Vuelta a España 2011

[icefire]

No, I don't see Rodriguez beating Antón in Angliru, IMO Anton is a guy who in top shape can match Contador and Shcleck at climbing, Angliru is for pure climbers like Antón.

Contador was asked before the Giro about the Zoncolan and he said that Angliru was harder than the Zoncolan

Antón was ahead of everyone on Zoncolan. But Rodríguez was 3rd in Angliru in 2008 after Contador and Valverde and 3rd in Tourmalet in 2010 after Contador and Schleck.
Antón may have a edge on Purito but I can't see a large difference between them unless one of them miscalculates his attack, is short of form or tired of accumulated efforts in previous days.

As for Contador saying Angliru is harder than Zoncolan, it's only half true. The first half of Angliru has an average pitch of just 7%. The second half may have some ramps harder than those on Zoncolan, but in average Zoncolan still wins. The second half of Angliru climbs 870m in 6.6 kms whereas the hard central section of Zoncolan climbs 920m in 6.5 kms.

 

[Zoncolan]

Angliru is a molehill compared to the Zoncolan.
I hope Purito and Anton destroy the bigger/better TT guys in the mountains.
If it is true that Rujano will ride, that will make it even more exciting.
When so many of the top 10 contenders went out of the Tour early due to crashes, I was worried the last week would be boring. It was anything but + we got a stronger Vuelta field to go with.
I just hope Anton will keep himself healthy. I also hope Sastre can make one last bid for glory.
I like the Vuelta parcours, especially the fact that the TTT is so short, so it doesn't punish the contenders from smaller teams heavily. I think they should have put in another TT though (a mountain TT preferably, like the ones we had in the Giro the last few years).

 

[Libertine Seguros]

But the other thing is consistency of grade. The Alto da Torre is harder from Seia (28,5km @ 5,1%) than from Covilhã (20,5km @ 6,3%), because it's got bits of false flat, short descent and pitches of up to 17%, rarely letting a rider settle in to a rhythm.

 

[Swede1]

I have no idea, but even at 100%, no way Brajkovic gets on the podium without a number of riders crashing out. You really think he can beat any of Anton, Rodriguez, Nibali, VDB, Menchov, Scarponi, Wiggins...Field is much too strong.

Its not likely but I can have hope:
Anton crashes out sometime between stages 1-12
Rodriguez loses major time after attacking on a mtf and going into the red
Nibali beats him and finishes 2nd
VDB isn't fully recovered from his crash
Menchov rides like he did at the Giro 2011...
Scarponi beats him and finishes 1st
Wiggins doesn't ride for GC, only to train for World TT

That is a way that Brajkovic can podium

 

[jsem94]

I think Menchov's gonna top his Giro 2011 form - but he's going to struggle on the Angliru.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Could well be that we stick Mikel Astarloza on the startlist riding for Antón - cyclingfever have him down on the startlist for the Tour de Pologne...

 

[jsem94]

Anton needs good backup for the TTT.

 

[icefire]

Anton needs good backup for the TTT.

There was a similar TTT last year as well and it didn't prevent him from taking the lead later in the race.

 

[Parrulo]

i hope anton doesn't crash out this year.

in the giro anton wasn't very consistent, with the best one day and nowhere to be seen the other. granted he wasn't in super top shape but i want to see if he can consistently outclimb nibbles and keep the gap on the itt.

as for last years vuelta some of the best moments

Valdepeñas de Jaen(the purito, nibali and velits side by side part is imo one of the most beautiful cycling footage of last years season)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPADmm7ZzKQ&feature=related

xorret de cati(sorry for the silly music but is the best i could find)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6J-Q7fyoRU

peña cabarga
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRq9_fB88TM&feature=related

bola del mundo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QngK0H_JxKY&feature=related

 

[Zoncolan]

I think Menchov's gonna top his Giro 2011 form - but he's going to struggle on the Angliru.

Yes. Not really a course for Menchov. More suited to a rider like Sastre (if he was still the rider he once was).

 

[Swede1]

I think Menchov's gonna top his Giro 2011 form - but he's going to struggle on the Angliru.

I agree I think he will be similar to Tour 2010(at least I hope). He can out climb Nibali if he is in that kind of shape, and as we saw, take massive amounts of time in the TT. (He would have beaten Cancellara in the Tour de France 2010 TT if he didn't have the strong headwind that Cancellara didn't have).

 

[AtletiSK]

I love Vuelta, it´s a pure test for the climbers with always very creative route... think it will be between Anton, Nibali and Menchov, but the field looks very strong so there can be many more involved
can´t wait for the start in Benidorm!!!

 

[jsem94]

If Rujano gets to start, I find it difficult to believe that he'll be as good as in the Giro. He rode both the Giro and the Vuelta a Colombia... I hope he does get a contract and gets to start, he'll be sure to try and animate the race.

 

[Lupetto]

If Rujano gets to start, I find it difficult to believe that he'll be as good as in the Giro. He rode both the Giro and the Vuelta a Colombia... I hope he does get a contract and gets to start, he'll be sure to try and animate the race.

