2010 Vuelta a Castilla y Leon

[theswordsman]

it's really interesting for all us too. Even if Vino is preparing for Giro and Max - for Ardennes (Baza is out till June), but it was possible to include some of young Kazakhs like Renev or Raimbekov exactly just for "getting them experience riding with the best".

Hi Arsen. It does seem to be out of place with the rest of the season. But Amstel Gold is on the last day of this race, and there's only one day off between Castilla y Leon and Giro del Trentino, so you wouldn't have people doing back to back stage races with just a travel day in between. La Fleche Wallone is during Trentino. Vino just gets one day off between Trentino and Liege Bastogne Liege. Then the Tour de Romandie is up for six days. So they've got Assan out, and a whole ton of race days in a short period of time.

It makes sense for the Giro d'Italia squad to stick together. Castilla y Leon is really the smallest event for Astana over the next couple of weeks, and they could use some after skipping Paris-Roubaix and doing nothing at Pais Vasco. I hope it's just an issue of travel, three classics races in eight days, and serious preparation for the Giro. Cheers. John

 

[Publicus]

it's really interesting for all us too. Even if Vino is preparing for Giro and Max - for Ardennes (Baza is out till June), but it was possible to include some of young Kazakhs like Renev or Raimbekov exactly just for "getting them experience riding with the best".

There are quite a few races over the next week in addition to Castilla y Leon. There is Giro de Tertino and Amstel Gold off the top of my head. Filling 3 squads will be a bit of challenge, no? Though to
be fair, that shouldn't impact the mix of riders at Castilla y Leon or any of the other races.

EDIT: I like Swordsman's reasoning a lot better than my own.

 

[theswordsman]

and Oscar Perreiro added later

I find it a bit curious that none of the Khazakh riders are on this team. Seems a bit contrary to the objective of getting them experience riding with the best. Of course I realize the race is in Spain, but still...

I think it would make more sense to us if we could see where everyone is racing up to the Giro, like the manager and directors would. It wouldn't make sense for anyone from the Giro squad to be there. As far as I've seen, that's likely to be seven Kazakhs and two Italians. Assan is just getting back on a bike. And there are three big classics coming up, so I'd hope they're looking for the best positive results there.

 

[theswordsman]

There are quite a few races over the next week in addition to Castilla y Leon. There is Giro de Tertino and Amstel Gold off the top of my head. Filling 3 squads will be a bit of challenge, no? Though to
be fair, that shouldn't impact the mix of riders at Castilla y Leon or any of the other races.

EDIT: I like Swordsman's reasoning a lot better than my own.

Thanks for agreeing with me. It's getting to be a pretty rare occurrence for me around here lately Luckily I don't get e-mails or anything when people reply.

I've got an Excel spreadsheet with the races mapped out in color, so the big picture is just a tad easier to see some times. I can't believe the Giro is just over three weeks away, but that squad is probably in serious prep mode now, making sure they're both fit and fresh. Cheers

 

[craig1985]

Maybe because T Mobile disappeared and became Team Columbia?
Possibly they didn't want to sign an ex-Hoggie, as they wanted to push the squeaky clean image.

Good news re coverage. A bit of juggling, with these packed schedules.

It was in August 2007 that Janez was meant to have signed with then T-Mobile team, and then a month or so later, he was announced as a Astana rider, also before T-Mobile pulled out. As for an ex-Hoggie rider, they signed Hincapie and John Devine, and they ear before that, they signed Barry, and Hammond.

 

[issoisso]

It was in August 2007 that Janez was meant to have signed with then T-Mobile team, and then a month or so later, he was announced as a Astana rider, also before T-Mobile pulled out.

Heh. I remember that. On a certain other forum, people were discussing the rumour that he had signed for Astana. Gianni himself, a frequent poster there, went ballistic, yelling at people that it was a lie and how dare people suggest he would even consider signing for Astana.

Two weeks later it was announced officially

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Not a bad word about him though, really nice guy. Which is also a problem, maybe too nice, stuck in domestique role.

 

[craig1985]

Apparently he has a very strong work ethic, and is not afraid to put in the hard yards when it comes to training, getting out on his bike for 5-6 hours a day even when it is only 5 degrees, especially back in Slovenia.

Which would explain why he lost a chunk of 2008 due to suffering from over training. Sucks RS are too arrogant to ride the Giro, perhaps it could of been an opportunity to show us what he is capable of.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Wot no live stream

Anyone getting any joy with:

http://www.rtvcyl.es/emisiononline.cfm
?
I get black window and server too busy error.

