Vuelta 2011

[Kwibus]

I'm sure some people here are unknown to internet trolls, but this guy sure is a troll.

Do not feed the troll. Allthough it's funny

 

[Descender]

Quoting Sherwen to prove a point, good stuff.

 

[Matthijs]

Vuelta is going into Pais Vasco next year, so expect every stage in their covered with more people in Orange than all crowds in California combined...
Spain still dominates the whole world in every ranking though. The number of teams may not be the only thing to evaluate I think.

 

[DAOTEC]

December 25, 22:17

With less than three weeks until the unveiling of the 2011 Vuelta a España on January 12, there are reports that race organisers Unipublic are considering the inclusion of two new climbs in the north of the country during the race's crucial final week. That week is also almost certain to feature the return of the fearsome Angliru, which last appeared on the race route in 2008, when Alberto Contador took the title.

According to reports in several papers including El Comercio Digital, Unipublic have been looking very closely at the recently surfaced Farrapona climb in Asturias. The 1708m summit is now the highest paved pass in that region. It climbs for 18.7km at an average of 5.7 percent and has ramps of up to 12 percent.

> [http://cyclingnews.com/vuelta-2011]

 

[DAOTEC]

2011 Vuelta a España to start with Benidorm team time trial

The announcement was made on Monday by Gema Amor:

It is understood that the opening three days of the race will take place in the Costa Blanca, while the race has also been tipped to make a return to the fearsome Alto de Angliru in the final week. The Vuelta will also visit the Basque Country for the first time in 33 years, with stage finishes in Bilbao and Vitoria.

December 28 (http://cyclingnews.com/2011-vuelta)

 

[Mellow Velo]

Lets hope CN have got this rumour right. Possibly Spain's answer to the Zoncolan.(or possibly not):
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/new-climbs-in-the-frame-for-vuelta

 

[The Hitch]

Lets hope CN have got this rumour right. Possibly Spain's answer to the Zoncolan.(or possibly not):
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/new-climbs-in-the-frame-for-vuelta

You talking about the Meta2Mil? Its average gradient is 9.25% so less than Agliru at 9.9% yet alone Zoncolan at 11.9% but is still an amazing find.

Even though the Tourmalet is longer, at 7.4% id say this new one will provide better racing. Ventoux though has the last 16 km at 8.9% so is tougher. Bola is about 6 % but according to some articles before the Vuelta, it was an average of 12.5% for 23 km so i guess figures for a climb yet to be used need to be taken with a pinch of salt.

I dont know if there will ever be another Zoncolan but finding new beasts like this is very good.
Probably will be the 4th best mountain of 2011 behind the gates to hell, Anliru and Finnestre.

 

[flicker]

I do not want to wish malace to any other races but I think the vuelta is running out of steam. Maybe it will pick up when valverdes ban is over?



that valv. thing, mosq, cont the economy have to be pretty awful for spanish sports.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I do not want to wish malace to any other races but I think the vuelta is running out of steam. Maybe it will pick up when valverdes ban is over?



that valv. thing, mosq, cont the economy have to be pretty awful for spanish sports.

There were massive crowds in last years edition.

 

[icefire]

Lets hope CN have got this rumour right. Possibly Spain's answer to the Zoncolan.(or possibly not):
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/new-climbs-in-the-frame-for-vuelta

Ancares' numbers are below those of Angliru, but this climb has something missing in Angliru. It is a true mountain pass with a road through it. There are three roads to the summit from the northwest side and one from the southeast side. The tree roads on the northwest side merge at 2.5 kms from the summit. This opens many possibilities for the stage designers.

 

[Matthijs]

There were massive crowds in last years edition.

The Vuelta goes to Pais Vasco again. Every spectator problem will be history...

 

[roundabout]

So there will be a stage finish in San Lorenzo de El Escorial with the final kilometer at 13% average

http://www.as.com/ciclismo/articulo/vuelta-alcanzara-maximas-pulsaciones/20110106dasdaicic_2/Tes

Also there will be a return to Valdepeñas de Jaén and unother uphill finish in Orihuela

http://www.as.com/ciclismo/articulo/valdepenas-jaen-orihuela-otros-finales/20110106dasdaicic_1/Tes

Let's still hope that there will also be proper mountains...

 

[Ferminal]

So there will be a stage finish in San Lorenzo de El Escorial with the final kilometer at 13% average

http://www.as.com/ciclismo/articulo/vuelta-alcanzara-maximas-pulsaciones/20110106dasdaicic_2/Tes

Also there will be a return to Valdepeñas de Jaén and unother uphill finish in Orihuela

http://www.as.com/ciclismo/articulo/valdepenas-jaen-orihuela-otros-finales/20110106dasdaicic_1/Tes

Let's still hope that there will also be proper mountains...

Excellent, Stage 4 this year was a real spectacle.

