# Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, 18-24 March 2013 [spoilers]



## smutchin (11 Mar 2013)

Will it be three in a row* for Team Sky? Wiggin is taking a strong climbing team with him. Main competition among declared runners and riders so far looks like being J-Rod, Van Den Broeck and Hesjedal.

Plenty of other big names already on the start list too: Anton, Nieve, Roche, Valpiti, Quintana, Gesink, Kruiswijk, De Gendt, Cunego, Scarponi, Menchov, Navarro.

*Yes, I know Tirreno-Adriatico isn't over yet, but there's just a 200km flat stage and a 9km TT left...


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## rich p (11 Mar 2013)

Given Wiggins' strategy last year it's probably time he started to show us his real form now.


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## Buddfox (11 Mar 2013)

smutchin said:


> Will it be three in a row* for Team Sky? Wiggin is taking a strong climbing team with him. Main competition among declared runners and riders so far looks like being J-Rod, Van Den Broeck and Hesjedal.
> 
> Plenty of other big names already on the start list too: Anton, Nieve, Roche, Valpiti, Quintana, Gesink, Kruiswijk, De Gendt, Cunego, Scarponi, Menchov, Navarro.
> 
> *Yes, I know Tirreno-Adriatico isn't over yet, but there's just a 200km flat stage and a 9km TT left...


 
Hmmm....


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## smutchin (11 Mar 2013)

Oops! Tempted fate a bit there, didn't I.


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## Buddfox (11 Mar 2013)

Chris Froome will be mad, you jinxed it...! :-)


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## The Couch (12 Mar 2013)

Personally -I know I said it before - I don't have a good feeling with Wiggo this year.
I believe he might have had the same stress release as he has had after 2004 (his olympic treble) and 2008 (his road cycling break-out year). Of course if you try to see some trend in this small sample size, you could say his "dips" are getting smaller (first dip 2 years: '05-'06, second dip 1 year '09), so he might be back to form even quicker this time, but still the Giro might still be too close by.
Of course, I am no profet, so he might win the Giro and make me eat my words 

For the overall win I would be looking to Valverde and Purito (I see Van Den Broeck being definitely top 5, but he's just not a winner) and personally I am looking forward to seeing what guys like Pinot and Brajkovic can do after last year (of course for other reasons).


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## Flying_Monkey (12 Mar 2013)

The way Wiggins and Sky work, if Wiggins doesn't have it at Catalunya, I don't think he'll have it at the Giro - unless Dave Brailsford has cunningly changed their entire team training plan as a double bluff.


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## Beebo (12 Mar 2013)

smutchin said:


> just a 200km flat stage


I'd hate to see a hilly stage!


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## smutchin (18 Mar 2013)

Full start list here:
http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/116777022-Volta-Ciclista-a-Catalunya-2013-Startlist

That's a very strong looking field. Fingers crossed the weather holds off...


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## rich p (18 Mar 2013)

Some decent riders there.
I see that Garmin have included their dopey whistlebowers after their suspensions; Danielson, van de Velde and Zabriskie.
Josh Edmondson is the second youngest rider at 20yrs 255 days!
I'm amazed that anyone who did the MSR is doing this one though - Gerrans sprang to mind.


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## PpPete (18 Mar 2013)

Nice to see Andy Fenn getting a run out for OPQS


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## smutchin (18 Mar 2013)

> @VoltaCatalunyaE: today is the perfect weather for cycling in Catalunya. pic.twitter.com/v07nNIfMXg


http://t.co/v07nNIfMXg


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## Flying_Monkey (18 Mar 2013)

Lots of returnees from doping bans too. Should be fun.


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## rich p (18 Mar 2013)

Flying_Monkey said:


> Lots of returnees from doping bans too. Should be fun.


Really? Who for instance?


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## rich p (18 Mar 2013)

Talking of Eurosport commentators (elsewhere we were, anyway!). Carlton Kirby keeps misidentifying the Orica man in the breakaway as Travis Meyer when it is clearly Christian Meier unless they have swapped numbers.


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## smutchin (18 Mar 2013)

Well, he's showed his hand pretty early - Sky have attacked en masse, led by Wiggo, with 15km to go, and have opened up a decent gap already. Quite a statement of intent.


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## Radchenister (18 Mar 2013)

Wiggo appears to have his mojo back? ... making a statement anyway!


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## rich p (18 Mar 2013)

It depends on the parcours whether he can, or wants, to win it but he needs to show some good form at the very least. Last year he made a point of saying that getting to peak shape and winning for a prolonged period is achievable and desirable. This is his chance to show himself and us he can do well in the giro.


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## rich p (18 Mar 2013)

Aggressive riding by Sky! Great to see


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## tigger (18 Mar 2013)

Radchenister said:


> Wiggo appears to have his mojo back? ... making a statement anyway!


 
Any live streams / text commentaries?


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## Radchenister (18 Mar 2013)

Smutchin 'snap'  !


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## tigger (18 Mar 2013)

rich p said:


> Aggressive riding by Sky! Great to see


 
Pray tell!


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## musa (18 Mar 2013)

Procyclinglive.com/livestreams


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## Radchenister (18 Mar 2013)

tigger said:


> Any live streams / text commentaries?


I'm on Sky box at home - should be on Cycle Fans or similar; coverage shaky today due to host tv problems.


