The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to
In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.
Thanks!
will10 said:Take a look at the 2010 Sky squad and tell me how many climbers you find.
JimmyFingers said:Did he begin the 2011 Vuelta as team leader?
It's not exactly because Moreno and Henao was the favourite for the Vuelta last year.The Hitch said:He was 3rd in the Tour of Burgos, which is the Vuelta version of the Dauphine, so yes he was very much a favorite going into the race.
Netserk said:It's not exactly because Moreno and Henao was the favourite for the Vuelta last year.
Zweindorf said:Sastre clean ? Wiggins clean ? Evans clean ? Lemond clean ? Van Impe Clean ? Indurain clean ?
The reality is, no one has ever won a three week grand tour without, lets call them stimulants of some sort or another in the entire history of cycling. Plenty of doping of course occurring in other races also. Its also amusing how people assume that the above mentioned cyclists didn't dope. Especially Lemond and Sastre. Of course they did. They all did. A high percentage still do. It is biologically, physically and psychologically impossible to win a three week grand tour at the average speeds these guys (past and current) travel at without resorting to performance enhancing drugs, that are being used both for recuperation (survival) and a performance enhancing benefit. These facts are well known within cycling's inner circle. It is impossible for anyone who has not taken part in a three week grand tour to conceptualize the actual reality of the massive physical and psychological suffering that is placed upon the human mind and body. But if you do, then and only then, will you realize the truth which is the myth of the CLEAN athlete winning a race of this nature.
it is relevant merely as a counterweight to all the sky chamois sniffers who contend Wigans always had the talent and just rode the boards and his power to weight numbers were superior to anyone on the road even tho he never could ride when the road tilted upWallace and Gromit said:How is this relevant? Life isn't necessarily fair. Wiggins got the contracts, did what he did in the 2009 Tour and the rest is history.
will10 said:Geox-TMC
61 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa)
62 David Blanco Rodriguez (Spa)
63 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa)
64 Fabio Andres Duarte Arevalo (Col)
65 Denis Menchov (Rus)
66 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa)
67 Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col)
68 Matthias Brändle (Aut)
69 Dmitry Kozontchouk (Rus)
http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/vuelta-a-espana-2011/start-list
The 30-year-old Cobo began the race with the job of riding in support of former champion Denis Menchov and Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre and could not hide his joy at the finish line.
“I thought I’d be working for Denis and Carlos throughout the Vuelta, and I’ve ended up winning,” said Cobo.
“It’s incredible, I would never have entertained such thoughts before the start of the race.”
blackcat said:it is relevant merely as a counterweight to all the sky chamois sniffers who contend Wigans always had the talent and just rode the boards and his power to weight numbers were superior to anyone on the road even tho he never could ride when the road tilted up
Vuelta a Burgos 2012 final GC:The Hitch said:Sorry, not quite sure what your point is. Could you rephrase that?
JimmyFingers said:My understanding is he started the race as domestique for Menchov. That said of course Froome started the race as domestique too, so there is little to draw from that.
Netserk said:Vuelta a Burgos 2012 final GC:
Not exactly any favourites for the Vuelta.
When was the last time that none of the favourites placed top-20 in Dauphine?The Hitch said:Is it that hard to make your point?
Im guessing what you are trying to say is that because of this result burgos is not like the dauphine, but i can't be sure since you haven't made that clear.
If that is what you are trying to say, well brajkovic won dauphine once. Lots of non contenders have won Suisse and Trentino. Burgos doesn't always have same quality field as dauphine but that's cos vuelta has worse fields than the tout.
The Hitch said:He was 3rd in the Tour of Burgos, which is the Vuelta version of the Dauphine, so yes he was very much a favorite going into the race.
2012 by example. 2011 also. 2010 also. 2007 also.Netserk said:When was the last time that none of the favourites placed top-20 in Dauphine?
The Hitch said:No froome went into the vuelta as bottle carrier getting a gt ride out for his team before they part ways.
Cobo went in as the on form guy on his team and an established talent., who was allowed to ride his own race and moreover given the number 1.
Your saying his form fluctuates but his results leading up to the vuelta clearly show that he was in the best form he had in years.and the fact that he said he thought he might work for old man menchov doesn't change that.