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

[deptfordmarmoset]

And Wiggins goes with 1km!

 

[musa]

Who saw that coming?

 

[jifdave]

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

 

[musa]

Fourth nice one

 

[smutchin]

Wiggins bullied Quintana into winning that.

 

[smutchin]

Rodriguez looks in really good shape. Which is great.

So does Valverde. Which is not so great.

 

[raindog]

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

 

[smutchin]

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

 

[Flying_Monkey]

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.

 

[Crackle]

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.

 

[tigger]

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.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

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.

 

[smutchin]

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.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

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.

 

[beastie]

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.