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## rich p (18 Mar 2013)

a select group led by Sky, Cataldo and Wiggo, has got away from the peloton descending the last cat3 climb!


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## smutchin (18 Mar 2013)

The gap is only getting bigger and bigger as they approach the finish. Up to 32 seconds now. This is seriously impressive stuff from Sky.

The peloton are panicking and Greenedge have just taken a wrong turn!


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## rich p (18 Mar 2013)

lol at Orica!


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## raindog (18 Mar 2013)

LOL - Brad has caused Panic in the Peloton


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## smutchin (18 Mar 2013)

Scarponi, Gesink, Valverde, Dan Martin and Rodriguez are in the escape. No Hesjedal.


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## musa (18 Mar 2013)

Very exciting


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## rich p (18 Mar 2013)

3 skymen in the group


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## musa (18 Mar 2013)

The picture quality got better. Thank goodness


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## rich p (18 Mar 2013)

Wiggins will be happy with that. He has shown he means business


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## raindog (18 Mar 2013)

a 28 second cushion from what should've been an ordinary sprint stage - canny, unconventional riding from Brad there.


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## tigger (18 Mar 2013)

Great stuff. Who got the win for Quick Step?


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## smutchin (18 Mar 2013)

Meersman


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## tigger (18 Mar 2013)

Thought Wiggins was going to run away with it for a minute, a la Tour of Romandie last year


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## sickboyblue (18 Mar 2013)

Seeing that beach at calella makes me want a holiday! used to go there every year when I was a kid!


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## beastie (18 Mar 2013)

Well Wiggo looks like he has lost a few pounds from Oman, and he certainly has gas in the motor. There are some very interesting stages to come, the last not least, 8 repeats of a 2 km climb at the back end.


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## thom (18 Mar 2013)

That was a fun finish - despite SKY dominating that break, it was nice to see the other teams rotating through the work in something of a collaboration. Good, hard racing.


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## Strathlubnaig (18 Mar 2013)

Meersman got a good win there, a la Ciolek style, good effort.


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## line71 (18 Mar 2013)

whatever


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## jdtate101 (18 Mar 2013)

line71 said:


> Couldnt watch it,the TV broadcast was breaking up constantly and what i did see was a disgusting SKY procession bullying this stupid inconsequential race from the front
> Lets hope they dont get their own way in The Giro/Tour as it will be a horrible spectacle witnessing these humorless bullies ruin the season


 
Oh do grow up. It's called tactics and sometimes it works ...and sometimes it doesn't, but it's hardly bulling, and if it's so inconsequential just turn it off and don't subject this board to silly comments.


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## smutchin (18 Mar 2013)

line71 said:


> stupid inconsequential race



Yeah, so stupid and inconsequential that it's a WorldTour event and all the big Giro contenders are there. 

If you don't like seeing the current TdF champion launching himself off the front of the peloton, maybe bike racing isn't the sport for you.


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## beastie (18 Mar 2013)

smutchin said:


> Yeah, so stupid and inconsequential that it's a WorldTour event and all the big Giro contenders are there.
> 
> If you don't like seeing the current TdF champion launching himself off the front of the peloton, maybe bike racing isn't the sport for you.


Don't feed el trollo


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## beastie (18 Mar 2013)

line71 said:


> Couldnt watch it,the TV broadcast was breaking up constantly and what i did see was a disgusting SKY procession bullying this stupid inconsequential race from the front
> Lets hope they dont get their own way in The Giro/Tour as it will be a horrible spectacle witnessing these humorless bullies ruin the season


Hahahahahah . Muppet


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## line71 (18 Mar 2013)

beastie said:


> Don't feed el trollo


.


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## beastie (18 Mar 2013)

line71 said:


> Unbelievable,make a simple observation and im subject to this moronic invective by morons who take comfort in the 'Troll' bull to counter any argument they dont agree with
> 
> Come up with something more original Beastie you asswipe
> 
> ...


Sorry, you are right. Humble humble apologies for using a moronic post to counter your moronic post. But if you thought that the stage today was disgusting are you sure you were watching the same race? I saw some hard aggressive team riding followed by Wiggins giving it the beans and ripping the pack in two. An exciting and dynamic descent. 

I am not a Team Sky fanboy, but I do like seeing British riders at the cutting edge of the race. There would be a lot less if it wasn't for Brailsford's organisational expertise. I do apologise for the troll comment, and the Muppet as well, but your post was total bollocks.


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## jdtate101 (18 Mar 2013)

beastie said:


> I do apologise for the troll comment, and the Muppet as well, but your post was total bollocks.


 
Nicely finished off there.....


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## beastie (18 Mar 2013)

jdtate101 said:


> Nicely finished off there.....


Well you know, courtesy costs nowt. :-)


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## raindog (18 Mar 2013)

the bullying in today's stage was of such a high standard that Sky didn't win


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## rich p (18 Mar 2013)

Thanks for quoting the idiot, guys, or I'd have missed all the fun as it seems to have deleted it's irrational rants.


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## Get In The Van (18 Mar 2013)

I really enjoyed todays racing, thought Brad looked very decent on the descent and was setting a cracking pace, looking forward to the rest of the week although hopefully with a better tv feed.


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## PpPete (18 Mar 2013)

I did wonder if he'd been working on his descending skills, knowing that it's one area where Niabli could steal time from him.


