2014 Vuelta a Espana Stage 1 Jerez de la Frontera 12.6 km (TTT)

[barmaher]

So the third Grand Tour of the year is bookended by two stages with the potential to be interesting, but both of them are ludicrously short.

This stage sees the teams tackle a flat twisty circuit around Jerez, with 9 x 90 degree turns and 2 x 180 degree turns. To my mind, the circuit favours teams with sprinters and prologue specialists, with the usual ITT riders finding it hard to get into a sufficient rhythm, given the short distance and the numerous turns. Hot weather is to be a factor in Week 1, but with the mercury only expected to hit 32C tomorrow, and an evening start, and a simple stage, I wouldn't be too worried about Stage 1.

Main Contenders:
Trek Factory Racing (Julian ARREDONDO, Fabian CANCELLARA, Bob JUNGELS, Yaroslav POPOVYCH, Jesse SERGENT, Jasper STUYVEN, Kristof VANDEWALLE, Haimar ZUBELDIA, Fabio FELLINE)
Omega Pharma Quickstep (Tom BOONEN, Gianluca BRAMBILLA, Tony MARTIN, Wout POELS, Rigoberto URAN URAN, Martin VELITS, Nikolas MAES, Pieter SERRY, Carlos CERONA)
BMC Racing (Samuel SANCHEZ, Cadel EVANS, Philippe GILBERT, Steve MORABITO, Dominik NERZ, Manuel QUINZIATO, Rohan DENNIS, Lawrence WARBASSE, Danilo WYSS)

Other teams with a chance:

Team Sky, Movistar, Orica GreenEdge.

Personally, I think Giant Shimano have a chance, apart from the teams mentioned above. But of the favourites, I like Trek, as I think they have the right type of riders for this test.

 

[HappyLoser]

Trek vs OPQS vs Sky. It will be very close.

Tinkoff & Movi & Orica not far behind, Katusha going very slow.

 

[TANK91]

Froome is really worrying me with these falls. I mean 2013 was perfect compared to this year, almost no falls. Why isit keep happening? I would like see him win it i think Nairo is the big fav though. Contador no one know's what he can do because the injury.


Edit i think Sky will do well here.

 

[jens_attacks]

movistar will destroy the sound barrier here.
tinkov will get second and very close to them
sky will lose quite some time i think

 

[l.Harm]

Cancellara, Sergent, Jungels, Vandewalle, Zubeldia should take it.

 

[No_Balls]

Froome is really worrying me with these falls. I mean 2013 was perfect compared to this year, almost no falls. Why isit keep happening? I would like see him win it i think Nairo is the big fav though. Contador no one know's what he can do because the injury.


Edit i think Sky will do well here.

He have lost a little self esteem IMHO. Falling from your bike can happen to everyone but if it happens regulary you are beginning to think and start to acts more unsure. He feels a little unsure on the bike and his ride pays for his lack of confidence.

I noticed it already on the Dauphine when this spiral began that he´d looked somewhat mentally challenged.

Edit: Movistar for this short and technical route.

Good post sir!

 

[Stromeon]

On paper Trek should be the strongest, with 5 very good TTers, but TTT is more than just the sum of the parts and teams like Orica, OPQS and Movistar always seem to have good cohesion and are often quite succesful. So despite the fact it is a TTT, and a very short one at that too, it could be quite interesting.

 

[Hugo87]

Tony Martin to carry Omega Pharma to the win.

 

[Rollthedice]

movistar will destroy the sound barrier here.
tinkov will get second and very close to them
sky will lose quite some time i think

This. OPQS in top 3.

 

[Afrank]

Was looking through the teams earlier for the great grand tour game, and every team seemed a bit meh. Not many that sent a bunch of their best in the TTT discipline. Then Trek popped out, they've got a very nice looking team for this.

Going with them.

 

[the sceptic]

OPQS
Movistar
Trek

dark horse Giant Shimano

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Going with Movistar.

Very technical route, a team taking too much risk could get hurt.

19:04(local) MTN-Qhubeka
19:08 Cofidis
19:12 Team Europar
19:16 Team Giant-Shimano
19:20 AG2R La Mondiale
19:24 Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
19:28 IAM Cycling
19:32 Orica-GreenEdge
19:36 Cannondale Pro Cycling
19:40 FDJ.fr
19:44 Lampre-Merida
19:48 BMC Racing Team
19:52 Trek Factory Racing
19:56 Belkin Pro Cycling Team
20:00 Garmin-Sharp
20:04 Lotto-Belisol
20:08 Astana Pro Team
20:12 Team Katusha
20:16 Team Sky
20:20 Omega Pharma-Quick Step
20:24 Tinkoff-Saxo
20:28 Movistar Team

 

[icefire]

...
This stage sees the teams tackle a flat twisty circuit around Jerez, with 9 x 90 degree turns and 2 x 180 degree turns. To my mind, the circuit favours teams with sprinters and prologue specialists, with the usual ITT riders finding it hard to get into a sufficient rhythm, given the short distance and the numerous turns. Hot weather is to be a factor in Week 1, but with the mercury only expected to hit 32C tomorrow, and an evening start, and a simple stage, I wouldn't be too worried about Stage 1.
...

Add to the bolded 11 roundabouts apart from those in some of the turns.

 

[yetiyeti]

How do they determine the start order for the TTT?

 

[Red Rick]

Someone will take the red, but only because Contador allows him to take it

OPQS to win, Tinkov to top 5

 

[VeloHuman]

Looking forward to seeing what GSH and Cannondale do on this stage. Lots of good young riders here.

 

[del1962]

Add to the bolded 11 roundabouts apart from those in some of the turns.

Why is every city like Milton Keynes

 

[Netserk]

How do they determine the start order for the TTT?

Organizers decide.

 

[Jspear]

1. OPQS
2. Trek
3. Sky
4. BMC
5. Moviestar
6. Tinkov
7. Astana
8. Garmin
Katusha will do horrible and Jrod will have to do his usual catching up.

 

[Escarabajo]

Who is the Moviestar?

 

[dlwssonic]

BMC's team look good for the win, and they have dennis too.

 

[hfer07]

OPQS to trash the competition easily

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Hopefully Kangert, Lutsenko and Guarneri can get Astana into a top 10

 

[SeriousSam]

Who is the Moviestar?

starring Quintana, co-starring Valverde

 

[Pricey_sky]

OPQS to just take it from Trek. BMC and Sky to fight for 3rd place.