Vuelta a España 2011

[just some guy]

I´m just happy that riders have different ways of riding all with the goal of winning.

 

[meandmygitane]

Let's look at Saxo Banks line-up:
Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) - Ok, but he has rode a ton of races and the TdF?
Mads Christensen (Den) - Seems in pretty bad shape.
Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) - Looks totally out of shape
Juan José Haedo (Arg) - Not very good in Eneco
Jonas Aaen Jörgensen (Den) - Untested GT, sprint 3d a stage in Poland
Rafal Majka (Pol) - Untested, nothing too exciting resultwise
Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) - ditto
Nick Nuyens (Bel) - joker.
Nicki Sörensen (Den) - TdF where he sucked, just DNFed Eneco

Weakest team ever. Stupid to have so many riders do both the Giro and the Tour.
What the heck was Riis thinking?
They should be lucky if they get a top-10 finish one stage and top-30 in the total.


Why didn't they save Porte for this, or if they are going with CAS why didn't he ride Giro instead of Tour? And what is Cooke and Larsson doing?

EDIT: Oh, every single danish rider got to do at least one Grand Tour. Every. Single. One. Isn't that sweet of carebear Riis?

 

[Kvinto]

honestly, did anybody believe that Mosquera would ride Vuelta after a year of non-activity? it is a disgrace when the rider is not allowed to race for such a long time because some very smart persons can't decide is he guilty or not

 

[hrotha]

Weakest team ever. Stupid to have so many riders do both the Giro and the Tour.
What the heck was Riis thinking?
They should be lucky if they get a top-10 finish one stage and top-30 in the total.


Why didn't they save Porte for this, or if they are going with CAS why didn't he ride Giro instead of Tour? And what is Cooke and Larsson doing?

Cooke and Larsson are leaving is what they're doing.

The simple fact is that Saxo is a pretty weak team overall. If Contador had been suspended, then they would be abysmal. They sent most of their best riders to the Giro and the Tour to support him and people still thought that support was weak, so if they had been saving more good riders for the Vuelta imagine what kind of effect that would have had on their Giro and Tour squads.

Presumably Sørensen didn't ride the Giro because he was their only shot at doing something at the Tour if Contador wasn't allowed to start.

 

[theyoungest]

Let's look at Saxo Banks line-up:
Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) - Ok, but he has rode a ton of races and the TdF?
Mads Christensen (Den) - Seems in pretty bad shape.
Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) - Looks totally out of shape
Juan José Haedo (Arg) - Not very good in Eneco
Jonas Aaen Jörgensen (Den) - Untested GT, sprint 3d a stage in Poland
Rafal Majka (Pol) - Untested, nothing too exciting resultwise
Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) - ditto
Nick Nuyens (Bel) - joker.
Nicki Sörensen (Den) - TdF where he sucked, just DNFed Eneco

Weakest team ever. Stupid to have so many riders do both the Giro and the Tour.
What the heck was Riis thinking?
They should be lucky if they get a top-10 finish one stage and top-30 in the total.


Why didn't they save Porte for this, or if they are going with CAS why didn't he ride Giro instead of Tour? And what is Cooke and Larsson doing?

EDIT: Oh, every single danish rider got to do at least one Grand Tour. Every. Single. One. Isn't that sweet of carebear Riis?

An incredibly poor team indeed, but the result will probably be that they'll win 4 stages and get 2 guys in the top-10 on GC.

 

[meandmygitane]

I think Saxo Bank got something like 5% out of Portes capacity when he got to be a domestique in two races.
Porte got white jersey and was the leader for the 2010 Giro and now, he get's to slave in two races because of uncertainty with Contador and CAS.
He got sold pretty short.

We will see how it goes in the Vuelta. Think Nuyens might do something on the flatter stages and maybe CAS either can go for a reasonable (20-30) placing in GC or try to get in a break away in the mountains.

Otherwise it's pretty much "Grupetto or bust" for the rest.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Let's look at Saxo Banks line-up:

Why didn't they save Porte for this, or if they are going with CAS why didn't he ride Giro instead of Tour? And what is Cooke and Larsson doing?

EDIT: Oh, every single danish rider got to do at least one Grand Tour. Every. Single. One. Isn't that sweet of carebear Riis?

