Vuelta a España 2011

[auscyclefan94]

I have to say this Vuelta is filling me with some excitement. It looks well rounded until the last week but a rider might peak for 1st 2 weeks and then fail near the end where a rider could somehow go well on the flats. I think Cadel could do this to peak for Worlds ( whilst staying in contention in the Mountains ). Also there shall be a tier of racers who shall in the TDF come top 15 going for the win. It gives them a chance to win and not be suppresed by Contador. Nibali vs Anton will be epic.

Cadel has absoultely no chance at the worlds this year though I think he will definetly animate the race. He is always a major player in every race he rides.

 

[El Pistolero]

Except the 2 last TdF he was in.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Except the 2 last TdF he was in.

He was in the yellow jersey at the tour last year and played an animating role on the pave. At 2009 he had a go on Andorra when everyone else other than Contador wanted to suck wheel.

 

[El Pistolero]

That doesn't make him a major player in those 2 races. I'm sorry, but he wasn't.

I hope he does well this year, but let's not kid our self and think he was a major factor in 2009 and 2010 TdF.

 

[The Hitch]

mmm if a few people who look like they might do the Vuelta after the TDF, to so, this could be an epic gt.

Say Gesink, Samu and Evans go for the Vuelta from the Tour.

They then face Anton, Nieve, Nibali, Menchov, Scarponi and Rodriguez (well hopefully the last 2 as well) from the Giro.

 

[auscyclefan94]

That doesn't make him a major player in those 2 races. I'm sorry, but he wasn't.

I hope he does well this year, but let's not kid our self and think he was a major factor in 2009 and 2010 TdF.

Yes you are right.

Back on topic. We should compile a list of riders who are riding the vuelta.

 

[Flamin]

mmm if a few people who look like they might do the Vuelta after the TDF, to so, this could be an epic gt.

Say Gesink, Samu and Evans go for the Vuelta from the Tour.

They then face Anton, Nieve, Nibali, Menchov, Scarponi and Rodriguez (well hopefully the last 2 as well) from the Giro.

Count VDB2 in too. Epic indeed

 

[Kwibus]

Count VDB2 in too. Epic indeed

I hope I'm wrong, but VDB2 seems to be a rider that only performs well in the TdF. I'm not a VDB2 fan, but I hope he proofs me wrong. The more contenders for the Vuelta the better.

 

[Flamin]

I hope I'm wrong, but VDB2 seems to be a rider that only performs well in the TdF. I'm not a VDB2 fan, but I hope he proofs me wrong. The more contenders for the Vuelta the better.

Well, in the first place it's a test how he can perform after le Tour, because he is planning to use the 2012 Vuelta as a build-up for the Worlds. So, expectations are not that high, but like you said, the more contenders the better. Trying to win a stage would maybe be the best option for him.

 

[khardung la]

I'd say it's just the name of Spain and its symbols. Euskaltel riders may ride but never contest the Spanish National Championships for fear of having to wear some sort of Spanish flag for a full year. Gárate is Basque and he had no problem at all with that because he has never been in Euskaltel, but everyone knows why Samuel Sanchez will never be Spanish champion. Pure nonsense, IMHO.

That is not true. There was for example a rider of Euskaltel who won the Spanish TT championships: Íñigo González de Heredia (Vitoria) 1996. He was a member of Euskaltel, in that time called Euskadi.

Samuel is from Asturias, so no big deal there in wearing a Spanish flag. I assume other riders from Euskaltel would have absolutely no problem in winning the Spanish championships if they could, this is why they ride it. Even nationalistic fans of Euskaltel would understand that, specially now that the colours of the spanish flag are so small in the maillots.

In fact when basque nationalistic pressure was way bigger than now basque riders won the Spanish Championship and had the Spanish flag in their maillot. Just some few in the last decades:

Juan Manuel Garate (Irun) 2005

Alvaro Gonzalez de Galdeano (Vitoria-Gasteiz) 2000

Abraham Olano 1994

Juan Carlos González Salvador (Bilbao) 1987 and 1991

Jesús Ignacio Ibáñez Loyo (Ametzaga) 1984

Domingo "Txomin" Perurena (Oyarzun) 1973

Luis Otaño (Rentería) 1966

<<<<

And in time trial (no time for looking for photos to put a face in the riders, I hope you understand):

Inigo Charreau (Donostia-S.Sebastian) 2003. won the spanish championship when in AG2r, a year after leaving Euskaltel.

Igor González de Galdeano (Vitoria) 2002

Abraham Olano (San Sebastian) 1994 and 1998

Íñigo González de Heredia (Vitoria) 1996. He was a member of Euskaltel, in that time called Euskadi.

Of course there are lots of basques who have been 2nd or 3rd in the spanish championships (route or TT). I do not think they were slowing down in the last moment to not win.....

 

[Skip Madness]

However, I think it highlights the usual lack of the major, epic mountain stage that often dominates the Giro and the Tour. I don't know enough about the geography of Spain to know whether it is possible to create a 5 mountain-stage in Asturias or other places - if not, then they should "borrow" the Pyrenees from the Tour, like they have done previously.

There are indeed plenty of big stages that the Vuelta could be giving us - these are all taken from the PRC website (yes, again):

Galicia/Castilla y León:

Asturias:

Andalucía:

Plenty of other options, too.

