2016 Vuelta a España, Info & Discussion

[bajbar]

Re: Re:

Yeah don't understand how they could have Quintana above both Contador AND Froome.

Only thing I can think is they think the Olympics for Froome and not ideal preparation for Bertie. Still think it's a bit weird but I reckon Quintana will have a good Vuelta.

Quintana did make the podium last year after doing the Tour so I think he should put in a good showing even if he was bad at the Tour but I don't see him winning it.

I think Froome could very well win it if he goes for it but the preparation may not be there with the Olympics. With that said, I don't think the Olympics will wear on him too much and it isn't like he went too deep in the Tour. I don't think he will be the Froome we have seen in the Tour the past couple years but he should be a threat.

I see flashes of 2014 again with Contador here and I think he knows what he has to do in order to prepare for this race. I think he would be my favorite as things stand right now and he doesn't have a full Tour in his legs like the other riders.

Outside of those guys, I think there are some intriguing names out there although I will wait to see who is attending and who isn't before I get too deep.

Did he really?

 

[barmaher]

Profile of final climb on Stage 17.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Profile of final climb on Stage 17.

Hopefully a Purito stage win

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Quintana will recover now and take some tests on his medical issues in the Tour. It's a bit early to crown favorites here.

 

[Cannibal72]

Re: Re:

Yeah don't understand how they could have Quintana above both Contador AND Froome.

Only thing I can think is they think the Olympics for Froome and not ideal preparation for Bertie. Still think it's a bit weird but I reckon Quintana will have a good Vuelta.

Quintana did make the podium last year after doing the Tour so I think he should put in a good showing even if he was bad at the Tour but I don't see him winning it.

I think Froome could very well win it if he goes for it but the preparation may not be there with the Olympics. With that said, I don't think the Olympics will wear on him too much and it isn't like he went too deep in the Tour. I don't think he will be the Froome we have seen in the Tour the past couple years but he should be a threat.

I see flashes of 2014 again with Contador here and I think he knows what he has to do in order to prepare for this race. I think he would be my favorite as things stand right now and he doesn't have a full Tour in his legs like the other riders.

Outside of those guys, I think there are some intriguing names out there although I will wait to see who is attending and who isn't before I get too deep.

Did he really?

He didn't - although it was very close between him and Majka.

 

[Pantani Attacks]

MAL E/W at 33/1 is the best possible bet being offered.

 

[ppanther92]

Carlos Verona at least top 20.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Some of these riders, think Rolland, TJ and Kruijswijk, will be in for a surprise. La Vuelta punishes these diesels for a living

Dumoulin & Wiggins have done well at the Vuelta

Wiggins was sort of before La Vuelta truly became "La Vuelta". IIRC, it had 2 short Murito's, Pena Cabarga, and Angliru. All the other big climbs were grinders, and the TT was still flat.

 

[Billie]

Re: Re:

Some of these riders, think Rolland, TJ and Kruijswijk, will be in for a surprise. La Vuelta punishes these diesels for a living

Dumoulin & Wiggins have done well at the Vuelta

Wiggins was sort of before La Vuelta truly became "La Vuelta". IIRC, it had 2 short Murito's, Pena Cabarga, and Angliru. All the other big climbs were grinders, and the TT was still flat.

you're wrong. valdepenas de jaen, San lorenzo de escorial. 2011 route was very similar to vuelta routes of last 5 years.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Some of these riders, think Rolland, TJ and Kruijswijk, will be in for a surprise. La Vuelta punishes these diesels for a living

Dumoulin & Wiggins have done well at the Vuelta

Wiggins was sort of before La Vuelta truly became "La Vuelta". IIRC, it had 2 short Murito's, Pena Cabarga, and Angliru. All the other big climbs were grinders, and the TT was still flat.

you're wrong. valdepenas de jaen, San lorenzo de escorial. 2011 route was very similar to vuelta routes of last 5 years.

That's exactly what I said. Valdepenas de Jaen and San Lorenzo de Escorial are both like 1km long. Gaps are tiny. The Angliru is so tough it doesn't really favour punchy climbers that much over pure climbers. Then there's Pena Cabarga.

Otoh. We also had Sierra Nevada, La Covatilla, Manzaneda and Farrapona iirc. All pretty long climbs. This year there's like 3 climbs that are very long and hard (Aitana, Aubisque, Covadonga), and a lot more punchy climbs, most of which are a lot worse for pure climbers than a simple 1km uphill sprint.

 

[Billie]

okay i misunderstood. Thought you meant it had only 2 steep finishes in Cabarga and Angliru

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

MAL E/W at 33/1 is the best possible bet being offered.

Is really is. One of the most awesome displays this year was the stage Pantano won, he was frickin awesome on that climb. Hoping he will do well!

