Vuelta Stage 10 (spoilers)

[tele]

Finally able to watch some of the Vuelta here on Labor Day and what a great finale: 17-20% pitches!!

What the hell is Horner on?

[firerescuefin]

Best GT racing (from a fan's perspective)...by far....this year:cool:

[thwart]

Holy krap! Horner... wow.

[chengher87]

For some reason, I couldn't connect to any of the networks to watch the live streaming so I had to settle for a live updates blog. This is the worst possible scenario on such a great finish!!! Now I have to wait for someone to upload it to youtube before I can watch it.

[paulh]

Finally able to watch some of the Vuelta here on Labor Day and what a great finale: 17-20% pitches!!

What the hell is Horner on?

Hey, he's on his bike 6 hours.....

Oh, forget it.

[firerescuefin]

Hey, he's on his bike 6 hours.....

Oh, forget it.

:)

You made me laugh...well done sir.

I watch these performances and I feel like I'm telling my 3 year old "Batman's not real"....despite Adam West looking "real" enough in the movie.

He's not convinced.....and I still root for Horner.

[don'TreadOnMe]

Isn't it fun watching Horner go for it?!

[regularguy412]

Best GT racing (from a fan's perspective)...by far....this year:cool:

Agreed.

At lest the TdF's first week was less predictable than the last couple of years.

<sigh>

I'll reiterate, I don't care if we never see another prologue time trial in the TdF, again.

Mike in AR:beer:

[soulspinner]

Isn't it fun watching Horner go for it?!

YES:hello:

[tele]

YES:hello:

damn right but I am certainly more jaded now...

[thwart]

Horner promised a show this weekend, and he delivered. In spades.

Gutsy, gutsy move to go with 4.5 K left.

[thwart]

damn right but I am certainly more jaded now...

I prefer to think that riding smart and fresh legs = a bit of GH and micro-transfusions this time...

[Onno]

That was an amazing win. I find it hard to imagine standing on the pedals for that long. I think of myself as a decent climber. I find standing necessary to accelerate, or to get the extra power for steep sections, but for me it is always more tiring than staying seated. He stayed standing for about 10 minutes, as he did in that Tour of California stage he won a few years ago. Perhaps the physics (or physiology) of standing is different for short riders?

[wallymann]

would have been nice to see his attack to make the gap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VqVtBcdK3M

[regularguy412]

would have been nice to see his attack to make the gap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VqVtBcdK3M

True, it would be nice to see a bit more of it. I happened to be watching online and he just rode away from the other big favorites. They just kinda looked at each other,, and before ya knew it,, Horner had a 30 second gap. The big faves then proceeded to attack each other - which did not help them to pull him back.

Mike in AR:beer:

[Lovetoclimb]

That was an amazing win. I find it hard to imagine standing on the pedals for that long. I think of myself as a decent climber. I find standing necessary to accelerate, or to get the extra power for steep sections, but for me it is always more tiring than staying seated. He stayed standing for about 10 minutes, as he did in that Tour of California stage he won a few years ago. Perhaps the physics (or physiology) of standing is different for short riders?

I like a good long standing climb sometimes. Recruits muscle groups differently it seems depending on the gradient and power being put down. I am by no means a top tier climber, but I sure do enjoy it as my handle suggests.

[lhuerta]

...impressive performance by Horner, but I just can't get over the fact that he is one of the biggest DENIERS from that checkered decade of cycling. Even if he does manage to pull off a podium in this year's Vuelta, an asterisk will need to be added next. Lou

[sitzmark]

He's pretty convincing when you talk to him about it in person. Dead on eye contact and no signs of hesitation ... " I wouldn't do that to myself or my family" - i.e. the side effects.

He's an complex mix of free-spirit and loyal got-your-back personality. Loved to stress out the trainers/coaches with his MickeyD diet, but loyally played the whatever-is-best-for-the-team role even when he fully believed he deserved a lead role. Nice to see it finally happen.

He's just enough of a rebel to believe that he didn't succumb to the past pressure. Unfortunately, given all that has played out nothing is for sure.

