Big stars entering the vuelta

[dlwssonic]

since the tour is nearly over i would be looking forward to the vuelta. i would like to know who are entering. i hear frank schleck would be entering. its time he got a gt victory

 

[icefire]

since the tour is nearly over i would be looking forward to the vuelta. i would like to know who are entering. i hear frank schleck would be entering. its time he got a gt victory

Fränk said he would help his brother. I don't expect any of them being competitive either for the GC or stage hunting. Nibali may be the man.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Nibali will be Liquigas' guy.

Caisse will have Soler and Arroyo at least.

Euskaltel will have Antón and Intxausti. Antón will probably be their GC man, but Samu might show if he has enough left.

Xaco will have Mosquera, who's always good for some fun.

Saxo will take both Schlecks. Fränk is coming off injury and says he'll work to help Andy, but I think Andy will have lost too much energy at the Tour. It's a shame as this could be Fränk's best chance of winning a GT.

Menchov used to ride Tour-Vuelta back when he won it twice, so I'd hope he does that again as he could well be competitive.

I expect you'll have a pretty elite mix of sprinters and classics men looking to prepare for the Worlds.

Moncoutié will want to defend his KOM too. Dani Moreno has got good results as a domestique at the Vuelta two years running now, but he's raced both GTs so far this year so I don't know if he'll ride.

Finally, a couple of more left-field suggestions - Rujano's been in talks with Footon (again) and Riccò's been in talks with Quick Step. Stefan Schumacher also wants to ride but I don't think he'll be as lucky getting a slot.

 

[craig1985]

Don't count on Contador being there (at this stage).

 

[luckyboy]

Don't count on Contador being there (at this stage).

Came here to ask what his chances of riding were, would've been nice to see him there.

 

[joy118118]

Sicard and van Garderen all go to Vuelta

we need some new blood in GC contender

 

[Mellow Velo]

Sicard and van Garderen all go to Vuelta

we need some new blood in GC contender

Reminds me. How is Ricco's Vuelta transfer coming along?

 

[The Hitch]

Reminds me. How is Ricco's Vuelta transfer coming along?

Yeah i was going to ask if maybe ricco will be there. What about Franco Pellizoti.

I hope Menchov wont be there. Hes already won it twice, let someone else have a go.

Who will wear number 1. Obviously the defending champion wont be there.

 

[hrotha]

Sicard and van Garderen all go to Vuelta

we need some new blood in GC contender

I don't think any of them is ready and I hope no one puts silly ideas in their heads.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Kashechkin for Lampre

 

[joy118118]

I don't think any of them is ready and I hope no one puts silly ideas in their heads.

they both already 22 and after 2/3 pro season i think they can have a try.

they expect to go to tour next year so they should show something in Vuelta

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

they both already 22 and after 2/3 pro season i think they can have a try.

they expect to go to tour next year so they should show something in Vuelta

no need rush the youngsters. avoiding a GT in their first season is a good idea imo.

22 is still very young btw.

 

[ericthesportsman6]

Nibali will be Liquigas' guy.

Caisse will have Soler and Arroyo at least.

Euskaltel will have Antón and Intxausti. Antón will probably be their GC man, but Samu might show if he has enough left.

Xaco will have Mosquera, who's always good for some fun.

Saxo will take both Schlecks. Fränk is coming off injury and says he'll work to help Andy, but I think Andy will have lost too much energy at the Tour. It's a shame as this could be Fränk's best chance of winning a GT.

Menchov used to ride Tour-Vuelta back when he won it twice, so I'd hope he does that again as he could well be competitive.

I expect you'll have a pretty elite mix of sprinters and classics men looking to prepare for the Worlds.

Moncoutié will want to defend his KOM too. Dani Moreno has got good results as a domestique at the Vuelta two years running now, but he's raced both GTs so far this year so I don't know if he'll ride.

Finally, a couple of more left-field suggestions - Rujano's been in talks with Footon (again) and Riccò's been in talks with Quick Step. Stefan Schumacher also wants to ride but I don't think he'll be as lucky getting a slot.

Don't forgot about Kashechkin, he's hoping to return for the race as well. I think Anton could have a good year, and this is Mosquera's best shot at a podium for a while.

 

[theyoungest]

they both already 22 and after 2/3 pro season i think they can have a try.

they expect to go to tour next year so they should show something in Vuelta

I don't think Van Garderen expects to go to the Tour next year. Sicard, maybe.

Usually a rider starts thinking about GTs in his second pro season. Certainly when they're so young.

 

[joy118118]

I don't think Van Garderen expects to go to the Tour next year. Sicard, maybe.

Usually a rider starts thinking about GTs in his second pro season. Certainly when they're so young.

well, Van Garderen said it on his twitter. but i think it depends on his vuelta show

 

[Big GMaC]

Peter Sagan for some stages?

 

[The Hitch]

Speaking of the vuelta im loving the new climb they included for the penultimate - Bola del Mundo. Its under 50km from madrid city centre

How on earth did they get a gc mtf on the outskirts of Madrid?

 

[AtletiSK]

Peter Sagan for some stages?

probably not, he is riding Tour of Poland and WCH, maybe some one-day race between

 

[AtletiSK]

How on earth did they get a gc mtf on the outskirts of Madrid?

it is not that surprising with the geography of Spain and Meseta, Madrid itself lies 600+ metres above sea and there are mountains all around Madrid with Sierra de Guadarrama to the north reaching 2400+m
btw. Bola del Mundo is going to be a massacre climb, there are 17-18-19% passages over last 4km

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Devolder will win.

 

[The Hitch]

it is not that surprising with the geography of Spain and Meseta, Madrid itself lies 600+ metres above sea and there are mountains all around Madrid with Sierra de Guadarrama to the north reaching 2400+m
btw. Bola del Mundo is going to be a massacre climb, there are 17-18-19% passages over last 4km

even though the vuelta doesnt have large number of fans usually, since the mtf is so close to the city, there might be a large number of fans, on the climb.

 

[nvpacchi]

Anton, Intxausti, and hopefully Txurruka will animate the race. Anton has been the only guy to ride away from Contador in the mountains this year (Castilla y Leon).

Also Jose Angel Gomez Marchante will probably be team leader for Andalucia Cajasur- he's finished 5th and 8th in la Vuelta before.

 

[aahmadhu]

rabobank will bank on bauke mollema for GC.

 

[Ryaguas]

Speaking of the vuelta im loving the new climb they included for the penultimate - Bola del Mundo. Its under 50km from madrid city centre

How on earth did they get a gc mtf on the outskirts of Madrid?

BTW There is where El Pistolero goes to train when He is in his House in Pinto... He really loves that climb...!

Reminds me. How is Ricco's Vuelta transfer coming along?

Well He signed with Ceramica Flaminia for two years and with a clausule that doesn't allow him to leave the team until finish the 2 years contract... I think Quick Step really wants him but Falminia is not going to give up on Riccó so quickly...

 

[icefire]

How on earth did they get a gc mtf on the outskirts of Madrid?

Navacerrada is 60km from Madrid and is the climb most featured in the Vuelta. Although the road to Bola del Mundo has been there for a long time (there is a radio station at the summit), it's part of a natural park and there are access restrictions. You can only get there walking, cycling or using the lift of the ski station.

The Vuelta wanted to have a stage finish there since a few years ago, but it needed the permission of the regional authorities to access the protected area, and the interest of the local authorities to pay for the stage and repair the access road where needed. This just happened last year.