2011 Volta a Catalunya

[Dedelou]

yeah this is a pretty poor course.
Giro makes up for it I guess

Add to that the absence of ITT in this one and you have club race

 

[nevada]

Is it me or do many of the stage races that are World Tour have gone from good to sucky profiles.

Paris Nice was the same, TDU always is unchallenging. Then there's Romandie which used to be much nicer in the past than it was the past few years. Suisse, same story... Poland, 5 sprint stages and 1 or 2 nice hilly ones. ENECO Tour, well that's just a sad case. Etcetera.

If theyre too hard you wont attract a good mix of riders.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

you just gotta hate being Rojas, podium again, yet still no win

 

[Mellow Velo]

All the sprinters must have had a look at the site profiles and said: "No thanks".
Then we get a sprint finish for 4 out of 5 stages.
Of course a trainless peloton will be more animated, that when you have the Cavendish gang making breakaways futile gestures.

This used to be an arduous hill fest.
The price you pay for kicking it out of the ATOC's way and into March.

 

[goggalor]

Yeah, what a boring race.

 

[theyoungest]

On the attack:

Atapuma (Colombia es Pasión), Mollema (Rabobank) y Siutsou (HTC-Highroad).

Advantage: 3'10".

 

[auscyclefan94]

On the attack:

Atapuma (Colombia es Pasión), Mollema (Rabobank) y Siutsou (HTC-Highroad).

Advantage: 3'10".

the dutch mafia will be on the forum very soon with all their fandom, cheering and man love of TGBM!

 

[TourOfSardinia]

On the attack:

Atapuma (Colombia es Pasión), Mollema (Rabobank) y Siutsou (HTC-Highroad).

Advantage: 3'10".

just fixed that for DT's poor eyesight!

 

[movingtarget]

Is it me or do many of the stage races that are World Tour have gone from good to sucky profiles.

Paris Nice was the same, TDU always is unchallenging. Then there's Romandie which used to be much nicer in the past than it was the past few years. Suisse, same story... Poland, 5 sprint stages and 1 or 2 nice hilly ones. ENECO Tour, well that's just a sad case. Etcetera.

Yep, this is one dull course. As for last year's Eneco, that was really dull but I suppose the sprinters have to have a some stage races to do well in like the TDU. I thought the PN was dull but I think the Volta has been worse apart from the one stage Contador won. Romandie used to be a much better race as was the Tour of Switzerland.

 

[roundabout]

just fixed that for DT's poor eyesight!

And he's out of the break now

 

[The Hitch]

All the sprinters must have had a look at the site profiles and said: "No thanks".
Then we get a sprint finish for 4 out of 5 stages.
Of course a trainless peloton will be more animated, that when you have the Cavendish gang making breakaways futile gestures.

This used to be an arduous hill fest.
The price you pay for kicking it out of the ATOC's way and into March.

Im all for hating on the ATOC but Spain has a number of top races. The US has none.

The problem with the Toc is that they show a total disregard for cycling history by aiming to destroy the 2 other grand tours. But that doesnt mean they shouldnt aim at all and accept a minor position as a race of lower importance than any in europe simply because Spain and France where among the first countries to popularise cycling.


So Volta Catalunia isnt as big as it used to be. Well it takes a lot to make me cry. Spain can console itself with Pais vasco, San Sebastian its own GRAND TOUR and frequent incursions by the TDF (the latter 2 frequently entering Catalunia and being far bigger than having its own PT race) as well as several other minor races (Murcia Andalucia Leon etc) which the top stars use for training and on more frequent occasions the world championships.

I would in a heartbeat have half of the races which have the word "Paris" in them taken out in order to make way for a bigish race in America, so long as the yanks dont get selfish, dont expect a gt and accept that globalisation has to include none english speaking countries having races of similar prestige as well.

 

[Moondance]

Apparently TGBM managed to get one bonus second on an intermediate sprint and let himself fall back after that. TGBM knows how to secure his 10th place.

 

[roundabout]

Apparently TGBM managed to get one bonus second on an intermediate sprint and let himself fall back after that. TGBM knows how to secure his 10th place.

except there are no bonus seconds in this race

 

[Havetts]

Haha, if there are no bonification seconds why would be go in a breakaway?

 

[goggalor]

Haha, if there are no bonification seconds why would be go in a breakaway?

Are you questioning TGBM's tactical prowess?

Because it sounds like you're you questioning TGBM's tactical prowess.

 

[Moondance]

except there are no bonus seconds in this race

Haha, if there are no bonification seconds why would be go in a breakaway?

TGBM is infallible. If he thinks there are bonification seconds there will be bonification seconds. It is the will of The Bauke.



On a serious note, that's massively dumb of poor Bauke.

 

[theyoungest]

TGBM is infallible. If he thinks there are bonification seconds there will be bonification seconds. It is the will of The Bauke.



On a serious note, that's massively dumb of poor Bauke.

He let the break go before they were at the intermediate sprint, so bonus seconds probably weren't on his mind.

 

[hrotha]

Finally, it happened.
1. José Joaquín Rojas (Movistar) 4:22:19
2. Manuel Cardoso (RadioShack) m.t.
3. Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) m.t.
4. Daniel Martin (Garmin-Cervélo) m.t.
5. Diego Milán (Caja Rural) m.t.

Say what you want about the sprinters being at GW, there were lots of World Tour points to be gained in this race for any semi-decent sprinter, probably more than at several GWs in a row. Martin 4th? Pfff.

 

[cocteau_ireland]

Now that dan martin has got his nasal cavity(allergies) sorted out he can compete like this thru the summer

 

[Moondance]

Rojas wins....

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

What the hell is Dan Martin doing in fourth place in a field sprint? I know that most of the big name sprinters are missing, but seriously. He was in the top 10 in one of the other sprint finishes too.

 

[cocteau_ireland]

Who nose??

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Finally, it happened.
1. José Joaquín Rojas (Movistar) 4:22:19
2. Manuel Cardoso (RadioShack) m.t.
3. Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) m.t.
4. Daniel Martin (Garmin-Cervélo) m.t.
5. Diego Milán (Caja Rural) m.t.

Say what you want about the sprinters being at GW, there were lots of World Tour points to be gained in this race for any semi-decent sprinter, probably more than at several GWs in a row. Martin 4th? Pfff.

what do you mean?? you rarely get points for a stagewin in these races

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

10 points for every stage win, 5 sprints here... = 50 points, that's as good as 3rd in Wevelgem.

 

[Jamsque]

What the hell is Dan Martin doing in fourth place in a field sprint? I know that most of the big name sprinters are missing, but seriously. He was in the top 10 in one of the other sprint finishes too.

The Irish can all sprint, just look at Nico Roche.