Vuelta a Espana 2011.. Stage 12 till 21
by Frinking on Aug 16, 2011 4:50 PM EDT
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Part 2 of the profiles of the Vuelta. What a fun we had with numers of 27% and we have hailed Kittel. Now the second half with more profiles and less talk!
- A TTT
- 1/2 Kittel vs Cavendish sprintstages
- 2/3 Sagan vs Freire sprintstage
- A TT
- 2 JRod vs Anton vs Icouldextendthislistmuchlongerbutyougetthepointoftheverysteepfinishesno? stages
- 3 uphill finish stages
We have seen already:
Second part of the Vuelta
After some serious mountain again a day for the sprinters. Finish has a little gig of 2 á 3% in the last 490 meter.
via www.lavuelta.com
Stage 13:
What to make of this? A first mountain jersey in the middel of the stage?! Reminds me of the Hushovd stage in the Tour. Probably same scenario. 100km of attacks and a break who sticks. Ideally..
via www.lavuelta.com
Stage 14:
The 4th stage which finishes uphill, like on a mountain, but again not too steep. 20km á 5.5%. It is getting steeper at the end. But the Tour had steeper climbs didn't they? Extraordinary..
via www.lavuelta.com
Stage 15:
Like I knew it! There theyy are with real gradients. With gradients that really hurt the eyes. With the mountain of the mountains in Spain. The Angliru. The Alpe d'Huez of Spain. The Mortirolo of Italy.. Ok not really. But 10%. 12.55km. +
The steepest part, which has a 23.6% slope, is known as Cueña les Cabres and is located about 3 kilometres from the summit. The climb is no easier from this point, as there are two later ramps at gradients of 18 to 21%.
via www.lavuelta.com
Stage 16:
Eneco flat
via www.lavuelta.com
Stage 17:
I wonder. Which Spaniard did they have in mind drawing this course? An 'arendsnest' again as we say in Holland. (Eagle's nest) A long and steep one. 6 kilometer. 10%. Maximun gradient 18%
via www.lavuelta.com
Stage 18:
With some goodwill of the better climbing sprinters this is too difficult for the sprinters. Also the breakaway could stand here.
via www.lavuelta.com
Stage 19:
See stage 18. That second stage mountain will be ridden two times. 4km 7 or 8%. Could be interesting. If the gaps in the GC are not too big
via www.lavuelta.com
Stage 20:
Eeh what to make of this? Steep mountain. Flat. They get me fucked up. Profile
via www.lavuelta.com
Stage 21:
Ahh. That is flat Tou even can say. Pancakes here
via www.lavuelta.com
Verdict second half?
- 3 sprint stages
- 4 Breakaway vs strong sprinters stages
- 3 uphill finishes
That makes 6 uphill stages (Shocking 118.5km in total are the last mountains) vs 1 Time Trial (45km) and 1 Team Time Trial (13.5). I think we can say it is is a course for climbers. Scarponi in his Giro form 2011 should win this, Menchov in his 2009 Giro should win this, Anton in his Vuelta 2010 form should win this, Rodriquez in his Vuelta 2010 should win this. (Nieve is going to win this) Who is your favorite? And some random thoughts about the course?
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My heart says J-Rod
but my brains say that long TT will play into the hands of Menchov or maybe Nibali! It will be a tough battle and it should be the most closely fought battle of this GT year, so I really can’t wait to see it unfold!!
Frinking! I went to the bookies and bet my farm ( virtual ) on Mikel Nieve
And all you did you just mentioned him in the beginning of your first tread.
You didn’t build the case, why you think he is going to win!
"I love bike races warm up, warm down, cobbles mountains or flats."
perezbike
.
Because Nieve is supercool!
And well. Is there a case to build? He won the last 2 Queen stages in the Grand Tour he was in. This extraordinary climbing talent makes him the threat of the Vuelta. And he is the wingman of Anton. In that role he has less eyes on him. Blabla..
It was just fandomness!
And haw is his TT ing?
Oh wait, don’t answer that! Fandomness rules!
"I love bike races warm up, warm down, cobbles mountains or flats."
perezbike
.
Stage 15 (OMG)... I don't believe it really exist.
I do love these red profiles btw.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
Found this and i think you guys will find it very interesting.
The climb stands for 12,5 km from the village of La Vega (Riosa)to the top at 1573 m, with an altitude gain of 1266 m. The average slope of the whole climb is 10,13% and the maximum is 23,5% in the final part. From the beginning to the rest area of ""ViaPará"" (km 5), the average percentage is not over the 9%. After this point the road looks at the ceiling and becomes very steep. We first get to ""Les Cabanes"", with a maximum ramp of 22%. In the 8th Km, we find the ramp of ""Lagos"" with a 14,5% maximum. Next one is ""Les Picones"" in km 9. We here reach a 20% slope. ""Cobayos"" ramp can make us think we are in the steepest part of the climb, but we would be wrong. We find a 21,5% in km 10. If our climb is being succesful, the next part will be the hardest one. ""La Cueña Les Cabres"" will appear in front of us with its 23,5% maximum slope (km 10,5). If we win the battle against gravity at this point, we have almost reached the top. But there are still two more difficult parts. One is ""El Avirú"" with a 21,5 % in km 11 and the last one will be ""Les Piedrusines"" in the 12th km. Once we pass the last ramp,a relaxing 500 m will take us to the parking area at 1573 m. If you made it, nothing else to say but good job!. My personal climb rating: 5 stars
Scary thing!
I hope not to see it tonight in my dreams!
"I love bike races warm up, warm down, cobbles mountains or flats."
perezbike
.
pray that the weather this year is like 2008, not 2003.
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
whoops. tnx for the correction. so, hellish, i forgot the year.
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
missed it the other times it was in the vuelta, did you?
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
This is my first Vuelta...!
Last year I just kept thinking Holmovka was crazy yelling at the computer… .. Now I yell at him not the computer yet..!
Yea.
Last year was the first time I followed the Vuelta closely. Most other times I followed it loosely, just to see who was winning stages and GC, and how riders were doing.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
research. enjoy.
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=angliru+youtube
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
First video has the appropriate song : " Take me away!"
"I love bike races warm up, warm down, cobbles mountains or flats."
perezbike
.
My apology to the fans of the Basque country, but
I would cut out stage 16, 17, 18 , 19 and 20 which are all rather meh and will have little influence on the GC unless somebody decides to crash.
Otherwise: game on.
Quick weather update from benidorm way
Is 39c/104f during the day, 30/86 at night. Hot even for this part of Spain. The first week is going to be gruellingly hot.
My VDS team is feeling pretty good about the Route de Espana
I have Sagan, Nibali, Roche (Krsispy Kreme!!), Van Avermaet, Phinney, Kroon, Moncoutie, Degekolb, Fuglsang (!!), Mollema, Haussler and Talansky.
And they are all riding – I refuse to limit my team to nine riders! We really need the points.
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