Vuelta 2016

[Stagger]

Anyone think they can name the first 3?

[Richard Head]

Pick any 3 from Froome, Valverde, Quintana and Contador. Froome reckons he will be stronger going into the second week so he should be well up for the 4 consecutive uphill finishes starting next Saturday.

Looks like there could be a lull for 2 or 3 days then we've got 8 uphill finishes and a longish individual time trial to fit in the last 2 weeks

[Richard Head]

Stage win for Simon Yates today

[Stagger]

Good finish by Yates.
Looked very good ��

[Richard Head]

A flattish stage today then the first big summit finish tomorrow, 19.5% gradients in the last 3Km up the Wall of Camperona

[Stagger]

Froome not yet back to tour form.
Think he might be by 3rd week if he is still in contention.

[wharfeego]

Froome not yet back to tour form.
Think he might be by 3rd week if he is still in contention.

He seems happy enough where he is at this stage of the race.
Good to see Quintana make the effort - at last!
Contador fighting too - even after crashing.
Makes for an interesting race - certainly not a given for Froome.

[Witton Park]

He seems happy enough where he is at this stage of the race.
Good to see Quintana make the effort - at last!
Contador fighting too - even after crashing.
Makes for an interesting race - certainly not a given for Froome.

I was thinking the same on Quintana. He's been talked up for quite a while now and always seem to just settle for following. He even said in his post race interview that he was waiting for Froome to attack.

I think Froome made an error. To attack like that and then hit the red zone so quickly he must have felt better than he really was.

It wasn't so much as Quintana attacking as him just maintaining the pace as Froome hit a brick wall

Looked a beast of a climb and should make an interesting Vuelta from now on. I think Sky will be happy to leave Movistar to try and control the race.

[Richard Head]

Another uphill finish today but not as steep, then tomorrow the climb to Lagaos de Covadonga with a 17.5% gradient near the top

[wharfeego]

Another big effort from Quintana - on the Lagos de Covadonga, the Alpe d'Huez of the Vuelta - and a stage win to boot.
Not sure if Froome was pacing himself, feigning tiredness, or just had poor legs on the early part of the final climb, but he sure came back strong in the last four kilometres.
Froome may be relying on his time-trial strength but by the time that stage arrives, the final Friday of the three week tour, he may be too far back on Quintana, especially with the amount of climbing yet to come.