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## deptfordmarmoset (18 Mar 2013)

PpPete said:


> I did wonder if he'd been working on his descending skills, knowing that it's one area where Niabli could steal time from him.


Was that local knowledge?

Anyhow, nice to see the youngster Josh Edmondson on the front leading the Sky train up the last hill. Good platform work.


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## montage (19 Mar 2013)

PpPete said:


> I did wonder if he'd been working on his descending skills, knowing that it's one area where Niabli could steal time from him.


 
I'd be very worried about Nibs, he didn't just beat Froome and Contador in that stage the other day, he destroyed them


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## beastie (19 Mar 2013)

Wiggins has always been a good descender. Last year Nibali gapped Sky on a descent in the Dauphine I think coz Froome bollocksed a corner and held up his teammates. I can't remember any times in the tour where Wiggins looked like losing time going downhill. Sure he let Nibali go, but that was so far to the finish he was always coming back.


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## smutchin (19 Mar 2013)

It occurs to me that Wiggo will want to win this just to prove that he can win a stage race without a TT in it. That puts his attack yesterday in some perspective.

Today's stage looks like it could suit Rodriguez though. Only one Cat 3 climb but a lumpy crit circuit at the end with an uphill finish... Or maybe Brad will fancy it again!

[Edit: just looked at the finish on Google Earth. There's a sharp left roundabout to make life difficult for the Greenedge boys, then a long, straight-ish road that slopes gradually upwards - the gradient is actually pretty gentle (about 2%). It'll probably be a sprinters stage.]


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## raindog (19 Mar 2013)

smutchin said:


> There's a sharp left roundabout to make life difficult for the Greenedge boys


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## Radchenister (19 Mar 2013)

Game on!

Edit: highlights anyway.

Further Edit: ... come on, get on with it ... coverage appears a bit ropey from this race  .


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## Dave Davenport (19 Mar 2013)

Well 15 minutes into the live coverage and no sign of a bike race yet!


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## psmiffy (19 Mar 2013)

physically or metaphorically?


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## Noodley (19 Mar 2013)

Good pictures of people milling about, and the anticipation of whether Brian Smith will give us his paella recipe or not...


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## jifdave (19 Mar 2013)

that number 4 seemed pretty well stuck on


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## RecordAceFromNew (19 Mar 2013)

Damn there is more cycling in Top Gear  on channel 111...


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## jifdave (19 Mar 2013)

must be siesta time


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## jifdave (19 Mar 2013)

oooh were on


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## Dave Davenport (19 Mar 2013)

Well we've got some pictures at last but have missed the interesting section along the coast.


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## Noodley (19 Mar 2013)

The advert for Malaysia makes it look frightfully dull - golf, painting by numbers, and a bit of a massage. 

I reckon we're not getting the Smith paella recipe...


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## jdtate101 (19 Mar 2013)

God the Spanish TV coverage is REALLY sh*t. They just can't get their act together. Every time they go to the bikes the reception is dreadful, so far sod all actual racing shots.......just so so poor.

Christ even the downlink from the Helicopter is breaking up every second.........


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## smutchin (19 Mar 2013)

Noodley said:


> I reckon we're not getting the Smith paella recipe...


 
But at least we've had an extended lesson on how to pronounce "Kennaugh".


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## raindog (19 Mar 2013)

More disgraceful corporate bullying from Sky today allowing Meersman to win again


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## Crackle (19 Mar 2013)

Well I hope they sort the pictures before the next two stages. Tomorrow's finish is a 12k climb with an average 8%, max 12%. Should be very interesting.


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## beastie (19 Mar 2013)

raindog said:


> More disgraceful corporate bullying from Sky today allowing Meersman to win again


Now now, you'll make someone very very very very cwoss.


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## beastie (19 Mar 2013)

Anyone know why Horner didn't start today?


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## rich p (19 Mar 2013)

beastie said:


> Anyone know why Horner didn't start today?


Pension day?


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## Dave Davenport (19 Mar 2013)

I hope the coverage improves. I've been to quite a few places that the race passes through and we're starting our summer tour from Barcelona so I was looking forward to watching it, but I won't bother if the TV coverage is going to be like today's for the rest of the week.


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## Noodley (19 Mar 2013)

rich p said:


> Pension day?


 
Was he waiting in line with you at the PO?


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## PpPete (20 Mar 2013)

beastie said:


> Anyone know why Horner didn't start today?


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/difficulty-walking-forces-horner-out-of-volta-a-catalunya


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## perplexed (20 Mar 2013)

Noodley said:


> Was he waiting in line with you at the PO?


 
He was tired, so he sat in a corner. I think he was hungry too...


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## deptfordmarmoset (20 Mar 2013)

perplexed said:


> He was tired, so he sat in a corner. I think he was hungry too...


I hear he got held up in Curdson Way....


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## smutchin (20 Mar 2013)

Noodley said:


> Was he waiting in line with you at the PO?


 
Congratulations: you win the challenge to write an innocuous sentence about Chris Horner ending in the letters ...PO.


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## Beebo (20 Mar 2013)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> I hear he got held up in Curdson Way....


No that was Little Miss Tuffet


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## jifdave (20 Mar 2013)

today looks tough, not mega steep but no respite just all up up up


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## smutchin (20 Mar 2013)

The Sky bullies are letting Blanco set the pace so far... 5.5km of up to go... Commentators are saying it gets steeper near the top...


