2010 Vuelta a España

[Leopejo]

That said, it would be interesting to see what the Watts/kg was for the time trial that happened today. I think it will be a better gauge of the doping going on.

Difficult to calculate unless some pros share their powermeter data, but VAM and approx. power-to-weight ratios for the final climbs of mountain stages are widely available. They are generally higher than in the Giro, but this is easily explained by the climbs being shorter and by the stages being easier overall.

I can to the watts/kg calculation if somebody tells me the wind speed on today's stage. As for the direction I can just play around with my crystal ball.

Seeing Cancellara vs. Menchov vs. Velits in the last sector, I'd pass.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Mikel Nieve Iturralde
Look at his palmares. It's ridiculous.

 

[nvpacchi]

Mikel Nieve Iturralde
Look at his palmares. It's ridiculous.

This is only his 3rd year as a professional and he is finally starting to come into his own.

And based on his TT result yesterday it proved he hasn't transformed from a Basque mountain goat to an all-around GC contender.

I don't see any surprises based on his success. His stage win Monday was probably a combination of actually being a good climber and a desire to make up for Anton's crash two days earlier.

 

[Leopejo]

[OT]

Nice avatar, nvpacchi.

 

[nvpacchi]

[OT]

Nice avatar, nvpacchi.

lol thanks! gotta Love Bartali

 

[The Hitch]

Lets be realistic here... to win the tour 7 times in a row, during a dark period of cycling as far as doping is concerned? And do that clean?

I don't think it detracts from the accomplishment too much (its still hard work to dominate a field of dopers), but come on...

You are joking. right ????

 

[kurtinsc]

About Velits - he's not a bad TTer, but he hasn't shown anything like this before. 2'47" down on Cance in last year's TdSuisse Bern TT (39km). 2'13" down on AC in Annecy (40km). Final TT of the Tour 08 he was 4'41" (53km), 2'46" down on Kirchen in the first one (30km). Maybe he borrowed Cance's Roubaix bike or something.

Sorta feels bad casting aspersions on a stage win this soon after the event, but it just reminded me of GST 08 (Kohl & Schumacher) coming out of nowhere.



Gave everything to come 3rd in the Tour. Don't think he raced again til this Vuelta as well.

While it may just be cover... Velits apparently did have a drastic change to his TT position when he moved from Milram to HTC. Milram didn't have much money to do all the wind tunnel testing and crap that HTC does.

The Pais Vasco TT was hilly and shorter... but he finished sandwiched between Kloden and Wiggins. Withdrew before the DL ITT. Pais Vasco may be the only ITT he rode this year prior to the Vuelta... at least I can't find another one.

 

[Cobblestoned]

That THR bit was sarcasm right?

I hope so, too.

But if Ferminal doesn't understand/know, how it really works, feel free to ask me per PM.

 

[craig1985]

This is only his 3rd year as a professional and he is finally starting to come into his own.

And based on his TT result yesterday it proved he hasn't transformed from a Basque mountain goat to an all-around GC contender.

I don't see any surprises based on his success. His stage win Monday was probably a combination of actually being a good climber and a desire to make up for Anton's crash two days earlier.

That and I'm sure if they wanted to catch him, they would have. As for Sastre, I don't know, I wouldn't say Clean (he has ridden for ONCE and Riis), maybe he is cleaner then a lot of top riders. Maybe he would be doing better if he wasn't made to ride three Grand Tours in a season.

 

[JPM London]

That and I'm sure if they wanted to catch him, they would have. As for Sastre, I don't know, I wouldn't say Clean (he has ridden for ONCE and Riis), maybe he is cleaner then a lot of top riders. Maybe he would be doing better if he wasn't made to ride three Grand Tours in a season.

It's not like he did really, really bad over those three tours, is it? 8, 20 and probably a top 10 for the last...

 

[Ferminal]

I hope so, too.

But if Ferminal doesn't understand/know, how it really works, feel free to ask me per PM.

Wtf are you on about?

 

[Stephen_M]

While it may just be cover... Velits apparently did have a drastic change to his TT position when he moved from Milram to HTC. Milram didn't have much money to do all the wind tunnel testing and crap that HTC does.

The Pais Vasco TT was hilly and shorter... but he finished sandwiched between Kloden and Wiggins. Withdrew before the DL ITT. Pais Vasco may be the only ITT he rode this year prior to the Vuelta... at least I can't find another one.

His palmares are pretty impressive - seems to have riding the top level since he was a junior, which isn't really suspicious at all, in my opinion. I think there's a whole lot of talent there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Velits

 

[Jeepers_ie]

His palmares are pretty impressive - seems to have riding the top level since he was a junior, which isn't really suspicious at all, in my opinion. I think there's a whole lot of talent there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Velits

5:26 down on Spartacus in the worlds. He came 32nd out of 42. It's hard not to be suspicious.