2013 Vuelta a España

[briztoon]

How many riders have abandoned over the last tow days? Fair call to Gerro, a cracked thigh bone is a legitimate excuse. I did hear quite a few riders suffered from hypothermia in the rain in the Pyrenees.

[Davidrnau]

How many riders have abandoned over the last tow days? Fair call to Gerro, a cracked thigh bone is a legitimate excuse. I did hear quite a few riders suffered from hypothermia in the rain in the Pyrenees.

Yes the commentators have mentioned that alot on Eurosports....getting down to 9 degrees c rainy and misrable conditions, must be hard for the riders after the extreme heat.

Can't believe the helicopter got up in the air, looked very cloudy and dangerous.

Stage 14 and 15 I have really enjoyed

David

[singlespeedscott]

+1 on the enjoyable to watch, tough mtn stages.

[Davidrnau]

Stage 16 > Graus - Sallent de Gállego. Aramón Formigal
9 September / 146.80 kilometres

Stagewinner : 03:43:31 BARGUIL Warren

General Classification
1. NIBALI Vincenzo AST 64:06:01
2. HORNER Christopher RLT 00:00:28
3. VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro MOV 00:01:14
4. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin KAT 00:02:29
5. POZZOVIVO Domenico ALM 00:03:38
6. ROCHE Nicholas TST 00:03:43
7. PINOT Thibaut FDJ 00:04:37
8. KONIG Leopold TNE 00:06:17
9. SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel EUS 00:07:33
10. KANGERT Tanel AST 00:09:21

David

[bvella]

Amazing talent Barguil is. Won the Tour de l'Avenir (U23 TDF sort of) last year.

[DavidS]

It's getting interesting, looking forward to Thursday night.

DS

[biker jk]

Does anyone know how Barguil acquired the first name "Warren"? Not exactly French.

[clackers]

Fair call to Gerro, a cracked thigh bone is a legitimate excuse.

Yeah, shocking timing - he could have had a real go at the World's next month.

[Davidrnau]

Stage 17 > Calahorra - Burgos
11 September / 189.00 kilometres

Stagewinner : 04:44:28 MOLLEMA Bauke

General Classification
1. NIBALI Vincenzo AST 68:50:29
2. HORNER Christopher RLT 00:00:28
3. VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro MOV 00:01:14
4. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin KAT 00:02:29
5. ROCHE Nicholas TST 00:03:43
6. POZZOVIVO Domenico ALM 00:05:09
7. PINOT Thibaut FDJ 00:06:08
8. KONIG Leopold TNE 00:06:17
9. SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel EUS 00:07:33
10. KANGERT Tanel AST 00:10:52

David

[Davidrnau]

I think that stage 18 will see the eventual GC winner (most likely Nibali) of the Vuelta from this stage, some brutul climbs, the last two kilometres with 20 degree sections. Expect to see Horner clinging to Nibalis back wheel, but Nibali will just toy (as he has done in previous stages) with Horner and power away when he sees fit.

The big guns will need to be up front before hitting the streets of Solares to avoid crashes.

David

[schroeds]

Fair call to Gerro, a cracked thigh bone is a legitimate excuse.

Yeah, shocking timing - he could have had a real go at the World's next month.

Are we wildly optimistic about our riders? I mean look at Gossy

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[biker jk]

I think that stage 18 will see the eventual GC winner (most likely Nibali) of the Vuelta from this stage, some brutul climbs, the last two kilometres with 20 degree sections. Expect to see Horner clinging to Nibalis back wheel, but Nibali will just toy (as he has done in previous stages) with Horner and power away when he sees fit.

The big guns will need to be up front before hitting the streets of Solares to avoid crashes.

David

Nibali has lost time to Horner on the last two mountain stages. Horner is clearly the best climber in the Vuelta based on current form.

[MichaelB]

The penultimate stage up the Angrilu is shaping up as an absolute cracker !!!