He did not compete in la vuelta a colombia. He did vuelta venezuela last week, but just to get some race kilometers.

 

[Dedelou]

I think Menchov's gonna top his Giro 2011 form - but he's going to struggle on the Angliru.

how good or badly Menchov will do in Angliru will depend on the day before and the wind.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I really hope VDB can show something. But it's really guessing how his form will be (I assume even for himself)

 

[Spaniard]

Good news for the Vuelta 2012: Contador may try the Tour - Vuelta next year

http://www.marca.com/2011/07/25/ciclismo/1311619379.html

 

[Goldberger]

Is Cadel Evans riding?

I read somewhere that he was confirmed for the Vuelta, but that was before the tour victory.

Anyway, he hasn't really raced much this year, so he could do it.

 

[The Hitch]

Will be Cav with his htc express on Vuelta ?

Cav will pull out to prepare for the worlds. Least if he remembers what he said in December " I lost the worlds because i did the entire Vuelta", he will.

Imagine Anton winning on the Angliru, which is far from a long shot.

Euskaltel winning major mountain stages in all three Grand Tours. What a season it would be. Finally back where they belong, crashing and losing time everywhere but winning in the mountains.

If Rolland can test positive EE will have won the main mtf of every GT in 1 year.

Or if Jelle goes down then we can spin it as the "hardest mountain" of every Grand Tour.

 

[Woody22]

Read today that BMC management have ruled out Evans riding in the Vuelta. It was on his schedule but he will not be doing it now. He will be riding in a couple of one day races over the next few months and looks like heading back to Australia in October.

 

[The Hitch]

Didn't he crash last time on the way to Angliru? But yes, Antón basically has to win that stage, maybe Rodriguez could offer some competition.

Break could win. Also Anton might win or take time in the earlier mountains like Contador in the Giro and not bother with Angiliru.

No, I don't see Rodriguez beating Antón in Angliru, IMO Anton is a guy who in top shape can match Contador and Shcleck at climbing, Angliru is for pure climbers like Antón.

Contador was asked before the Giro about the Zoncolan and he said that Angliru was harder than the Zoncolan

Can anyone explain why though? I know they are the ones that climbed it but looking at pure profiles Zoncolan has steeper gradients, has more km of super steep gradients, has a higher altitude gain, and finishes at higher altitude.

So what does Angliru offer that Zoncolan does not? Its a km longer but then Anrilu has a practically flat km in the middle of 1.8%

The first half of Angliru has an average of 6.2 % which is the same as Zoncolans single weakest kilometer.

I know theres more to mountains than gradient, but they do take up the biggest part. Does Angiliru have humidity, more hairpins, worse roads?

Read today that BMC management have ruled out Evans riding in the Vuelta. It was on his schedule but he will not be doing it now. He will be riding in a couple of one day races over the next few months and looks like heading back to Australia in October.

In October. Thats a long time. He could have got a good reception if he came back now.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Think there's a few factors that are plausible but not necessarily accurate; the consistency of the gradient, or lack thereof, making it difficult to settle into a rhythm; the isolated location meaning that at some sections you're going through a wall of fans, then rounding a corner into deathly silence; the road surface is undoubtedly poor (though Zoncolán's is hardly pristine); but perhaps one of the key things for me is that Contador is Spanish, therefore there's greater pressure on him to perform on the super climb in font of home fans.

 

[El Pistolero]

Cav will pull out to prepare for the worlds. Least if he remembers what he said in December " I lost the worlds because i did the entire Vuelta", he will.



If Rolland can test positive EE will have won the main mtf of every GT in 1 year.

Or if Jelle goes down then we can spin it as the "hardest mountain" of every Grand Tour.

Jelle has not tested positive. No one did except Kolobnev. Unless he pops up positive during the final 2 stages. All results except those days have already been tested and they all came clean.

And lol @Cav. He lost the Worlds because he sucks. That's why.

 

[El Pistolero]

Break could win. Also Anton might win or take time in the earlier mountains like Contador in the Giro and not bother with Angiliru.



Can anyone explain why though? I know they are the ones that climbed it but looking at pure profiles Zoncolan has steeper gradients, has more km of super steep gradients, has a higher altitude gain, and finishes at higher altitude.

So what does Angliru offer that Zoncolan does not? Its a km longer but then Anrilu has a practically flat km in the middle of 1.8%

The first half of Angliru has an average of 6.2 % which is the same as Zoncolans single weakest kilometer.

I know theres more to mountains than gradient, but they do take up the biggest part. Does Angiliru have humidity, more hairpins, worse roads?



In October. Thats a long time. He could have got a good reception if he came back now.

Angliru has some nasty hairpins yes. And there's no protection from the wind in the later parts of the climb. But the Zoncolan probably felt like the Poggio to Contador Giro form 2011.

 

[The Hitch]

Angliru has some nasty hairpins yes.

I know but is that enough to make it so much harder. I would have guessed heat but then it wasnt sunny last time they climbed it and it was pouring when Millar did his protest years ago.