Vuelta 2021 ????????

[TNT1]

2 minutes ago, Dirt Tracker said:

May be this is Ineos master plan... 

1 - get Bernal to telegraph his attack in the Press conference.

2 - Get Siv' to telegraph when that is going to happen with a lengthy conversion with bernal that seems to be broadcast to everyone and covered on tv. Then get him to ride like a beast before launching in text book 'how to attack 101' 

3 - This ensures Roga' goes full Slovenian, sniffs a 'Froome' special and thinks of his range of 'No risk, No glory' t-shirts / swim wear

4 - Bernal pins himself to endure Roga likes what he sniffs and carries on pinning himself for the line once Bernal cracks wasting valuable energy

5 - Master plan comes together on Thursday for a blistering Yates-a-thon of hither to unseen epic ness, proving he's been hiding like a shark and fooling everyone as he smashes the seemingly  impossible deficit, win the red and then unleash his secret TT powerup from an intense zwift regime that he's been honing each night in the bowels of the Ineos team bus. 

Genius from Dave B, cementing his promise to fans to race differently this year! 

To be fair, yesterday was much better than anything Movistar can concoct.

[Dirt Tracker]

11 minutes ago, lechatnoir said:

history has shown that on back-to-back monster stages, day #1 strong ou's are the same strong ou's on day #2. 

it remains to be seen if Rog wants to make more of a statement. I sure hope he does. Then again, I can' see anyone beating him in the TT, so what does he need to do today? Perhaps Jumbo will set Kuss off into the distance?

I thought that might be a call to give an armchair ride for Roga and watch Bahrain look at Movistar and Movistar stare off in the to the distance not wanting to ride. Might be a call if Rog' has someone else to ride with him and be there for breakdown / wheel duty. Unfortunately Gesink, Van Hooydonck, Koen and  Oomen haven't been looking that much like they can be there for him in the finals and Kuss has been solid as ever. 

[Dirt Tracker]

8 minutes ago, TNT1 said:

To be fair, yesterday was much better than anything Movistar can concoct.

100%. Yesterday. What was that? Back to classic meme movistar. Brilliant image when Bora were literally screaming at MAL to get his thumb out his butt and do some work and the Bahrain boys looking on bewildered. Followed up by the Mass 'attack' then MAL basically attacking Mass making it look like he wants to go for 2nd. 

Looking forward to today. Should be a great stage, awesome looking climbs and pretty sure Haig is going to die trying today.

Edited September 2, 2021 by Dirt Tracker

[TNT1]

7 minutes ago, Dirt Tracker said:

I thought that might be a call to give an armchair ride for Roga and watch Bahrain look at Movistar and Movistar stare off in the to the distance not wanting to ride. Might be a call if Rog' has someone else to ride with him and be there for breakdown / wheel duty. Unfortunately Gesink, Van Hooydonck, Koen and  Oomen haven't been looking that much like they can be there for him in the finals and Kuss has been solid as ever. 

Pity crapapaz quit. Seeing that golden arse disappear up the road might have been the only thing to prompt action from Movistar.

[Dirt Tracker]

1 minute ago, TNT1 said:

Pity crapapaz quit. Seeing that golden arse disappear up the road might have been the only thing to prompt action from Movistar.

I've been loving that, made even funnier that everyone keeps denying it while trying not to smile. 

[TheoG]

Although Mas and Lopez are solid, they don't have what it take to threaten PR.  Any crazy attacks by them will be to their own detriment imho.

[Dirt Tracker]

In other vuelta news: did adam yates get dubious tattoo that everyone is politely ignoring? Is it so people know him from his (better) brother? is he taking money from the UCI to advertise exactly how much is 'too much' in sock height regs? Is Ineos secretly transplanting better legs on him from their secret leg growing facility in colombia?

 

['Dale]

The final wall is about 14.6 kms at almost 10% gradient. That'll warm me up, hey! The last opportunity for the mountain goats to shine.

[Vetplant]

2 hours ago, TNT1 said:

Does everyone just gloss over Thursday's stage? After yesterday, today is going to be brutal.

 

 

[Jewbacca]

Some of the slopes hit 16%.... It is not a stage for ants

[emme]

14 hours ago, Darryllk said:

Is dstv still broadcasting the tour?

Now live on SS 206!!

[Darryllk]

11 minutes ago, emme said:

Now live on SS 206!!

Perfect - thanks!

[Vetplant]

Majka going to take another stage?

The attackers open a 3' gap after 20km 13:22

Jumbo-Visma: Bouwman
AG2R-Citroën: Cherel, Dewulf
Alpecin Fenix: De Tier, Planckaert
Astana-Premier Tech: G. Izagirre
Bora-Hansgrohe: Gamper
Burgos-BH: Canal, Okamika, Sanchez
Caja Rural-Seguros RGA: Bagües
Cofidis: Jo. Herrada
EF Nippo: Keukeleire
Euskaltel-Euskadi: Martin, Mate
Groupama-FDJ: Le Gac
Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux: Taaramäe
Ineos Grenadiers: Puccio
Israel Start-Up Nation: Piccoli
Lotto Soudal: Cras, Vanhoucke
Movistar Team: Erviti
Team BikeExchange: Howson, Schultz
Team DSM: Arensman, Storer
Team Qhubeka NextHash: Aru, Lindeman
Trek-Segafredo: Brambilla, Nibali
UAE Team Emirates: Majka

[Jewbacca]

8 minutes ago, Vetplant said:

Majka going to take another stage?

The attackers open a 3' gap after 20km 13:22

Jumbo-Visma: Bouwman
AG2R-Citroën: Cherel, Dewulf
Alpecin Fenix: De Tier, Planckaert
Astana-Premier Tech: G. Izagirre
Bora-Hansgrohe: Gamper
Burgos-BH: Canal, Okamika, Sanchez
Caja Rural-Seguros RGA: Bagües
Cofidis: Jo. Herrada
EF Nippo: Keukeleire
Euskaltel-Euskadi: Martin, Mate
Groupama-FDJ: Le Gac
Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux: Taaramäe
Ineos Grenadiers: Puccio
Israel Start-Up Nation: Piccoli
Lotto Soudal: Cras, Vanhoucke
Movistar Team: Erviti
Team BikeExchange: Howson, Schultz
Team DSM: Arensman, Storer
Team Qhubeka NextHash: Aru, Lindeman
Trek-Segafredo: Brambilla, Nibali
UAE Team Emirates: Majka

They will script it as a send off for Aru.... It's written in the stars

[AccidentalGenius]

22 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

They will script it as a send off for Aru.... It's written in the stars

For some odd reason I actually hope you're right.. Team Qhubeka could do with a "pick-me-up!"

[DieselnDust]

2 hours ago, 'Dale said:

The final wall is about 14.6 kms at almost 10% gradient. That'll warm me up, hey! The last opportunity for the mountain goats to shine.

So did Roglic go to deep in the rain yesterday?....

can he be attacked by the others?

can he defend

 

oh the self inflicted suspense is killing me