Volta Catalunya 2012

[roundabout]

I remember. That's why I was wondering where people raced between 2006 (I think that was the first year that Setmana Catalana wasn't held) and 2010 when the Volta was moved to March.

Edit: looking at the names I would say that the 2011 Volta field was pretty good.

 

[nevada]

I remember. That's why I was wondering where people raced between 2006 (I think that was the first year that Setmana Catalana wasn't held) and 2010 when the Volta was moved to March.

Edit: looking at the names I would say that the 2011 Volta field was pretty good.

It was - and one man and his dog watching it .

 

[Libertine Seguros]

ETB broadcast half hour shows on the Volta this year. You can still view them here:
http://www.eitb.tv/es/#/video/846249747001 (that's stage 1, but the other stages appear across the bottom). It's not as good as their coverage of País Vasco (though you wouldn't expect it to be), or Burgos, but it's as good as their coverage of the Europe Tour races in the Basque country and Navarre.

It being in Basque is probably a stumbling block for many fans, however.

 

[Lupetto]

http://www.cossetania.com/mostrar_producte.php?prod=1208

This looks like something, I should have. Just look at the cover.

 

[Mellow Velo]

So few Spanish stage races left on the calendar. Such a pity that those left seem to be caught in the stranglehold of the country's recession and slowly suffocating for lack of cash.
Up until last year, Catalunya did have live coverage.
Sport + in France, for instance, took the race.

While no one in their right mind thinks that the UCI should subsidize the race in order to keep it afloat during the economic crisis, they must shoulder some of the blame for booting the race around the cycling year, every couple of seasons.
Robbing Catalunya to pay California may have been the final nail in it's coffin.
Still, it lived to a ripe old age.
Ironically, if it dies this year, it's tombstone will read: 1911-2011.
Only the third, century old stage race, thus far on the books, behind only the Tour and Giro.

 

[craig1985]

I feel as though I created a kick-ass Volta a Catalunya in the Race Design thread, but then in my world the economic crisis has never happened or is over, so to speak.

Unfortunately I was just getting into following cycling properly (in 2005) when the final edition of the Setmana Catalana was held, what had the better parcours traditionally, Setmana Catalana or the Volta?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

setmana catalana was way better

 

[El Pistolero]

So few Spanish stage races left on the calendar. Such a pity that those left seem to be caught in the stranglehold of the country's recession and slowly suffocating for lack of cash.
Up until last year, Catalunya did have live coverage.
Sport + in France, for instance, took the race.

While no one in their right mind thinks that the UCI should subsidize the race in order to keep it afloat during the economic crisis, they must shoulder some of the blame for booting the race around the cycling year, every couple of seasons.
Robbing Catalunya to pay California may have been the final nail in it's coffin.
Still, it lived to a ripe old age.
Ironically, if it dies this year, it's tombstone will read: 1911-2011.
Only the third, century old stage race, thus far on the books, behind only the Tour and Giro.

Tour of Belgium is older than the Giro d'Italia and Catalunya.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Tour of Belgium is older than the Giro d'Italia and Catalunya.

Correct: 1908 as opposed to 1911.
81 editions as opposed to 91, though.

 

[El Pistolero]

Correct: 1908 as opposed to 1911.
81 editions as opposed to 91, though.

Spain wasn't directly involved in World War II though and ToB wasn't organized from 1991 till 2001 because one day races were financially more attractive in Belgium. Tour of Belgium is now financially more save than the Vuelta a Catalunya though, so it might catch up

 

[theyoungest]

Spain wasn't directly involved in World War II though and ToB wasn't organized from 1991 till 2001 because one day races were financially more attractive in Belgium. Tour of Belgium is now financially more save than the Vuelta a Catalunya though, so it might catch up

No. Just the odd civil war they had going on.

 

[El Pistolero]

No. Just the odd civil war they had going on.

Which only affected the race for 2 years.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Regardless of what excuse Pisti can find, still the Volta has more editions than Belgium. MV forgot the age of the ToB when eulogizing for the VaC, it happens, looks like an honest mistake, not like there was any ulterior motive to denigrate or devalue the ToB.

 

[El Pistolero]

Regardless of what excuse Pisti can find, still the Volta has more editions than Belgium. MV forgot the age of the ToB when eulogizing for the VaC, it happens, looks like an honest mistake, not like there was any ulterior motive to denigrate or devalue the ToB.

I just corrected his mistake I'm not using excuses. Catalunya is not the third oldest stage race in the world that still exists. Where did anyone say something about denigrating the ToB? Lighten up.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I just corrected his mistake I'm not using excuses. Catalunya is not the third oldest stage race in the world that still exists. Where did anyone say something about denigrating the ToB? Lighten up.

Sorry, given your often confrontational demeanour I read your second post as excuse-making and goalpost-shifting to address some perceived slight. Apologies.

 

[El Pistolero]

Sorry, given your often confrontational demeanour I read your second post as excuse-making and goalpost-shifting to address some perceived slight. Apologies.

I was merely explaining as to why ToB has less editions and how that may change in the near future. Being older or having more editions doesn't make one race better than the other(at least for every race not being a Monument or Grand Tour). The racing determines which race is better. And given Catalunya's boring course it's not my kind of race.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yea, sadly 2011's edition was particularly disappointing.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I just corrected his mistake I'm not using excuses. Catalunya is not the third oldest stage race in the world that still exists. Where did anyone say something about denigrating the ToB? Lighten up.

Not to worry. Mistakes are made to be corrected.
A bit like having Simoni down for the 2003 Tour contender, instead of 2004, but 100 years earlier.
That's my Christmas confrontational repost!

 

[El Pistolero]

Not to worry. Mistakes are made to be corrected.
A bit like having Simoni down for the 2003 Tour contender, instead of 2004, but 100 years earlier.
That's my Christmas confrontational repost!

Not many people know how old the ToB is anyway

It used to be very prestigious as well before World War II , but then declined in popularity.

It's also heavily over shadowed by the Giro right now... It could do with a better date, but it still attracts the best Belgian cyclists.

 

[happytramp]

Anyone know if Eurosport are showing any coverage?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

this will be for quintana hopefully. uran vs quintana _O_

 

[FF'Wilco]

It will be a nice race because of some reasons:

- 1st and 3rd rider in PN vs 2nd rider in Tirreno
- really hard queen stage, probably the hardest stage in spring races until Giro
- live covarge
- better parcours then last year

 

[greatking88]

Anyone know if Eurosport are showing any coverage?

Yip Eurosport UK are showing live coverage everyday

 

[greatking88]

this will be for quintana hopefully. uran vs quintana _O_

Think Dan Martin will be up there as well..

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

I can't wait for this race . Uran ftw.