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## jifdave (20 Mar 2013)

smutchin said:


> The Sky bullies are letting Blanco set the pace so far... 5.5km of up to go... Commentators are saying it gets steeper near the top...


let them? they're making them...... corporate power!


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## Dave Davenport (20 Mar 2013)

I expect Sky have hacked all the other teams radios.


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## smutchin (20 Mar 2013)

Vandenbroeck has gone off the front. Interesting!


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## jifdave (20 Mar 2013)

wiggo going.....


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## smutchin (20 Mar 2013)

Go Wiggo!


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## deptfordmarmoset (20 Mar 2013)

And Wiggins goes with 1km!


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## musa (20 Mar 2013)

Who saw that coming?


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## jifdave (20 Mar 2013)

good final effort from wiggo in the last 100m or so to get back to valverde and purito


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## musa (20 Mar 2013)

Fourth nice one


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## smutchin (20 Mar 2013)

Wiggins bullied Quintana into winning that.


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## smutchin (20 Mar 2013)

Rodriguez looks in really good shape. Which is great.

So does Valverde. Which is not so great.


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## raindog (20 Mar 2013)

Brad sprinting with the climbers - who would've thunk it?


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## smutchin (20 Mar 2013)

Thibaut Pinot finished 5th, a few seconds after Brad. That's nice to see.


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## Flying_Monkey (20 Mar 2013)

Quintana has been threatening to win something several times this season. His problem seems to be that he's inconsistent. Wiggins is looking pretty good though, isn't he? However, he's going to have to keep attacking and do it successfully a couple of times more to be able to overtake Valverde and Rodriguez - both of whom are looking equally good.


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## Crackle (20 Mar 2013)

Nice attack from Wiggins but a superb response from Quintana. Hard to see were Wiggins can win this. Another mtn day tomorrow, finishing up a special category climb, so that's going to suit Rodriguez, Valverde et al. A high finish looks on the cards but a win is doubtful.


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## tigger (20 Mar 2013)

Crackle said:


> Nice attack from Wiggins but a superb response from Quintana. Hard to see were Wiggins can win this. Another mtn day tomorrow, finishing up a special category climb, so that's going to suit Rodriguez, Valverde et al. A high finish looks on the cards but a win is doubtful.


 
I'm looking forward to watching this tonight. Its great to see (hear) Wiggins is attacking on mountain stages and staying with the best of them. If he can do the same come May then it bodes well for the Giro. The problem for Wiggins, both in this race and looking ahead to the Giro, is the time bonuses available. Staying in touch with climbing specialists and limiting losses to just a handful of seconds may not be enough. Its an extra disadvantage that there will be no time bonuses in the Giro for time trials. I wonder if this is why he is being more aggressive in Catalunya - to practice and get used to having to find some explosive power in the mountains?

A stage race with no TT is never going to be great for Wiggins, but if he stays close to Rodriquez and Valverde on the mountain finishes then this has to be seen as a very sucessful race for him I think.


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## Flying_Monkey (20 Mar 2013)

tigger said:


> I wonder if this is why he is being more aggressive in Catalunya - to practice and get used to having to find some explosive power in the mountains?


 
Spot on, I think.


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## smutchin (20 Mar 2013)

Hesjedal finished over two minutes down. Doesn't look like he's going to be in shape to defend his Giro title. Dan Martin effectively Garmin team leader now - he finished 32 seconds down along with Van Den Broeck and Gesink. Can't see any of them troubling the podium in this race though.


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## Strathlubnaig (20 Mar 2013)

A lovely stage, what a nice looking finish up those switchbacks. Good effort from the Colombian, he looked like he was very comfortable sitting on Wiggins' wheel when he tried the late attack, plenty of gas in his tank.


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## beastie (20 Mar 2013)

Wiggins should compare alright on the longer climbs, especially if the Sky train set a hard pace all the way up. If the peloton is already near threshhold then there is not so much time to be lost. 

I like bonus seconds, and I like races without, they just have a slightly different dynamic. 
Besides everyone knows the rules beforehand.


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## smutchin (20 Mar 2013)

tigger said:


> A stage race with no TT is never going to be great for Wiggins, but if he stays close to Rodriquez and Valverde on the mountain finishes then this has to be seen as a very sucessful race for him I think.


 
Well, there's only one more mountaintop finish, and that's tomorrow's stage. If he can stay with Rodriguez and Valverde tomorrow, he has a chance to see if he can repeat his stage one antics on the following two stages, which both have flattish finishes. Of course, Valverde and Rodriguez will be alert to him trying anything like that again...

The final stage has several laps of a finishing circuit with a Cat 3 climb in the middle of it. Could be all still to play for by then.


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## rich p (20 Mar 2013)

That stage must concentrate Wiggins' thoughts as to how he can win the Giro. It's hard to see him shaking off the pure climbers unless, as someone said, he can push it harder from lower down. I'm not sure myself although I didn't think he could ever win a TdF!
Anyone know what sort of ITTs there are in the Giro?


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## Slaav (20 Mar 2013)

I am slightly confused - again.....

The talk above is of a climb to the finish and Wiggo attacking.

The show I had on at the office earlier is meant to be Stage 3 and was a town centre finish on teh flat, and no sign of a Wiggo attack?

Or am I being dumb again????


