Afternoon Vuelta 14h

[Falcor CC]

Falcor CC starts here. Will update selection here once more riders are confirmed.

Confirmed riders:
-Michael Redrocks
-Magnus Jensen
-Thibault Kerken
-Giacomo Sartore
-Domingo Cruz
-Michael Goris
-Jordan Henkey
-Loïc Callard
-Dave Barlington

[Chemnitz Pro Cycling Team]

Enno! Enno! Enno!

[Tukhtahuaev]

I will most likely start here. Lineup probably something like this:

Murodbek Makhamadzhonov
Crescenzo Poggiolini
Abdukodir Kholdorkhonov
Oleksandr Piskun
Elkhan Baltabekov
Ondrey Nebyla
Yerkin Toktybay
Kensi Taiwia
Zafarmurod Rakhmonaliev

Target is of course to win everything with Makhamadzhonov

[Robyklebt]

Poggiolini wants to be leader, since he said he'll train 3 out of 4 mountain in August!

[Tukhtahuaev]

If he trains to 86 mountain before the Vuelta starts, he'll get his opportunity

[Falcor CC]

No, no... Go back to morning field!

[Robyklebt]

Donks here, not sure why, we're not winning the GC after all.... and since we never won the Vuelta, trying to win it really should be the only reason to start here.

Anyway, the team:

1 A. Dixon: GC top 5 or 10, placement in stages
2 P. Gallego: Developing classic, helper for Dixon, escaper?
3 W. Ganambarr: The star of spring, 60-80 (59-80..) with sprint, our third card for stage wins
4 F. Glück: Flat rider
5 D. Kebede: hill sprinter, stage winning hopes no. 1
6 M. Lanfredini: Last man for Kebede
7 N. Lüthi: Classic, 59 sprint so our second hope for stages
8 P. Tairaoa: Early tempo guy, if ever needed
9 F. Vigni: Flat rider with no reg and only 82 flat right now. TT hero

So Kebede the man this time... no Roy, Ganambarr instead, less riding more sprinting himself for him normally. But with 47 reg he can be active when needed. Not too many sprints around, but reading the chat yesterday seems at least 1 flat sprinter will be there, which means Donks can help block in the end on days it's a full MS (if necessary, if enough flat sprinters around no need) will look for stages with more hills another time.
Dixon with his 86 mountain normally not good enough for a stage vs Tukh, let's hope he finds superb legs at some point. But with the vuelta spread over 2 months.. form plays less a role than usual.
Will start the Vuelta off, today might remember to check before the start, put in help, might remember to check after the hill, put in offline tempo and sprint at some time, might not. You'll see.

[Gipfelstuermer]

12 Teams here. 2 less than afternoon TDF but exactly the same number as for the Giro. That's pretty good for an afternoon Vuelta.

With Team FL it could have been more than at the Giro! Well, not starting here is fine (leaves sprint chances for Cabassi) but not posting a favo check is unacceptable. How are we supposed to ride without the favo check, FL? Just look at today 's stage. Moja escaping, Gipfel riding in peloton. Verkehrte Welt! Total chaos compared to Giro and TDF!

The fans from Brescia liked it though. The Cabassi Cooking Club used this very rare chance to see a Vuelta stage finish not far from Gianpaolo's home town. With this little bit of extra motivation for Cabassi - he had been looking forward to and planning for this stage for a long time - it was clear we had to ride for one of the few mass sprints.

Since our future flat stars are too young, we relied on other sprinter teams (CC, CP) and GC teams (Tukh, BD) for blocking the end, and it worked. Then surprisingly Jongh (not Zenko) got Cabassi's wheel. 80 flat 85 sprint is monster strong but since neither the weather nor the tempo were extreme, we clearly expected Zenko there. This could tell us something about form settings (even though I expected good form for both) or 80 flat 85 sprint is just incredibly good for positioning. Or Zenko was on Jongh but cannot really imagine that (unless CC expected me to fail in the sprint train which could somehow be realistic^^). Zenko starting then from 150 was not too bad but thanks to our youngstar Delpierre leading out Cabassi it was enough from 100. Stage win and one day in the maillot rojo.

