2010 Vuelta a Espana: Stage 11: Vilanova i la Geltrú Andorra - 208,4 km

[steve]

Stage 11: Vilanova i la Geltrú Andorra - 208,4 km

The 11th stage, on Wednesday 8th September, joints Vilanova I La Geltrú and Andorra, with 208 km and two mountain passes that count toward the championship, although just one of them is really to be considered.

The climbing to Vallnord-Sector Pal will be the end of a day´s journey that brings the riders to more than 300 m height in the 106th kilometre and finally leaves them at almost 2.000 m. The race tends also always to ascend and ascend until, starting in km 198, the final ascension to Vallnord, a mountain pass without big ramps, but that surely will be usefull to discard some of the favourites to gain the red jersey.

Stage Map
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Stage Profile
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The last KM's
View attachment 12879

The Climbs
Alto del Refugio 9.4km @ 4.15%
Andorra. Estació de Vallnord Sector Pal. 9,9 @ 6.52%


General classification before stage 11
1 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 42:11:49
2 Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00:02
3 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:00:04
4 Xavier Tondo (Spa) Cervélo Test Team 0:00:44
5 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:00:54
6 Ruben Plaza (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 0:01:17
7 Ezequiel Mosquera (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 0:01:20
8 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Ag2R-La Mondiale 0:01:21
9 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Caisse d’Epargne 0:01:24
10 Peter Velits (Svk) Team HTC-Columbia 0:01:28

 

[pennstater]

Pretty good stage today. Looked like Mosquera had it in the bag, but Anton rode great. I was surpised to see Rodriguez crack that badly. Seemed to be riding pretty strong and then the lights started flickering and then things went a bit pear shaped.

 

[Andrija]

Very entertaining stage.
I've expected a lot more from Menchov. Power climb of ten kilometers and very long run in on false flat is his cup of tea. It's not that he didn't try... Rabo was at the front, clearly trying to break legs of feather weight climbers, but Menchov didn't have it.
It was amazing how Anton recovered when he saw Rodriguez exploding. Red jersey certainly is a huge motive for Spaniards (maybe even bigger for a Basque). And Rodriguez exploded in style. He was there, looking like he has everything under his control, and next moment he was nowhere. Nibali had to let Mosquera too and Schleck didn't look like really serious contender.
Not too big gaps at the end of the stage, given the development on the climb.

 

[pennstater]

Very entertaining stage.
I've expected a lot more from Menchov. Power climb of ten kilometers and very long run in on false flat is his cup of tea. It's not that he didn't try... Rabo was at the front, clearly trying to break legs of feather weight climbers, but Menchov didn't have it.
It was amazing how Anton recovered when he saw Rodriguez exploding. Red jersey certainly is a huge motive for Spaniards (maybe even bigger for a Basque). And Rodriguez exploded in style. He was there, looking like he has everything under his control, and next moment he was nowhere. Nibali had to let Mosquera too and Schleck didn't look like really serious contender.
Not too big gaps at the end of the stage, given the development on the climb.

Yeah, I thought Menchov was going to do something big today judging by the effort his team made leading up to and on the lower slopes of the climb, but as soon as Kutusha took over on the steeper slopes Menchov just didn't have it.

Like you said, Rodriguez looked like he wasn't having a problem staying behind Mosquera and then just looked like he completely hit the wall when Mosquera and Nibali went away at around 3km to go. Anton then passed him like he was standing still.

 

[Andrija]

Yeah, I thought Menchov was going to do something big today judging by the effort his team made leading up to and on the lower slopes of the climb, but as soon as Kutusha took over on the steeper slopes Menchov just didn't have it.

Like you said, Rodriguez looked like he wasn't having a problem staying behind Mosquera and then just looked like he completely hit the wall when Mosquera and Nibali went away at around 3km to go. Anton then passed him like he was standing still.

Really entertaining stage.
One thing I've mentioned before which left strong impression is - it was power climb, where you should expect riders like Menchov to perform well. Instead, feather-weight climbers destroyed the field and some of them even had to measure their efforts like it was climb with 15% ramps. Anton and Tondo were most successful in doing so.
Maybe I'm wrong, but judging by Rodriguez's blow and Antons (and Tondo's) pacing, it looks like power climbs are hitting these mountain goats like really steep climbs are hitting others.