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## Flying_Monkey (20 Mar 2013)

I've just wached this again and several things strike me:

1. Valverde and Quintana is a hell of a tag-team;
2. Katusha are clearly going to support Rodriguez in a more Sky-like manner this year;
3. Wiggins can now attack with enough ferocity to shift all but the specialist climbers.

This means that Movistar have this one in the bag, but if this is anything to go by then in the GTs, while Movistar may take stages and Katusha may be able compete with Sky as a team, Wiggins will be able to stay up there enough to make his advantage in TTs count.


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## Strathlubnaig (20 Mar 2013)

Slaav said:


> I am slightly confused - again.....
> 
> The talk above is of a climb to the finish and Wiggo attacking.
> 
> ...


the first half hour of the show today was a recap / rerun of yesterdays stage


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## thom (20 Mar 2013)

rich p said:


> Anyone know what sort of ITTs there are in the Giro?


Team Time Trial:





Individual Time Trials :


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## rich p (20 Mar 2013)

Cheers Thom but now I'm just ashamed that I didn't look for the info myself. Still, delegation is a virtue, right?
The long flat one and, to a lesser extent, the hilly one will give Brad a good chance of taking time out of the pure climbers


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## Flying_Monkey (20 Mar 2013)

rich p said:


> Cheers Thom but now I'm just ashamed that I didn't look for the info myself. Still, delegation is a virtue, right?
> The long flat one and, to a lesser extent, the hilly one will give Brad a good chance of taking time out of the pure climbers


 
That particular moutain TT seems an ideal course for Wiggins - there's nothing viciously steep and it is essentially two steady, even climbs with a bit of break in the middle. With three TTs and slighly less vicious mountains, it may not be as perfectly suited as the Tour last year, but this Giro is probably as close as it will ever come to being ideal for Wiggins.


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## Crackle (20 Mar 2013)

I'd like to see him try a few more breakaways after tomorrow, nothing to lose and stage 6 looks most likely.


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## smutchin (20 Mar 2013)

The Giro mountain TT is effectively twice up Col d'Eze. Should be ideal for Wiggo.

Nibali, Valverde and Rodriguez will have to really do some damage in the mountains to stop him.


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## Dave Davenport (20 Mar 2013)

I'm pretty sure the Giro organisers designed the route to attract Wiggins to the race in preference to the TdF.


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## Slaav (20 Mar 2013)

Strathlubnaig said:


> the first half hour of the show today was a recap / rerun of yesterdays stage


 
Damn, I turned off after that as was in the office and had work to do


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## Monsieur Remings (20 Mar 2013)

tigger said:


> I'm looking forward to watching this tonight. Its great to see (hear) Wiggins is attacking on mountain stages and staying with the best of them. If he can do the same come May then it bodes well for the Giro. The problem for Wiggins, both in this race and looking ahead to the Giro, is the time bonuses available. Staying in touch with climbing specialists and limiting losses to just a handful of seconds may not be enough. Its an extra disadvantage that there will be no time bonuses in the Giro for time trials. I wonder if this is why he is being more aggressive in Catalunya - to practice and get used to having to find some explosive power in the mountains?
> 
> A stage race with no TT is never going to be great for Wiggins, but if he stays close to Rodriquez and Valverde on the mountain finishes then this has to be seen as a very sucessful race for him I think.


 
It has to be said that both the TDF and the Vuelta look better suited to his capabilities than the Giro, but fair play to him today. I was roaring him on when he bolted just inside the flamme rouge.

Excellent points by the way Tigger.

(Perhaps I'm wrong but somewhere this season there has to be a showdown between Froome and Wiggins on the one hand and Rodriguez/Valverde/Contador on the other. I know the Spaniards represent three different teams, I know, but does anyone remember seeing Contador and Rodriguez having a little chat beneath the last climb of the crucial stage 5 of the Tirreno? It worked rather well. Rodriguez wanted the stage and Contador wanted the GC advantage which he didn't get. As with last year's Vuelta, the three of them, unsurprisingly, undid Froome. It sounds mad to say it but I do think Sky need some strength in depth to succeed in the big three tours).


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## beastie (21 Mar 2013)

I thought the sky train was kinda absent today, is that Wiggins practising for when he is left alone, or are sky keeping powder dry for a mountain ttt tomorrow?
Wiggins looks like his climbing has improved again. I can't wait for the giro.


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## PpPete (21 Mar 2013)

The train was there for a brief while. But I think other teams have learned the value of the tactic, so Sky don't need to deploy their own train quite as often.


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

They seemed to me to have their tactics spot on. They would never have shaken off Rodriguez and Valverde by riding tempo from the start of the climb, so there was no point bringing the train to the front until it started to get really steep about 4km from the top.


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

It's go time!

Apparently, a group of 25 attacked on the first climb of the day - including Hesjedal, Trofimov, Kiserlovski, and Pate. Gap of 2.40 after 65km.


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## jifdave (21 Mar 2013)

smutchin said:


> It's go time!
> 
> Apparently, a group of 25 attacked on the first climb of the day - including Hesjedal, Trofimov, Kiserlovski, and Pate. Gap of 2.40 after 65km.


where you getting update?


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

That info was cobbled together from various sources on twitter. Search for the #voltacatalunya hashtag.

https://twitter.com/search/realtime?q=VoltaCatalunya


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## jifdave (21 Mar 2013)

ah cool, thought id missed a central feed or something.... the official sites only in spanish


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

Catalan, not Spanish! 

