La Vuelta 2026 ***Spoilers***

[phreak]

LOL
Not far off a 40kph average speed.

I had to remind myself that they were going uphill towards the end.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

I had to remind myself that they were going uphill towards the end.

They weren't going uphill for most of the end tbh

Also, net 0 altitude gain, so they literally spent as much of the stage going down as going up

 

[DeadCalm]

I'm on a roll today - at this rate TNT will offer me Carlton's job.

Widar is all about his Roglicesque sprint at the end of a mountain stage. He took a couple of wins ahead of Seixas in last year's l'Avenir in exactly such fashion.

 

[phreak]

They weren't going uphill for most of the end tbh

Also, net 0 altitude gain, so they literally spent as much of the stage going down as going up

I was thinking specifically of the final ascent when Pogacar was breezing up it in the big ring.

 

[DeadCalm]

I was thinking specifically of the final ascent when Pogacar was breezing up it in the big ring.

3.8km at 5 percent? I'd be in the big ring on that. Possibly not breezing up it though.

 

[Pblakeney]

They weren't going uphill for most of the end tbh

Also, net 0 altitude gain, so they literally spent as much of the stage going down as going up

From my experience (obviously in a different universe, far less league) you never make the time up on descents that you lose on climbs. That's just how averages work, especially if there is any braking involved.

 

[andrew_s]

This stage stuck out like a sore thumb of where he could sew the race up. Makes it easier to control for the rest of the race, and then he can manage his efforts over the last 2 weeks

It was rather obvious.
The CyclingNews forum ran a pre-race poll on "Where will Pog seal the GC?", defined as first get a lead of over 2 minutes, and 58% of entrants picked a Collada de Beixalis attack.

 

[Pross]

Widar is all about his Roglicesque sprint at the end of a mountain stage. He took a couple of wins ahead of Seixas in last year's l'Avenir in exactly such fashion.

I didn't think the flat finish would suit someone so lightweight. Is he going to be a genuine GC contender or will he lose too much time in any TTs?

 

[Gweeds]

Sigh - another GT over in the first few days.

 

[Exlaser2]

Sigh - another GT over in the first few days.

Totally agree . People will say it’s just like the Giro. But it’s not . Right to the end it looked like Vin could crack . Pog just looks like he has come from a different planet. ☹️

 

[Dorset Boy]

Totally agree . People will say it’s just like the Giro. But it’s not . Right to the end it looked like Vin could crack . Pog just looks like he has come from a different planet. ☹️

Podium battle should be good.

Will Pogi go for all 3 jerseys too. He has all 3 at the moment!

 

[Exlaser2]

Podium battle should be good.

Will Pogi go for all 3 jerseys too. He has all 3 at the moment!

The podium battle is the only thing that will keep me watching.😀

 

[gsk82]

Podium battle should be good.

Will Pogi go for all 3 jerseys too. He has all 3 at the moment!

I thought you were going to say all 3 places on the podium for a second

 

[No Ta Doctor]

From my experience (obviously in a different universe, far less league) you never make the time up on descents that you lose on climbs. That's just how averages work, especially if there is any braking involved.

Oh I'd never even get to the top of any of those climbs

 

[No Ta Doctor]

Sigh - another GT over in the first few days.

If you pretend pog isn't there the rest of the race is really quite good. Today's stage, for instance had Decathlon working hard for Gall, the splintering then coming back together of the group, lots of chasing etc and then riders dropped at the end and a small group sprint finish