2017 Vuelta a Burgos (2.HC). 1-5 Aug.

[Forever The Best]

Re: Re:

I think 22 is enough to ride a GT. At 22, Andy Schleck rode the Giro and finished 2nd, Gesink did a top 10 in Vuelta '08, Kreuziger was contesting for the white jersey in Tour '08, Quintana was the super dom of Valverde and was outclimbing Anton, Gesink, Moreno, tired Froome etc. in some stages of Vuelta '12.
All of them were in their first GTs.

Nice list of riders who went too deep too soon and totally burned out.

True that. Though there are reasons for them imo. Schleck's one was injury, Gesink had a heart problem and also injury, Kreuziger's one was clinic (though he was bad in '12 before redeeming himself in '13). Pinot also rode his first GT at 22 then had seasons with ups and downs so he can also fit your criteria and Quintana was disappointing this year in the double.

 

[Tonton]

Re: Re:

I think 22 is enough to ride a GT. At 22, Andy Schleck rode the Giro and finished 2nd, Gesink did a top 10 in Vuelta '08, Kreuziger was contesting for the white jersey in Tour '08, Quintana was the super dom of Valverde and was outclimbing Anton, Gesink, Moreno, tired Froome etc. in some stages of Vuelta '12.
All of them were in their first GTs.

Nice list of riders who went too deep too soon and totally burned out.

True that. Though there are reasons for them imo. Schleck's one was injury, Gesink had a heart problem and also injury, Kreuziger's one was clinic (though he was bad in '12 before redeeming himself in '13). Pinot also rode his first GT at 22 then had seasons with ups and downs so he can also fit your criteria and Quintana was disappointing this year in the double.

Pinot 10th at the '12 TdF, barely 22...it's about right, although the gold (French) standard when I grew up and raced was that the age for racing a TdF was 24. Eddy won it at 24, Guimard held Hinault back until he was 24.

But age is not what it used to be, careers are longer, Joop and Poupou being exceptions in the "old" days. Now you got all the mid and late 30s contenders doing well, Valverde, Papy Horner won a GT at age 102, something has changed.

Regardless, go Mikel. He's a great rider whose season has been marked by a lot of bad luck, but also incredible tenacity.

 

[Netserk]

Contador was 22 when he rode his first Tour. Valverde was also 22 when he rode his first GT (in his first pro season). Likewise for Purito. Nibali was 22 too.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Somewhat bizarre riding by Aquablue, working like dogs for Blythe. Did they not know that the finish was a climb?

 

[hrotha]

Re:

Contador was 22 when he rode his first Tour. Valverde was also 22 when he rode his first GT (in his first pro season). Likewise for Purito. Nibali was 22 too.

Contador and Nibali rode their first GT in the year they turned 23. Valverde only did two weeks of his first Vuelta. I'll give you Purito, though.

 

[bambino]

Re: Re:

Contador was 22 when he rode his first Tour. Valverde was also 22 when he rode his first GT (in his first pro season). Likewise for Purito. Nibali was 22 too.

Contador and Nibali rode their first GT in the year they turned 23. Valverde only did two weeks of his first Vuelta. I'll give you Purito, though.

Berto is December boy and was 22y 7m (Mas is exactly the same age this month btw.) starting his first GT. I.e. Nairo was only a month younger in Vuelta 2012 being February boy. Don't see any difference.

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

Contador was 22 when he rode his first Tour. Valverde was also 22 when he rode his first GT (in his first pro season). Likewise for Purito. Nibali was 22 too.

Contador and Nibali rode their first GT in the year they turned 23. Valverde only did two weeks of his first Vuelta. I'll give you Purito, though.

The point is that (almost) all great GT riders start young. Likewise for Ulle and Lance. Indurain was just 19 when he started his first GT and from then on he started two GTs every year of his career.

I don't think it matters if you're 22½ what side of new year you were born.

 

[hrotha]

Re: Re:

Contador was 22 when he rode his first Tour. Valverde was also 22 when he rode his first GT (in his first pro season). Likewise for Purito. Nibali was 22 too.