[tele]

That was an amazing win. I find it hard to imagine standing on the pedals for that long. I think of myself as a decent climber. I find standing necessary to accelerate, or to get the extra power for steep sections, but for me it is always more tiring than staying seated. He stayed standing for about 10 minutes, as he did in that Tour of California stage he won a few years ago. Perhaps the physics (or physiology) of standing is different for short riders?

I'm short, 5'6ish, and can dance on the pedals for quite awhile, like a km before thinking bout sitting for a spell. I also like to stay in my 50t ring while standing for as long as possible as well. One of my riding buds is about the same height as me and he is in his 39t ring and sits and spins up the hills and we stay together on most hills regardless of length.

No rules, just right.

[marle]

FWIW Spanish coverage on the net -

http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/vuelta-ciclista-a-espana/

[jbrainin]

What the hell is Horner on?

Aicar, perhaps?

[CunegoFan]

What the hell is Horner on?

One third of a dose of what Froome is on.

[cmg]

nice show, almost a minute lead. don't think he'll hold it till the end but it great finish.

[siegfried08]

FWIW Spanish coverage on the net -

http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/vuelta-ciclista-a-espana/

For those that want to fast forward, 5k to go is at 1:12.

For those want want a good laugh, http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-horner-i-dont-believe-armstrong-cheated

[JStonebarger]

For those want want a good laugh, http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-horner-i-dont-believe-armstrong-cheated

Apparently if you want a ride with Radio Shack you have to toe several lines.

[ultraman6970]

The TT isnt that long, is going uphill, 50 secs ahead, his knee is doing fine, add it all together and probably he won't lose the jersey but nibali, purito and valverde will get darn close tho. If he can hold this week he might be able to make it.

The other good news is that pretty much every gc contender is by himself in the mountains, sky were the only ones IMO with a pair to work on the mountains but the other teams don't and that was shown yesterday, every man by himself Nibali won't let horner go ever again. As for the other ones who knows, purito is very consistent and with a lot of experience, he has to give one of his blowns at some point in the last week to be able to podium, same valverde.

The surprises... basso and roche.

As usual the vuelta turned more fun to watch than the tour.

[JStonebarger]

...impressive performance by Horner, but I just can't get over the fact that he is one of the biggest DENIERS from that checkered decade of cycling. Even if he does manage to pull off a podium in this year's Vuelta, an asterisk will need to be added next. Lou

Was Chris such a denier before joining RS? Seems to me he got very quiet right about the time he was negotiating with LA and all. Maybe that's just the price he paid to get a contract. Meanwhile, he was at the bottom of the UCI's "index of suspicion" a couple years ago, but has never had the chance to ride for himself at this level.

I'm not saying Chris is clean -- I don't know -- but I see no reason to suspect him more than any other top rider at the Vuelta.

Go Chris!

[firerescuefin]

Was Chris such a denier before joining RS? Seems to me he got very quiet right about the time he was negotiating with LA and all. Maybe that's just the price he paid to get a contract. Meanwhile, he was at the bottom of the UCI's "index of suspicion" a couple years ago, but has never had the chance to ride for himself at this level.

I'm not saying Chris is clean -- I don't know -- but I see no reason to suspect him more than any other top rider at the Vuelta.

Go Chris!

First off...I like Chris Horner...and am pulling for him like a Mutha in the Vuelta.

He was the biggest Lance "jockrider"/defender...and he knew better....Sorry Chris, that costs you integrity points and heightens whatever you have to say about the subject on the BS meter.

[chengher87]

Let me preface this by saying that I also think that Horner is keeping his cards close to the vest. But he does have a little more leeway then say another denier like Jens (who I also like as a rider, but was in the middle of a dirty CSC team) for a few reasons:

1. Horner always seemed to be on the outside looking in (until Astana) with regard to doping. Think it was Tyler Hamilton or another rider that made an allusion to Horner leaving FDJ due to the doping in Europe that he himself would not be subjected too.

