2016 Vuelta a España, Info & Discussion

[Netserk]

The good news is that it will likely result in more breakaway wins for those stages.

 

[classicomano]

There is no sprinters field this Vuelta. Its non existant. Every stage will be for the breakaway.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

Only in Trentino I saw a blink of the Landa of 2015, for the rest of the season it was bleak - largely by bad luck of course.

What Landa did in the ITT of the Giro was great and he showed he is now a more powerfull rider.

It is a pity I coudntreally talk with him in San Sebastian... it wanst a good moment after the race in the bus full of people, we just look each other, and I congratulate him for this year and so on, but of course he will be happy about his performance..he need and in a lot of years of his carrer, continuity and good luck and healt to show all his potential, but at the moment he got that in a race that suit him he will be a destroyer.

 

[Sykes]

Re: Re:

Cannondale-Drapac for the 2017 Vuelta a España:

LOL, people complained that Cannondale were so late with announcing their roster, so they decided to announce their 2017 roster a whole year in advance!

I thought Moser was leaving for Astana, though...

I just copied from their site, didn't notice that "little detail :lol:

http://www.slipstreamsports.com/2016/08/18/talansky-to-lead-cannondale-drapac-at-the-vuelta/

 

[Samamba]

Re:

There is no sprinters field this Vuelta. Its non existant. Every stage will be for the breakaway.

Trek will definitely ride for Bonifazio, and maybe IAM for Van Genechten & Dimension Data for Sbaragli.

 

[HelloDolly]

Re:

How much is Landa being paid for this rubbish season?

I heard that Landa & Kwait were on 2 million a piece
For me SKY does not suit either but its good money if true ...2 years there and you can relax

Landa can certainly climb...one of the best but wining a GT is also about mind, health , etc......not so sure about that...He hasn't been that good in 2016

None of the SKY 2016 signing have been

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Re:

How much is Landa being paid for this rubbish season?

I heard that Landa & Kwait were on 2 million a piece
For me SKY does not suit either but its good money if true ...2 years there and you can relax

Landa can certainly climb...one of the best but wining a GT is also about mind, health , etc......not so sure about that...He hasn't been that good in 2016

None of the SKY 2016 signing have been

Landa had a horrible season, but I think that doesn't have a lot to do with his ability. Last years giro showed that he can win gt's simply because he could have won that gt, and I'm looking forward to next season. Hopefully he can ride the giro as the leader again.

 

[Pantani Attacks]

Thoughts on Kwiatkowski for this GT?

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

Thoughts on Kwiatkowski for this GT?

Based on the OGRR, he might win a stage if Froome flops

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Re: Re:

How much is Landa being paid for this rubbish season?

I heard that Landa & Kwait were on 2 million a piece
For me SKY does not suit either but its good money if true ...2 years there and you can relax

Landa can certainly climb...one of the best but wining a GT is also about mind, health , etc......not so sure about that...He hasn't been that good in 2016

None of the SKY 2016 signing have been

It would appear Landa is back to his normal level, the level seen prior to his out of contract year with Astana.

 

[staubsauger]

Jens Keukeleire has been a decent sprinter in small Flemish races back in his rookie days with Cofidis. Maybe he can show some sort of a renaissance against this weak sprint competition. Although Bonifazio has got some fast acceleration and Trek certainly's gonna ride for him. Drucker is a decent sprinter in small races as well. Since BMC wants to go stage hunting rather than for gc only, he might even be the favorite sprinter on paper. I'm not that convinced from Sbaragli as a sprinter tbh.

Landa has been decent in Pais Vasco when he still lacked race miles and kinda impressive at Trentino, to be fair. After that he had to abandon the Giro due to illness, rode the Tour simply as an additional domestique and in order to prepare himself to (co-) lead the Vuelta. Which now he has to skip as well. I don't know whether it's fair to claim he's back to his normal level. To me this season ain't representative at all. Since we've never seen him really in peak shape against any kind of high level competition. Nothing against Fuglsang and Firsanov. But toying around with them in Trentino ain't exactly telling anything about the shape about a Mikel Landa that dropped Contador & Aru everywhere he wanted and / or was allowed to do so at the 2015 Giro! Maybe he's gonna have a little peak for the Italian fall classics again? Although that ain't exactly his cup of tee as well. Lost year it seems. As simple as that.

 

[mooTi22]

Re:

Cannondale-Drapac for the 2017 Vuelta a España:

Patrick Bevin
Simon Clarke
Joe Dombrowski
Davide Formolo
Ben King
Moreno Moser
Pierre Rolland
Andrew Talansky
Davide Villella

Talansky as leader with a strong squad behind him. With this team, Cannondale is a good contender to take some stage wins!

I hope Talansky's stage win at ToU is an indicator that he's back to racing strong and will place well.

 

[TMP402]

In terms of sprints I would also highlight Bennati, Arndt, and maybe Felline and Reijnan, though Bonifazio should certainly take priority. From breaks, Clarke, Thwaites and Farrar.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

In terms of sprints I would also highlight Bennati, Arndt, and maybe Felline and Reijnan, though Bonifazio should certainly take priority. From breaks, Clarke, Thwaites and Farrar.

This Vuelta could be Arndt's breakthrough. Have to say I'm disappointed with how his career has gone so far, expected more from him by this point, with that relegation-assisted Giro stage win saving his season

 

[Valv.Piti]

Looking forward to see a proper TTT. I don't have anything against them as long as they aren't 10 km, should see some decent gaps already today. BMC and Movistar to be the winners, Orica and Sky will be up there, Tinkoff to lose 45 to Quintana + Valverde.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

In terms of sprints I would also highlight Bennati, Arndt, and maybe Felline and Reijnan, though Bonifazio should certainly take priority. From breaks, Clarke, Thwaites and Farrar.

Benna will be busy babysitting Alberto but yeah I hope he'll get the opportunity to sprint, he has looked strong the last year or so.

 

[Miburo]

Re:

Looking forward to see a proper TTT. I don't have anything against them as long as they aren't 10 km, should see some decent gaps already today. BMC and Movistar to be the winners, Orica and Sky will be up there, Tinkoff to lose 45 to Quintana + Valverde.

Movistar will have to wait for quintana. But they can take even minutes, it wont matter

 

[silvergrenade]

Re:

Looking forward to see a proper TTT. I don't have anything against them as long as they aren't 10 km, should see some decent gaps already today. BMC and Movistar to be the winners, Orica and Sky will be up there, Tinkoff to lose 45 to Quintana + Valverde.

Isn't 45 secs too much?
I think Tinkoff wont lose more than 25-30 secs.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Looking forward to see a proper TTT. I don't have anything against them as long as they aren't 10 km, should see some decent gaps already today. BMC and Movistar to be the winners, Orica and Sky will be up there, Tinkoff to lose 45 to Quintana + Valverde.

Isn't 45 secs too much?
I think Tinkoff wont lose more than 25-30 secs.

Dno, maybe its me hoping, but its a relatively long TTT

 

[wwabbit]

So... Stage 1 thread should be appearing soon?

 

[Sciocco]

Sticky please.

 

[Escarabajo]

Can this be a sticky? just because of the stage details!

Thanks.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

Sticky please.

^

 

[This Charming Man]

Re:

There is no sprinters field this Vuelta. Its non existant. Every stage will be for the breakaway.

Curious whatever happened to small sprints among epic groups of all arounders, I saw this in Utah, 2016.

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

There is no sprinters field this Vuelta. Its non existant. Every stage will be for the breakaway.

Curious whatever happened to small sprints among epic groups of all arounders, I saw this in Utah, 2016.

No, that's American races having trouble attracting good riders.