2014 Vuelta al País Vasco, Stage 1: Ordizia → Ordizia, 153.4 km

[Geraint Too Fast]

2014 Vuelta al País Vasco, Stage 1: Ordizia → Ordizia, 153.4 km

Official Start List

I'm really looking forward to this stage. Hopefully it doesn't disappoint.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Me too.

I'm expecting Contador vs Valverde for the stage, with Van Garderen probably there as well
Betancur has been ill
Costa won't be far off
Curious to see how Kennaugh and Nieve will do

 

[Parrulo]

This stage has Valverde written all over it

Hopefully there will be some attacks on the last climb

 

[Parrulo]

Interactive profile of the last climb:
http://www.cronoescalada.com/index.php/puertos/view/1098

Positioning will be very important as the road seems very narrow.

 

[The Hitch]

Official Start List

I'm really looking forward to this stage. Hopefully it doesn't disappoint.

Reminds me of stage 1 from 3 years ago, with similar distance and a similar final climb - slightly steeper, when Horner dropped everyone and Murito won the sprint from 4.

 

[VeloHuman]

Love how so many of these stages could go to any number of riders.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Reminds me of stage 1 from 3 years ago, with similar distance and a similar final climb - slightly steeper, when Horner dropped everyone and Murito won the sprint from 4.

Definite similarity to the Zumarraga stage though Gaintza is about 50% longer than the Alto de la Antigua. It doesn't get quite as steep though its average is higher.

This has the potential to be the best stage of the race, in fact on paper it IS the best stage of the race. I wish they'd put Lazkaomendi on the second loop as well (it is there the first time around when they do Gaintza). That would make the toughest climb the 2nd last and add another short but brutal climb just after. Still, this is the best-designed stage of the race and can hopefully make up for the real disappointment that is the Markina stage design.

 

[Jack_89]

Definite similarity to the Zumarraga stage though Gaintza is about 50% longer than the Alto de la Antigua. It doesn't get quite as steep though its average is higher.

This has the potential to be the best stage of the race, in fact on paper it IS the best stage of the race. I wish they'd put Lazkaomendi on the second loop as well (it is there the first time around when they do Gaintza). That would make the toughest climb the 2nd last and add another short but brutal climb just after. Still, this is the best-designed stage of the race and can hopefully make up for the real disappointment that is the Markina stage design.

I completely agree. It could be the hardest and spectacular stage of PV after the ITT.Last hillys are very hard and interesting

 

[Arredondo]

Interactive profile of the last climb:
http://www.cronoescalada.com/index.php/puertos/view/1098

Positioning will be very important as the road seems very narrow.

Wow, thanks, this is great!

The road is really narrow indeed. Perhaps too narrow, it hasn't anything do anymore with attacking. You're done if you at position 30th at the bottom

 

[Roude Leiw]

Small-ish group to come in, sprint between Valverde and the Butcher

 

[LaFlorecita]

Valverde to win his first of 4 stages

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Going with Chernetckii. Katusha's team:

121.SPILAK Simon
122.KOLOBNEV Alexandr
123.BRUTT Pavel
124.CHERNETCKII Sergei
125.IGNATENKO Petr
126.KOZONTCHUK Dmitry
127.SILIN Egor
128.TROFIMOV Yuri

Could go really well on this parcours.

 

[Jack_89]

Valverde to win his first of 4 stages

But maybe not.
i hope alberto can attacks on last climb and comes alone for victory !

difficult but not impossible

 

[Arredondo]

I think in the current form of Valverde, it is mission impossible for Contador to drop him on the climb. I think Valverde is able to drop everybody, but he will wait for the sprint.

 

[Jack_89]

I agree. Mine is only a hope. If you ask me a name i tell Valverde. It is obvious.

 

[VeloHuman]

Valverde to win his first of 4 stages

Excited to have Costa, Kwiatkowski around these days to challenge that assumption.

 

[Fzotrlool]

What is the chance of an old school revival?

Gesink, Evans, Samu, Lulu, Andy and Frank. Party like it's 09/10.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Lulu on this finish would absolutely astound me. This is so not the power climbs he excels on. Madrazo, Fraile and Txurruka are better calls from Caja Rural on this stage.

Chernetskiy, Spilak, Pinot, Vanendert, Gasparotto, André Cardoso and Albasini are a few outsiders who could place well, but I don't think any can win unless they get let go while Valverde et al look at each other. As has been mentioned, it's very narrow.

 

[cocteau_ireland]

Gotta love the cycling calendar this time o' year

 

[Bushman]

Hoping Valverde will continue his aggressive style, could be exciting with him, Contador and Purito as the animators.

Edit: no Purito in the race? How come?

 

[Jspear]

Better not go against the grain here. Looks like Valverde is the big fav for this stage. My head tells me he probably will win - my heart says vote for Contador....

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

What is the chance of an old school revival?

Gesink, Evans, Samu, Lulu, Andy and Frank. Party like it's 09/10.

Gesink and Evans are hit or miss, could do surprisingly well, could totally fail. Who knows? They both had a good start to the season, then totally sucked in TA.. (well gesink had an excuse, but still).
Frank Schleck will be up there, he was strong in CI.
Andy will be 97th
Lulu, he'll be there in some stages, but this is too tough of a course for him

 

[cocteau_ireland]

Gesink and Evans are hit or miss, could do surprisingly well, could totally fail. Who knows? They both had a good start to the season, then totally sucked in TA.. (well gesink had an excuse, but still).
Frank Schleck will be up there, he was strong in CI.
Andy will be 97th
Lulu, he'll be there in some stages, but this is too tough of a course for him

Nonsense. Andy's got a top 80 in him this season; I can feel it.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Top 80 seems a bit optimistic with all the descents in this race. I can feel a DNF coming. Perhaps even in the ITT

 

[The Hitch]

What is the chance of an old school revival?

Gesink, Evans, Samu, Lulu, Andy and Frank. Party like it's 09/10.

Well I was thinking that when I saw wt rankings. Contador and cancellara at the top.