Expectations towards vuelta 2012

[Miburo]

This thread might be closed since we've already some similar threads.

But I wonder what can we expect from the vuelta? Is it going to be most exciting GT this year? Let's hope so cause honestly expect froome riding too hard for his leader or De Gendt's outburst on the stelvio the GT's hasn't been so exciting.

Obviously Contador plays a hugh factor, finally someone who doesn't look back each time to see who's going to attack.

But we've other exciting riders like Rodriguez who has shown that 2012 is one of his best years so far, prob his best year. And only 1 TT with a 10 km climb so...

Then we've Menchov who usually rides great in the vuelta and I wouldn't count him out yet.

Can De Gendt confirm what he did in the giro? What about Gesink, can he finally end up at the podium in a GT? Has VDB still some energy left?

I think Cobo is going to be good, last days of the tour he was better.

What about henao, uran, mollema, monfort? They're not going to win of course.

How will Froome do now he's finally the leader?

Sadly enough he just rode the tour, but we all know that's just going to be an excuse for all GB who is going to **** their pants when they see the end result.

The vuelta has never been so hyped up, the great one is back. I think this race will be used as an indication for next year untill we've reached tour 2013.

How excited are you? And do you think this race might compensate for the stuff we've got untill now in 2012?

Edit: forgot to mention machado, but first GT right? hmmm last week won't be easy then but when you're great it doesn't matter. Look at andy and alberto when they were young.

 

[iZnoGouD]

Tiago Machado will be the big surprise

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Kash to top 5, yeas you heard it here first

 

[Libertine Seguros]

This won't be exciting because it will be a parade for Chris Froome.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Lol he might win but it won't be a parade.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

 

[Miburo]

I don't see how Froome can win.

Who has proven that he can win the upfollowing gt after being on the podium on the previous GT? I think no one in the last 10 years...

And the best is back, who has a lot of reserves and the lack of competition won't hurt him much. Contador never needed a lot of races. And he still will have 8 race days in his legs.

For example paris-nice 2009. Prob one of his best races ever, he only rode one race therefore. Just saying this guy can be top without racing much, look at giro 2008. Although that race is more of an example that contador can win at 90 %.

And he broke his training records 2 times this year, without any accident he should win easy.

 

[The Hitch]

I do expect Contador to win it and I expect to see Contador vastly superior to the rest, though i would not be surprised to see a Vuelta or Giro 08 like thing where he is not dominant.

If it is the former though it will be interesting to see if he just goes screw yall or if he plays it like Giro 2011, and rides conservatively only taking the win once or twice and in a time trial and riding Indurain for the rest.

 

[Netserk]

To me the main question is: Will Contador win with more time (in minutes) than number of stage wins?

At the moment I think it'll end up somewhere like 5 minutes and 4 stage wins

 

[Miburo]

If it is the former though it will be interesting to see if he just goes screw yall or if he plays it like Giro 2011, and rides conservatively only taking the win once or twice and in a time trial and riding Indurain for the rest.

It will depend on his team's strength, in the giro 2011 he wanted to have allies and also give his friend tiralongo a victory.

Knowing his situation I don't think he'll do it as often at least I hope so. Just destroy them all.

Luckely we've bonification seconds which means we'll usually also have a battle between the big guys for the stage victory. And teams like euskatel and katusha will always ride for that.

Btw what can anton do? I don't expect too much from him.

 

[Forunculo]

Can we expect another trick from Sky with Froome?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I don't see how Froome can win.

Who has proven that he can win the upfollowing gt after being on the podium on the previous GT? I think no one in the last 10 years...

And who has come from having pretty much zero career results whatsoever to the podium of 2 GTs? I think no one in the last 10 years. Except Chris Froome.

For example paris-nice 2009. Prob one of his best races ever, he only rode one race therefore. Just saying this guy can be top without racing much, look at giro 2008. Although that race is more of an example that contador can win at 90 %.