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Re:

Some of these riders, think Rolland, TJ and Kruijswijk, will be in for a surprise. La Vuelta punishes these diesels for a living

Dumoulin & Wiggins have done well at the Vuelta

Wiggins was sort of before La Vuelta truly became "La Vuelta". IIRC, it had 2 short Murito's, Pena Cabarga, and Angliru. All the other big climbs were grinders, and the TT was still flat.

you're wrong. valdepenas de jaen, San lorenzo de escorial. 2011 route was very similar to vuelta routes of last 5 years.

That's exactly what I said. Valdepenas de Jaen and San Lorenzo de Escorial are both like 1km long. Gaps are tiny. The Angliru is so tough it doesn't really favour punchy climbers that much over pure climbers. Then there's Pena Cabarga.

Otoh. We also had Sierra Nevada, La Covatilla, Manzaneda and Farrapona iirc. All pretty long climbs. This year there's like 3 climbs that are very long and hard (Aitana, Aubisque, Covadonga), and a lot more punchy climbs, most of which are a lot worse for pure climbers than a simple 1km uphill sprint.

There is also formigal this year which isn't a very steep climb but besides that I agree. Even in the last years there werent so many stages with only one climb which is super steep but short at the end. Climbs like angliru or bola del mundo are something completely different because they are much longer with less brutal gradients earlier on. However riders like dumoulin have already shown that they can still be very strong on those climbs (he won in cumbre del sol) so I wouldn't immediately count the riders mentioned above out.

 

[Valv.Piti]

https://plataformarecorridosciclist...lta-2016-recorrido-y-perfiles-de-los-puertos/

Great readup here.

 

[52520Andrew]

Re: Re:

Yeah don't understand how they could have Quintana above both Contador AND Froome.

Only thing I can think is they think the Olympics for Froome and not ideal preparation for Bertie. Still think it's a bit weird but I reckon Quintana will have a good Vuelta.

Quintana did make the podium last year after doing the Tour so I think he should put in a good showing even if he was bad at the Tour but I don't see him winning it.

I think Froome could very well win it if he goes for it but the preparation may not be there with the Olympics. With that said, I don't think the Olympics will wear on him too much and it isn't like he went too deep in the Tour. I don't think he will be the Froome we have seen in the Tour the past couple years but he should be a threat.

I see flashes of 2014 again with Contador here and I think he knows what he has to do in order to prepare for this race. I think he would be my favorite as things stand right now and he doesn't have a full Tour in his legs like the other riders.

Outside of those guys, I think there are some intriguing names out there although I will wait to see who is attending and who isn't before I get too deep.

Did he really?

Gah, forgot all about Majka

 

[TomLPC]

Who do you lot fancy to get the Tommy/Horner/Froome/Mosquera/Cobo award for out of nowhere performance this time around? Maybe Big John himself fancies a podium spot?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj3r4apKNhY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT8DdEdhy0A

 

[Ataraxus]

https://plataformarecorridosciclist...lta-2016-recorrido-y-perfiles-de-los-puertos/

Great readup here.

Very concentrated information about the hilly/mountain stages. Thank you!

 

[bassano]

btw. Nibali is not considering Vuelta? It would be logical step after Giro and olympic Road race I hoped he can do good there this year

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

btw. Nibali is not considering Vuelta? It would be logical step after Giro and olympic Road race I hoped he can do good there this year

He also rode the tour. Absolutely understandable that he doesn't want to ride all gt's.

 

[bassano]

Re: Re:

btw. Nibali is not considering Vuelta? It would be logical step after Giro and olympic Road race I hoped he can do good there this year

He also rode the tour. Absolutely understandable that he doesn't want to ride all gt's.

Yeah, but he rode Tour to be in shape for olympics, it was not meant like why the hell he does not want to ride Vuelta, but I would like to see him there

 

[Red Rick]

There's absolutely nothing for Nibali at the Vuelta, except maybe a burnout or something. After the Olympics, it's all eggs in a basket called "Giro di Lombardia"

 

[fungusbear]

I wonder if Aru will ride the Vuelta. Had quite a poor tour and has not won much this year.

 

[Jakub]

Re:

I wonder if Aru will ride the Vuelta. Had quite a poor tour and has not won much this year.

I expect him there and expect him do better than at Tour but he won't be contender for overall win at all IMHO.

 

[roundabout]

Final version of profiles is up

New stage 13

Extra 3rd cat on stage 9

a few minor changes in stage lengths here and there

Edit: also looks like a change for stage 5

 

[Gigs_98]

Hahahaha, they just made the only well designed medium mountain stage a sprint stage. WTF are they doing, I can't believe this.