Vuelta a España 2012 - Rumours, Route etc.

[jens_attacks]

great news if they'll go to canary next year.

 

[Arnout]

In my opinion Teide will be least interesting when they go to Canaries (Gran Canaria and Tenerife are only options, Lanzarote and Fuertaventura are not that interesting, the other islands too small).

Teide is not that steep, and it's a wide road up to the highest point. When they decide to go there (and I guess they will as its the icon of the islands and there is massive room for a finish, 10 km flat at 2100 meters or so), they should account for the wind at least, its quite windy and with a headwind it might be very boring...

On Gran Canaria there are a lot of smaller roads, a lot of them very interesting for bike racing, well paved and steep, but not that long. Same for Tenerife actually, they should use the road to Masca.

 

[Descender]

In my opinion Teide will be least interesting when they go to Canaries (Gran Canaria and Tenerife are only options, Lanzarote and Fuertaventura are not that interesting, the other islands too small).

Teide is not that steep, and it's a wide road up to the highest point. When they decide to go there (and I guess they will as its the icon of the islands and there is massive room for a finish, 10 km flat at 2100 meters or so), they should account for the wind at least, its quite windy and with a headwind it might be very boring...

On Gran Canaria there are a lot of smaller roads, a lot of them very interesting for bike racing, well paved and steep, but not that long. Same for Tenerife actually, they should use the road to Masca.

The Teide might not be steep, but it's 45kms long... and at 5,2% on average, that hurts. Same for Puerto de Izaña, 44kms at 5,4%.

Gran Canaria doesn't have long climbs? The rumoured one, Pico de las Nieves, is 27kms long at 6,8% average...

 

[Viskovitz]

Teide is not steep? Are you sure?

That looks steep to me at least, xD.

Anyway, there's some other hard steep climbs in the isle of Tenerife:

Lomo Pelado, 6Km at 11,7% (you can continue climbing to the Teide or go downhill to Santa Cruz).

Chanajiga, 9m6km at 12%, with the last 4,6km at 18% (!!!!!). I think that a descent gets yo to a road to the top
of the Teide.

Degollada del Cherfe:

And there are a lot more, lots of little roads go straight up the mountain with insane slopes.

And here there are the profile of Pico de las Nieves from El Carrizal (the hardest route).

 

[Arnout]

The Teide might not be steep, but it's 45kms long... and at 5,2% on average, that hurts. Same for Puerto de Izaña, 44kms at 5,4%.

Gran Canaria doesn't have long climbs? The rumoured one, Pico de las Nieves, is 27kms long at 6,8% average...

I merely meant shorter steeper climbs as opposed to the iconic and logical Tenerife climb: the Teide. I didn't mean short as in Ardennes short, but yeah I guess I should've been a bit more elaborate.

@Viskovitz: Well, its not very steep and the part near the top is quite flat to be honest. Combined with the at the top nearly inevitable headwind I'm not so sure. I've been on the whole of Tenerife this summer and I think the Teide climb might be, in terms of racing, the least interesting option for a Tenerife stage.

Degollada del Cherfe was my example of an interesting climb. If you start from the other side, Santiago del Teide, and draw the finish line in Masca you have a steep climb followed by that epic descent, near Masca there is enough space for the finish line.

 

[Viskovitz]

The first 24,3 km of Izaña from la Hidalga are at 7%. 24,3km at 7%. That's harder than te Stelvio from Bormio in the final Giro stage. But in this case there are still 11 Km. to the top.

 

[jens_attacks]

no canary next year.any more news,rumours?
when the presentation will take place?still january?anybody hacking the official site yet?

 

[Descender]

no canary next year.any more news,rumours?
when the presentation will take place?still january?anybody hacking the official site yet?

No Canary islands next year, it's too early apparently.

No definite rumours either apart from the prologue in Pamplona and the first flat stage.

Let us not forget that the Vuelta route was leaked online on the official site in advance too last year. That makes three GTs in a row where that happens.

 

[Forunculo]

No Canary islands next year, it's too early apparently.

No definite rumours either apart from the prologue in Pamplona and the first flat stage.

Let us not forget that the Vuelta route was leaked online on the official site in advance too last year. That makes three GTs in a row where that happens.

The leaks are a tactical move. Generate media atention twice.

 

[craig1985]

IIRC they were looking at going back to the Netherlands for another Grand Départ in 2013 or 2014, is that still the case, or is my memory playing tricks on me?

 

[The Hitch]

I remember something like that too.

 

[Descender]

IIRC they were looking at going back to the Netherlands for another Grand Départ in 2013 or 2014, is that still the case, or is my memory playing tricks on me?

Yes, but somehow I have 2015 in mind.

 

[Michele]

When will the Vuelta be presented?

 

[Descender]

December probably.