Quote Originally Posted by Marco View Post
I rarely read the cycling media, as it doesn't say much that I can't deduce from watching the highlights. The people in the cars are often ex riders, and some of them are very good tactically. The facts are: Evenepoel changed his objectives mid-way through the race, and he finished up with the best Vuelta, and the most amount of coverage, outside the top three. Compare that to the invisible man, Thomas.



I've ridden the Aubisque from the same side used in this year's Vuelta twice; once on my own, and once in a group of ex-racing cyclists. I narrowly lost the sprint at the top by half a wheel to a former international rider. I can tell you that a bad day on that is going to lose a lot of time.

I was first to the top of the Tourmalet, also riding it in the same direction as this year's Vuelta, and over three minutes clear. I found it easier, as it suited me better.

To say the Aubisque "isn't the toughest climb" is doing it a dis-service. It's classified as an Esp climb, which is the toughest category there is. In running terms it's probably a bit like running up Snowdon. What you have to remember is that they'd already climbed a 3rd category climb, and had a 1st category and then an Esp category climb to finish on. This probably makes the stage compare to something a bit like the Peris horseshoe.

A mountainous stage with multiple big climbs is not that dissimilar, in terms of effort and overall tactics, to a fell race with multiple climbs. You can't win it on the first climb, but you can lose it
all fine, but you are losing sight of the issues here.

You are highlighting a 1-2-3 and seeing that as problematic and suggesting performance enhancement.

Who could have got among them on the day?

Well Evenepoel would have been the most likely. He wasn't there.