Don’t know who he is but Mayo is suspended for another year. Valverde’s performances are suspect all right imo.
General classification is quite tight with nine stages left. Huge stage tomorrow. Looking at the profile for it and the last climb appears incredibly tough. Anyway Valverde lost a few minutes on a descent on Thursday so he looks out of it. Sastre is a minute or so behind Contador and a further thirty seconds back on Leipheimer and Martinez. The stage tomorrow and that on Sunday will probably go a long way to deciding who wins overall GC. Love to see Leipheimer and Contador suffer over next couple of days but expect Astana to control the race. Would be hard for someone like Sastre to get away with the all powerful Astana squad.
Anyway below is profile for tomorrow.
Stage 13 - September 13: San Vicente de la Barquera - Alto de L’Angliru, 209.5km
The Angliru is back! First used in 209.59, the Alto de l’Angliru makes its fourth appearance in the Vuelta. The incredibly steep climb with pitches up to 23% was last used in 2002. Before the riders get to the often misty, rainy and cold finish they will have to contend with more mountains.
After only 47 kilometres the category three Alto del Ortigueiro await the riders. Then it is on to the Alto de la Faya de los Lobos (rift of the wolfs), which is also a category three climb. Then two category one ascends (El Alto de Colladiella and el Alto del Cordal) will make sure the riders get to the Angliru as tired as possible. The finish on the Angliru is one of three hors category climbs, called Categora Especial in Spanish.
Despite its short history in the race, the Angliru is already legendary. It has seen some great battles. Spain’s Fernando Escartin and Abraham Olano crashed in the 209.59 edition and arrived bruised and battered. Six years ago when the climb was last used David Millar stopped half a metre from the line as a protest against the cruel hill.
It is almost certain that after stage 13 the general classification will have a clear outlook on only a handful of riders remaining with a shot at the overall victory.
Well Contador, unsuprisingly really, destroyed the field. All too predictable but quite awesome to watch nonetheless. Sastre looked like he was dying a dozen deaths, and might be lucky to get on the podium considering Valverde seems in good form (although knowing him he’ll probably lose 20 mins tomorrow).
Congrats to Nicolas Roche as well. http://www.thefreekick.com/board/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif Fantastic stuff.
Elsewhere, Daniel Martin is sitting in third place in the Tour of Britain, only 14 seconds down on the leader. Good week for Irish cycling.
[quote=“Turenne”]Well Contador, unsuprisingly really, destroyed the field. All too predictable but quite awesome to watch nonetheless. Sastre looked like he was dying a dozen deaths, and might be lucky to get on the podium considering Valverde seems in good form (although knowing him he’ll probably lose 20 mins tomorrow).
Congrats to Nicolas Roche as well. http://www.thefreekick.com/board/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif Fantastic stuff.
Elsewhere, Daniel Martin is sitting in third place in the Tour of Britain, only 14 seconds down on the leader. Good week for Irish cycling.[/quote]
The performance of Roche was really impressive and bodes well for the future all right. Must say it was a little disheartening to see Astana and Caisse d’Epargne at the head of affairs and pretty much controlling the race. First Kloden blitzing the peleton and then Valverde, Rodriguez, Contador and Leipheimer all leading. Would find both teams to be highly suspect. The last climb really was an absolute demon. Not sure I’ve ever seen such a tough climb. At some stages it looked as if some of the riders were suffering so much that they would simply get of their bikes.
Looking to next years tour and Astana team looks almost unstoppable. Personally would like to see someone mounting a serious challenge to them. Perhaps most realistic challenge will come from CSC. Hope Andy Shleck or Frank (if he improves his timetrialing) can just target it next year.
It was depressing really. When my Europsport coverage started there were three Postals, sorry Astanas and three Caisse D’epargne leading out a strung out and reducing peleton. One by one, lads just tailed off. But looking at the faces, Contador , Valverde and Leipheimer they might have been cycling down to the shop for a paper. The only one that looked like he was busting a gut and suffering was Sastre. Fair play to him for sticking in there. Contador reminded of Basso the year he blew every one away in the Giro. Great ride from young Roche, delighted for him. See he is joining AG2R next year. Some bitch of a climb though. Harder than anything in the Tour. Spanish fans are mad bastards, did you see the cops running ahead of Contador trying to push the crowd back? I’ve just finished David Walsh’s “Lance to Landis” book and I am more cynical than ever about Astana now.
Ah I don’t know, if Levi and Valvy weren’t struggling they wouldn’t have fallen off Berto, and its hard to tell with Levi anyway, he just has that kind of impossible to read face. And while it wouldn’t suprise me if Valvy was still doping, Levi is supposed to be as trustworthy and clean a rider in the peleton, even if he is riding for Astana.
Anyway, Berto to do his thing again today, and wrap up the race competely.
oh yeah, no doubt about it
Roche up to 14th now. Great stuff altogether.
I think I might be squeezing my gut in to my Michele Bartoli Italian champion Mapei jersey, oiling up the Olmo and going for a first training ride in years tomorrow.
Didn’t see Roche finish on Eurosport, glad he did well.
Highlight of today’s stage - Valverde shatting himself yet again. http://www.thefreekick.com/board/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif Obviously he forgot the vitamins this morning.
Beyond that, its a Berto/Levi/Carlos 1-2-3. Race over.
When do the World Champs start?
