2011 Volta a Catalunya

[El Pistolero]

Is it "look what I wrote my thesis about" time? Who cares dude.

No, it was just a stupid comment. If someone wants to write about cycling then let them do it.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Ale jet has always been one of my favourites. Kudos!

 

[Tuarts]

Hey,
I'm new to the forum, but as seems common around here I've been following cyclingnews and the forum debates for quite a while. As a PhD student who studies cycling history (particularly in the Spanish context) this seemed the most appropriate thread to have my first post. Anyway!

Some of you have mentioned how it's odd that La Volta a Catalunya is not televised like the other races which are at the same level, and I mean by that the same protour level etc. This lack of coverage is mystifying... If you check out all the press in Spain they hardly bother to mention La Volta, which may add to the general attitude of indifference which surrounds it. Although Catalunya does have its own tv network... So one would think that they could use it to promote Catalan identity, i.e. like Barca and what they did with the olympic games. Hopefully some of my research will unearth the reasons for this ignorance of La Volta. It seems to reflect the lack of interest RTVE (Spanish state television) showed in La Vuelta a Espana until the 80's... Catalonia really is missing a trick here. The only vaguely half decent coverage I can find is regular updates on Catalunya Radio...

Can't wait for tomorrows stage though! Proper Andorran mountains!

And a few random things about me:
I like Euskaltel-Euskadi because they concentrate on climbing!
TGBM - I'm almost fond...
I'm Welsh... So a bit of Geraint bias may be observed...

I know someone who is Catalan and if what he says is anything to go by then in general, the Spanish media is very anti-Catalan so it'd be no surprise then that this isn't getting picked up or encouraged.

 

[Nicoper]

I study (Contemporary Spanish) History, but as a research student studying cycling is about my career i.e. leading towards a professorship in Contemporary Spanish History rather than about fulfilling module choices as per one of the other posters... Plus it's not really studying cycling per se, it´s more about how cycling fits in with other things, in my case questions of national and regional identity, which are so fun in most countries!

Who else thinks that a Volta a Catalunya with a lack of sprinters and a cohort of great tour de France contenders should be more mountainous?

Definitely they need more mountains, or at least one mour small climb finish like in Tireno this year. I just found out that it is the third oldest stage race so they should make it so that it has more chances for shifts in GC. Btw., why is there just a handful of sprinters? Where is Freire, Greipel, McEwan and similar riders. They are not training for cobble classics.
Ale Jet is a smart guy for coming here.


Just to make myself clear about my question earlier.
It's fairly unusually topic to write about looking from where I live and I just wanted to know educational profiles of those who did their thesis on this subject. Any subject is good if paper itself is good, so well done to you all, nice choice of topics.

 

[theyoungest]

Definitely they need more mountains, or at least one mour small climb finish like in Tireno this year. I just found out that it is the third oldest stage race so they should make it so that it has more chances for shifts in GC. Btw., why is there just a handful of sprinters? Where is Freire, Greipel, McEwan and similar riders. They are not training for cobble classics.
Ale Jet is a smart guy for coming here.


Just to make myself clear about my question earlier.
It's fairly unusually topic to write about looking from where I live and I just wanted to know educational profiles of those who did their thesis on this subject. Any subject is good if paper itself is good, so well done to you all, nice choice of topics.

No, they're not training for the cobbled classics. They're riding them. Gent-Wevelgem is just around the corner, for instance.

 

[luckyboy]

wtf Cafe de Colombia on stage one

 

[El Pistolero]

No, they're not training for the cobbled classics. They're riding them. Gent-Wevelgem is just around the corner, for instance.

Freire is riding AGR and LBL.

G-W, hardly worth the name cobbled classic. But if you want to call it one then yes, Freire is riding to cobbled classics. Only without the last "s".

God knows why he rides AGR and LBL.

 

[The Hitch]

Doesnt it defeat the point of having a 15 minute highlights slot when Carlton Kirby spends the whole thing telling us its going to end in a sprint.

He even said halfway, "I told you they would get caught".

I thought the end of the world was upon us.

DId someone report Amets Txurruka as the winner?

Is it "look what I wrote my thesis about" time? Who cares dude.

lol. You dont hold back do you

 

[theyoungest]

Freire is riding AGR and LBL.

G-W, hardly worth the name cobbled classic. But if you want to call it one then yes, Freire is riding to cobbled classics. Only without the last "s".

God knows why he rides AGR and LBL.

I don't care how you call it, Freire rides it, and thus can't ride the Volta a Catalunya.

 

[jaylew]

God knows why he rides AGR and LBL.

As for Amstel, he's said in the past that he thought he could possibly win it (guessing he's looking at Zabel's win as motivation), though you and I may have our doubts. He does have a decent record there with 4 top 10s, though nothing on the podium.