 

[Descender]

Ancares through Pan Do Zarco would be up there with the Tourmalet for hardest mountain pass ever raced in the Vuelta, but it's a step behind the Angliru, Zoncolan or even the Mortirolo.

Now, mark my words: Angliru on Saturday and Farrapona on Sunday. The interesting thing about the Farrapona stage will be that it's climbed right after San Lorenzo west, which is a legit HC mountain pass.

Also, La Pandera will not be climbed but La Covatilla will, there will be a repeat of the Valdepeñas de Jaen stage and a similar one in San Lorenzo del Escorial.

EDIT: I see rounabout had already posted some of this info.

 

[icefire]

So there will be a stage finish in San Lorenzo de El Escorial with the final kilometer at 13% average

http://www.as.com/ciclismo/articulo/vuelta-alcanzara-maximas-pulsaciones/20110106dasdaicic_2/Tes

Also there will be a return to Valdepeñas de Jaén and unother uphill finish in Orihuela

http://www.as.com/ciclismo/articulo/valdepenas-jaen-orihuela-otros-finales/20110106dasdaicic_1/Tes

Let's still hope that there will also be proper mountains...

That wall in San Lorenzo del Escorial is the beginning of the climb to Alto de Abantos. The road is currently is in such a bad state that is no longer suitable for a road bike, so they the use the beginning of the climb which is still maintained as it is within the town. And they sell that as a great novelty

 

[icefire]

Ancares through Pan Do Zarco would be up there with the Tourmalet for hardest mountain pass ever raced in the Vuelta, but it's a step behind the Angliru, Zoncolan or even the Mortirolo.

Now, mark my words: Angliru on Saturday and Farrapona on Sunday. The interesting thing about the Farrapona stage will be that it's climbed right after San Lorenzo west, which is a legit HC mountain pass.

Also, La Pandera will not be climbed but La Covatilla will, there will be a repeat of the Valdepeñas de Jaen stage and a similar one in San Lorenzo del Escorial.

EDIT: I see rounabout had already posted some of this info.

Farrapona is west of San Lorenzo, so they'll climb San Lorenzo riding from east to west (for the first time), which is what you probably meant

 

[Descender]

Farrapona is west of San Lorenzo, so they'll climb San Lorenzo riding from east to west (for the first time), which is what you probably meant

Yes exactly... never quite mastered the whole west, east, right, left thing.

May I add hopefully they'll climb Cobertoria from east to west too before that, but that's probably too much to ask. I'd be happy if they climb San Lorenzo at all, I can certainly see them coming up through Somiedo or down via Maravio...

 

[Skip Madness]

May I add hopefully they'll climb Cobertoria from east to west too before that, but that's probably too much to ask. I'd be happy if they climb San Lorenzo at all, I can certainly see them coming up through Somiedo or down via Maravio...

The stage distance from Astorga to Farrapona has been given as 173km, which apparently tallies perfectly with Ventana south, San Lorenzo east then Farrapona. Shame it's not tougher, but I suppose San Lorenzo-Farrapona is the best 1-2 the Vuelta will have had since... well, ever, maybe. And the southern approach of the Ventana should mean lovely shots of Peña Ubiña.

I just want Wednesday to come now. I'm not expecting to like this route but the suspense of not knowing what's coming the day before Farrapona is killing me.

Oh, and chalk me up as someone who still struggles with east and west.

 

[Skip Madness]

According to this, it seems that Ancares via Pan do Zarco will be in, but unfortunately as a stage finish rather than a pass.

 

[Descender]

The stage distance from Astorga to Farrapona has been given as 173km, which apparently tallies perfectly with Ventana south, San Lorenzo east then Farrapona. Shame it's not tougher, but I suppose San Lorenzo-Farrapona is the best 1-2 the Vuelta will have had since... well, ever, maybe. And the southern approach of the Ventana should mean lovely shots of Peña Ubiña.

I just want Wednesday to come now. I'm not expecting to like this route but the suspense of not knowing what's coming the day before Farrapona is killing me.

Oh, and chalk me up as someone who still struggles with east and west.

EDIT: Forget what I said, apparently you're right about the Astorga-Farrapona stage with Ventana south (2), San Lorenzo east (HC) and Farrapona (1). And, it looks like the Angliru stage will have the same second part as the 99 stage, that is Cobertoria west (1), Cordal (1) and Angliru (HC).

BTW what I said is that a reliable source told me the Farrapona stage started in Avilés, and that it would be on a Sunday after the Angliru. The press is talking about Astorga, but this source is still to fail me... we'll see.

While those would be two of the hardest stages ever in the Vuelta, I'd like them to be reversed with the Angliru stage first.

The San Lorenzo east-Farrapona will be the best and toughest 1-2 in the Vuelta ever in Spain, but Tourmalet-Luz Ardiden still tops it.

