La Vuelta 2025 ***SPOILERS***

[mididoctors]

It just stalemate without Pog.
We keep being promised the GC battle will explode - wouldn't totally surprise if it never happens. JV has the lead - Almedia can't distance him , the only battle is for 3rd place.

UAE playing strategic defense hoping on a good TT

 

[Pross]

It just stalemate without Pog.
We keep being promised the GC battle will explode - wouldn't totally surprise if it never happens. JV has the lead - Almedia can't distance him , the only battle is for 3rd place.

The problem is the Angliru doesn’t allow positive racing. Today may have been better but no-one was risking an attack into that headwind. Also, Almeida doesn’t really have much of a kick so J think he’s going to rely on a longer more steady climb to try breaking Jonas with sustained power. Have to admit I don’t know what they have to come in terms of mountains and whether there’s much opportunity.

 

[mididoctors]

Stage 15 the first climb should see a good battle in break away formation

 

[Adam4868]

Well the headwind killed that stage. Pidcock is hanging on by his fingernails now, it feels like just a matter of time until Hindley knocks him off the podium. I wonder what’s up with Bernal? He looked good in week 1 and got dropped on the first climb by Turner and Ganna.

Bernal unfortunately has faded as the race has gone on...last few GTs he's struggled after the first week...doubt we are really ever going to see him back to his best,there again im not even sure we saw his best ☹️
As for Pidders 3rd on GC at this stage going into the final week is far better than most thought he was capable of. Advantage Hindley on next week's TT and Bola del Mundo mountain stage maybe....but still a great effort so far.

 

[Adam4868]

Vinny is far from his best for me....where as Almeida is looking at his best.
Should be a good final week

 

[No Ta Doctor]

Honestly, what's the point of starting a race at the bottom of a Cat 1 climb if you're not going to show the first hour and a half or so? FFS.

 

[rich p]

Vinny is far from his best for me....where as Almeida is looking at his best.
Should be a good final week

Before the race, Vinny was saying that he was in his best shape, IIRC.
If that's true then Pog's got nothing to fear because you'd assume that Pog would be way better than Almeida

 

[No Ta Doctor]

Before the race, Vinny was saying that he was in his best shape, IIRC.
If that's true then Pog's got nothing to fear because you'd assume that Pog would be way better than Almeida

Errr, don't think I remember that. Vingegaard was certainly saying he felt good, but that he'd have to see as the race went on as the Tour had been so hard. Visma themselves were saying they wanted to race defensively in the first half of the race. In general they've been playing down form and ambitions from the go. There were even some suggestions Visma were trying to rein Jonas in a bit after his two stage wins.

Consensus here in DK seems to be that he's not at 100%, but that he's not really been troubled by Almeida, it's just that the race hasn't really presented a good opportunity to take time (Angliru just a W/Kg fest, yesterday the headwind). They know what stages they want to target next week. Jonas himself has looked extremely relaxed off the bike and hasn't looked like he's suffering on it - the closest was Pidcock briefly dropping him on the Bilbao stage kicker.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

What we're not seeing as we approach the top of the first climb

 

[Adam4868]

Errr, don't think I remember that. Vingegaard was certainly saying he felt good, but that he'd have to see as the race went on as the Tour had been so hard. Visma themselves were saying they wanted to race defensively in the first half of the race. In general they've been playing down form and ambitions from the go. There were even some suggestions Visma were trying to rein Jonas in a bit after his two stage wins.

Consensus here in DK seems to be that he's not at 100%, but that he's not really been troubled by Almeida, it's just that the race hasn't really presented a good opportunity to take time (Angliru just a W/Kg fest, yesterday the headwind). They know what stages they want to target next week. Jonas himself has looked extremely relaxed off the bike and hasn't looked like he's suffering on it - the closest was Pidcock briefly dropping him on the Bilbao stage kicker.

Great for the race and let's be honest most of us probably thought this would be a walk of for Vinny ?
I was surprised that he couldn't drop or at least attack Almeida on the Angliru... he's what 5kg lighter ? Just don't think we've seen him at his best here yet,maybe the Tour took more out of him than we think...on a plus it makes it all to play for next week ! Almeida to take time in the TT then duel it out at Bola del Mundo 😁
Good that it's not a done deal yet though.

 

[Adam4868]

Before the race, Vinny was saying that he was in his best shape, IIRC.
If that's true then Pog's got nothing to fear because you'd assume that Pog would be way better than Almeida

Rating anyone against Pog is cruel....although I'm glad Rogla is racing Lombardia this year 😁