2011 63. Internationale Österreich Rundfahrt (2.HC) 3rd - 10th July

[roundabout]

2011 63. Internationale Österreich Rundfahrt (2.HC) 3rd - 10th July

As an alternative to the flat first week of the Tour we have some Alpine action to look forward to. Unfortunately, live coverage is limited to 3 mountain stages on ORF.

We had everyone's favorite pantomime villain dominate last year and former winners include among others Konychev, Totschnig, Vandenbroucke, Beat Zberg, Evans, Mercado, Devolder, Danielson, Rohregger and Albasini.

website

http://www.oesterreich-rundfahrt.at/

stages

http://www.oesterreich-rundfahrt.at/en/20stages/frameset.htm

including the key climb of the Kitzbüheler Horn with it's nearly 12% average gradient.

http://cyclingcols.com/profiles/KitzbuhelerHorn.gif

riders - the final list of starters will be announced 24 hours before the race

http://www.oesterreich-rundfahrt.at/en/20teams/frameset.htm

It's difficult to pick favorites as the bigger names are coming from a break after the Giro looking to build up for the Vuelta. Can Rohregger please the home fans? Can Albasini surprise once again? Or will it be a new name that surprises?

 

[Gloin22]

Kennaugh will surprise. He hit top form now finishing 3rd GC at Tour de Sud and now at the Nats. He will perform his best reuslt to date.

 

[jens_attacks]

very good race,loved the coverage of last year-the massacre of the field put in place on kitzbuehel and grossglockner by il cobra.
then like in every ricco's case,drama hit:

he hit a motorcycle,then he bled from all over the place,when he passed the finish line,he was taken straight by the ambulance and taken to the hospital.he still won it in front of the carmioro boys pardilla and sella.
the ascent of kitzbuehel by ricco if i'm not wrong is an all-time record.

guys to look out for the win this year:machado,di luca,sella,menchov,sastre.it will be a good race.

 

[taiwan]

cyclingfever have what looks like a full startlist up now.

 

[jens_attacks]

if that's the startlist,it will be an epic fail if geox won't win this by far.

 

[taiwan]

Anyone know how Duarte's knee has been since the Giro?

 

[TeoSheva]

how you rate Busche? he should be the leader of RadioShack with Machado

 

[jaylew]

Should be interesting. Not sure has the form for the win right now.

I see Monsalve is racing. Haven't seen him in months.

 

[Tuarts]

Nice parcours, (there was a thread or post about this earlier last month I think) and some decent riders. Hopefully there'll be a stream of it.

Kitzbüheler Horn should be great.

Oh and great to see Jonathon Bellis back racing!

 

[greenedge]

Menchov, Monsalve, Duarte, Sella and Machado FTW. Busche is too tired apparently.

 

[Duartista]

I would be very surprised if Duarte rode, he was told to spend at least a month off the bike after withdrawing from the Giro so I can't see how he would be ready. Plus there has been nothing about him on Colombian websites/press recently.

 

[lucybears]

I would be very surprised if Duarte rode, he was told to spend at least a month off the bike after withdrawing from the Giro so I can't see how he would be ready. Plus there has been nothing about him on Colombian websites/press recently.

So he is probably the rider that Rafa Valls will replace.

 

[Descender]

LOL what a **** parcours.

 

[Kensuke]

Menchov, Monsalve, Duarte, Sella and Machado FTW. Busche is too tired apparently.

Are you sure Sella will participate ?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Given the fixation with finishing in Wien, it's always a disappointing parcours in the Österreichrundfahrt. A finish in Klagenfurt or Innsbruck would be much better. They always go the same way with the mountains too - Kitzbüheler Horn and Großglockner. KH deserves to be there, but I'd love to see the Rettenbachferner for once, or Kühtaisattel or Griesenpass used before Kitzbüheler Horn. Maybe Edelweißspitze, Nockalm or the Skizentrum Weinebene could be used to vary the course a bit.

 

[craig1985]

What is harder - Kitzbüheler Horn, Großglockner, or the Rettenbachferner?

 

[Ferminal]

Kitzbuheler Horn FTW.

Can't say I care too much for the other stages, going over Grossglockner (Hochtor) at the start of a stage

 

[spalco]

Given the fixation with finishing in Wien, it's always a disappointing parcours in the Österreichrundfahrt. A finish in Klagenfurt or Innsbruck would be much better. They always go the same way with the mountains too - Kitzbüheler Horn and Großglockner. KH deserves to be there, but I'd love to see the Rettenbachferner for once, or Kühtaisattel or Griesenpass used before Kitzbüheler Horn. Maybe Edelweißspitze, Nockalm or the Skizentrum Weinebene could be used to vary the course a bit.

I don't see what the finish has to do with that. Ok, they "lose" a stage that way, but on the other hand by giving the sprinters something to race for they attract more attention from some of the big teams. There would still be plenty of days left for climbing if they wanted to make the tour more difficult.

 

[LukeSchmid]

Kitzbuheler Horn FTW.

Can't say I care too much for the other stages, going over Grossglockner (Hochtor) at the start of a stage

The perfect way to waste a mountian.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

What is harder - Kitzbüheler Horn, Großglockner, or the Rettenbachferner?

If they climbed all the way to the top, Kitzbüheler Horn. However they only climb about 7,4km of it to Alpenhaus (though at 11,7% that is a killer anyway). I'd say probably the Rettenbachferner, since it's 12km averaging 9,9%, climbing to 2,670m of altitude.

I don't see what the finish has to do with that. Ok, they "lose" a stage that way, but on the other hand by giving the sprinters something to race for they attract more attention from some of the big teams. There would still be plenty of days left for climbing if they wanted to make the tour more difficult.

Very true, but I also get the feeling they're unwilling to put too many super-difficult stages near the start of the race so that the last 2-3 flattish stages towards Wien actually have something to fight for in them and aren't just processions with all the race results resolved in the first three days or so. Which could be resolved by going the other way because a finish in Salzburg or Innsbruck could feasibly be a difficult stage in its own right even if the finish was flat, a bit like the old Oviedo stages of the Vuelta a Asturias.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Should be interesting. Not sure has the form for the win right now.

I see Monsalve is racing. Haven't seen him in months.

there is a fight going on between the venezuelans and savio. monsalve is really big protege from savio so he saved him up since march for the summer/autumn classics in italy but also starting in 2 weeks is vuelta venezuela so we will have to see who will start here. for sure not rujano

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I would be very surprised if Duarte rode, he was told to spend at least a month off the bike after withdrawing from the Giro so I can't see how he would be ready. Plus there has been nothing about him on Colombian websites/press recently.

he will start from what I've heard. he's been training since early june I think on the bike.

 

[greenedge]

Libertine i love your knowledge of every mountain. What is the secret???

 

[Bavarianrider]

Every year the ****ing same course. That's just so annoying and boring.
Come on Austria has enough mountains, why the **** always use the same ones?

 

[Bavarianrider]

What is harder - Kitzbüheler Horn, Großglockner, or the Rettenbachferner?

Rettenbacher Ferner. It's longer and it's at a very high altitude.
If they would actually go to the top of the Kitzbühler Horn it would be better.