Nuyens might win a stage... he's getting in good shape

 

[El Pistolero]

Cooke and Larsson are leaving is what they're doing.

The simple fact is that Saxo is a pretty weak team overall. If Contador had been suspended, then they would be abysmal. They sent most of their best riders to the Giro and the Tour to support him and people still thought that support was weak, so if they had been saving more good riders for the Vuelta imagine what kind of effect that would have had on their Giro and Tour squads.

Presumably Sørensen didn't ride the Giro because he was their only shot at doing something at the Tour if Contador wasn't allowed to start.

Still better than Vacansoleil and Quickstep.

Anyway, thanks to the UCI rules it doesn't really matter how bad your season is, as long as you have cash for the next season to buy new cyclists(which he has).

The team is weak, but weaker people have won stages in the Vuelta. And to be honest, I don't think Riis cares all that much for the Vuelta after this season. He won a Monument and a Grand Tour, he's fine. And like you said, it's not like they could make a better squad. I think he's now looking for the fall season with Nuyens.

 

[hrotha]

Anyway, thanks to the UCI rules it doesn't really matter how bad your season is, as long as you have cash for the next season to buy new cyclists(which he has).

Does he? The perception last year was that he had no money after spending it all on Contador. Is Saxo Bank giving him more money for next season? Did he find another sponsor?

 

[El Pistolero]

Does he? The perception last year was that he had no money after spending it all on Contador. Is Saxo Bank giving him more money for next season? Did he find another sponsor?

Saxo is releasing more money to Riis for next season. I hope they can sign someone like Tony Martin.

 

[craig1985]

The full Movistar line-up is: Beñat Intxausti, David López, Sergio Pardilla, Pablo Lastras, Marzio Bruseghin, Ignatas Konovalovas, Ángel Madrazo, Imanol Erviti and Chente García Acosta.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/movistar-announces-vuelta-a-espana-line-up

 

[auscyclefan94]

I think Saxo Bank got something like 5% out of Portes capacity when he got to be a domestique in two races.
Porte got white jersey and was the leader for the 2010 Giro and now, he get's to slave in two races because of uncertainty with Contador and CAS.
He got sold pretty short.

We will see how it goes in the Vuelta. Think Nuyens might do something on the flatter stages and maybe CAS either can go for a reasonable (20-30) placing in GC or try to get in a break away in the mountains.

Otherwise it's pretty much "Grupetto or bust" for the rest.

Saxo is on paper the worst team in la vuelta. I don't see them doing much.

 

[hrotha]

Saxo is on paper the worst team in la vuelta. I don't see them doing much.

I take it you're not acquainted with Andalucía-Caja Granada?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

The full Movistar line-up is: Beñat Intxausti, David López, Sergio Pardilla, Pablo Lastras, Marzio Bruseghin, Ignatas Konovalovas, Ángel Madrazo, Imanol Erviti and Chente García Acosta.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/movistar-announces-vuelta-a-espana-line-up

It's an OK team but lacks a leader - due to the unfortunate circumstances. I'm wondering what they'll be able to do at the Vuelta. Intxausti has yet to show something this season but David Lopez seems in very good shape. Glad to see Madrazo in the lineup as well.

 

[Havetts]

Movistar hasnt really had a "leader" besides Arroyo in the Giro this season

 

[Ney the Viking]

Saxos team has a free role to waht they want. Compared to the Giro and Le Tour they can go in breakaways, do stupid things and animate the race. There is not a lot of expectations, so any results is a positive thing.

But to those that complain about the team, who would YOU take? A Larsson whose prime goal would be to get in shape for the Worlds ITT? Porte that has spend all his energy the last two months on shopping for a better paying contract? Conti and his fellow spaniards have done 2 GT's already.

CAS apparently really like to be with SAXO, he has ambitions to one day win the KOM in TdF, and maybe seriusly ride for GT at either the vuelta or giro where his bad ITT might be less of a worry. Also he always works his *** off. Good choice for the team? This fanboy says yes.

Sørensen: may not be in the best of shape true, but they do need a captain de route, especially since they got some young guns that need someone experienced to shepherd them through. Also he normally always performs well in GT's (I dont get the sucked@TdF comment *shrugs might be my bias)

Marcyz, Majka, Christensen and Aaen: Need GT experience, couldnt go to Giro or TdF due to GC ambitions. Might not do anything noticable, but thats hardly the point. Kudos to Riis for grooming talent, and giving them the chance.