(If Spanish=Castilian)


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## psmiffy (21 Mar 2013)

jifdave said:


> ah cool, thought id missed a central feed or something.... the official sites only in spanish


 
Chrome automatically translates - 2.35 the break at 84km


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## thom (21 Mar 2013)

smutchin said:


> It's go time!
> 
> Apparently, a group of 25 attacked on the first climb of the day - including Hesjedal, Trofimov, Kiserlovski, and Pate. Gap of 2.40 after 65km.


Interesting to see SKY prepared to send Danny Pate up the road - another variation to their riding style.
Are they trying to develop less predictable tactics or is this due to the strengths of the personnel they have here ?


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

Nah, he's just on corporate bully duty, trying to sell Sky subscriptions to the other members of the breakaway.


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## Slaav (21 Mar 2013)

thom said:


> Interesting to see SKY prepared to send Danny Pate up the road - another variation to their riding style.
> Are they trying to develop less predictable tactics or is this due to the strengths of the personnel they have here ?


 
I imagine that Brailsford etc learned a very valuable lesson in the Olympic Road Race? Imagine what would have heppened if a Team GB rider was in the breakaway then.... he could have helped the break and gone for the win himself, or not helped and 'slowed' the break subliminally..... Let's not forget that Team GB and the bunch nearly caught them anyway 

SHould be fascinating to watch - especially now that everyone isn't relying on SKY dragging everyone up teh mountaina nd other teams realise the benefit of that tactic.

There seems to be a lot more to this bike racing thing than I ever (and still dont) realise/d.

Bring it on!!!!




p s- And would someone tell me why, in this digital age, there is not a live feed/update service (even on bl00dy Twitspace) or God forbid, a sketchy live broadcast? I know it is a long stage but there are a lot of climbs and options on a stage like this one? Nobody wants to hear recipes for 180km of flat road miles but hilly things etc???


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

There are updates on the official twitter accounts - @VoltaCatalunya (Catalan) and @VoltaCatalunyaE (English). The Movistar, Sky and OPQS teams are also worth following on twitter, as are pundits like @Inrng and @IrishPeloton.

Latest news is that Movistar are leading the peloton and gradually closing the gap, and they're all well on the way to the first big mountain of the day. Looks like it will all come together by the final climb to the finish, and there probably won't be any action worth watching until the final 5km anyway, by which time, the live TV coverage will have started.


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## Hont (21 Mar 2013)

Strathlubnaig said:


> [Quintana] looked like he was very comfortable sitting on Wiggins' wheel when he tried the late attack, plenty of gas in his tank.


 
The pictures were not clear but it looked like he followed Wiggins with his mouth closed. Anyone with a bigger TV confirm? Was suss enough for me without it.


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## jifdave (21 Mar 2013)

valverde crashed on descent and has abandoned......


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## Crackle (21 Mar 2013)

jifdave said:


> valverde crashed on descent and has abandoned......


Drama! Quite a surprise that, someone must have been pushing it.


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## montage (21 Mar 2013)

jifdave said:


> valverde crashed on descent and has abandoned......


 
Thats a shame .... it's nice to have a villain in the bunch to cheer against


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## deptfordmarmoset (21 Mar 2013)

thom said:


> Interesting to see SKY prepared to send Danny Pate up the road - another variation to their riding style.
> Are they trying to develop less predictable tactics or is this due to the strengths of the personnel they have here ?


Mathew Hayman also went up the road on his own in Flanders yesterday, though as there was nobody driving the peloton on it was a slightly different case.


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## deptfordmarmoset (21 Mar 2013)

Crackle said:


> Drama! Quite a surprise that, someone must have been pushing it.


Cappecchi went down with him too. Light injuries to V


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## thom (21 Mar 2013)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> Mathew Hayman also went up the road on his own in Flanders yesterday, though as there was nobody driving the peloton on it was a slightly different case.


Well, I wasn't really alluding to one day races. They only tend to be amenable to trains and bullying if you have a reliable sprinter and the route isn't too bumpy. Their "classics" strategy seems to be normal - try to get as many powerful riders mixing it in the finale as possible.


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## Flying_Monkey (21 Mar 2013)

Hont said:


> The pictures were not clear but it looked like he followed Wiggins with his mouth closed. Anyone with a bigger TV confirm? Was suss enough for me without it.


 
He's Colombian - they are used to cycling steep climbs at altitude.


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

Gesink and VDB on the attack now. Sky Train holding steady. 12km to go...


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

User said:


> oooh should I start getting excited, go Roche go  and Dan Martin, go Ireland go
> 
> its most probably a bit too far to go


 
Roche has dropped back but Dan Martin appears to be still going strong.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (21 Mar 2013)

User said:


> oooh should I start getting excited, go Roche go  and Dan Martin, go Ireland go
> 
> its most probably a bit too far to go


Maybe one day Martin will have a building named after him


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

Not any more he hasn't!

Sky are down to just Uran and Wiggins. Katusha have numbers.


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

VDB has dropped Gesink...

This is a great move. He's closing the gap to Dan Martin quickly. Already nearly caught Herrada.


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

Katusha have taken up the chase! This is great stuff.


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

Well, you'll be pleased to know that VDB appears to be faltering - Gesink is reeling him back in. Dan Martin is still away!