But the final week should have had an influential stage, to ensure the possibilty of suspension until the end.

I think there will always be the possibility of a suspension at the end...

 

[Descender]

Apart from the options Skip Madness posted, and all the possibilites Sierra Nevada offers (and let's not talk about the Canary Islands), I'd highlight this beauty, with a climb mostly on (cyclable) gravel roads.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Even nationalistic fans of Euskaltel would understand that, specially now that the colours of the spanish flag are so small in the maillots.

The colours of the Spanish flag are not small in the maillots. It changes from rider to rider and from year to year, depending on the team and rider's attitude.

2005 - Juanma Garate:

2006 - María Isabel Moreno (no male champion):
version one:

version two:

2007 - Joaquím Rodríguez:

 

[El Pistolero]

The colours of the Spanish flag are not small in the maillots. It changes from rider to rider and from year to year, depending on the team and rider's attitude.

2005 - Juanma Garate:

2006 - María Isabel Moreno (no male champion):
version one:

version two:

2007 - Joaquím Rodríguez:

Those all look awful to be honest. Although the first one is okish.

Best one I've seen recently was Cancellara's jersey on the road.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

2008 - we got the barely noticeable Valverde road race jersey:

but Caisse kept the Gutiérrez/Rodríguez 'flying fireball' design for Sánchez' time trial jersey:

2009 - Rubén Plaza
version 1:

version 2:

 

[Libertine Seguros]

2009 also saw the abomination that was Contador's ITT jersey:

2010 saw José Iván Gutiérrez and Luís León Sánchez win, which meant they both kept the standard (i.e. non-Valverde) Caisse d'Epargne fireball design.

However, the new jersey for 2011 has been horrendous:

though Luísle's time trial jersey is somewhat better:

Probably the most classic Spanish champion's jersey recently has been Marta Vilajosana's, from 2010 with Valdarno:

 

[khardung la]

The colours of the Spanish flag are not small in the maillots. It changes from rider to rider and from year to year, depending on the team and rider's attitude.

The maillot was pretty standard until at least the 1970s, probably more, and it consisted on a full red and yellow design. What I mean is that as you say now it is pretty much a team and rider choice, so any rider uncomfortable with wearing the Spanish flag could actually "hide" it quite well. My point is that I do not think the flag is an issue for euskaltel bikers to win the Spanish Championships.

 

[hrotha]

Let's face it, you can't make a good looking jersey with the Spanish flag. Same with the US flag. About the only thing that would work is copying the design of the German champ jersey.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Let's face it, you can't make a good looking jersey with the Spanish flag. Same with the US flag. About the only thing that would work is copying the design of the German champ jersey.

You mean a bit like a more tasteful version of Maribel Moreno's first jersey?

Personally I like the crazy fireball Caisse d'Epargne jersey - they also applied that principle to a lesser extent on their French jersey, as seen here:

I even quite like Plaza's Liberty Seguros jersey, but the standard Liberty jersey was way better - and the Portuguese Liberty jerseys of '08-'09 are better than the Saíz ones too.

Would love to see what happens if Euskaltel win the jersey though. It's practically begging for something along the lines of Biarritz Olympique's European jersey:

Though of course RFEC would come down like a ton of bricks on that.

 

[icefire]

mmm if a few people who look like they might do the Vuelta after the TDF, to so, this could be an epic gt.

Say Gesink, Samu and Evans go for the Vuelta from the Tour.

They then face Anton, Nieve, Nibali, Menchov, Scarponi and Rodriguez (well hopefully the last 2 as well) from the Giro.

2/3 of the 2010 TdF podium were in the 2010 Vuelta

Now, on a more serious note, I don't know what to expect from Gesink if he completes the Tour as it would be the first year he does 2 complete GTs. I don't think Samu will be in the Vuelta if he completes the Tour. He'll probably do SanSebastián and Burgos and go on a holiday. As for Evans, I hope he follows the progression of his recent Vuelta results and ends second

 

[boomcie]

2007 - Joaquím Rodríguez:

I'm sure he would have tried losing the race if he knew this would be his price for winning it.
Still remember the first time I saw it like it was yesterday. The horror.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I'm sure he would have tried losing the race if he knew this would be his price for winning it.
Still remember the first time I saw it like it was yesterday. The horror.

However, the Cuenca finish from the 2007 Spanish nationals is just so much better than the Cuenca finish from recent Vueltas. That cobbled climb... gorgeous.

 

[boomcie]

However, the Cuenca finish from the 2007 Spanish nationals is just so much better than the Cuenca finish from recent Vueltas. That cobbled climb... gorgeous.

I'll take your word for it cause I never saw the Spanish nationals. Do they often have great courses there? I hate it when the nationals are poor to watch because of a ****ty parcours.

 

[The Hitch]

To me its not so bad if Nat races are boring because so many of them are happening I dont see most of them and maybe see the final few k from a few if a stream is on.

The excitement is that all the races are happening at once and hearing about all the results come through.

 

[boomcie]

To me its not so bad if Nat races are boring because so many of them are happening I dont see most of them and maybe see the final few k from a few if a stream is on.

The excitement is that all the races are happening at once and hearing about all the results come through.

Good point, but some of them (notably the one in Belgium) I like to have a challenging course. I don't like it when "bad" riders take home the win.