2012 Vuelta. The Return of the King.

[Ryo Hazuki]

pantani can't be compared to any cyclist. he was a god

 

[LaFlorecita]

pantani can't be compared to any cyclist. he was a god

His looks have nothing to do with how godly he was as a cyclist. Vae only said that he thinks Alberto looks a bit like Pantani.

 

[T-Nielsen]

pantani can't be compared to any cyclist. he was a god

Yeah... Ganesha. :O)

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

His looks have nothing to do with how godly he was as a cyclist. Vae only said that he thinks Alberto looks a bit like Pantani.

how in godsname do they look anything alike

 

[LaFlorecita]

how in godsname do they look anything alike

Contador kinda reminds me of a Pantani with hair (both his speed in the mountains and how his face is shaped)

...........

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

take away contadors hair, put on some earrings and you got a bit more colored Pantani (my post came after a couple of drops of alcohol though)

 

[Angliru]

take away contadors hair, put on some earrings and you got a bit more colored Pantani (my post came after a couple of drops of alcohol though)

..but what's the excuse for the rest of them that agreed with you?

I really don't see any facial resemblance at all.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

..but what's the excuse for the rest of them that agreed with you?

I really don't see any facial resemblance at all.

I belive it was how his consentrated face kinda reminded me of how Pantani looked when he fighted up the mountain, they eyes and so on... forget it, i have no idea why.....

 

[Red Rick]

Breaking self imposed ban for a day. I went through about the 1st 300 posts, and then the Andy/Contador rehashing got to be too much. Poked around in the last couple pages.

I have seen the over/under on stage wins pegged at anywhere from 5-8, I'll take the under, even though no one is a bigger fan than me. (Physically I mean. I weigh 750 pounds. Just kidding. I only weigh 375.)

Anyone predicting which stages, or should that be pretty obvious? It's obvious which ones are not. And who will be on his team?

Anyone seriously think he will attempt the world championship race? Who would be on that team? The last time his team had a TTT they looked pretty sad.

Andy, learn how to shift. How are those palmares comin' along?

resume ban

I think he'll go nuts on Arrate, because he wants to show his dominance. I think he might win the TT. On the Ancares, Covadonga, Cuitu Negro combo he'll attack just he can gain easy time there, and he will want to win because of the prestige of the climbs. He's gonna win Bola del mundo for sure, as that's his home climb and a breakaway isn't allowed to win that one in this case. And if Purito happens to underperform, He can win on Jaca and Mirador de Ezaro too

 

[Forunculo]

I think he'll go nuts on Arrate, because he wants to show his dominance. I think he might win the TT. On the Ancares, Covadonga, Cuitu Negro combo he'll attack just he can gain easy time there, and he will want to win because of the prestige of the climbs. He's gonna win Bola del mundo for sure, as that's his home climb and a breakaway isn't allowed to win that one in this case. And if Purito happens to underperform, He can win on Jaca and Mirador de Ezaro too

The fact is at the time Vuelta starts, everyone is tired or so tired because long season and he will be fresh or perhaps a little bit short but nothing serious.

Easily over 10 min and if he goes very hard even more

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

The fact is at the time Vuelta starts, everyone is tired or so tired because long season and he will be fresh or perhaps a little bit short but nothing serious.

Easily over 10 min and if he goes very hard even more

my father and i have a bet on ca. 50 euros on that. I said he will win with over 10 min, my father under. So i hope you are right!!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Nah Alberto won't win with over 10 minutes, I'm sorry vino. It will probably be around 5-6 minutes.

 

[Red Rick]

Nah Alberto won't win with over 10 minutes, I'm sorry vino. It will probably be around 5-6 minutes.

Yeah, he's not gonna take 10 minutes. You could see during the Finestre stage last year that he wasn't attacking because he was enjoying the company of the group.

Btw, they might as well call Bola del Mundo Pico Contador after he's kicked everyone's *** on that

 

[LaFlorecita]

Yeah, he's not gonna take 10 minutes. You could see during the Finestre stage last year that he wasn't attacking because he was enjoying the company of the group.

Btw, they might as well call Bola del Mundo Pico Contador after he's kicked everyone's *** on that

How many summit finishes are there? And on how many is he going to attack? And how much time can he, realisticly, take during such an attack?

Then you have the time trial of course, but he isn't going to take minutes on his opponents there.

I can't see how he can win by more than 6 minutes.

 

[Parrulo]

7 MTF and 1 hilly 40k long itt (with a cat 3)

i fancy his chances of getting 10 minutes on every1

 

[LaFlorecita]

7 MTF and 1 hilly 40k long itt (with a cat 3)

i fancy his chances of getting 10 minutes on every1

7 MTF. What if he attacks on all stages (!), average 45s per MTF = 45*7=315s = 5 minutes 15s.

Is he going to take 5 minutes in the time trial on his opponents?