Contador and Nibali rode their first GT in the year they turned 23. Valverde only did two weeks of his first Vuelta. I'll give you Purito, though.

Berto is December boy and was 22y 7m (Mas is exactly the same age this month btw.) starting his first GT. I.e. Nairo was only a month younger in Vuelta 2012 being February boy. Don't see any difference.

I didn't say anything about Mas at all. That's not the discussion I got into.

 

[Vroome.exe]

Re: Re:

Contador was 22 when he rode his first Tour. Valverde was also 22 when he rode his first GT (in his first pro season). Likewise for Purito. Nibali was 22 too.

Contador and Nibali rode their first GT in the year they turned 23. Valverde only did two weeks of his first Vuelta. I'll give you Purito, though.

So you have just confirmed that all of them were 22 years old.

 

[hrotha]

Yes. But you see, the year when you're born is kinda important in cycling. It's what determines your category (junior, u23, etc) and whether or not you qualify for the young riders classification.

 

[Bushman]

Re: Re:

I think 22 is enough to ride a GT. At 22, Andy Schleck rode the Giro and finished 2nd, Gesink did a top 10 in Vuelta '08, Kreuziger was contesting for the white jersey in Tour '08, Quintana was the super dom of Valverde and was outclimbing Anton, Gesink, Moreno, tired Froome etc. in some stages of Vuelta '12.
All of them were in their first GTs.

Nice list of riders who went too deep too soon and totally burned out.

True that. Though there are reasons for them imo. Schleck's one was injury, Gesink had a heart problem and also injury, Kreuziger's one was clinic (though he was bad in '12 before redeeming himself in '13). Pinot also rode his first GT at 22 then had seasons with ups and downs so he can also fit your criteria and Quintana was disappointing this year in the double.[/]

I think the main reason for Quintana's poor form this year is overracing. Before the Tour this year he had ridden 3 GT's in a row (Tour, Vuelta 2016, Giro 2017) where he was battling for the gc win and that will take its toll eventually.

 

[ice&fire]

Re: Re:

Contador was 22 when he rode his first Tour. Valverde was also 22 when he rode his first GT (in his first pro season). Likewise for Purito. Nibali was 22 too.

Contador and Nibali rode their first GT in the year they turned 23. Valverde only did two weeks of his first Vuelta. I'll give you Purito, though.

The point is that (almost) all great GT riders start young. Likewise for Ulle and Lance. Indurain was just 19 when he started his first GT and from then on he started two GTs every year of his career.

I don't think it matters if you're 22½ what side of new year you were born.

Indurain was 20 (+9 months) when he started his first Vuelta (1985).

 

[perico]

what has happened to Quik Step!?!? Have they finally figured out Mtn stage tactics?

 

[ice&fire]

what has happened to Quik Step!?!? Have they finally figured out Mtn stage tactics?

When they leave their leader alone vs Sky train with more than 6km to go... obviously not.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Re: Re:

Indurain was 20 (+9 months) when he started his first Vuelta (1985).

Indurain did the 1984 Friedenfahrt against the DDR robots. That's like a GC. :geek:

 

[perico]

what has happened to Quik Step!?!? Have they finally figured out Mtn stage tactics?

When they leave their leader alone vs Sky train with more than 6km to go... obviously not.

They have two in the group. Tried to set up De laCruz and Mas stayed in the leader group.

 

[DNP-Old]

Más is much stronger than De la Cruz.

 

[Vroome.exe]

Mas pacing Landa... Quickstep never learn.

 

[perico]

Enric. Mas. Wow.

 

[perico]

Re:

Mas pacing Landa... Quickstep never learn.

They were riding for mas it looked like.

 

[DNP-Old]

Hard to see Superman lose this, he is by far the quickest.

 

[DNP-Old]

There we go.

 

[Vroome.exe]

Re: Re:

Mas pacing Landa... Quickstep never learn.

They were riding for mas it looked like.

He had his teammate behind and paced Lopez to the win. There is no logic in that.

 

[markene2]

Nice win by Lopez,

 

[Arredondo]

We all know Lopez will finish on the podium of La Vuelta

If he can stay on this bike.....