Vuelta 2024 discussion

[Penninepeddler]

Prologue in calçada da Glória would be fun.

Aha. Yeh... the tramlines there would be a problem though! Why I think up to the castle would make the most sense as there is a path there without any.

I believe they used to do a ride up it though and people just avoided the tram lines. It is brutal. Like 20% the whole way. Albeit short.

 

[RedheadDane]

Aha. Yeh... the tramlines there would be a problem though!

They'd covered the tramlines in Nice up quite nicely!

Pun not planned, but when the opportunity was there.

 

[Earns1985]

PCS now also has C. Rodriguez listed in the startlist. Anyone with a source for that?

 

[Ricco']

Does seem a shame to come to Lisbon and ride a flat, sea-front TT.

I know there would be logistic challenges... but it would be so, so fun to see a bike race go through the middle of the city. Some nasty as hell cobbled hills with stunning backdrops.

And if want to keep it a TT could use some of those roads too that are not possible with a peloton.

You could for sure go something like:

Start in Belem
go under 25 de Abril Bridge
head up to Avenida da Liberdade
through Praca do Comercio
then cycle up to Castelo Sao Jorge for the finish

would create some nice gaps to start aha.

Ofc they want to avoid the tram lines, but you could do a whole route like that and only intersect them maybe once between Prace do Comercio and Sao Jorge.

Final 1km at an average of ~15% gradient on cobbles would be fun.

I think it comes down to who pays for it. That option would mean only Lisbon municipality involved, while this way Oeiras and Cascais can also get in the party.

 

[Rob5091]

PCS now also has C. Rodriguez listed in the startlist. Anyone with a source for that?

Nothing official from the team, that I can see. Bernal also down for the Vuelta according to PCS.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Bernal is more sus. I'd very much expect Carlos Rodriguez to take part though, actually I'd be quite disappointed if he didn't. He should do like other Spanish GC-riders like him like Sastre, Mancebo and Mas did/do: Tour and Vuelta every year.

 

[Andre]

Hopefully, he will win 6 stages.

There was a remarkable symmetry between the Giro and the Tour. Pogacar won 6 stages in each race. Two sprinters both won 3 stages in either race. And 9 riders won 1 stage in either race.

It's hard to see two sprinters winning three stages in a race with around two sprinting opportunities, though, so this will probably not happen again in the Vuelta.

 

[Andre]

yes, but we are talking about Wout Van Aert, so he may also finish second three times and third twice

 

[Penninepeddler]

I think it comes down to who pays for it. That option would mean only Lisbon municipality involved, while this way Oeiras and Cascais can also get in the party.

True!

That means we can have a Setubal-Arrabida-Cascais-Sintra-Lisbon city centre stage or classic one day ahaha.

Get all the municipalities in! Would be an incredible hilly classic. Just have to shut down April 25 Bridge for half a day...

 

[Netserk]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1821890459116970471

 

[Netserk]

Brother he crashed out in 2023 on the first stage and was obviously not in great shape at all in the first part of Tour de France due to sickness and inability to train properly. He has showed this year that he still has the top-level to compete for a GT where the top riders are not present

He's definitely one of the favorites

Provisional ranking:

* * * * * - Yates, A.
* * * * - Rogla, Kuss
* * * - Landa, Mas, Almeida
* * - Carapaz, Carlito, Geoghegan Hart, Del Toro
* - Bernal, Uijtdebroeks, Skjelmose, Riccitello, Van Eetvelt

 

[Valv.Piti]

Provisional ranking:

* * * * * - Yates, A.
* * * * - Rogla, Kuss
* * * - Landa, Mas, Almeida
* * - Carapaz, Carlito, Geoghegan Hart, Del Toro
* - Bernal, Uijtdebroeks, Skjelmose, Riccitello, Van Eetvelt

I think Yates, Kuss, Mas, Landa, Almeida, Carapaz and Carlos are basically even. I could see all of them winning. Rogla is the big joker, and then you have a bunch of riders who can mix it up in the top-5.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Everyone sleeping on Isaac del Toro. It is his first GT this season, he is the only one who prepared this race to be his goal of the season.
And Daniel Martinez is not race Vuelta this year?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Everyone sleeping on Isaac del Toro. It is his first GT this season, he is the only one who prepared this race to be his goal of the season.
And Daniel Martinez is not race Vuelta this year?

He's not really. Say what you want to say about Mas, but he's always super strong in this race and that's his main target.

 

[Berniece]

Everyone sleeping on Isaac del Toro. It is his first GT this season, he is the only one who prepared this race to be his goal of the season.
And Daniel Martinez is not race Vuelta this year?

Isaac del Toro is 20 years old, he’s no Pogacar that will ride podium on his debut.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Isaac del Toro is 20 years old, he’s no Pogacar that will ride podium on his debut.

For the health of cycling, I hope he will not turn in a new Pogacar. UAE would dominate cycling for the next 5 years. But don't forget Ayuso was 3rd in his Vuelta debut and he is not a superb GT rider. This year, the field is not great and UAE will be clearly the strongest team so he can surprise us.

 

[Remy55]

Everyone sleeping on Lipowitz

 

[tobydawq]

He's not really. Say what you want to say about Mas, but he's always super strong in this race and that's his main target.

Skjelmose too.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Skjelmose too.

Yes of course, and there are a few other of the younger climbers who rode a similar schedule to that of Skjelmose and Tel Toro as well with the Vuelta as the main target and only GT, but still, I don't really rate Skjelmose against these climbers over 3 weeks. Top-10 should be a good goal for him

 

[Tim Cahill]

Unbelievable opportunity for someone to completely fluke a Grand Tour

Marc should go for GC, with his dangerous team behind and nobody wanting to pull Yates and Almeida to the finish this will be his big chance to do a Pereiro like he was always going on about in that Movistar documentary.

 

[Didinho]

Kuss and Cian will guide Kruijswijk to GC victory.

 

[Andre]

I keep forgetting that Cian is with Visma

 

[hayneplane]

Provisional ranking:

* * * * * - Yates, A.
* * * * - Rogla, Kuss
* * * - Landa, Mas, Almeida
* * - Carapaz, Carlito, Geoghegan Hart, Del Toro
* - Bernal, Uijtdebroeks, Skjelmose, Riccitello, Van Eetvelt

Not bad. Skjelmose and Del Toro are riders I can see either finishing top 3 or dropping entirely out of GC and switching to stage hunting or riding in support of teammates.

 

[hayneplane]

More riders than usual that can top 10 who have specifically built their season with Vuelta as only Grand Tour and shown well in other significant stage races.

Del Toro/Lipowitz/Sjkelmose/Van Eetvelt/Poole/Riccitello

Odds seem favourable for at least one of that group to get a top 5 finish.

 

[Kaptain Kool]

I'm surprised so many posters think this Vuelta is open. I expect Kuss to win easily with Mas and a few others vying for the podium spots.