2016 Vuelta

[creekster]

It is a very interesting race. The QUintana everyone wanted to see in France has, again, shown up in Spain. He is leading the race coming ou of the rest day and Froome is in third place. QUintana seems fresh and Froome seems to be suffering a bit. Today's stage ends with a big climb with gradients of 18% so it will test both men.

[Moliere]

Unfortunately I can't watch any of it since it's not on any of my channels. Weird. I do usually watch the final few kilometers through steephill.tv and Quintana does look good. It's certainly more interesting to have someone other then Froome leading, especially with the big time trial on stage 19.

Did you see where Quintana and Valverde called for power meters to be disallowed in races? I'm not sure I'm supportive of the idea but it would be a bit more fun without them.


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[creekster]

And just like that froome answers.

I did read about quintanas comments on power meters. Intersting. He might be right that they remove drama. But it's like radios. I'm not sure we can go Backward like that.

[bluegoose]

And just like that froome answers.

I did read about quintanas comments on power meters. Intersting. He might be right that they remove drama. But it's like radios. I'm not sure we can go Backward like that.

Details? I read Quintana the other day saying he wouldn't feel comfortable with any lead less than 3 minutes going into the ITT.

[Moliere]

And just like that froome answers.

I did read about quintanas comments on power meters. Intersting. He might be right that they remove drama. But it's like radios. I'm not sure we can go Backward like that.

Part of me wishes it were an old fashioned bike race where you only have your eyes and gut to tell you where everyone is. That would probably reduce breakaway chances but it would force everyone to push a bit more and might lead to more exciting finishes.

There's still strategy involved even with power meters and radios but it's becoming more and more just about the personal motor and not so much strategy or risk taking.


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[creekster]

Details? I read Quintana the other day saying he wouldn't feel comfortable with any lead less than 3 minutes going into the ITT.

You want a spoiler?!?

[creekster]

Part of me wishes it were an old fashioned bike race where you only have your eyes and gut to tell you where everyone is. That would probably reduce breakaway chances but it would force everyone to push a bit more and might lead to more exciting finishes.

There's still strategy involved even with power meters and radios but it's becoming more and more just about the personal motor and not so much strategy or risk taking.


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I actually think it would increase the chance of successful breakaways. And it would make the race more exciting, I suppose.

[Moliere]

I actually think it would increase the chance of successful breakaways. And it would make the race more exciting, I suppose.

I guess I could have been more clear. The sprinter teams would probably be less inclined to let any breakaway form if they run the risk of not knowing how far up the road the breakaway would get. The climbs would be more exciting.


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[creekster]

I guess I could have been more clear. The sprinter teams would probably be less inclined to let any breakaway form if they run the risk of not knowing how far up the road the breakaway would get. The climbs would be more exciting.


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Ah, that makes sense. Sorry about that.

Power meters are most useful, I think, on the climbs. Radios are what killed the valiant and epic breakaways. Now they calculate the breaks' lead and time the peloton needs to catch it within the last few kilometers. It is very predictable for fans and the teams. I am not sure getting rid of the power taps would change this, only getting rid of radios woudl do so.

[bluegoose]

You want a spoiler?!?

I'm not watching the race, and everyone knows that a creekster race report is going to be better than what I can find on velonews or cyclingnews.

[mtnbiker]

KJZZ or somesuch station had a 2-hour broadcast of the race for the first week. Now nothing. Why would they do that?

[creekster]

I'm not watching the race, and everyone knows that a creekster race report is going to be better than what I can find on velonews or cyclingnews.

Wish I could deliver but all I was doing was reading live written updates. Bottom line is that Froome won the stage just nosing out Q at the line. Froome takes over second with Valverde, who has become the iron man of the grand tours this year, slipping to third. Before today, however, Q looked like he had just a bit more in the tank than Froome, but today suggests that Froome might be able to pull it all back after all. As you know, the ITT will make a huge difference.

[creekster]

No changes today.


When does the Vuelta look like Le Tour? On Saturday when the stage is contested over the border and finishes with the Col d'Aubisque, which has been featured in the Tour before. It will be a big day for Q, who needs to put time into Froome before the ITT.

[creekster]

Froome sticks to Q like glue. Gesink wins the day. American Talansky moves into 8th place while Valverde cracks hard, losing 9+ minutes and sliding from 3rd to 19th.

[Moliere]

Yesterday's stage would have been fun to watch almost the whole way through. Contador and Quintana going into the break and maintaining the lead all the way to the end. Quintana pulling the break the entire way up the final climb and dropping everyone but the no name guy behind him (who in the interview talked about his own effort to win the stage where all he did was suck wheel until the final 200 meters and then blasted by an exhausted Quintana...nice job man!). Froome was sucking wind for the last 10KM, which is the most video I could find of the race.

Quintana looks to have a big enough lead for the time trial. It's not an incredibly long ITT, but long enough that he probably needed 2 mins or so...which he has.