 

[theyoungest]

As for Amstel, he's said in the past that he thought he could possibly win it (guessing he's looking at Zabel's win as motivation), though you and I may have our doubts. He does have a decent record there with 4 top 10s, though nothing on the podium.

Erik Zabel won it before the Cauberg finish was introduced. Freire usually waits for the sprint up the Cauberg, and fails. Maybe he could win it by getting away in a small group (but who is crazy enough to ride to the finish with Freire on their wheel?).

 

[nevada]

Hey,
I'm new to the forum, but as seems common around here I've been following cyclingnews and the forum debates for quite a while. As a PhD student who studies cycling history (particularly in the Spanish context) this seemed the most appropriate thread to have my first post. Anyway!

Some of you have mentioned how it's odd that La Volta a Catalunya is not televised like the other races which are at the same level, and I mean by that the same protour level etc. This lack of coverage is mystifying... If you check out all the press in Spain they hardly bother to mention La Volta, which may add to the general attitude of indifference which surrounds it. Although Catalunya does have its own tv network... So one would think that they could use it to promote Catalan identity, i.e. like Barca and what they did with the olympic games. Hopefully some of my research will unearth the reasons for this ignorance of La Volta. It seems to reflect the lack of interest RTVE (Spanish state television) showed in La Vuelta a Espana until the 80's... Catalonia really is missing a trick here. The only vaguely half decent coverage I can find is regular updates on Catalunya Radio...

Can't wait for tomorrows stage though! Proper Andorran mountains!

And a few random things about me:
I like Euskaltel-Euskadi because they concentrate on climbing!
TGBM - I'm almost fond...
I'm Welsh... So a bit of Geraint bias may be observed...

It barely gets a mention in the sports pages of the local papers.

Riding through the towns over the last two days you could barely see the direction signs.

This race needs to be moved to the easter week and they need to advertise the route much further in advance.

theres a massive opportunity for this race to raise its profile.

 

[greatking88]

Hoping for a big performance from one of the Irish guys tomorrow, Roche, Deignan and Martin..

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Hoping for a big performance from one of the Irish guys tomorrow, Roche, Deignan and Martin..

In this field I wouldn't expect muche of Roche and Deignan.

As for Martin, he is never good in the spring season usually.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

In this field I wouldn't expect muche of Roche and Deignan.

As for Martin, he is never good in the spring season usually.

If i remember correctly he struggles with allergies?

 

[greatking88]

If i remember correctly he struggles with allergies?

He got that sorted out in the winter, he had an operation on his nose

 

[The Hitch]

He got that sorted out in the winter, he had an operation on his nose

Is that a similar winter nose "operation" to the one Tom Boonen uses

 

[greatking88]

In this field I wouldn't expect muche of Roche and Deignan.

As for Martin, he is never good in the spring season usually.

Roche said today that he thinks Martin has a big chance today..

So we shall see..

 

[The Hitch]

Roche said today that he thinks Martin has a big chance today..

So we shall see..

Yeah its not like their related or anything

 

[greatking88]

Yeah its not like their related or anything

just think the final climb might suit Martin..

 

[hrotha]

Personally I expect* Peterson to be Garmin's card tomorrow.

*read: hope against all reason

 

[Ferminal]

Copying dim's profile across to the latest page so there is a closer reference

The finish is a bit below where the Vuelta ended last year? Hoping once again to be surprised by a great finish.

Basso FTW

 

[Sasquatch]

The better parcours are here:

http://www.velochrono.fr/actu/2011/tour-de-catalogne-parcours-de-la-3e-etape/

 

[The Hitch]

Remember though, this mtf might not be as great as it seems. It was seen as not too steep and a relatively weak mtf at the Vuelta schedule compared to the days to come. The greatness of the 2010 stage came more from Mosqueras amazing "screw this" 5 minute pull coupled with Antons original falling back. As i recall Dekker T spent the next week telling us that if Nibali cracked on the false flat that was Andorra he would have no chance on Cottobello and Bola.

 

[Euskaltel!]

It barely gets a mention in the sports pages of the local papers.

Riding through the towns over the last two days you could barely see the direction signs.

This race needs to be moved to the easter week and they need to advertise the route much further in advance.

theres a massive opportunity for this race to raise its profile.

It does seem such an easy opportunity for Catalonia to raise its profile, which it likes to do, and yet there is just no coverage, either locally or nationally or internationally. I guess Barcelona and its mayor are too busy with 'bigger' things such as Le Tour De France (they want the grand depart in 2014) and the 2022 winter games and athletics etc... So some lower level cycling race doesn't quite cut the mustard...