 

[Parrulo]

7 MTF. What if he attacks on all stages (!), average 45s per MTF = 45*7=315s = 5 minutes 15s.

Is he going to take 5 minutes in the time trial on his opponents?

he only needed 3 stages to put 5 minutes into his rivals at the giro, etna, glossWhatever and gardeccia.

 

[Red Rick]

7 MTF. What if he attacks on all stages (!), average 45s per MTF = 45*7=315s = 5 minutes 15s.

Is he going to take 5 minutes in the time trial on his opponents?

All the profiles are on steephill.tv, the first is arrate, he could attack there, but he's not gonna take 45s there. On the second he's not going to attack, as it's weaker than montevergine. The third is a nice climb after a crappy stage, he won't get 45s there either. The 4th, 5th, 6th and last MTF are all HC mountain's where he can gain 1min+ if he want's to.

The 3 uphills favour him too. He might take time out of everyone except Purito. The first one is like 2km at 11%, the second one is like 1,8km at 15% (max 28%) And the the last one is like an even easier version of macugnaga. You're also forgetting the bonifications.

Btw http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/omega-pharma-quickstep-still-interested-in-signing-contador

 

[LaFlorecita]

All the profiles are on steephill.tv, the first is arrate, he could attack there, but he's not gonna take 45s there. On the second he's not going to attack, as it's weaker than montevergine. The third is a nice climb after a crappy stage, he won't get 45s there either. The 4th, 5th, 6th and last MTF are all HC mountain's where he can gain 1min+ if he want's to.

The 3 uphills favour him too. He might take time out of everyone except Purito. The first one is like 2km at 11%, the second one is like 1,8km at 15% (max 28%) And the the last one is like an even easier version of macugnaga. You're also forgetting the bonifications.

Btw http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/omega-pharma-quickstep-still-interested-in-signing-contador

That's why I said average. of course he isn't going to take exactly 45 seconds on each climb. Also I don't think he's going to attack on 6 climbs, maybe 4 or so. I still say 5 -6 minutes.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I'd say Arrate will be a handful of seconds (remembering 2009). Valdezcaray will be a sprint of the elites (if the break doesn't take it). Jacá he may be able to take a handful of seconds from some contenders, but could also lose out to others. Probably likely to gain 0 there. The La Gallina stage is too weak for the final climb it has, which is only 7km long, but a decent steepness. He can take time there for sure. The ITT he can take a minute or two out of everyone though. Ézaro, see Jacá, this is more for Purito than Alberto. The penultimate weekend is where he can take max time - Ancares, Lagos de Covadonga, and finally Cuitu Negru, though attacks will probably only be in the last 3km there, and he's probably going to be in the leader's jersey, so no destroying it from 20km out by that point. Fuente Dé is a breakaway stage, it's a MTF in nothing except name. He'll probably want to make a difference on Bola del Mundo as it's close to home, but by then he'll probably be safe so not be bothered about taking max time.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I'd say Arrate will be a handful of seconds (remembering 2009). Valdezcaray will be a sprint of the elites (if the break doesn't take it). Jacá he may be able to take a handful of seconds from some contenders, but could also lose out to others. Probably likely to gain 0 there. The La Gallina stage is too weak for the final climb it has, which is only 7km long, but a decent steepness. He can take time there for sure. The ITT he can take a minute or two out of everyone though. Ézaro, see Jacá, this is more for Purito than Alberto. The penultimate weekend is where he can take max time - Ancares, Lagos de Covadonga, and finally Cuitu Negru, though attacks will probably only be in the last 3km there, and he's probably going to be in the leader's jersey, so no destroying it from 20km out by that point. Fuente Dé is a breakaway stage, it's a MTF in nothing except name. He'll probably want to make a difference on Bola del Mundo as it's close to home, but by then he'll probably be safe so not be bothered about taking max time.

So? What do you say?

 

[virandociclista]

So. Who will Contador crush in this year Vuelta?

Valverde, Cobo, Anton, Rodriguez, Froome?

 

[Parrulo]

So. Who will Contador crush in this year Vuelta?

Valverde, Cobo, Anton, Rodriguez, Froome?

evans very likely as well (he did won his world tittle coming from a vuelta) one of the schlecks maybe, scarponi?, purito ofc, nibali, gesink, mollema. . . . i guess it's pretty much it

 

[Havetts]

So. Who will Contador crush in this year Vuelta?

Valverde, Cobo, Anton, Rodriguez, Froome?

Add Gesink and add Evans & VDB if they start.

 

[patrick767]

7 MTF and 1 hilly 40k long itt (with a cat 3)

i fancy his chances of getting 10 minutes on every1

7 MTFs? Wow... talk about a GT for the climbers...
That's what lights up the race though and gives the riders numerous chances to gain time. I approve.

I'm surprised people are so completely confident that Contador will be in good form though. He obviously won't have much racing in him when the Vuelta starts.