emre99 wrote:
3rd Stage Horner Gets the Red jersey from Nibali
4th Stage Nibali gets the red jersey from Horner
10th Stage Horner Gets the Red jersey from Nibali
Today Nibali gets the red jersey from Horner
I liked TdF better. After stage 7, Froome gets yellow and takes it to Paris.
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Yes! Yes! Thank god that such a hardworking clean rider took the jersey back from that dirty cheat! Get in!
Well, people are funny...
Right now I'm more supportive of Horner than the most of the top 10 - except Moreno, Pinot and maybe Purito - cause of his dynamic style, that's my view.
Jacdk wrote:
And it looks like Nibali has this one in the bag, unless he gets beat by a "horner" again in a mountain finish.
I'm seriously wondering how the hell you can say something this stupid. There are a ton of mountain finishes left, including hell itself (Angliru), and you say Nibali has got this in the bag?
pcm2009fan wrote: Yes! Yes! Thank god that such a hardworking clean rider took the jersey back from that dirty cheat! Get in!
Well, people are funny...
Right now I'm more supportive of Horner than the most of the top 10 - except Moreno, Pinot and maybe Purito - cause of his dynamic style, that's my view.
Nobody is saying that.
At least Nibali has had a steady progression since 2008. He is not a 42 year old American with a sporting director that has a very bad reputation doping wise with the teams he has managed, performing like he is one of the most talented rider in his prime.
"Nibali already overtook Horner. That's good!"
"Horner lost it :Banana:"
"Thank god :Banana:"
"Kim-Jong Horner"
Montolivo wrote:
At least Nibali has had a steady progression since 2008. He is not a 42 year old American with a sporting director that has a very bad reputation doping wise with the teams he has managed, performing like he is one of the most talented rider in his prime.
You really believe that there is a high probability that Nibali is riding clean? I wouldn't bet a dime on either being clean (nor anyone who's podiumed a GT in the last decade plus for that matter)
If Nibali is slightly less suspicious, then it's at a likelihood where the difference doesn't mean much, if anything at all, to me.
Hilarious performance from Pozzovivo. Despite today being hilly, it shows that his timetrialling is often massively underrated.
Down to Nibali, Horner and Valverde for the overall (or even Roche, I honestly don't know how well he'll keep up), it seems. Purito's not making up that much time regardless of all the MTFs.
pcm2009fan wrote:
*throwing a hissy fit because people seem to not like his favourised rider in the race
Did you know that there are other reasons to dislike a rider apart from him obviously doping?
Also the performances Horner showed this Vuelta so far are really ridiculous and I can't explain them to myself other than that there is a new medication treatment introduced by Horners personal doctor. For Nibali there at least seems to be a little possibility that he is riding as clean as possible, I wouldn't bet anything on that, because I don't believe he is.
vuelta is a fight for the fittest/most in form riders. Horner has barely rode anything this year. Roche has never been good this season, etc... that's why they are good here.
Says enough really that Roche is still so close, the level of the riders doing a 2nd GT is simply not that high.
I was trying to get the point across that the (partly scientific) shadow of doubt over ANY GT contender for many, many, years means that I couldn't care less if top-contender A is slightly less suspicious than top-contender B, and so I'd rather base my "preferences" purely on what I see on the screen.
I guess in my mind the only exception to that "on-screen" rule is where a rider actively orchestrates a wide-scale operation like Armstrong, or maybe where there is suspicion of a rider taking something ridiculous like Voigt and his PFC.
That's not throwing a hissy-fit - I was only stating my (relative) support for Horner, unlike most others, and trying to explain why this can be so, even when his doping is fairly obvious. It's fine to think otherwise, but it doesn't fall in line with my view of the sport as a spectator.
After the individual time trial la Vuelta a Espana begins its transition up to the Pyrenees with a stage nominally for the sprinters. Travelling back towards the Mediterranean coast, Stage 12 has the peloton journeying 164.2km from Maella to Tarragona. The stage should let the riders rest up ahead of some massive stages in the mountains, but Stage 12 still features 1,990m of accumulated elevation gain.
The weather will once again be quite warm, with temperatures forecast to begin around the low 30s (Celsius) and cool slightly as the peloton approach the coast. With the stage approaching, and travelling by, the coast the wind could again be a factor. Only light winds are forecast at the moment, however, should they strengthen the peloton will have to negate some tricky headwinds and crosswinds.
Featuring just one categorised climb, the Category 3 Alto del Camp, the parcours should be too difficult for the riders. There shouldn't be too many issues with the sprinters staying with the peloton to the finishing line for a supposed bunch sprint either. The Alto del Camp features an average gradient of just 3.6% over a slope 7.5km in length, so nothing truly challenging.
Final Kilometers
Another technical approach to the finishing line awaits the peloton, with several corners and roundabouts within the last five kilometres. Within the final kilometre is a two straight and long stretches of roads, however, the peloton will have to negate another roundabout-cum-corner with roughly two-thirds of the final kilometre ridden.
Due to the number of obstacles hindering the peloton, the finish should favour those teams with a strong lead-out train. Fighting for pole position at the head of the peloton will be key for the sprinters and their teams. With the stage victor likely to come from somewhere within the first five or so positions, should the peloton get strung out.
Stage Contenders
With how unpredictable la Vuelta a Espana has been so far, it would be hard to totally rule out the chances of a breakaway stealing the victory. Despite only having limited opportunities, the sprinters have already been beaten to the victory on a few occasions. The technical nature of the final kilometres approaching the finishing line may favour another Zdenek Stybar-like victory if the peloton is unable to chase a late breakaway down.
With a well organised lead-out train, Dutch outfit Argos-Shimano should be in contention for their first victory in the 2013 Vuelta a Espana. Meanwhile, Orica-GreenEDGE have the luxury of choosing from two candidates for the sprint, with Leigh Howard usually the favoured choice for such finishes. However, do not discount Michael Matthews getting the nod if the Australian outfit desire targeting the Green Points Jersey.
American outfit Garmin-Sharp should once again feature near the front with Tyler Farrar. However, the team desperately need to improve their lead-out train to secure the sprint victory. Whilst Omega Pharma – Quick-Step should, in theory, be fully focused on Gianni Meersman, unless they have another breakaway coup brewing.
Perhaps today will be the day Maximiliano Ariel Richeze of Lampre-Merida goes one better, upgrading his two second place finishes for a stage victory. Despite Richeze not having the impressive lead-out trains of some of the other teams present, he has had a nack of being at the right place at the right time. Should the veteran Lampre-Merida rider be able to piggyback the right wheel in to a desirable position he has shown he can be very competitive in a sprint.
Epilogue
A stage for the sprinters? Or shall the breakaway steal away yet another one of their precious few opportunities for a stage victory? The finish could be quite technical, and possibly ripe for another Stage 7-like breakaway attack within the final few kilometres. Should a bunch sprint actually eventuate who is your favourite for the stage?
Edited by Malkael on 04-09-2013 19:50
If Horner had been full of shit, he would have done better today than he did.
Great race from Roche, the 2.place won't last for long, but he deserves some credit. I come to love the Irish riders
Apparently Nibbles has taken something for his bee or wasp sting, but he thinks MPCC wouldn't like it.
Erm, hasn't the glorious team he rides for recently joined MPCC and thus tacitly agreed than an ill or injured rider shouldn't ride when he needs medicines ?
There's something I must have understood too cynically...
