I was just looking at the stages and next weekend should be epic. 3 very tough stages back to back in the mountains of Asturias. The climb up the "Cuitunegru" was a fireroad that was paved in July just for the Vuelta.
Curious to see what 'fireroad that was paved' looks like up there. Some of those climbs go to gravel. Chip-seal for the resorts - let the rest ride gravel! Rory Sutherland's US Pro numbers: the big climb he appears to not drop below 18MPH while putting out some bigtime wattage througout the stage. "This was not an easy stage by any means. Sutherland’s threshold power is right about 400W at this elevation, and he rode for an hour while climbing up to Nederland at 372W. He was really under pressure on that climb early on, just to stay in the breakaway. Once over the climb to Nederland, he had to survive the Left Hand Canyon/Lee Hill climb. Near the top of Lee Hill, Rory put out 472W just to stay with the front riders. Many in the breakaway were dropped at this point. With Jens Voigt (RadioShack-Nissan) going on attack near the base of Flagstaff on a solo move to win the day, Sutherland knew he had to wait until the very base of the climb to make his move. Sutherland attacked hard, sprinting away at 1,049W and then averaging 533W for three minutes in order to create a race-winning separation from the remnants of the break. His effort was also aimed at catching George Bennett (RadioShack-Nissan) and Fabio Aru (Astana), who were still off the front. He caught them easily, then powered to the finish, averaging 461W (6.2 w/kg) for 14 minutes, to a beautiful and well-deserved victory salute." - Velo News http://www.trainingpeaks.com/av/42WQYPJNFUKWPVZ4ASPQMTWUVQ Wish the Euro Pros would release some data like this. And better, the EuroSports/NBC and the rest of the broadcasters/tour organizers join the 21st Century and throw the info onscreen like the Tour Tracker app the ToC uses. It's great stuff for ride junkies and fans alike. It's not enough to say "Contador attacks!" but, better, to have the info that he attacked a group, already going 19 MPH on a 13% section, with a surge of 24 MPH that lasted 500 meters. They should also show the time records for all the climbs and show the individual time counters for the top climbers when they hit the start of the measured climb. NASCAR has this down tight - keeps you hip to who's dogging it and who's going to blow some people up at the crux. Hint to broadcasters: http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Alto-de-Montjuic&qryMountainID=13185 At least the Vuelta throws the speed graphic up on the screen now and then. Odd that it only appears during flat sections - would dig seeing what some of the climb data looks like.
More climbing dope for the Vuelta (details, details ): http://www.climbbybike.com/race.asp?Race=Vuelta2012
TT tomm. looks rather fierce with a Cat 3 in the middle. Degenkolb can bring it - he's on a roll now. Four stage wins and he's 23. Big climbing stages this weekend. Fun stuff: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLhp5c79xuY
Cheat sheet....courtesy Andrew Hood @ Velo News: What we know The Vuelta is more exciting Degenkolb is fast The TT will reveal a lot Talansky is the real deal Gilbert needed that one No pity for Valverde Purito might have a chance Contador is improving Froome is fading Nothing is decided http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/08/news/what-we-know-almost-halfway-through-the-vuelta_236536 Abraham Olano: "This is one of the most beautiful stages of the race. It runs along the Galician coast and should provide some spectacular views. It should be one for the sprinters but it’s best described as ‘rompepiernas’ – a real leg-breaker of a day." Getting on Degenkolb's wheel is proving not so easy. Guy can motor and he's a smart racer. Big talent. Photo courtesy of Graham Watson - per usual, some of the best day-to-day. Photos from today's stage: http://photos.grahamwatson.com/2012RaceUpdates/Vuelta-Espana-Stage-10/25062026_LmLQJX#!
Big day for Kessiakoff in the TT. Very strong ride. Purito was the winner for me - he threw it all out there and defended the jersey. Vuelta keeps coming on strong.
After defending red in the time trial, Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) has made a significant stride towards winning the Vuelta a Espana. view thumbnail gallery Final Climb today's stage: "...slopes of 29 percent, steeper than Angliru The Mirador de Ézaro climb, tackled this afternoon by the Vuelta a España for the first time in its history, is not just famous for being the lookout point with one of the best views in Galicia: it is also set to become one of the steepest roads that a Spanish bike race has ever tackled. The Mirador de Ézaro is just 1.9 kilometres long in the official Vuelta route book, although local cyclists say it is actually slightly shorter, 1.6 kilometres, with an altitude difference of 250 metres in that distance. What nobody argues about is that with an average gradient of 13 percent and sections early on of at least up to 29 percent, at certain points this is even steeper, albeit much shorter, than the infamous Cueña les Cabres segment of the Angliru - a ‘mere’ 23.5 percent. And more than one rider, surely, will opt for walking, rather than riding up it. “This climb has a segment of 300 metres which is more than tough, it’s impossible,” recounts Galician ex-pro Ezequiel Mosquera – who tested positive for hydroxyethyl starch at the 2010 Vuelta – in the Faro de Vigo newspaper. “The route book says that part is 25 percent max but people who know about climbs say it can be up to 30 percent depending on how you tackle the two bends of what is a real wall.” _Cycling News If this follows form today, Contador & Purito will be looking to hammer everyone on this bit of Vuelta madness. The Angliru itself is simply exhausting and Contador's eyes get that mad look when he gets it rolling on that one.
