The final week’s racing resumes with a stage suited to the sprinters, the last flat stage of the race. Just one problem: there are not many sprinters left in the race. It’s not that riders can’t rush for the line but with few teams capable and willing to chase down a breakaway the certainty of a sprint is reduced.
The Route: 190km along the Galician coastline. Ortiguera to A Coruña is only 90km the route is a Mandelbrotian 190km. It’s not flat but there are no categorised climbs and little trouble even the heaviest or most tired of riders.
The Finish: ¡Vamos a la playa! Today’s stage finishes next to the beach on a sweeping road around the bend. It comes after a loop around town. The final two kilometres are flat after a series of roundabouts and urban street furniture.
The Scenario: a good day for the peloton to ease back in to racing after the rest day. A sprint finish seems most likely but note several sprinters have gone home and consequently fewer teams will be willing to chase, thus boosting the chances of a move sticking. Crosswinds are possible but the forecast – see below – looks moderate.
The Contenders: John Degenkolb versus the rest? Now Nacer Bouhanni’s gone home the German is the strongest rider in the race and he’s taken three stages so far. But there are others capable of challenging, including Astana’s Andrea Guardini whose biggest win remains beating Mark Cavendish in the third week of the Giro. Michael Matthews, Roberto Ferrari, Jens Debusschere and Yauheni Hutarovich could be there too.
Otherwise take your pick from a breakaway contenders whether the talented, the in-form or the desperate without a contract. Also with the worlds approaching what about a late flyer from the likes of Philippe Gilbert or Fabian Cancellara although I suspect they might try later in the week.
 |
– |
 |
John Degenkolb |
 |
Andrea Guardini |
 |
Michael Matthews, Roberto Ferrari |
 |
Debusschere, Hutarovich, Martinez, Ciolek, Boonen, Gilbert, Cancellara |
TV: As usual the finish is expected for 5.40pm Euro time. Tune in early for the scenery and coastline and to check what’s happening but the action is probably reserved for late.
It’s live on Eurosport, Universal Sports and more. If not cyclingfans and steephill.tv both have links to pirate feeds with the latter also listing where you can view the race properly too.
Daily Díaz: Km 171,9 of the stage and an intermediate sprint in Arteixo, a small city near A Coruña. What is so special about Arteixo? The headquarters of Inditex (multinational clothing company, the biggest fashion group in the world) are here. This group was founded by Amancio Ortega, Spain’s richest man, and has stores all over the world (so to speak). Check your wardrobe and you will probably find at least a couple of Inditex pieces (usually made in some developing country). The prices vary significantly around the world: a shirt can be afforded by most people in France, but be a luxury good in China (despite most likely being made there). There is a global Big Mac Index to measure power purchasing parity (PPP), why not a Zara t-shirt Index?
Thanks to cycling podcaster and history teacher Manuel Pérez Díaz for the local information. You can follow him on Twitter as perezdiazmanuel
I think Degenkolb could go in a break today
Can’t imagine anyone helping pulling him to the line, even if he contributed lots himselves.
Actually, Zara is the Supply Chain management textbook example of a company successful through great use of its Supply Chain: 50% of its products are produced locally, in La Coruna, while 25% is produced in the rest of Europe: together with small manufacturing batches, it allows for incredibly Quick changes in its product catalogue to keep up with the latest trends.
This is unlike most clothing retailers who push high volumes of New collections to stores every 6-month season. Also see Zara on Wikipedia.
I am surprised Manuel is so in the dark about this!
What you say about Zara is right, but I was talking about the whole Inditex group. Perhaps I should have pointed it more clearly. There’s the chance, too, to check your own wardrobe and see where those clothes come from.
No Zara shirts in my wardrobe, never heard of most of those brands…
Probably the last chance a pure sprinter has to take a stage win. I think that will work as extra motivation for the sprint teams in need of a win. I personally would really like to see Ciolek come back into some form, but sadly don’t see that happening. Would take a some guts to bet against Degenkolb today.
I am disappointed that Guardini is still in the race so I hope he doesn’t win. Some riders reported that he was hanging onto the team car in the mountain stages. This is not the first time he’s been called out for this and it must be about time that this sort of thing was enforced. If you cannot finish under your own steam, you should be out. I’d make special exceptions for riders having injuries assessed or with genuine mechanicals, but that is all.
If what Deignan says in his column in the Irish Independent is true then Purito is lucky he is still in the race too. Is it a case of “if the TV didn’t witness it, it didn’t happen”, noting the other two who were caught on camera and thrown out for punching?
If OGE get a rider in the break, I think the breakaway will survive. If they don’t, I think Giant might have a team willing to work to pull it back. Still, it is hard to see past Degenkolb.
In Deignan/Rodriguez case, perhaps rather than “if the TV didn’t witness it, it didn’t happen”, it’s “if you girls are going to have a case of ‘handbags’, better not do it just in front of a big red car…”
Rodriguez is a very lucky man – apparently Deignan spent a couple of years with the Letterkenny Boxing Club!
Fopr anyone that hasn’t seen it: http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/philip-deignan-rodriguez-split-my-lip-with-a-punch-on-climb-30571873.html
Only time I ever hit somebody in my life was when I was maybe 13 years old and played a regional basketball championship. On the other team was a huge girl, who got the place to dish out fouls, not sure she ever touched the ball in that game. At one point she grabbed me from behind by my shirt in an attempt to stop a fastbreak. The foul was called, the game stopped, but she wouldn’t let go of me. From the outside it surely was perfect entertainment, but after the constant pushing up to this point and the occasional stepping on my feet, I guess that was the breakingpoint. I turned around and hit her straight in the face (didn’t know that I can do that). The game was over for me, but also for her. Nose bleeding like hell.
It happened so fast I had no time to stop myself and it was absolutely no thinking involved. Of course I don’t think that was right and a game is sure enough no reason to hurt someone, but in the heat of the game shit can happen that would never happen otherwise.
This story hinges on one question – what gender are you?
Female
This is one of those special stages when you look at the stage profile in the morning and think “boooriing… no reason to watch telly for hours for a 10 second sprint in the end” and you book yourself something else to do. Later in the evening you always find out it was the most exciting stage in the whole race.
Which seems to happen often Mats, annoyingly.
This is one of those special stages when you look at the stage route in the morning and think “it’s the Galician coast with a beachfront finish, I guess I’ll not be watching the cyclists today then”…
Was about to say would tony Martin repeat last years breakaway, then noticed he is out.
I thought Pip Gilbert WAS out! seems he is still in.