2. He was on Saunier-Duval before Ricco and Piepoli showed up and lit the radar up with EPO.

3. Raced with Armstrong post-retirement. And while I believe Armstrong doped when he came back, it probably wasn't quite as overt or often as in the past. I mean look at Ryan Braun, he fooled everyone up until a positive test. For all intents and purposes, Lance never "failed" a test. So for a rider like Horner on the outside looking in (at the time), it was more speculative than concrete.

4. Have you seen some of his interviews? Sometimes they are a little incoherent because I think he hasn't recovered from the concussion he suffered with Radioshack in 2011. Maybe he has forgotten some things...or it could be selective memory.

Not a fervent defender of Horner because I also thought his defending of Armstrong at the 2009 Tour against Contador was a little sketchy. I mean, Lance was constantly tweeting jabs at Contador leading up to and during the tour. Not that I love Contador either, but he bit his lip and let his riding do the talking for a while (or publicly anyway, who knows what really happened behind closed doors). But that's neither here nor there.

[JStonebarger]

First off...I like Chris Horner...and am pulling for him like a Mutha in the Vuelta.

He was the biggest Lance "jockrider"/defender...and he knew better....Sorry Chris, that costs you integrity points and heightens whatever you have to say about the subject on the BS meter.

Gotcha. My question is wasn't that just the last couple years? Is this the same Chris Horner that Lance Armstrong couldn't stand before that? The one who openly criticized Lance?

I'm not saying give Horner a pass -- I suspect he sold his soul to the devil to get a chance to ride a few more years, it's probably the only way he got on RS. But that doesn't make me suspect him of doping.

My fondest wish is that once he's done racing Chris will start talking again. He's incredibly good a reading a race and the people who animate it, and he used to be willing to speak his mind...

[firerescuefin]

Gotcha. My question is wasn't that just the last couple years? Is this the same Chris Horner that Lance Armstrong couldn't stand before that? The one who openly criticized Lance?

I'm not saying give Horner a pass -- I suspect he sold his soul to the devil to get a chance to ride a few more years, it's probably the only way he got on RS. But that doesn't make me suspect him of doping.

My fondest wish is that once he's done racing Chris will start talking again. He's incredibly good a reading a race and the people who animate it, and he used to be willing to speak his mind...

I'd say the history of sport in general...and that he's smoking the field at the age of 41...kind of begs the question.

Like, I said...rooting for him...want to believe.

[Shortsocks]

I'd say the history of sport in general...and that he's smoking the field at the age of 41...kind of begs the question.

Like, I said...rooting for him...want to believe.

Agreed. Very well said.

Horner is an odd dude. Always seems to be good but not good enough. Maybe with cycling being "slightly cleaner" he's able to Shine a bit? As for the Espania, there is still A LOT of racing ahead. This is when the younger guys do well. They are young, recover faster....not that I wouldn't LOVE to see horner do well. But that's just a psychical fact. Young guys heal faster. Now depending on ones physical makeup, that's all different for diff people. Cycling is a super exciting sport because there are so many variables. One variable that is prob impossible to gauge, is one persons Will to win. That sh*t is potent.

[denapista]

Another race and another doping allegation.
I think the general public bums me out more than the doping cyclists.
If anyone has a good day, he's automatically doping.
With the way they're giving out lifetime bans and such, do you think a cyclists like Chris Horner would be doping during the Vuelta? I mean he's not crushing the field by any stretch like Froome did in the Tour. He made a move and no one reacted. Nibali could have matched his acceleration, but chose otherwise.

Lance and local pros have made me sour in regards to supporting deceitful American cyclists who chased the dollar over American pride. This race Chris Honer has restored my tingly feeling for seeing someone from the USA winning a grand tour. I'm choosing to think he's not doping, or I could care less. The entire sport is beyond tarnished, so let's stop the allegations and just enjoy the beauty of riding a bike up 20% grades in a heated race. I'm watching the race and at the same time taking in the amazing landscapes and bike tech. Not giving one care about doping.

my 2¢