If Sky deliver Froome to the foot of climb I don't see why they wont unleash their Colombians and have a go at Contador & Purito. Could be some classic stuff - these two get up a hill in a hurry and are on the form of their careers right now. Rigoberto Uran: London 2012 Olympic Silver Medalist & great all-rounder http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigoberto_Urán Uran & Henao Sergio Luis Henao: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergio_Henao
The sharp end of Katusha's train: Dani Moreno Moreno & Purito handled everything Saxo, Sky and Movi threw at them today. Just great racing - this is simply the best big Tour racing of the season. Purito is looking at a 2nd @ Giro and a 1st in Vuelta - what a great thing to watch when a big name rider is on his A+ form. Climber without peer now unless Contador is gauging this weekend properly and comes back at Purito tomm and Monday. My impression is that they (Katusha) are the strongest on these big climbs. It's beginning to look like Uran & Henao can only do so much when Froome falls off - the big hi-end pace of Sky is more than matched by Katusha. Valverde and Contador are grabbing any wheel they can now - they haven't been getting the team support the last 2-3Km's of those climbs. Lost in the TV action but just killing it: Andrew Talansky http://www.flickr.com/photos/slipstreamsports/6109477673/
Degenkolb is as big as he looks: “It’s not easy in the climbing stages,” said Degenkolb, who weighs in at a hefty 79kg. “I’ve been riding in the gruppetto so far, trying to save my energy and making sure to make the time cut. The gruppettos so far have been well-organized and everyone is working together.” A Beast to be knocking down those climbing stages. He's giving away 35-40# to the climbers.
This one's gonna hurt tomm. Big summit finish - anyone looking to put some time into Purito better be on their game for this one - it's steep and favors Purito & Contador. Last 3 Kms are 11-18%. Funky gravel/paved roads in sections. http://de.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/imgServer.do?id=1278153 Profile: http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Cuetu-Negro---Cuitu-Negru&qryMountainID=12441#profile "Third consecutive summit finish After one of the Vuelta’s classic climbs comes the race’s latest epic ascent, the Cuitu Negru. It’s been dubbed ‘the Asturian Bola del Mundo’ as, in common with that climb north of Madrid, it’s a short but very steep extension to a road accessing a ski station, in this case Valgrande Pajares. With the tough San Lorenzo and Cobertoria passes to soften up the riders beforehand, this is rightly seen as the race’s queen stage. The final ascent gets harder from Brañillin, 3km from the top. The road, which is being resurfaced, then rises at an average of 13.5 per cent with pitches of 25 per cent. It’s a gruelling test suited to pure climbers. Igor Anton: "The queen stage. This is the third consecutive mountain stage with a summit finish. It’s the hardest of the race and the last 3km on the Cuitu Negru average 14 per cent, after climbing three cat 1 passes that are as tough as any in Asturias." - Cycling News
General Classification after 15 Stages: [TABLE] [TR] [TD="class: count"]73. [/TD] [TD]Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep[/TD] [TD="class: result_column"] 1:11:46 [/TD] [TD] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIWGZmZgti0 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
For sure it would have been a much more exciting race. The guy may win or not, but he surely has guts. He may not win this Vuelta, but he is going to go down fighting, like the true champion he is.
That was awesome to watch Purito and El Pistolero slug it out between each other. For every attack that Contador put in Rodriquez was right there. On that one attack I thought Contador had him by opening a significant distance but Rodriquez closed it back up. It took him some time but he rode back to Contador's wheel. I thought for sure Valverde got shelled in a few of those attacks but he remained close enough to lead the group of 3 across the line
Today needs to be Contador's day. Watching it live on english language Europsort. Link to it through www.steephill.tv. EPIC!
Indeed it does kick ass. A shame Americans can't be bothered to watch a "real" Grand Tour battle. Wiggins is shitting himself at the thought of Contador in next years tour.
The announcer on eurosport tv this morning called it one of the best grand tours in years, and I would have to agree. Contador might not be winning but he has certainly proved himself to be one of the best cyclist of our time. I wasn't a big fan in 2009 when he had that pissing match with Lance when they were both in Astana, but he has ddefinitely proven to be the best around today. Vuelta vs Tour de France. This year Vuelta hands down. Wiggins won the Tour in the most unexciting way you could. Sit behind your team on every stage and then muscle your way through the time trials. Rodriguez and Contador are battling, suffering and battling and suffering on 20+% slopes on oxygen deprived mountains. Real honest to goodness mountain biking without the knobbies and with thiusands of fans ushering ever watt of energy out of you!
spoiler alert!,!,! Incredible (but you have to pronounce it in Spanish, as the announcer on spanish tv announced today's stage. I didn't understand a single solitary other word, but i know for a fact I wacthed one of the best stages in Grand Tour racing i have ever watched. contador was speaking to us all today in the universal langauge of cycling at its best. Today Contador was in cycling what Shakespeare is for English. Just absolutely unbelievable. He tried to drop Rodriguez on the toughest mountains in the last three stages and failed. And today he pulled off the ballsiest move you can imagine. On a transition stage he pulls away 55 kms before the line. With the help of Tiralongo from Astana (former teammate) he basically takes the last 25 km in a duo minutes ahead of everyone else. Meanwhile i love that two Saxo riders sat on Rodriguez like hawks. Its rare that a stage is won on a breakaway. For that to be done by Contador on a transition stage and for it to basically give him enough of a lead that he has now wrapped up the overall win... Indcredible. Best day in cycling that I have ever watched!