Eurosport’s coverage was abysmal yesterday. No sign of Roche finishing but it turns out he was less than two minutes down in 19th. He’s a good 4 minutes ahead of Kloeden on GC now.
Valverde really went backwards when he broke down. Himself and Sastre were dropped within a matter of seconds of eachother but Sastre was able to maintain a rhythym and lost only 20 seconds but Valverde just hit the wall. He’s all over the place.
Roche just lost out on a stage win today by inches. Went a little too early, but did well to get in a position for the win in the first place, and showed plenty of strength and determination. Moved up a few places on the GC as well.
where is he on GC today, is this not a fookin unbelivable perfromance…why is there not more mnetion of this on domestic TV
Should be given more coverage absolutely. Vuelta probably has the lowest profile out of the Grand Tours. General classification below. Roche is in thirteenth. Perfrormance is all the more encouraging when you consider that the make up of the top ten looks a lot dirtier than that of Le Tour’s Top Ten. Roche has hung in really well in the mountains. Stage victory is on its way soon hopefully.
General classification after stage 18
1 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 73.54.38
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 1.17
3 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC - Saxo Bank 3.41
4 Ezequiel Mosquera Miguez (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 4.35
5 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 5.49
6 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 6.00
7 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 6.11
8 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 8.56
9 David Moncouti (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crdit par Tlphone 9.32
10 Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Gerolsteiner 10.01
11 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 10.52
12 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre 10.56
13 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Crdit Agricole 11.42
14 David Garcia Dapena (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 11.47
15 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Quick Step 15.02
Because RTE doesn’t give a shit about cycling.
Roche is real quality. Really coming into his own this season. Might be a chip off the old block yet. Joining AG2r Next year I think.
Roche gets ever so close
By Bjorn Haake in Las Rozas and Shane Stokes
Nicolas Roche (Crdit Agricole)
Photo : Sirotti
Nicolas Roche (Crdit Agricole) posted one of his best results in his young pro career when he ended the Vuelta a Espaa stage 18 in second place, only centimetres behind winner Imanol Erviti (Caisse d’Epargne). In fact, it was the best Irish Grand Tour stage result since his father Stephen won a stage of the Tour de France in 1992.
An exhausted Roche stood at the finish, huffing and puffing. Some people were still suggesting he may have won the race, but eventually the news was broken to him that he finished second in the close sprint against Erviti. Roche’s head dropped and he looked very disappointed, having come so close to a major victory. “I am frustrated, it’s a pity,” Roche said. “You only get a few opportunities like that, they don’t come along too often.”
But soon his smile came back, as he was explaining his finish to Cyclingnews. “There was a sharp corner 500 metres from the line,” he said. “I was hoping the sprint would go from a long way but they stalled after the corner and started looking at each other. The other riders who were behind were getting closer to us, so it was a risk.”
Asked if he went too early, he agreed. “I did, but the rider from Caisse d’Epargne was very strong. He did a lot of riding in the final bits. On the corner I was a bit behind. He went strong at the bottom, so I thought if they’d slow two seconds I could go a bit early.”
As it turned out it was too early, as Erviti was firmly attached to Roche’s back wheel as they struggled up the final hill. Erviti then came past Roche and looked like the easy winner. But Roche was not giving up just yet. “I sprinted again to try to get back to him. But he was very strong and a good winner.” No sooner had he said that, the winner of the day rolled by and the two shook hands, with mutual admiration for each other’s efforts.
Roche was overall pleased with his Vuelta. “I am happy. The goal was to get into the break and maybe get a bit of time in the GC. I came here saying the most important was going for stages, but the way things went I was well placed in GC. Today and tomorrow were the last two chances. Today was definitely my better chance than tomorrow.”
The game plan for Friday’s stage 19 was clear. “I will just try to hang in… It is a tough day, with two first category climbs. I have no idea how it will go. It is pretty tight on GC behind me, only four seconds back to the next rider, but I will hopefully keep my place. Okay, there is not much difference between thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, but I’ll keep pushing. It all depends on how I recover, then I’ll try to do my best in the time trial.”
While a high stage placing was always possible, few would have expected him to be so high up in GC at this point. Roche is himself surprised, although he said that he had intended trying to do well in the overall classification, 13th at the moment.
“I have always shown good qualities in stage races,” he stated. “That said, I didn’t see myself up in thirteenth overall. When I spoke to the team manager before the Vuelta, we said we’d see how it went. The plan was to try to be in around 25th or 30th place, then maybe get into a ten minute break in the final week. However I wasn’t expecting to be up in seventeenth and to go to thirteenth overall.”
He did well today, finished in a group of 20 or so just behind the two stage winners. There were guys who lost 20 minutes today and despite his efforts yesterday Roche only lost 11 seconds.
He’s obviously got good genes and bags of talent but is there anything iffy at all about this performance?? 3rd week of a stage race, huge performances and then repeating the next day…
??
Impossible to say. We’ll see how he gets on in the World Championships maybe. If he wins that I’ll have my suspicions. http://www.thefreekick.com/board/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif
Hard to know whether the death of Credit Agricole would tend towards steroids or not - on the one hand the team don’t give a shite about results so why would they push anything. On the other hand they’ve no reputation to protect so why not just take chances as a team. Anyway among the French teams now any doping that’s there seems more individualistic than team-driven.
Hope to God he’s clean. He’s still young so of course he’d be improving and Daniel Martin is doing similar (family discount maybe?) and his growth isn’t ridiculous or anything.