La Vuelta

[Andre.J]

http://www.lavuelta.com/12pr/en/recorrido/vuelta.html

 

[Andre.J]

http://www.wat.tv/video/eurosport/vuelta-2012-se-devoile-4rxr1_2f1o7_.html

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

That has got to be one of the strangest definitions of a "tour" of a country ever.

 

[Opalius]

Well, with 13 mountain stages they are excused.

 

[Forunculo]

Well, with 13 mountain stages they are excused.

multi climb stages only 3.

 

[Carols]

That has got to be one of the strangest definitions of a "tour" of a country ever.

I think it was because they started earlier this year and wanted to stay in the cooler part of the country

 

[Pentacycle]

I think it was because they started earlier this year and wanted to stay in the cooler part of the country

Idd, Southern Spain has an average max temperature of 35-40 °C atm.

 

[Viking]

multi climb stages only 3.

I count quite a few more stages with multiple climbs. Are you only counting the big climbs?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

De Gendt says that he is mainly there to prepare for the Worlds. He says his legs still feel the Giro and he's unsure about his GC

 

[Forunculo]

I count quite a few more stages with multiple climbs. Are you only counting the big climbs?

Spain has plenty of mountain systems

Plus Canary islands and very hilly lands.

But Vuelta never use that at max.

I only rate as a heavy mountain stages

And they aren't the hardest ones. The course suggest no moves till the last climb.

The single-climb is a trademark of Unipublic. Vuelta could have better parcours. And of course never TT-friendly in a "help" to the average spanish rider despite Contador and Indurian misleading the image of spanish GC riders are excellent on TT

 

[gustienordic]

That has got to be one of the strangest definitions of a "tour" of a country ever.

Well, I'm completely alright with that when it produces spectacular climbing duels!

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I think it was because they started earlier this year and wanted to stay in the cooler part of the country

Idd, Southern Spain has an average max temperature of 35-40 °C atm.

It was 40º at the stage finish in Bilbao last year, and not far off that in Gasteiz the next day. I think they could have got away with going to the south, but given the earlier start it would have made more sense to go there at the end of the race than the start.

One of the main reasons for this (and for why the route is what it is) is the same as why the Volta a Portugal routes are what they are... there is more support for the sport in the north of the country. People commented last year on some of the early stages through Andalucía and especially the transitional stages heading northwards that there were very few fans along the routes - a decent amount at stage finishes, but lacking the atmosphere along the roads.

The north of the country is more densely populated and is more generally receptive to the sport, so staying north, while disappointing in that I'd like to see a more balanced route and a route that justifies the tag of being a Tour of a country, means the race may not be as swelteringly hot (which may discourage participation), and then even if it IS, it takes place in front of more people who are more willing to suffer the conditions to see the race.

 

[Arnout]

Lol this was supposed to be a separate thread. Can a mod split my posts from the discussion and sticky it as a sort of guide? That way I don't have to dig for it myself.

 

[Kwibus]

Lol this was supposed to be a separate thread. Can a mod split my posts from the discussion and sticky it as a sort of guide? That way I don't have to dig for it myself.

Your posts should be the first posts of the thread indeed.

 

[Kwibus]

Stage 5: Logroño - Logroño Flat(ish) stage
Wednesday August 22

We start where we begin. That's not bike racing, is it? I have to say, I'm not a fan of finishing circuits like this. The climbs in the circuits can upset the sprinters though, but are most likely not hard and frequent enough to provide any real excitement.

Not sure Arnout, but I'm pretty sure it's quite common to start where we begin

 

[Arnout]

Yes it is I meant to say we finish where we start but am gonna leave it like this. Could be Herbert Dijkstra saying that, just shows how pointless and incapable the man is.

 

[therhodeo]

Is that climb at the end of stage 3 the climb from Vasco that people end up walking?

 

[Arnout]

Is that climb at the end of stage 3 the climb from Vasco that people end up walking?

No, that's a smaller, but steeper climb. Arrate isn't that steep actually, not Angliru or Bola del Mundo like.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Is that climb at the end of stage 3 the climb from Vasco that people end up walking?

That's the Alto de Aia, graveyard of Grand Tour podium riders - Kohl in '08 and Arroyo in '10 both got off and walked it. One of my favourite cycling shots is from Aia in 2010, where Txurruka, in the mountains jersey, had crashed on some oil descending it and broken his collarbone. But he would be damned if he wasn't finishing the stage and climbing that all over again, and you've got the Basque fans pushing him along as he grits his teeth with his jersey all torn climbing gradients of 28%...

A few people walked on the Alto de la Antigua in Zumarraga in 2011 too, and maybe one day if it's paved well enough to race they can take on the mammoth, the destroyer of worlds, Iondogorta...

Read a summary (with pics!) by a guy who was crazy enough to actually climb this and suffer 1000x deaths here (in Spanish)

 

[red_flanders]

http://www.lavuelta.com/12pr/en/recorrido/vuelta.html

It might be interesting enough to watch this year, with that route and Contador coming back.

 

[therhodeo]

The one I'm thinking of is short and is in a town with buildings around.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The one I'm thinking of is short and is in a town with buildings around.

You're almost certainly thinking of Aia.

Bonus: video (with crappy soundtrack)

 

[Fatclimber]

That's the Alto de Aia, graveyard of Grand Tour podium riders - Kohl in '08 and Arroyo in '10 both got off and walked it. One of my favourite cycling shots is from Aia in 2010, where Txurruka, in the mountains jersey, had crashed on some oil descending it and broken his collarbone. But he would be damned if he wasn't finishing the stage and climbing that all over again, and you've got the Basque fans pushing him along as he grits his teeth with his jersey all torn climbing gradients of 28%...
....... (in Spanish)

Would love to see it if you can post it

Already done, thanks!

 

[red_flanders]

Lol this was supposed to be a separate thread. Can a mod split my posts from the discussion and sticky it as a sort of guide? That way I don't have to dig for it myself.

Done. Titled as "Vuelta 2012: Stages and Analysis".

 

[Arnout]

Done. Titled as "Vuelta 2012: Stages and Analysis".

Thanks, appreciated! If you want, I think LS' additions are very valuable, as he knows a lot more than I do.