Vuelta Espana

[davek]

It has been a fascinating race, and whilst this years Tour was great, it is looking increasingly like the easiest of the three Grand Tours.

I'm in two minds about the Angliru. When it's that steep there's no benefit really from drafting someone. Suppose there's the psychological benefit of sitting on someones wheel, but really when it's like that it's mano et mano.

I dare say there are some other issues at play too. After all, Wiggins is the leader of the whole team. Dropping him for Froome would have had some decent implications I suspect.

The point about Angliru is a good one: there was no real use of Froome staying with Wiggins if the latter is zig-zagging all over the road trying to keep forward momentum, which he was for the final couple of kilometers. I reckon it was team politics. That factor was fair enough after the TT, because there was a lot of racing left and a 6/7 second lead for Froome over Wiggins was always going to make it a reasonable enough decision to back the team leader and avoid friction, I suppose. But fast forward a week and those politics should not have been an issue: Wiggins had blown a gasket on Angliru and the tour was being lost by SKY.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Just amazes me where it's come from. I mean Froome's last race before this was 87th at the Tour of Poland. His palmares this season has been modest at best, with a 14th and 15th in the Vuelta Castilla and Tour de Romandie respectively.

http://www.teamsky.com/profile/0,27291,17543_6638000,00.html

Sure if he wasn't British (kind of) there would be all kinds of accusations against the lad, it really is a meteoric rise. Don't think the race is over yet either. With things as close as they are it doesn't take much of a split in the peleton for time gaps to emerge. It's unlikely it can be pulled back but you never know.

 

[davek]

Just amazes me where it's come from. I mean Froome's last race before this was 87th at the Tour of Poland. His palmares this season has been modest at best, with a 14th and 15th in the Vuelta Castilla and Tour de Romandie respectively.

http://www.teamsky.com/profile/0,27291,17543_6638000,00.html

Sure if he wasn't British (kind of) there would be all kinds of accusations against the lad, it really is a meteoric rise. Don't think the race is over yet either. With things as close as they are it doesn't take much of a split in the peleton for time gaps to emerge. It's unlikely it can be pulled back but you never know.

The raised eyebrows are over Cobo's form. He was in the Saunier Duval team that got thrown out of the TDF in 2008. What's the bets the doping agencies eventually turn something up on this feller? The way he fought back today in that last km after appearing dropped looked unusual.


EDIT: interesting article here on Cobo http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/09/news/cobos-long-strange-trip-to-vuelta-lead_191090

 

[chicoazul]

 

[davek]

It's all clean now, honest.

 

[Dylan]

I think it is clear what I think about all day. Every time I see this thread, I read it as:

"Vulva Espana"

 

[Hibbert&Ernie]

I think it is clear what I think about all day. Every time I see this thread, I read it as:

"Vulva Espana"

You have Vulva on the brain, shame it is your sub captains.
As for the race, I am not a fan of finishing line bonuses or bonuses elsewhere. Fastest man from A to B, keep it true and honest.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Froome had a go today but the stage was never really hard enough to allow him to eke an advantage. Looks like race over now. 2nd and 3rd look to be confirmed for Froome and Wiggins. Dare say if you'd offered them that at the start they'd have snatched your hand off.