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24 Aug 13
20:06
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11 Jul 11
For those riders that have ridden the Tour, or even the Giro, or indeed haven't ridden a GT prior to the Vuelta this season -- after three weeks of hot riding around Spain comes stage 20, from Avilés --> Alto de L´Angliru over 142km.
A brutal 12kms at an average of 10% with 23.5% at the steepest.
Will it be over by this stage in so far as we know the likely winner, or does the difficulty of this stage at this part of the season, open the doors for a radical shake-up of the GC, whereby it's on for the top-5 to fight it out on this one climb to decide the overall winner?
Cheers,
SP
A brutal 12kms at an average of 10% with 23.5% at the steepest.
Will it be over by this stage in so far as we know the likely winner, or does the difficulty of this stage at this part of the season, open the doors for a radical shake-up of the GC, whereby it's on for the top-5 to fight it out on this one climb to decide the overall winner?
Cheers,
SP
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I expect it won't be decided going into this stage, hopefully we see some twists and turns on the way
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It's the craziest ending to a grand tour I've ever seen, brutal is an understatement. Of the final seven stages before the procession in to madrid, six finish with a mountain top/steep climb finish.
The Angliru could be spectacular if the Gc is still quite close. But I have a feeling with so many climbing stages before it that someone will have already taken control of the race. In a tour this tough with so many hard stages, particularly in the last 9 days, I feel whoever is in form and climbing the best, will have come to the fore and put the tour to bed by stage 20. It's a shame because it would be great to see a fantastic finale on the Angliru with the toughest man winning. just feel all the main GC riders will have nothing left in their legs by the time we get to this stage. |
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Well, it looks like this is where it'll be decided, indeed. What a close race, this is why so many love the Vuelta, it hardly ever disappoints.
Obviously the climb is suited to the punchy-style of Horner, plus he looks so strong that I can imagine that he'll cope with multiple attacks; and so to cover my GC loss on him I may take him to win the stage since the odds reflect at least some value for me doing that. That is to say I wouldn't want to take the short odds in the GC market on him, and take Nibali into deep red, because you know the Italian will give it his all. Don't think it'll be enough, though. Expect fireworks from the climbers' teams -- the Spanish know that this is the spectical the fans want and I would expect strong riding to keep breakaways within control for a finale worthy of an all-out mad-dash of attacks to the line. Horner looks like he'll want to roll the stage victory into the Vuelta GC win to do it with style, and so he is my pick.  Books opened with him as second favourite at 4/1 behind Purito, suggesting that Purito may go early and deep to get his 2mins, but I don't think that happen. Good luck to all, SP |
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I like Uran for this stage. He should have won a few days back. Only he knows how he managed to lose that day. But he has been riding into form for the last week now. The day before he finished second he had a go. And today he looked menacing again for a while.
Today's Stage will suit and we know he is more than capable of going it alone and more than capable of excelling on huge climbs. The GC boys will ignore him. Being in form last on in a Grand Tour is half the battle and Uran is in form. He will do for me |
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Nibali gave him a good fight, was exciting to watch
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The low cloud added to the sense of occasion -- thoroughly enjoyable -- thought Horner would've bridged to a tiring Elissonde.
 Cheers, SP |
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I backed Elissonde for stage 19 at 200/1. What does he do? Come out and win the very next day...
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