(Mid Vuelta) Who will win the 2011 Vuelta a Espana?

[Libertine Seguros]

To go from 0 CQ points in a World Tour team one year to a GT winner in a wildcard team the next... that would be something special.

 

[Scirea]

Cobo looked the strongest in the whole race imo. If you didn't count the TTT, the ITT and the sharp 1 km climbs where guys like Purito live, i think he would have lead the race or a couple of seconds down on the leader at the worst.

And he also did far better than i expected in the flat ITT. Wiggins is hanging tough though, tomorrow should be a monster attack from Geox to break him. Get the guys (DDLF, Sastre, Blanco, Duarte...) to the front and kill Froome and Wiggins early. Then go on a two-headed attack with Menchov carrying Cobo as far as he could.

 

[hatcher]

A new jinx thread is needed.

 

[Zoncolan]

I really don't know anymore.
I'd like to see someone other than Wiggins anyway.
It would be awesome to see Froome pulling out his earpiece tomorrow and leaving him for dead on those 20 % ramps!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

IMO
*****Wiggo
****Cobo
***Mollema
**froome, nibbles
* everyone else

 

[dlwssonic]

Please no wiggins argh fkfkfkfk!!!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Please no wiggins argh fkfkfkfk!!!

so you'll jump on the Mollema bandwagon like we jumped on the Evans bandwagon in fear of Schleck winning?

 

[Fergoose]

Out of interest, why not Nibali?

You guys that have seen him ride more than me will know him better and maybe he has developed impressively, but historically (although only 24) I just didn’t see him as an elite performer at the Tour de France. He just couldn’t quite hang in there on the big climbs.

Plus, this Vuelta he has looked vulnerable on a couple of climbs and I just didn’t like him going for a 6 second bonus. Its an easy 6 seconds to gain but to me it betrays a lack of confidence if you are worrying about such a tiny time bonus with so much climbing still to go. I really like him though and was sorry to see him lose out today.

Its not been a friendly route for him. Rodriguez got two stages with sharp ramp finishes, Nibali got zero stages with the finish line anywhere near the last descent of the day. Of course I sound like less of an idiot saying this now, but those were my reasons at the time of my prediction.

Nice pick

Yeah, Kessiakoff. Great pick! A little relieved to see him drop back to be honest but obviously he is a guy we can expect to see more of in the future.

At this rate we’ll need a new poll each day. Its got to be Mollema and Cobo now, right?

 

[Anonymous]

Lo squalo,

Wiggins or Froome will win.

 

[Zoncolan]

so you'll jump on the Mollema bandwagon like we jumped on the Evans bandwagon in fear of Schleck winning?

Still holding out for someone else

 

[Gingerale]

Please no wiggins argh fkfkfkfk!!![/QUOT

that's about what my inner scream is saying. but the feeling that bradley would win this thing started on la covatilla and hasn't left.

today sort of made me want to put money on wiggins. luckily, i don't bet. (yet)

wiggins
mollema
tough to believe nibs is out and froome is in!

 

[Griotto]

Yeah, Kessiakoff. Great pick! A little relieved to see him drop back to be honest but obviously he is a guy we can expect to see more of in the future.

At this rate we’ll need a new poll each day. Its got to be Mollema and Cobo now, right?

He´s maintained throughout the race that if he doesn´t feel 100% he will ride his own tempo rather than try to stay with the leaders to long and blow up.
Hopefully that pay´s off tomorrow (Maybe not but one can hope). But for him a top 10 on GC would be more than good.

But I really thought we saw many tired riders out there hanging on for life to defend their placings on the GC (or advance a few places). We might very well see a totally changed top 7 after tomorrows stage. But really, Cobo seems to be the strongest right now.

 

[theyoungest]

Pre race poll: Antón far and away the favourite.
Mid race poll: Nibali far and away the favourite.

Conclusion: forumites know nothing about cycling.

 

[Scirea]

I feel even better now, standing alone in Cobo's corner.

 

[pmcg76]

Pre race poll: Antón far and away the favourite.
Mid race poll: Nibali far and away the favourite.

Conclusion: forumites know nothing about cycling.

Sean Kelly today on Eurosport, the break will be caught and the GC riders will attack, with Rodriguez a strong favourite...must have meant attack out the back.

I think this particular Vuelta has seen a lot of forumintes and paid experts laid to waste. Kelly is one if the best at calling a race but even he is flummoxed at the moment.

 

[hatcher]

I feel even better now, standing alone in Cobo's corner.

Virtually the entire forum is saying Cobo.

 

[Scirea]

Virtually the entire forum is saying Cobo.

Maybe now. I was the only one who said it before the stage today.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Maybe now. I was the only one who said it before the stage today.

I actually had some money on Cobo to win the stage at odds 19 before the stage started - too bad he couldn't finish the job

He's looking really good. Would be awesome to have him go from 0 points on CQ ranking in 2010 to win the Vuelta 2011

 

[Dutchsmurf]

Virtually the entire forum is saying Cobo.

Yet I feel to see why Cobo is suddenly the hot favorite. I see it as an anything better than Wiggins reason. Cobo won 20 seconds today. Not minutes, not even half a minute. 20 seconds. He barely closed in on Taarame. He maybe was the strongest today, but not by far. In my opinion he was fading towards the end. To me he didn't look that strong. But apparently winning 20 seconds is enough to be considered the top favorite now.

 

[Scirea]

Yet I feel to see why Cobo is suddenly the hot favorite. I see it as an anything better than Wiggins reason. Cobo won 20 seconds today. Not minutes, not even half a minute. 20 seconds. He barely closed in on Taarame. He maybe was the strongest today, but not by far. In my opinion he was fading towards the end. To me he didn't look that strong. But apparently winning 20 seconds is enough to be considered the top favorite now.

He made that up in a couple of km. Do you think it's not possible for him to get 1 minute on Wiggins on that horror of a mountain tomorrow? If he wins the stage he only need 35 seconds actually...

 

[Scirea]

I actually had some money on Cobo to win the stage at odds 19 before the stage started - too bad he couldn't finish the job

He's looking really good. Would be awesome to have him go from 0 points on CQ ranking in 2010 to win the Vuelta 2011

I have him winning the Vuelta @21 so let's hope he will keep rolling tomorrow.

 

[Griotto]

Virtually the entire forum is saying Cobo.

This forum is as messed up as the race itself - different winner after each stage, makes me seasick!

 

[jens_attacks]

my son cobo,i will cheer for you!

 

[Anonymous]

I never give up on my paisan... still hoping he would win but wiggins and froome are incredible.

 

[Parrulo]

I never give up on my paisan... still hoping he would win but wiggins and froome are incredible.

that i am not giving up just yet. i hope its rainy so he can destroy every1 on the cordal descend