[Davidrnau]

Nibali has lost time to Horner on the last two mountain stages. Horner is clearly the best climber in the Vuelta based on current form.

True...am a big Nibali fan...He's (Horner) edging closer to the red jersey now hes only three seconds behind Nibali in GC.

David

[singlespeedscott]

Is it me or Horner just looks like a Zombie when he rides? He just seems to have this goofy look on his face the whole time.

Another thing. Why has it taken him until he is 41 to become a grand tour GC rider? Cadel is supposed to be the eldest grand tour winner in the post war period and he was only 34.

[JohnJoyner]

Is it me or Horner just looks like a Zombie when he rides? He just seems to have this goofy look on his face the whole time.

Another thing. Why has it taken him until he is 41 to become a grand tour GC rider? Cadel is supposed to be the eldest grand tour winner in the post war period and he was only 34.

Maybe the Big Mac's he's been eating have contaminated beef??

[Davidrnau]

Is it me or Horner just looks like a Zombie when he rides? He just seems to have this goofy look on his face the whole time.

Another thing. Why has it taken him until he is 41 to become a grand tour GC rider? Cadel is supposed to be the eldest grand tour winner in the post war period and he was only 34.

Just watched stage 18 now, Horner drives me nuts with that smile/smirk on his face.....and yeah the whole Vuelta I have been thinking to myself, wow a 41 year old superhero, the way he climbed up those last few km's of stage 18 ...he got through those 20% gradients like a man thats just hopped on a road bike

Nibali just looked completely stuffed.

Sorry, but I am abit 'sus' of Horner and his 2013 Vuelta performances.

David

[vosadrian]

As a 40 year old myself I want to believe in Horner's performance. To be fair, Nibali does not appear to be anywhere near the form he was in for the Giro. At the Giro he was being aggressive on the climbs just to show he could even when it was risky. None of that here. He just seems to be managing losses where he can. It seems to me that it is a case of a fresh Horner against others who gave their best at earlier season tours.

Given current form of riders, it is difficult to see Nibali holding on. I just hope Horner is doing it without other help!

[clackers]

Are we wildly optimistic about our riders? I mean look at Gossy

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Well, to use your example, Schroeds, Gossy was runner up in 2011.

How soon we forget!

[Davidrnau]

As a 40 year old myself I want to believe in Horner's performance. To be fair, Nibali does not appear to be anywhere near the form he was in for the Giro. At the Giro he was being aggressive on the climbs just to show he could even when it was risky. None of that here. He just seems to be managing losses where he can. It seems to me that it is a case of a fresh Horner against others who gave their best at earlier season tours.

Given current form of riders, it is difficult to see Nibali holding on. I just hope Horner is doing it without other help!

Yes I agree, the Giro must have taken a hell of alot out of Nibali, it really showed at the end I feel of stage 18, I honestly thought he was going to have a clip stack out of exhaustion, he looked like me going up a hill, sloped forward, struggling, sucking in the big ones.

Anyways all the best to Horner.

David

[toolonglegs]

Always been a fan of Chris, good he finally gets a chance to ride for himself!.
He has always been a solid performer in hilly stage races. Plus I don't think the competition is all that amazing this Vuelta.

[schroeds]

Are we wildly optimistic about our riders? I mean look at Gossy

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Well, to use your example, Schroeds, Gossy was runner up in 2011.

How soon we forget!

Quite right...but overall wouldn't you say he's failed to meet expectations* that's my point...maybe we expect too much given OGEs pretty short history as a team.

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[bvella]

Cant wait till 7 years after this race when Horner gets done for doping....

[biker jk]

Cant wait till 7 years after this race when Horner gets done for doping....

Can't disagree that his performance is unbelievable but Nibali in the Giro was likewise.

[bvella]

Cant wait till 7 years after this race when Horner gets done for doping....

Can't disagree that his performance is unbelievable but Nibali in the Giro was likewise.

Really. He had hardly any competition. Much more believable than a 42 year old standing up out of the seat the whole climb and doing it with ease.