2024 La Vuelta

[find_bruce]

Saw that WvA crashed at the start, but didn’t know it took him out.

The crash at the start didn't

[MichaelB]

Saw that WvA crashed at the start, but didn’t know it took him out.

The crash at the start didn't

Yeah, saw some reports post my reply that he crashed on a descent as well as Callum Scotson and another.

Bugger !

[Mr Purple]

Three Australians in the jerseys. With 1:25 on Mas in 3rd & 1:46 on Carapaz in 4th, Can O'Connor hang on to the podium? Shame about van Aert crashing out

This is amazing, though aided by Van Aert crashing out.

Not often you'll see O'Connor in Red, Groves in Green, and Vine in the polka-dots.

[MichaelB]

Three Australians in the jerseys. With 1:25 on Mas in 3rd & 1:46 on Carapaz in 4th, Can O'Connor hang on to the podium? Shame about van Aert crashing out

This is amazing, though aided by Van Aert crashing out.

Not often you'll see O'Connor in Red, Groves in Green, and Vine in the polka-dots.

I guess it's similar to Matthews winning Green Jersey at TdF because the leader crashed out.

Hats off to them all, and not just the Aussies (although biased) as the conditions and climbs have been damned hard !

[Warnesy]

Yeah was great to see all three there at the start. Should be a fun few final days.

[MichaelB]

GC stays pretty much as it is, with only Landa cracking on the Cat 1 climb and ended up losing 5 mins +

Two monster climbing days to go then a 25km ITT







Go Benny !!!

[find_bruce]

What was Kaden Groves doing in the breakaway? I could understand if he wanted a headstart up the Cat 1 climb, but he kept going, finishing more than 3 minutes ahead of the GC contenders

[MichaelB]

What was Kaden Groves doing in the breakaway? I could understand if he wanted a headstart up the Cat 1 climb, but he kept going, finishing more than 3 minutes ahead of the GC contenders

Making sure of the Green ?

Mind you, has some tough stages coming !

[davehirst]

Such a shame for van aert, out for the season, and probably in the firm of his life.
The man has the heart if a lion, seams his bad luck is just aslarge.
I am an unabashed fanboy ever since i saw him race in the Roubaix year ago. Crash get back up, chase on, puncture chase back on, crash chase back on. At the end he had nothing left, but he won my admiration

[warthog1]

Yep fan boy too. He'd be my favourite current rider

[AUbicycles]

On wout crashing out, it was Jay Vine in the vuelta who I believe was leading points before crashing.

Always a shame but also the way it is.


I am just watching daily highlights … so may not be up to date but Roglic will be hard to crack and really looking forward to see how O’connor fairs on the penultimate stage and the TT. Glad tgat he got so my GC time show his qualities… but a lot of quality competition on the gruelling vuelta… so much climbing.

[stevenaaus]

Great race last night. Jay pipping his sniping team-mate for the KOM. Surely there'll be some fallout from that - despite the news headline "Australian states that teammate Marc Soler was helping despite confusing tactics".!

Ben looking good for the podium, and Primoz not wilting after a huge day week/day.

[Arbuckle23]

Great race last night. Jay pipping his sniping team-mate for the KOM. Surely there'll be some fallout from that - despite the news headline "Australian states that teammate Marc Soler was helping despite confusing tactics".!

Ben looking good for the podium, and Primoz not wilting after a huge day week/day.

Jay posted on his Facebook page that they were working together and the plan was for Jay to win the jersey.

[find_bruce]

O'Connor has a lead of 9 seconds over Mas and 58 seconds over Carapaz. Carapaz & Mas were 12 & 13 seconds quicker than O'Connor in the opening timetrial. With stage 21 being twice as long you would think Mas will easily take 2nd, but O'Connor should hang on for 3rd.

In reality though it will depend on how their form has held up over the 3 weeks.

Don't think UAE Team Emirates will be too concerned about Vine & Soler fighting it out on the road - they were at no risk from 3rd & as for trust among cyclists an "agreement" doesn't mean much when there's glory to be had

[stevenaaus]

Great race last night. Jay pipping his sniping team-mate for the KOM. Surely there'll be some fallout from that - despite the news headline "Australian states that teammate Marc Soler was helping despite confusing tactics".!

Ben looking good for the podium, and Primoz not wilting after a huge day week/day.

Jay posted on his Facebook page that they were working together and the plan was for Jay to win the jersey.

Hmmm.. It was a close thing!! They were tied, with Soler ahead on count back, when Jay got caught by the GC group before the final climb. Luckily he got on the train and scored a couple of points.

[DavidS]

I was watching the stage and could not work out the UAE tactics on the KOM jersey at all. I figured they were targeting Soler for the jersey then he stopped at the bottom of the penultimate climb and Jay Vines only needed 1 point to take the overall. Very messy.

O'Connor held on as well as he could. Clearly does not have that little bit of extra speed uphill to match Roglic et al. Hope he can hold on to second tonight, but third would still be amazing. Just doesn't want to end up fourth, got to get on the podium.

DS

[jasonc]

Well done BOC for 2nd, Vine for the Polka dots and Groves in green
A great Aussie tour.

[MichaelB]

Well done BOC for 2nd, Vine for the Polka dots and Groves in green
A great Aussie tour.

Well deserved podium for Rog, Ben & Mas. And honourable mentions to Jay & Kaden.

Jayco Alula did well too, with several stage wins and 11th on GC for Eddie Dunbar, and a bag of points for Mauro Schmidt and Zana as well.

[stevenaaus]

Visma still haven't won a TT with that d*icky helmet?? Poor "people's champ" Kuss had a !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! race, a bad TT and looked super silly in that silly helmet too.

But what a great race . Shame we never got to see Primoz vs Remco and those other two plodders in the mountains at the Tour.

[DavidS]

Well done BOC for 2nd, Vine for the Polka dots and Groves in green
A great Aussie tour.

Yep, Ben did very well, not really that far behind Roglic but that last bit of speed uphill seems to elude him.

Still, 2nd, what a result.

Good to see Vine and Groves with their jerseys too.

DS