What will it mean for the few upcoming sprint stages? Form can change, but potentially less help from CC? Or vice versa, more help from CP if he is able to get the Cabassi wheel? Depends a bit on their form and expectations.

Tomorrow a classical Vuelta stage profile à la ________/. Even though not finishing very steep, so we'll see what happens. Without the favo check it could remain chaotic !

[Gipfelstuermer]

Unfortunately FL is busy commenting on fairplay whilst keeping his Vuelta expertise for himself so there is little hope for a proper favo check! But OK, we don't need no favo check! We have the stats! And stats don't lie.

Stage wins by riders:

1 - Gianpaolo Cabassi (Gipfelstuermer)
1 - Murodbek Makhamadzhonov (Tukhtahuaev)

Stage wins by teams:

1 - Gipfelstuermer
1 - Tukhtahuaev

Days in the maillot rojo:
1 - Gianpaolo Cabassi (Gipfelstuermer)
1 - Murodbek Makhamadzhonov (Tukhtahuaev)

[Falcor CC]

Down with FL! Here's my favo list:

GC
***** Murodbek 'Voldemort' Makhamadzhonov (Tuk)
****
***
** Alex Dixon (Big Donkey), Roberto Zambrano (Vives)
* Michael Redrocks (Falcor CC), Khosrow Panahi (CircleCycle), Misko Holden (Celteam)

Points
*** Makhamadzhonov (Tuk)
** Cabassi (Gip)
* Jenko (CircleCycle)

KOM
*** Makhamadzhonov (Tuk)
** A surprising rider
* A very surprising rider

Youth
*** Gerdes (Moja)
** Ruhnke (Moja)
* Badenhorst (CircleCycle)

Team
Nobody knows, nobody cares. Probably Tuk anyways.

[Gipfelstuermer]

Good news, according to the stats, the Vuelta boycotters are losing out big time (see below).

Well, the Gipfelstuermers were also losing out the last two days... and we'll lose out in the TTT today again... but at least we have time to write some race reports here

Stage 3: Better than expected collaboration amongst sprinters & hill sprinters (whilst Tukh going for Makhamadzhonov green jersey on the IS), then the sprint... has been discussed in detail in chat already actually... summary: early launch by Zenko surprising everyone, unlucky moment for Kebede, who then was a bit weaker than Cabassi.... and then Jongh was strong enough to fly by. With Jongh winning that, it is clear: 80 flat rules and old school sprinters are out.

Stage 4: Worse than expected (or hoped for) collaboration amongst sprinters & hill sprinters. Big Donkey sieb left Cabassi behind, Zenko further behind and Jongh even further behind. We committed everyone to bring back Cabassi, but Big Donkey & Wolfpack Cycling Team kept him just behind with advantage hovering around 1''-5''. Of course I made at least one mistake: Used Batistella instead of Papillon on the +5. With Papillon might be enough? Or not? Because Lanfredini was used only sporadically on the first few km anyway (perfect execution of the sprinter dropping strategy by the Donkey). Then there was a another potential mistakes: Could have waited for Zenko and/or Jongh, but as they both had attacking-chances in front with Dickbauer/Eshkol and Hutterd/Maris, seemed unlikely that the'd drop those guys to ride behind for a limited sprint chance. Anyway, Wolfpack finished it off and it was somehow deserved for him, too, as he was riding in group 1 in the right moments.

Now, outlook for the rest of Vuelta is rather grimm. Organizing mass sprints will be ultra difficult and maillot verde likely going to a climber (or: the climber), as it does in most years thanks to the clever stage classifications and IS positioning of ASO Vuelta organisers! There is your reason for a boycott...! 2026 Gipfel Vuelta boycott not unlikely at this stage...!

Stage wins by riders:
1 - Gianpaolo Cabassi (Gipfelstuermer)
1 - Murodbek Makhamadzhonov (Tukhtahuaev)
1 - Arend Jongh (CreditPommes)
1 - Guy Walters (Wolfpack Cycling Team)

Stage wins by teams:
1 - Gipfelstuermer
1 - Tukhtahuaev
1 - Credit Pommes
1 - Wolfpack Cycling Team

Days in the maillot rojo:
3 - Murodbek Makhamadzhonov (Tukhtahuaev)
1 - Gianpaolo Cabassi (Gipfelstuermer)