JJ: While I like him, he is so inconsistent it hurts. But who knows.

Nyuens: Wildcard for sure, is probably motivated to show his Flanders win wasnt a fluke, and want to be in shape for the fall races to get some more wins.

Gustov: No idea about his shape or ambitions. Though he normally does decently in TTT's and as a workhorse no?

Funny how one can view things differently.

 

[craig1985]

It's an OK team but lacks a leader - due to the unfortunate circumstances. I'm wondering what they'll be able to do at the Vuelta. Intxausti has yet to show something this season but David Lopez seems in very good shape. Glad to see Madrazo in the lineup as well.

But a lot of potential breakaway stage winners in there. I mean even Erviti has won two stages in the past. Along with López, Lastras, and Chente García Acosta.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Vacansoleil's team:

Stijn Devolder, Martijn Keizer, Pim Ligthart, Wouter Poels, Santo Anza, Matteo Carrara, Michael Golas, Ruslan Pidgornyy and Sergey Lagutin.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

But a lot of potential breakaway stage winners in there. I mean even Erviti has won two stages in the past. Along with López, Lastras, and Chente García Acosta.

Definitely. It's a very interesting team indeed. I was just commenting that it's a shame they lack a leader who could challenge for a top 5/top 10 because of the tragic events that have occured.

 

[Kwibus]

Vacansoleil's team:

Stijn Devolder, Martijn Keizer, Pim Ligthart, Wouter Poels, Santo Anza, Matteo Carrara, Michael Golas, Ruslan Pidgornyy and Sergey Lagutin.

Not a very impressive team. I bet Poels peaked in l'Ain and will only get worse from now on. The guy is young and has too many race days on his calendar.

Ligthart might surprise though. Interesting rider. Someone you don't want to ride with to the finish line unless were talking about a bunch sprint.

Devolder... well.. probably nothing.

Carrara can reach top 20 if he's really good, but that's not really worth anything.

The others are decent riders, but no winners.

van Leijen left out, because he didn't sign a new contract. I love the new UCI point system

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Not a very impressive team. I bet Poels peaked in l'Ain and will only get worse from now on. The guy is young and has too many race days on his calendar.

Ligthart might surprise though. Interesting rider. Someone you don't want to ride with to the finish line unless were talking about a bunch sprint.

Devolder... well.. probably nothing.

Carrara can reach top 20 if he's really good, but that's not really worth anything.

The others are decent riders, but no winners.

van Leijen left out, because he didn't sign a new contract. I love the new UCI point system

Van Leijen seems to have good form, so I was surprised to not see him go. I guess that's the reason then.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

well vacs. said earlier in the year they were reluctant to give tour spot to riders whom haven't signed for vacs. So yeah, probably.

 

[Cobblestoned]

Happy that Skil-Shimano takes part and will bring Kittel

Given his streaks and records, he should win at least 10 stages (in a row)

 

[RedheadDane]

Is this list faulty, outdated or did JV change his mind?

Team Garmin-Cervelo
Tyler Farrar (USA)
Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra)
Heinrich Haussler (Aus)
Thor Hushovd (Nor)
Andreas Klier (Ger)
Christophe Le Mevel (Fra)
Daniel Martin (Irl)
Andrew Talansky (USA)
Johan Van Summeren (Bel)

 

[Greenflame]

There's a few pretty awful teams lined up for the Vuelta, like every year. Saxo are indeed terrible, Quickstep pretty much goes without saying. Vacansoleil are far from impressive, but can at least provide some entertainment. Leopard announced their team as well: Bennati, Fuglsang, Cancellara, Monfort, Wagner, Zaugg, Rohregger, O'Grady and Viganò (via their twitter). Fuglsang and Monfort are both tired from the Tour, Cancellara will just pick up a TT win and build form for the WC, Bennati will try in some sprints and get some 5th places or something. Only rider that's actually interesting there is Zaugg, who could be an outside shot for a top-10 or at least attack a few times.

Too bad Basso isn't going, I would like to see him work for Nibali's GC.