Wasn't Paris-Nice 2009 the one where he got isolated against Chavanel, Sánchez, Colóm, Voigt and Fränk, got challenged on the descent, didn't eat and blew up?

 

[Miburo]

Yeah that paris-nice where he won a flat prologue against wiggins, martin and such and not with 1 sec but 9 and did anything he wanted in the mountains.

In that stage he didn't eat enough, happens to everyone even Merckx. Ridiculous that you bring that up.

And ok froome is coming but still doesn't change the fact that no one did it in a long time and btw who won in the last 15 years all the 3 GT's? and never lost a GT since 2007 and only lost 1 cause of giro?

 

[argyllflyer]

I don't see how Froome can win.

Who has proven that he can win the upfollowing gt after being on the podium on the previous GT? I think no one in the last 10 years...

The GC in the TdF was so weak that the Sky Train were never put under any real pressure and Froome drifted through the mountains on autopilot. With 3000+km in his legs from the past month he won't be fresh but at the same time it's not as if he had to fight particularly hard to get his 2nd, bar some exertions in the TT.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

You could also argue that Carlos Sastre and Cadel Evans fit the criteria too - Evans 2nd in the 2007 Tour followed by 4th in the Vuelta, Sastre 1st in the 2008 Tour followed by 3rd in the Vuelta.

They didn't WIN the Vuelta, but they did come from the podium of the previous GT and were in a position where they could have won the following one.

 

[jens_attacks]

i expect a showdown alberto-froomy and to a lesser extent,cobo and quintana
huge attacks on every mountain stage,probably alberto to take at least 3 wins.

 

[Miburo]

Evans couldn't win that vuelta, menchov was way too strong just like sastre was too weak to face contador unlike leipheimer though anyway we're going off-topic.

I expect froome to put a fight though. And it's going to be real fun cause froome always comes back, it's like he can die 10 times. Should be enjoyable to put that against contador.

 

[The Hitch]

It will depend on his team's strength, in the giro 2011 he wanted to have allies .

Why? He got a minute on Etna and 2 on Glossglockner which added to the 2nd 2nd and 1st bonifications, gave him just shy of 4 minutes by the time he started playing tag with Nibali on Zoncolan.

Not that he didn't already have 9 fingers on the trophy by the time he broke away with Rujano on 13 so he didn't really need to give him the stage there either.

 

[hfer07]

most of all- I expect this Vuelta to "save this year's GTs"-not because Contador is back, but because we the fans need a real good GT in the calender to cheer on....

 

[Publicus]

most of all- I expect this Vuelta to "save this year's GTs"-not because Contador is back, but because we the fans need a real good GT in the calender to cheer on....

This + Contador is back

 

[Miburo]

Why? He got a minute on Etna and 2 on Glossglockner which added to the 2nd 2nd and 1st bonifications, gave him just shy of 4 minutes by the time he started playing tag with Nibali on Zoncolan.

Not that he didn't already have 9 fingers on the trophy by the time he broke away with Rujano on 13 so he didn't really need to give him the stage there either.

Well after stage 13 there were still 2 really REALLY hard stages and it's better to have allies then cause when nibali decided to do something early with all the descends.

Which nibali btw did and Contador then got help from other teamleaders in stage 14.

I also don't think it was really necessary from him to do so but I can't think of any other explanation besides him just don't caring.

Could be also important for other races. A rider who never wins a race and then suddenly cause of contador can win one will remember that for a long time well it depends on their personality but usually they will. It can always be handy.

 

[airstream]

I expect people to look at Contador more soberly

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

I expect people to look at Contador more soberly

means?

 

[Contadoraus Schlecks]

means?

He is referring to Andy. Mr Schleck has been a burst ball since the pelvic fracture and is only now, with the mother of all hangovers, regaining his vision

 

[vcampbell]

I expect people to look at Contador more soberly

Poor, poor you