Author Topic: La Vuelta 2023 (Read 7253 times)

andyoxon · « **Reply #25 on:** 01 September, 2023, 01:33:11 pm »

Quote from: Flite on 01 September, 2023, 11:39:48 am

I'd love to see Sep Kuss win a lot more. But I suspect there are bigger egos in that team.

On the other hand, I was cheering on Bardet - can't remember when he was so high up on a stage of a GT?
And he still looks like a teenager

Yes, great to see Sepp Kuss win, shame not to see him in red, but Martinez (20yrso) did very well too.

andyoxon · « **Reply #26 on:** 02 September, 2023, 04:17:12 pm »

The Kuss-Vingegaard-Roglic 'GC' trio is going to be tricky to counter...

Peter · « **Reply #27 on:** 02 September, 2023, 11:45:15 pm »

Yes. Beginning to wonder if JV* is secretly owned by Saudi Arabia. It's becoming as predictable as football (unless you are Brighton ...).

* Jumbo Visma, not Jonas Vingegaard, though I suppose he would be included. Only just noticed the JVs!

RichForrest · « **Reply #28 on:** 02 September, 2023, 11:59:24 pm »

Quote from: Peter on 02 September, 2023, 11:45:15 pm

Yes. Beginning to wonder if JV* is secretly owned by Saudi Arabia. It's becoming as predictable as football (unless you are Brighton ...).

* Jumbo Visma, not Jonas Vingegaard, though I suppose he would be included. Only just noticed the JVs!

1st thought here on JV was Jonathan Vaughters.
Must listen to Bobby and Jens too much

Peter · « **Reply #29 on:** 03 September, 2023, 12:07:05 am »

andyoxon · « **Reply #30 on:** 03 September, 2023, 11:14:21 am »

It could be that Remco's only chance to claw back significant time on Kuss is in the TT? Stg 6 was not good for Soudal.

ETA. When will Rog-Ving become a pair of super domestiques?

Nuncio · « **Reply #31 on:** 03 September, 2023, 12:29:49 pm »

I'm not sure if this counts as a spoiler given that there will be no coverage of it but currently

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andyoxon · « **Reply #32 on:** 03 September, 2023, 01:22:26 pm »

Quote from: Nuncio on 03 September, 2023, 12:29:49 pm

I'm sure it won't last but it's a shame we won't be able to see it.

Wondering who, if anyone, gets to see the first 2hrs/100km ish? Eurosport in EU?

Nuncio · « **Reply #33 on:** 03 September, 2023, 03:45:20 pm »

Isn't it up to the host tv service, so if the motorcyle cameras are not taking pictures nor the helicopters up to relay them, then there's nothing for anyone to see? I think we've been spoilt in recent years by live coverage from the start in the Grand Tours and classics, and I do enjoy seeing the battle for the break. I don't know why it's not happening for the majority of stages in this Vuelta.

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #34 on:** 03 September, 2023, 07:49:54 pm »

Can someone explain why the GC timing point was moved by 2km today? How does it work?
J

TheLurker · « **Reply #35 on:** 03 September, 2023, 08:32:50 pm »

Quote from: quixoticgeek

Can someone explain why the GC timing point was moved by 2km today?

Filthy weather.

Quote from: quixoticgeek

How does it work?

Not a clue old bean, not a clue.

Nuncio · « **Reply #36 on:** 03 September, 2023, 09:14:50 pm »

Excess of mud on the road a couple of hundred meetings from the end.

Timings for the GC and various competitions taken at the revised 'finish' point (and presumably also positions for the points jersey), but the winner of the stage decided by who crossed the 'real' finish time first. Similar to what happened on the second stage, ending in Barcelona.

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #37 on:** 03 September, 2023, 09:17:14 pm »

Quote from: Nuncio on 03 September, 2023, 09:14:50 pm

Excess of mud on the road a couple of hundred meetings from the end.

Timings for the GC and various competitions taken at the revised 'finish' point (and presumably also positions for the points jersey), but the winner of the stage decided by who crossed the 'real' finish time first. Similar to what happened on the second stage, ending in Barcelona.

I didn't understand what happened in Barcelona either...

J

Nuncio · « **Reply #38 on:** 03 September, 2023, 10:21:28 pm »

For all the competitions which end at the end of the the final stage (GC, points, young rider, team, mountains(?)) today's stage ended at the revised finish point, and that's where the times were taken and bonus seconds awarded. At that point there was nothing more for the GC riders to race for, which is why they started cruising. The winner of the stage was decided by who passed the original finish line 2km further on. So it would have been possible for a rider to have won the stage but to have dropped drop down the GC.

Salvatore · « **Reply #39 on:** 04 September, 2023, 11:05:36 am »

It was considered too dangerous for GC riders to sprint for the line on a muddy road, but not too dangerous for the pawns in the breakaway to sprint for the line on a muddy road.

rafletcher · « **Reply #40 on:** 08 September, 2023, 08:12:42 pm »

Wow, that was something unique today.

andyoxon · « **Reply #41 on:** 09 September, 2023, 09:57:21 am »

Quote from: rafletcher on 08 September, 2023, 08:12:42 pm

Wow, that was something unique today.

Wadda day on the Tourmalet!

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andyoxon · « **Reply #42 on:** 09 September, 2023, 02:59:56 pm »

Wait...

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rafletcher · « **Reply #43 on:** 09 September, 2023, 08:15:29 pm »

Wow. What a ride. Chapeau.

andyoxon · « **Reply #44 on:** 10 September, 2023, 02:19:41 pm »

Remco seems to be in his element chasing mountain tops & stages...

andyoxon · « **Reply #45 on:** 13 September, 2023, 10:04:05 am »

Angliru!

Nuncio · « **Reply #46 on:** 13 September, 2023, 11:21:05 am »

It will be interesting to see if/when the Lotto triumvirate co-operation shifts to outright competition.

andyoxon · « **Reply #47 on:** 13 September, 2023, 06:27:06 pm »

Post Angliru, JV & PR seem to be disrespecting SK...

spesh · « **Reply #48 on:** 13 September, 2023, 06:57:44 pm »

Another way of looking at it is that going into the race, the Jumbo-Visma plan was for either Vingegaard or Roglič to go for a second GT win in one season*, with Kuss being the mountain super-domestique in support.

While Kuss winning the Vuelta would make for Jumbo winning all three GTs this year with different riders, I suspect that in reality, he knows his place:

Quote

"I came here with no expectations and was just looking to help out the guys like always. Then I came into this beautiful jersey and I discovered a new level of self-confidence and racing instinct," said Kuss, who has led since stage eight.
...

Jumbo-Visma boss Grischa Niermann said: "I think everyone would like to have Sepp in the lead and he's still in the lead, but they also want to win the stage and we agreed that everybody is allowed to go for it."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/66801381

* Last achieved by Chris Froome in 2017 when he won the Tour and Vuelta.

andyoxon · « **Reply #49 on:** 13 September, 2023, 08:03:05 pm »

Yes, I suspect it's a between the lines 'know your place'. It's clear that the team is not saying 'you two support Sepp this could be his moment'; which is a shame, and it's not as though there's a small margin between three Jumbo riders and the next rider in 4th - almost 3 minutes.