Re:
It does favor climbers but I don't really mind because what we all want is GC riders to fight it out and attack in unexpected places.
Also a week about there was a thread where people asked what could be done about long boring flat stages. It seems that Vuelta has an answer. Just don't have them.
DFA123 said:
It does favor climbers but I don't really mind because what we all want is GC riders to fight it out and attack in unexpected places.
Also a week about there was a thread where people asked what could be done about long boring flat stages. It seems that Vuelta has an answer. Just don't have them.
Re: Re:
I don't know why but I can only guess that he had 2 big goals for the season- Giro and Olympics and perhaps he feels he wouldn't have enough in the tank for a good Vuelta.
It's known for a while that Uran will not ride Vuelta.Arredondo said:
I don't know why but I can only guess that he had 2 big goals for the season- Giro and Olympics and perhaps he feels he wouldn't have enough in the tank for a good Vuelta.
- Aug 31, 2014
- 257
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I took the liberty to reclassify stages 8 and 11 as Medium Mountains even though the website says they're flat. Sure, they're flat, but there's also MTF's on the end there that I don't think the sprinters will contest...
- Nov 7, 2010
- 8,820
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- 17,880
Interesting to see on stage 9 that they are going over the Puerto de Tarna. I rode over it very recently and it has an absolutely attrocious road surface on the Asturian side (the way they will descend) with no signs of any work being done on it. Huge cracks, easily big enough to fit a wheel in, and potholes all over the place.
It's about a 15km section that needs resurfacing, so difficult to see how it will be re-done in time for the race - particularly as most public workers take the month off in August. It'll be a real hazard if they race on that, and pretty unnecessary as they could have just gone over Las Senales and Puerto San Isidro instead.
It's about a 15km section that needs resurfacing, so difficult to see how it will be re-done in time for the race - particularly as most public workers take the month off in August. It'll be a real hazard if they race on that, and pretty unnecessary as they could have just gone over Las Senales and Puerto San Isidro instead.
It couldnt be worse than Le Tour is being these first 10 stages. I think this is gonna be a great race.
Re: Re:
Races doesnt have to be fair, sometimes they benefit you and sometimes dont. And I find very nice to watch a 30 kms TTT, its gonna be an agonic stage.Red Rick said:
- May 25, 2010
- 8,863
- 414
- 18,580
Re: Re:
In 2011 (mind you he was 23) when he had his breakthrough Giro finishing 7th, but most of all was really good in the mountains he was absolutely crap in the Vuelta. He was just 23 though.
I'm not expecting anything great either, but he's looking really confident atm. He was at the daily TdF talkshow last night and he just looks like he's oozing with confidence.
Best part about him is that he's not moaning or regretting about what happened in the Giro. He's says it happened and I can think about it, but that's not going to help me. What I did learn about that Giro is that I can be one of the best and that's something useful.
His main goal is the Giro though, that's for sure. I'm curious how he will do at the Vuelta, but I'm not expecting that much.
Valv.Piti said:Red Rick said:Kruijswijk was doing very well in the Giro on more than just the high mountain stages. He almost won the MTT, so he'll be a factor on any climb over 25 minutes I'm thinking. Still sad thinking he didn't even get a stage from the Giro
You know when you have the feeling that some rider just will fail? Kruijswijk in the Vuelta. 30 degrees, hard, early punchy finishes. I know he did well in the start of the Giro, but sometimes, riders simply just are better in different races and I think Kruijswijk is born for the Giro, not the Vuelta. He would do better in the Tour IMO. I really doubt he can do well in the GC here, but it would be cool if he could surprise me, altho Im no fan at all.
In 2011 (mind you he was 23) when he had his breakthrough Giro finishing 7th, but most of all was really good in the mountains he was absolutely crap in the Vuelta. He was just 23 though.
I'm not expecting anything great either, but he's looking really confident atm. He was at the daily TdF talkshow last night and he just looks like he's oozing with confidence.
Best part about him is that he's not moaning or regretting about what happened in the Giro. He's says it happened and I can think about it, but that's not going to help me. What I did learn about that Giro is that I can be one of the best and that's something useful.
His main goal is the Giro though, that's for sure. I'm curious how he will do at the Vuelta, but I'm not expecting that much.
Re: Re:
I think it was last year when Movistar team split into 2 and the front group didn't even notice immediately. I guess with 30 km timetrial we will be seeing more of that (not necessarily Movistar again). I thought about this and it might have been the Tour (not sure). :redface:
But I agree, it's going to be nice to watch but I wouldn't want to be riding it myself.
Fernandez said:
I think it was last year when Movistar team split into 2 and the front group didn't even notice immediately. I guess with 30 km timetrial we will be seeing more of that (not necessarily Movistar again). I thought about this and it might have been the Tour (not sure). :redface:
But I agree, it's going to be nice to watch but I wouldn't want to be riding it myself.
