat shorter stages, along with the depleted teams, is making for more exciting and desperate racing.
The Spanish cop pushed the fan for running along and getting to close to the rider. He was apparently unaware he was pushing the fan right into the neutral service moto. It was a bad idea, since he could also have pushed the fan into a rider instead, but I understand that those guys are probably on high alert after the terror attacks in Spain in the last few weeks. We've repeatedly seen the police pushing the fans back along the side of the road, which I've never seen before. It's a little less exciting, but it's the rational thing to do.
And I read in the comment section on the page I just linked that the fan who pushed the rider over has Down's Syndrome, so it apparently was a fluke thing where the poor guy was reacting to all the overexcited fans around him.
As for the excitement of the Vuelta, it seems to me that the somewhat shorter stages, along with the depleted teams, is making for more exciting and desperate racing.
#62
Senior Member
It's interesting that people often complain about the efficiency and strength of the Sky team in supporting their designated leader. They're clearly fantastic at it, and it does get boring seeing a line of 3-6 black-clad Sky riders leading the peloton, mile after mile, with one or two domestiques going deep into the stage in service of their leader.
OTOH, when I was watching the Binckbank Tour, Sagan had the GC well in hand till he flatted with no support (neutral or team car or teammate), and then in subsequent stages the other riders worked together to keep him from making up time or winning a stage. I read a lot of comments that he had no reason to complain - it was his team's fault, or even his fault for going with Bora-Hangrohe, and that he should go with a deep and strong team Sky-like team to get better results. Of course, if he did have that team, we'd hear that he wasn't really that good a rider, that it was all the team, that it was boring...
Anyway, stage 12 is shaping up for a nice race for the stage win by someone really hungry. As I write this they're 29 km out and about to hit the second big climb.
The sport has evolved to reward aggressive/organized team tactics. Or rather, it's always rewarded that, but Sky has dialed it in to an unprecedented degree, at least in the TdF, and in this year's Vuelta.
OTOH, when I was watching the Binckbank Tour, Sagan had the GC well in hand till he flatted with no support (neutral or team car or teammate), and then in subsequent stages the other riders worked together to keep him from making up time or winning a stage. I read a lot of comments that he had no reason to complain - it was his team's fault, or even his fault for going with Bora-Hangrohe, and that he should go with a deep and strong team Sky-like team to get better results. Of course, if he did have that team, we'd hear that he wasn't really that good a rider, that it was all the team, that it was boring...
Anyway, stage 12 is shaping up for a nice race for the stage win by someone really hungry. As I write this they're 29 km out and about to hit the second big climb.
The sport has evolved to reward aggressive/organized team tactics. Or rather, it's always rewarded that, but Sky has dialed it in to an unprecedented degree, at least in the TdF, and in this year's Vuelta.
So sad, I couldn't find a way to watch the 12th stage.
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Sagan was great fun to watch in the Binckbank Tour. I do think he screwed himself when he said "I decide who wins" or something similar after one of the stages. Probably didn't want to make anyone help him catching breaks.
So sad, I couldn't find a way to watch the 12th stage.
So sad, I couldn't find a way to watch the 12th stage.
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He said that after everyone had already taken an "anyone-but-Sagan" riding approach. What he meant by it was that for several successive stages, he was the only rider in the leading group who was shutting down last minute breaks. He would shut down 3 or 4 in a row, and then get frustrated and let the next one go. That's what he meant - he decided who would win by which break he didn't chase, since no one else would chase. I didn't read where any of the other riders disputed that statement. They all looked kind of embarrassed.
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#66
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Go to Tiz if you want to catch up by watching everything.
We can't find the file you are looking for. It maybe got deleted by the owner or was removed due a copyright violation.
Page not found
The page you're looking for is either restricted or doesn't exist
the publisher of the video doesn't allow adblock
First few I tried.
#67
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Hmm, works fine for me. I got this link from another BF race fan. It's "tiz-cycling.racing". Check your ad blocking software.
#71
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So we keep talking about Sky's dominance, but how many other teams really came to the Vuelta with the GC as their chief goal? Maybe 3-4 others? Astana with Aru, Bahrain-Merida with Nibali, BMC, with TJ, who is becoming a perennial also-ran?
The reason I am prompted to ask is today's stage, where Quick Step clearly prioritized the stage win rather than protecting their GC contender, De La Cruz, who got caught out and dropped from 4th to 5th. He's only a little more than 2 minutes back, and surely if Froome were to stumble, he could be a contendor. And even if Froome is untouchable, De La Cruz still has a good chance to podium in the GC, but still they preferred the stage win.
You would never see Sky go for the stage win while their contender was losing seconds from the GC group.
And btw, Quick Step has done a great job winning stages in this race. Apart from Sky, they seem to be the only team that has repeatedly shown successful strategic team work. Just not towards the GC.
The reason I am prompted to ask is today's stage, where Quick Step clearly prioritized the stage win rather than protecting their GC contender, De La Cruz, who got caught out and dropped from 4th to 5th. He's only a little more than 2 minutes back, and surely if Froome were to stumble, he could be a contendor. And even if Froome is untouchable, De La Cruz still has a good chance to podium in the GC, but still they preferred the stage win.
You would never see Sky go for the stage win while their contender was losing seconds from the GC group.
And btw, Quick Step has done a great job winning stages in this race. Apart from Sky, they seem to be the only team that has repeatedly shown successful strategic team work. Just not towards the GC.
#72
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seems like quick step has always devalued gc contenders and elevated sprinters and classics specialists.
can't blame them. between the mini-tours, gc's and classics/one day races, oodles of stages/races to hoist
the meh quick step kit in front of the public. riding for the gc in the vuelta, giro or tour is not that big of a priority.
if they happen to have a rider in contention/win the tour of california, tour of switzerland, romandie, paris-nice, et al,
so much the better. it's difficult to truly count them out of any race/any stage/anywhere tho. love their style and approach
but it's not for every team.
can't blame them. between the mini-tours, gc's and classics/one day races, oodles of stages/races to hoist
the meh quick step kit in front of the public. riding for the gc in the vuelta, giro or tour is not that big of a priority.
if they happen to have a rider in contention/win the tour of california, tour of switzerland, romandie, paris-nice, et al,
so much the better. it's difficult to truly count them out of any race/any stage/anywhere tho. love their style and approach
but it's not for every team.
#73
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How about Lopez in the last 2 stages? He was flying up the hills.
#74
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#75
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