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

Quintana goes off the front!


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## tigger (21 Mar 2013)

Great win for Martin. Rodriguez then Quintana. I counted Wiggins about 16 seconds off Rodriquez.


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## jifdave (21 Mar 2013)

i thought he was at least 25 off rodriguez


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

Great day for Birmingham.


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## tigger (21 Mar 2013)

jifdave said:


> i thought he was at least 25 off rodriguez


 34 secs maybe?! Think my link was buffering!


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## BrumJim (21 Mar 2013)

That boy was climbing like a mountain goat today.
There'll be shouting and cheering in the pubs and clubs of Birmingham tonight...
(Suffering March Mclaren withdrawl symptoms).


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## tigger (21 Mar 2013)

So that's Martin into the lead overall!


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## raindog (21 Mar 2013)

simply fantastic ride from Martin


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

A touch of Sean Kelly about that ride. He's Irish all right.


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## smutchin (21 Mar 2013)

Flying_Monkey said:


> He's Colombian - they are used to cycling steep climbs at altitude.


 
"As a child Nairo Quintana lived at 3000m above sea level and rode to school 16km in the valley below. He'd ride back up every day on his MTB"
https://twitter.com/inrng/statuses/314790651537526784


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## Strathlubnaig (21 Mar 2013)

Just watched that stage, what a fantastic ride from Dan Martin, chapeau to him, great effort. The catch up attempt from Rodriguez and Quintana was also a fine effort. Great to see Garmin-Sharp take the stage and the jersey, for now.


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## Flying_Monkey (21 Mar 2013)

Haven't had time to watch this yet, but it sounds like it was a humdinger. And it's about time Martin won something big. Can he hold on to it?


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## montage (21 Mar 2013)

Interesting point.... the peloton was chasing the break in earnest when Valverde crashed. The peloton waited for him causing the gap to grow - Martin should buy Valverde a beer!

Not to take anything away from a splendid ride, hopefully he can build on this success for the GTs!


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## Flying_Monkey (21 Mar 2013)

Great ride by Martin. Quintana just showed some tactical naivity and perhaps just didn't quite have the legs at the end. He should have attacked earlier and gone for it harder. The worst thing for him wasn't not catching Martin, but not being able to decisively escape Purito. But then, that's a difficult thing to do. But this really isn't finished yet. We still have some potential for the order to shift.


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## Buddfox (22 Mar 2013)

It looked like a lovely ride from Martin. I haven't seen how he broke from the group, but from the stats Vaughters retweeted (W/kg 5.48, average speed 22.3kph IIRC) suggests he paced the whole climb very well and the others just let him get that little bit too far ahead.


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## jifdave (22 Mar 2013)

gotta say im a bit disappointed with katusha and movistar. surely rodriguez and quintana would back themselves to be able to get away from brad, so why arent there teams working for wins?

they seem to just ride the sky train, if i was rodriguez and i knew i had brads number up at the top id send some of my boys to the front to push it on, they had one bloke near the end but that wasnt enough, that should have been rodriguez in the leaders jersey he had legs left at the end and could have squeezed 10 seconds at worst out of martin if his team worked harder.

just seems everyone vs sky(same at olympics where no one else worked and let vino get a gold without too much fuss) have sky frightened people that much?

i can understand it being different if froome ( a top climmber) was riding but brad is very much one speed and is always gonna get beaten to the line.


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## jdtate101 (22 Mar 2013)

JRod, Contador, Quintana and Valverde are all punchy riders and do reasonably well on high tempo long drags, but those sort of climbs are where SKY and Brad are really strong. Keeping a high wattage speed over such a long time just drives those other guys into the floor meaning they cant explode out. It's a fairly effective tactic, but doesn't always work, and the best way to counter it is to do what Dan Martin did and hit out early with vigour. The problem that some of the teams seem to be having with the SKY tactic is that they do leave it too late, and by then have lost most of their domestiques and energy.

I've been quite impressed by Brad, he certainly seems up for it right now, and is putting some attacks in not just sitting in the bunch, but mixing it up. The attack on the descent the other day was just inspired, and he had a really good dig on stage 3, which just destroyed the peloton (apart from the usual suspects).

Both the Giro and the Tour should be really good this year


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## smutchin (22 Mar 2013)

jifdave said:


> gotta say im a bit disappointed with katusha and movistar. surely rodriguez and quintana would back themselves to be able to get away from brad, so why arent there teams working for wins?


 
I think they were all counting on Sky yesterday to reel Dan Martin in, but Sky had a bad day (maybe letting Pate go in the break wasn't such a great idea). Katusha did eventually take up the chase when they realised Sky weren't going to do the job for them, but they left it too late. Gesink and Van Den Broeck were canny to attack when they did - they obviously realised sooner than Katusha that Sky were done for. Neither was able to take it all the way but both gained time on Brad. Movistar didn't really have the numbers left to do anything as a team after Valverde and Capecchi crashed out, especially with Herrada already up the road.


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## jifdave (22 Mar 2013)

smutchin said:


> Movistar didn't really have the numbers left to do anything as a team after Valverde and Capecchi crashed out, especially with Herrada already up the road.


 
fair point, perhaps im just wearing my sky coloured lenses today.....

i like that martin/van der b/gessink all went after the win. just disappointing really, im not sure theres a more exciting site in the mountains than rodriguez digging in for a win him and contador are aggressive and can make it stick. maybe it was a shrewd move and rodriguez knows he can put martin to the sword today, and leave wiggo sky et al off the back somewhere????


