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Vuelta a España - Stage 1 August 28, TTT Sevilla 16.5km

Vuelta a España - Stage 1 August 28, TTT Sevilla 16.5km



For the record, this is not too early to start the thread, the other gt stage 1 threads were on the wednesday as i recall too.


stage_1_profile_600.jpg


And so the 3rd gt is upon us. A great course this year, and no clear favourite. Will be kind of wierd it not starting in the Netherlands. But what will be even wierder will be the nature of the event. A 16 km night team time trial. I for one am looking forward to see what this is like. Should be a good atmosphere.

And very difficult to pick a winner. Not knowing too much about the selections, Im guessing Htc will be up there because they have so many great tters, some of them are bound to have been picked. Also rabo and liqui and garmin to be up there, though will have to see the selection for more substancial guesses.
 
Parrulo said:
hopefully it will be a very good and competitive vuelta. can any1 please post the profiles of the most important stages.

Stage 8 to Xorret del Catí.... Maybe not the most decisive... But there will be gaps, and it will be great to watch:

stage_8_profile_600.jpg


Stage 15 to Lagos de Covadonga. Some devastatingly steep ramps that last for quite a bit. If Igor Anton and Mosquera want to win, this will be place where they could drop a superior TTer like Menchov or Neebs Nibali. Differences between favorites here will be far bigger than in Andorra, I'll bet.

stage_15_profile_600.jpg



Stage 17; the 47km TT around Penafiel... Could post a profile, but it basically looks like this:

_________________________________________________

Stage 20 up the Bola del Mundo. Bola del Mundo.... Nuff said.

stage_20_profile_600.jpg
 
Jun 16, 2009
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With no BMC in la vuelta and no cadel I am not sure who to tip for the ttt and the overall. Any suggestions? I am not even sure if i am going to watch!;)

hfer07, nibali's desending performance was not that impressive in the giro imo. Scarponi and Basso are very bad descenders and Cadel was a bit behind from the start anyway because he got dropped near the top.
 
Sep 16, 2009
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Look at these rough teams.

Thomas Danielson
Julian Dean (NZl)
Tyler Farrar (USA)
Michel Kreder (Ned)
Christian Meier (Can)
David Millar (GBr)
Ricardo Van Der Velde (Ned)
Matthew Wilson (Aus)
David Zabriskie (USA)

verses

Lars Ytting Bak (Den)
Mark Cavendish (GBr)
Bernhard Eisel (Aut)
Matthew Harley Goss (Aus)
Hayden Roulston (NZl)
Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr)
Tejay Van Garderen (USA)
Martin Velits (Svk)
Peter Velits (Svk)

The first 4km of the course is technical with a lot of corners. That gives Columbia the edge with their riders that can slow down and move up to speed in short sharp bursts. Bak, Cavendish, Eisel, Goss, Velits.

Then the next 12km suit Siutsou, Roulston, Van Garderen, Velits bros, etc.

Garmin on the otherhand don't have much in regards to the technical bit. But have stronger riders for the rest.

If the teams start like this, I can't see Columbia getting beaten in a short TTT.
 
Aug 1, 2009
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Kwibus said:
Oh is that red jersey doesn't look good at all.
Why didn't they stick to that gold jersey? I liked it.

There is a reason, the maillot has been designed by the spanish designer Custo Dalmau. This maillot is for commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Vuelta, but I have read somewhere that the official one will be different.
 
Aug 18, 2009
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Spaniard said:
There is a reason, the maillot has been designed by the spanish designer Custo Dalmau. This maillot is for commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Vuelta, but I have read somewhere that the official one will be different.

The jerseys in the photo linked above and in the video linked above are different. It's been toned down already.
 
Mar 12, 2009
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The Hitch said:
If htc win saturday and cav gets the red, then he will only require a simple (sprint victory in Mont des Allotues to have the grand slam of jerseys. (even canc doesnt have this yet)

I don't think so? Cav has only previously worn maglia Rosa for 2 days and the maillot vert in 09 tour?