Malkael wrote:
Sammy Sanchez up in to seventh (+1'41" in the GC after the time trial according to the provisional results. Niiicccee...
Yeah there was some fight in the BMC old men today
Hells 500 Crew and 6 x Everester
Don Rd Launching Place
Melbourne Hill Rd Warrandyte
Colby Drive Belgrave South
William Rd The Patch
David Hill Rd Monbulk
Lakeside Drive Emerald https://www.everesting.cc/hall-of-fame/
Good TT but I think Uran will finish 5th at best. Considering that other 4 don't crash out. Contador, Valverde, Froome and Purito will all be ahead. As it is Uran performance drops in last week and during second GT of the year he is worse. So let's see. Aru, Gesink and Sanchez are quite behind but you never know they may catch up. Also Quintana will now surely do duty for Valverde.
There shouldn't be any overhauling Contador for Sammy Sanchez but a high GC finish would be nice to see. Anything is possible when you looking for a contract and all that...
Though given they have Alan Pieper there now and BMC have a larger budget to allocate to things like sport science departments than Euskaltel could ever hope for, I would expect BMC to churn out a better model of ol' Sanchez.
Edited by Malkael on 02-09-2014 17:16
Omloop wrote:
As long as Contador doesn't win the vuelta i'm happy.
Or Valverde, then i will be happy too
Then both of you come back next year because it's looks like Contador or Valverde will win and only Purito has realistic chance to comeback but he is bit way down. Way Froome has performed on last mountain stage and in his favoured discipline TT, it looks like he is not at his best .
Am I the only one placing question marks at Contador's performance? How is it possible after breaking your leg, to recover so fast and get good form? He didn't have a lot of traininghours and all his other competitors should have had a lot more preparation time...
With Quintana 3.30 down, I think Rodriguez will be the toughest to handle. If Froome doesn't crush you on the TT, he for sure won't in the mountains. Everyone knows Valverde can't win unless a couple of more will crash, he simply doesn't have what it takes over 3 weeks against this competition. Urán.. meh. Possibly top-5, not a good enough climber.
Rodriguez showed in the Tour 2013 that he was at his best the last week since he lost quite some time in the Pyrenees. Kinda same story here and I think he can republicate that performance here. Quintana still has a chance to win, but surely it will depend on his health and even if he is 100%, it will be very, very hard.
Edit: And reports are Quintana has trouble walking due to knee pain, does not bode well. And Timo, I dont think so. As Shonak has mentioned a couple of times, the base form or whatever he called it is the most important, you simply dont lose that in a matter of 2 weeks. Also there have been different reports about his knee, some claiming they saw him train long before that he originally stated.
Edited by Riis123 on 02-09-2014 17:23
TimoCycling wrote:
Am I the only one placing question marks at Contador's performance? How is it possible after breaking your leg, to recover so fast and get good form? He didn't have a lot of traininghours and all his other competitors should have had a lot more preparation time...
Professional cyclists often go without a ride for many weeks. They don't lose all that hard gained fitness. Contador has already shown this year that his base level of fitness is freaking high due to a tough winter and some great racing, (think Dauphine). Additionally, he came, like Froome, relatively fresh from le Tour, and unlike Froome, he seemed to have done better training. So, I'm not surprised, he is able to perform. I also think there was some more PR theatre to make it more spectacular and keep rivals in the dark.
More important question was always if the tibia fracture (not a broken leg, if I'm right) injury heals up and if he can ride without (too much) pain. The tibia did heal, though with some complications. In the end, healed is healed and he was able for competition - in time for Vuelta. And well, if his body is happy already, than all the better. And thus, it shouldn't keep him from performing for now. Top athletes live for this kinda stuff, for competition Like Contador said, sorta, "I can ride Vuelta and maybe fail, or go up the walls here at home, doing nothing". Maybe they took a risk, who knows. Maybe it's all a PR stunt. I'm glad he's in the race, any race with Bertie in it, is all the better in my humble opinion.
Why Contador is in red, well - he's incredible, that's that. But also his competition, well, everyone has his problems to carry around: Valverde is always racing throughout the year, Froome has a hard time this year, Quintana just crashed and looked to peak for third week, Purito has had a horrendous crash year so far, Uran is looking for shape and doing surprisingly well compared to last year et cetera... The names may sound all alluring and like its a champion race, but it's also a feast for riders to recover something for this season, guys who still look for their form in the first, two weeks - and right now, Contador is just on top of that pyramid. We'll find out more as the Vuelta progress, should be great to watch with maybe some nice comebacks.