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## smutchin (22 Mar 2013)

jifdave said:


> maybe it was a shrewd move and rodriguez knows he can put martin to the sword today, and leave wiggo sky et al off the back somewhere????


 
No, I think you were right first time - Rodriguez should have made his move sooner if he wanted to catch Martin.


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## Crackle (22 Mar 2013)

Rodriguez has a habit of making critical mistakes in a race, yesterday's may have been it, I'd love to see Dan Martin hang on.


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## jifdave (22 Mar 2013)

Crackle said:


> Rodriguez has a habit of making critical mistakes in a race, yesterday's may have been it, I'd love to see Dan Martin hang on.


 
i dont fancy it, i fancy him to get dropped today.... i think theres a time bonus too so im picking rodriguez to be in (which ever colour) jersey today


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## Crackle (22 Mar 2013)

jifdave said:


> i dont fancy it, i fancy him to get dropped today.... i think theres a time bonus too so im picking rodriguez to be in (which ever colour) jersey today


I dunno, only one big climb today, Martin was only 32 seconds down on the first mtn finish, I fancy him to hang on today, tomorrow is more difficult but let's see how today goes first.


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## oldroadman (22 Mar 2013)

smutchin said:


> I think they were all counting on Sky yesterday to reel Dan Martin in, but Sky had a bad day (maybe letting Pate go in the break wasn't such a great idea). Katusha did eventually take up the chase when they realised Sky weren't going to do the job for them, but they left it too late. Gesink and Van Den Broeck were canny to attack when they did - they obviously realised sooner than Katusha that Sky were done for. Neither was able to take it all the way but both gained time on Brad. Movistar didn't really have the numbers left to do anything as a team after Valverde and Capecchi crashed out, especially with Herrada already up the road.


 
Most teams with a GC contender played poker today, and counted on Sky to close things down. When it didn't happen (unlikely when they were down to three with 15km left to climb) others didn't seem to have much of a clue. Moral, if the biggest team mess it up, count on the rst to get into an even worse pickle! Great ride by Dan "Irish" Martin though, he hit a perfect rhythm and held it, effecively "doing a Sky" on the rest. There's a lot more racing in this race yet!


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## jifdave (22 Mar 2013)

Crackle said:


> I dunno, only one big climb today, Martin was only 32 seconds down on the first mtn finish, I fancy him to hang on today, tomorrow is more difficult but let's see how today goes first.


Yeah got my days mixed up I think.


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## Flying_Monkey (22 Mar 2013)

Parisien wins the sprint today (good one for Argos-Shimano), but what is particularly gratifying is seeing Dan Martin make sure of his overall by getting 9th. Hard old day tomorrow though, and then the leg-breaking finale...


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## Strathlubnaig (22 Mar 2013)

Just watched that, nice finish and great to see the Canadian take the stage. As FM says Dan Martin made a sterling effort to finish in m.t. and perhaps even that bonus sprint second he nabbed will pay off too. A good day for him with an increase in his lead. Looked like sky just sat up when they saw they were not going to take the win too. Also pleased to see the Scot, Fenn, get in the mix a bit.


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## rich p (23 Mar 2013)

Josh Edmondson is putting in a great showing in the breakaway - although doomed to be caught. He's surely a future star at only 20.


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## jifdave (23 Mar 2013)

gerrans power to the line was incredible


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## raindog (23 Mar 2013)

sure was


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## Flying_Monkey (23 Mar 2013)

And Martin picked up bonus seconds again - he is riding a very canny race in the leader's jersey. But Purito is only 17 seconds down and the last stage is made for a rider like him.


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## Sittingduck (23 Mar 2013)

Great finish by Gerrans.


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## raindog (24 Mar 2013)

Looks like Dan Martin has got the win - fantastic result!


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (24 Mar 2013)

*IRE*LAND


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## Flying_Monkey (24 Mar 2013)

De Gent takes the final stage.


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## jifdave (24 Mar 2013)

crikey de moulin(i think) nearly had an off on the line


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## smutchin (24 Mar 2013)

After that solo attack on stage 4, you have to say he was a very deserving overall winner. Great to see someone win a race that way.


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## Noodley (24 Mar 2013)

Dumoulin, the munchkin-sized sprinter, takes 5th on a mountain stage. Crikey.

Well done Dan Martin on the overall victory.


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## zizou (24 Mar 2013)

Has to be one of the messiest sprints i've ever seen a pro do!

(about 6 mins in)


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## Monsieur Remings (24 Mar 2013)

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_CcmOcBuzI


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## Crackle (24 Mar 2013)

It wasn't planned as such

http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17553_8595040,00.html


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## Strathlubnaig (25 Mar 2013)

Crackle said:


> It wasn't planned as such
> 
> http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17553_8595040,00.html


Fair enough, but what has this got to do with Garmin-Sharp and Dan Martin wiinning the Volta ??


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## Crackle (25 Mar 2013)

Strathlubnaig said:


> Fair enough, but what has this got to do with Garmin-Sharp and Dan Martin wiinning the Volta ??


Oooops - wrong thread!


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## Sittingduck (25 Mar 2013)

Stay with the game, Crax!


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