 

[Mellow Velo]

No....I've had a look and it's much as I expected.

 

[icefire]

Theo Bos got the first stage

 

[theswordsman]

I sure hope they get the video feed sorted out, maybe for the highlights? The live text was a bit dry. Good thing there were two other races to watch.

16:29 Earn Theo Bos (Cervelo), the favorite.

2) Brown (Rabobank), 3 Urtasun (Euskaltel-Euskadi)

 

[woodburn]

I see Theo Bos winning the first two stages, apart from Brown and Steegmans he has no competition here

Halfway there.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Tomorrow is even easier.
I'm looking forward to fridays stage. Let's hope they have a working live feed by then

 

[issoisso]

WTF Machado getting into the sprint?

Is this about February?
Back at the Volta ao Algarve at the end of the mountain stage he said something like "These 'smart' people who are 1,90m and 100kg want to get involved in the climbs and bump us skinny guys out of the way and almost off our bikes.

Maybe I'll get into the sprint and bump them around too, see how they like it"

 

[theswordsman]

The live web feed came on a few minutes ago There's supposed to be a highlight show at 20:00 their time - hopefully that will be streamed. Otherwise Steephill.TV has another highlight feed listed for later on.

Here's the link for the first feed if you want to check later just in case.

http://www.rtvcyl.es/emisiononline.cfm

Oscar Pereiro said that it was a hard day due to the cold, and the wind was constantly changing.

http://www.abc.es/agencias/noticia.asp?noticia=345601

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Not a bad word about him though, really nice guy. Which is also a problem, maybe too nice, stuck in domestique role.

he is a simple guy. looks up to other leaders so he will never be a huge rider. not to mention he doesn't have the potential to do well over 3 weeks(like lovkvist). his tank is empty after 1 week and he's also quite inconsistent.

 

[Big GMaC]

WTF Machado getting into the sprint?

Is this about February?
Back at the Volta ao Algarve at the end of the mountain stage he said something like "These 'smart' people who are 1,90m and 100kg want to get involved in the climbs and bump us skinny guys out of the way and almost off our bikes.

Maybe I'll get into the sprint and bump them around too, see how they like it"

He is not THAT skinny. Lower body is def not from the Schleck mould, he has pretty beefy 'sprinters' legs, which I noticed at the CI TT

 

[theswordsman]

Six minute you tube video of stage one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsOy_x-o3Iw&playnext_from=TL&videos=rWmK15rwPHE

 

[cyclopeon]

Six minute you tube video of stage one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsOy_x-o3Iw&playnext_from=TL&videos=rWmK15rwPHE

Thanks.
The crash at about 45 seconds: I've never seen a crash from quite that angle before-- the back half of the peleton looks for all the world like an ant-hill that's been poked by a stick. (except a few more colours of ants)

 

[Polish]

There are not very many Big Name Superstars doing this year's edition....

I am hard pressed to name 5 riders in addition to Denis and Alberto
that have a shot at the Top10 on GC. Ok, Tiago and Janez....

Feeling kind of dumb.....who else are the DangerMen in this year's race.

 

[Publicus]

There are not very many Big Name Superstars doing this year's edition....

I am hard pressed to name 5 riders in addition to Denis and Alberto
that have a shot at the Top10 on GC. Ok, Tiago and Janez....

Feeling kind of dumb.....who else are the DangerMen in this year's race.

No particular order and most just shots in the dark (slim pickings is the phrase that comes to mind):

Arroyo (caisse)
Soler (caisse)
Mosquera (Xacobeco)
Jufre (Astana)
Anton (Euskatel)

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

No particular order and most just shots in the dark (slim pickings is the phrase that comes to mind):

Arroyo (caisse)
Soler (caisse)
Mosquera (Xacobeco)
Jufre (Astana)
Anton (Euskatel)

Mosquera should be the most dangerous of those, with Soler perhaps second.

 

[Michele]

It depends how many downhills there are.

 

[theyoungest]

Mosquera should be the most dangerous of those, with Soler perhaps second.

Mosquera's form has been awful so far.
Rabo have Stef Clement as well, who was 4th last year. He's the Dutch TT champion, and on a good day he can limit the damage in the mountains. He's had some trouble with a heel injury for quite some time now, though.