Edited by Shonak on 02-09-2014 17:48
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Riis123 wrote:
With Quintana 3.30 down, I think Rodriguez will be the toughest to handle.
Yes, I agree. Purito definitely will look to light up some fire here. But for Contador, Valverde should be right now of most concern.
As Shonak has mentioned a couple of times, the base form or whatever he called it is the most important, you simply dont lose that in a matter of 2 weeks. Also there have been different reports about his knee, some claiming they saw him train long before that he originally stated.
Indeed, guys on twitter claimed to see him already early on and stuff like that. Maybe half-truths but yeah, probably max two weeks off bike: all year long, Contador has been the rider most eager to prove his worth after 2013. Look at his performances in Tirreno or Pais Vasco, Dauphine... so it's no surprise that he (still) has the legs and the will to be beasting up Vuelta too.
Edited by Shonak on 03-09-2014 00:13
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
TimoCycling wrote:
Am I the only one placing question marks at Contador's performance? How is it possible after breaking your leg, to recover so fast and get good form? He didn't have a lot of traininghours and all his other competitors should have had a lot more preparation time...
Professional cyclists often go without a ride for many weeks. They don't lose all that hard gained fitness. Contador has already shown this year that his base level of fitness is freaking high due to a tough winter and some great racing, (think Dauphine). Additionally, he came, like Froome, relatively fresh from le Tour, and unlike Froome, he seemed to have done better training. So, I'm not surprised, he is able to perform. I also think there was some more PR theatre to make it more spectacular and keep rivals in the dark.
So meany people commenting on what happened and no one noticed where it happened:
PS. I was doubtful about Conta. Te be fair I was doubtful about Froome and Quintana either. But how strong he sits right now. Froome looks nowhere near. And with Quintana's luck...
Edited by Smoku on 02-09-2014 18:14
TimoCycling wrote:
Am I the only one placing question marks at Contador's performance? How is it possible after breaking your leg, to recover so fast and get good form? He didn't have a lot of traininghours and all his other competitors should have had a lot more preparation time...
You have to consider that we and the press will never get the truth of the injuries or the form of a rider, so considering the spin and smokescreen, its clear the injury wasn't as bad as we were first led to believe.
As to the training, well wasn't there a rumour that he was seen riding as early as end july, so that gives him plenty of time to recover the injury and also get back into form.
Shonak wrote:
Professional cyclists often go without a ride for many weeks. They don't lose all that hard gained fitness. Contador has already shown this year that his base level of fitness is freaking high due to a tough winter and some great racing, (think Dauphine). Additionally, he came, like Froome, relatively fresh from le Tour, and unlike Froome, he seemed to have done better training. So, I'm not surprised, he is able to perform. I also think there was some more PR theatre to make it more spectacular and keep rivals in the dark.
"better training"
Whatever pleases you. Maybe it's the crash, maybe Froome lost his edge, maybe it's your cheeky "better training", maybe he just peaks for third week, but so far Froome does not seem to have trained and prepared himself in a great way for this Vuelta, otherwise he wouldn't be so far down in this TT or on sunday. So yes... better training, which many GC guys did apparently.
Edited by Shonak on 02-09-2014 19:15
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
We are 10 days in, time to make a small status on what I have seen so far.
Kenny Elissonde - I really expected him to show more, don't know if he has crashed/is sick or whatever is holding him back, but right now he doesn't look like he will be capable of doing anything. Really hope he shows some more, now that we really head into the mountains.
Romain Sicard - I really liked him back in the days (09) where I saw him win the U23 WC RR, but he hasn't showed much since. In this Vuelta I have been really surprised by his performance, he looks pretty strong (compared to earlier). He could grab a stage win - I really hope that for him.
Tinkoff - Saxo team. Haven't been really bad nor really good. Did an okay TTT, but none of them has been there in the mountains for Alberto, not even Zaugg. Zaugg has been lost when the group consisted of 25-30 riders. Chris Anker not riding well either, they need to step up the game, otherwise Contador will be too vulnerable to attacks like those we saw from Talansky earlier.
Kangert and Landa haven't been great either so far, Landa looked like he drove really well in Burgos, but seems like he hasn't been able to hit it here at the Vuelta
Present:
Tinkoff-Saxo - AG2R - Colombian riders
Past:
Francisco Mancebo - Illes balears - Carlos Sastre - Kelme - Robbie McEwen
in the GC after the time trial according to the provisional results. Niiicccee... 