 

[Skip Madness]

While those would be two of the hardest stages ever in the Vuelta, I'd like them to be reversed with the Angliru stage first.

Yeah, definitely.

The San Lorenzo east-Farrapona will be the best and toughest 1-2 in the Vuelta ever in Spain, but Tourmalet-Luz Ardiden still tops it.

Ah yeah, I always forget that.

Do we know if they're sticking with that "Mountain-top Finish" category in the GPM? I was wondering how San Lorenzo and Farrapona would be categorised. They went with 1st category for San Lorenzo last year (other side I know, but they're statistically dead similar) which I think was too low, but Farrapona... personally I'd say 1st category (same with Covatilla), but since it's a tough MTF they would probably call it as Especial.

The reason I mention this is, do you suppose categorising them as San Lorenzo (E) and Farrapona (1) might just encourage a bit more attacking on San Lorenzo? Probably not, and you'd think the riders would be sensible enough to look at the profiles before-hand. But they often aren't - I remember in the 2005 Tour stage which went over Cormet de Roselend and then finished on Courchevel on a stage which devastated quite a few riders (both climbs were, wrongly in my view, only classed as 1st category), a number of those who had lost touch said they were caught out by how hard Roselend was. I remember thinking, "Did you not look any of this stuff up before you rode the stage? Do you only pay attention to that little number next to the climb on the stage profile?"

 

[flicker]

DiLucca, now a new contender and future Vuelta champion emerges.

 

[Descender]

Yeah, definitely.



Ah yeah, I always forget that.

Do we know if they're sticking with that "Mountain-top Finish" category in the GPM? I was wondering how San Lorenzo and Farrapona would be categorised. They went with 1st category for San Lorenzo last year (other side I know, but they're statistically dead similar) which I think was too low, but Farrapona... personally I'd say 1st category (same with Covatilla), but since it's a tough MTF they would probably call it as Especial.

The reason I mention this is, do you suppose categorising them as San Lorenzo (E) and Farrapona (1) might just encourage a bit more attacking on San Lorenzo? Probably not, and you'd think the riders would be sensible enough to look at the profiles before-hand. But they often aren't - I remember in the 2005 Tour stage which went over Cormet de Roselend and then finished on Courchevel on a stage which devastated quite a few riders (both climbs were, wrongly in my view, only classed as 1st category), a number of those who had lost touch said they were caught out by how hard Roselend was. I remember thinking, "Did you not look any of this stuff up before you rode the stage? Do you only pay attention to that little number next to the climb on the stage profile?"

The whole climbs categorisation thing is worthy of a thread for itself, so much nonsense...

I think they're going to keep the MTF category which I personally despise (I mean WTF is it about??).

In any case the Vuelta itself categorised San Lorenzo west as 1st cat last year but as HC in 06 (which I think is its right categorisation, for both sides). I have a feeling the Vuelta has this tendency to up the category of a climb as soon as the finish line is at its top. Aitana is easier than San Lorenzo (or La Ragua, another legit HC mountain pass dressed as a 1st cat) but it was a HC in 09. The Spanish TV labelled Peña Cabarga as HC last year (that's exaggerated). El León (Madrid) and Navacerrada from Segovia were categorised as 1st cat when they're just 2nd cat.

The thing is, Farrapona is borderline and they might as well tag it as a HC, but if they do, then San Lorenzo east definitely is a HC too... I reckon they'd go with Ventana 2, San Lorenzo E and Farrapona MTF. What you say about how it affects riders is true, as unbelievable as it is I believe many riders do not look carefully at the profile of the climbs and mainly consider the category.

Whatever the case, any attacking intentions on San Lorenzo will probably be neutralised when the riders remember they have the Angliru the following day.

 

[Skip Madness]

Hehe, I'd forgotten all about the Ragua being 1st category! On the same stage that they decided to award separate points for the Monachil and Sierra Nevada... it's not so much that Unipublic hasn't read the rulebook, more that it hasn't even learned to read yet.

(Edit: although I'd say that Navacerrada north is as much borderline 2/1 as Farrapona is 1-E.)

(Edit 2: and you're right about Angliru probably reducing Farrapona to about 5km of riding at best.)

 

[Descender]

Hehe, I'd forgotten all about the Ragua being 1st category! On the same stage that they decided to award separate points for the Monachil and Sierra Nevada... it's not so much that Unipublic hasn't read the rulebook, more that it hasn't even learned to read yet.

(Edit: although I'd say that Navacerrada north is as much borderline 2/1 as Farrapona is 1-E.)

(Edit 2: and you're right about Angliru probably reducing Farrapona to about 5km of riding at best.)

What rule are you referring to?

I'd have less issues if Farrapona was categorised as E than I had with Navacerrada north being 1, but this is partly subjective.