- Feb 20, 2012
- 54,043
- 44,425
- 28,180
Re: Re:
Did he specifically prepare for GC at that Vuelta? Though in his case, ideal prep may have been Giro-Suisse-Nats-TdF-TdP-Burgos-Vuelta
Kwibus said:Valv.Piti said:Red Rick said:Kruijswijk was doing very well in the Giro on more than just the high mountain stages. He almost won the MTT, so he'll be a factor on any climb over 25 minutes I'm thinking. Still sad thinking he didn't even get a stage from the Giro
You know when you have the feeling that some rider just will fail? Kruijswijk in the Vuelta. 30 degrees, hard, early punchy finishes. I know he did well in the start of the Giro, but sometimes, riders simply just are better in different races and I think Kruijswijk is born for the Giro, not the Vuelta. He would do better in the Tour IMO. I really doubt he can do well in the GC here, but it would be cool if he could surprise me, altho Im no fan at all.
In 2011 (mind you he was 23) when he had his breakthrough Giro finishing 7th, but most of all was really good in the mountains he was absolutely crap in the Vuelta. He was just 23 though.
I'm not expecting anything great either, but he's looking really confident atm. He was at the daily TdF talkshow last night and he just looks like he's oozing with confidence.
Best part about him is that he's not moaning or regretting about what happened in the Giro. He's says it happened and I can think about it, but that's not going to help me. What I did learn about that Giro is that I can be one of the best and that's something useful.
His main goal is the Giro though, that's for sure. I'm curious how he will do at the Vuelta, but I'm not expecting that much.
Did he specifically prepare for GC at that Vuelta? Though in his case, ideal prep may have been Giro-Suisse-Nats-TdF-TdP-Burgos-Vuelta
- Feb 20, 2010
- 33,074
- 15,298
- 28,180
TTT as a standalone event, fine. TTT in every GT under the sun, go the hell away.
They absolutely do NOT need to go back to Angliru. Let it recover a bit of mythos. The most excited we've been for it since 1999 was 2008 when we hadn't seen it for six years. There are more than enough psychotic hell-slopes in Spain they can use. Cuitu Negru's not been back since 2012 and nor has Bola del Mundo, for example. Xorret del Catí since 2010 I think. Hazallana since 2013. La Pandera since 2009. Plus plenty more still to be discovered. And some more that are great climbs but not hell-slopes - this is the first time at Aitana since 2009 (I also give them a pass on this one since there isn't too much more you can do with the climb so this stage is absolutely fine), but also no Sierra Nevada since 2011 (there are multiple different routes still unused), no Morredero since 2006, no Cotobello since 2010, no Cálar Alto since 2006 (though used as a pass in 2009), no Cruz de la Demanda since 2001 though neighbouring Valdezcaray hosted in 2012, no Cerler (and that's a stone cold Vuelta classic) since 2007, no Rassos de Peguera since 1999. Let Angliru rebuild some of its magic. I think Covadonga is due a long layoff too.
The Peña Cabarga and La Camperona stages make baby Jesus cry. The former I actually really like as a climb, preferably to lead into the final set of mountains like in 2010 or to lead out of them like in 2011. You can do so much better with Monte Naranco than that though. So much better. And you could have a much better stage with the Garita de Herbeira (San Andres de Teixido) by going around, climbing the other side then descending into Cedeira to finish. On the plus side, the Basque stage is great, wish Formigal could be led into with some more difficult climbs because that 120km stage off the back of what should be the queen stage could potentially be great, but I can't see big gaps; these aren't the days of Fuente anymore.
They absolutely do NOT need to go back to Angliru. Let it recover a bit of mythos. The most excited we've been for it since 1999 was 2008 when we hadn't seen it for six years. There are more than enough psychotic hell-slopes in Spain they can use. Cuitu Negru's not been back since 2012 and nor has Bola del Mundo, for example. Xorret del Catí since 2010 I think. Hazallana since 2013. La Pandera since 2009. Plus plenty more still to be discovered. And some more that are great climbs but not hell-slopes - this is the first time at Aitana since 2009 (I also give them a pass on this one since there isn't too much more you can do with the climb so this stage is absolutely fine), but also no Sierra Nevada since 2011 (there are multiple different routes still unused), no Morredero since 2006, no Cotobello since 2010, no Cálar Alto since 2006 (though used as a pass in 2009), no Cruz de la Demanda since 2001 though neighbouring Valdezcaray hosted in 2012, no Cerler (and that's a stone cold Vuelta classic) since 2007, no Rassos de Peguera since 1999. Let Angliru rebuild some of its magic. I think Covadonga is due a long layoff too.
The Peña Cabarga and La Camperona stages make baby Jesus cry. The former I actually really like as a climb, preferably to lead into the final set of mountains like in 2010 or to lead out of them like in 2011. You can do so much better with Monte Naranco than that though. So much better. And you could have a much better stage with the Garita de Herbeira (San Andres de Teixido) by going around, climbing the other side then descending into Cedeira to finish. On the plus side, the Basque stage is great, wish Formigal could be led into with some more difficult climbs because that 120km stage off the back of what should be the queen stage could potentially be great, but I can't see big gaps; these aren't the days of Fuente anymore.
- Jul 16, 2010
- 17,455
- 5
- 0
Glad to see Gilbert is on the preliminary start-list. At least BMC is not screwing him over because he's leaving.
- Mar 14, 2016
- 3,092
- 7
- 0
- May 9, 2014
- 5,230
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- 17,680
If Valverde had seriously targetted the Vuelta this year, this would have been his best chance by far to add another Vuelta win to his palmares.
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