Vuelta a España 2019 Rumours

[tobydawq]

Vuelta and Giro are always more exciting that the Tour.

Yeah, because the 2019 Giro was so much better than the 2019 Tour.

Usually, the Giro is more entertaining than the Tour but the Vuelta does not do that much for me for some reason I can't really put my finger on. I still watch as much as I can but it's just a bit underwhelming compared to the other two to me.

 

[Red Rick]

Small stage races wouldn't compete with the Vuelta in their own right.

Only thing they compete with is as prep for Worlds + Autumn classics

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah, because the 2019 Giro was so much better than the 2019 Tour.

Usually, the Giro is more entertaining than the Tour but the Vuelta does not do that much for me for some reason I can't really put my finger on. I still watch as much as I can but it's just a bit underwhelming compared to the other two to me.

Vuelta basically always has their MTF action but you almost never have the anticipation that a mountain stage could be super epic cause the Vuelta doesn't have the massive climbs or stages of either the Giro or Tour usually. The best Vuelta stages all happened due to circumstance and coincidence.

Good thing about the Vuelta is that the race is rarely decided very early so it's a lot more consistent.

 

[Blanco]

Vuelta basically always has their MTF action but you almost never have the anticipation that a mountain stage could be super epic cause the Vuelta doesn't have the massive climbs or stages of either the Giro or Tour usually. The best Vuelta stages all happened due to circumstance and coincidence.

Good thing about the Vuelta is that the race is rarely decided very early so it's a lot more consistent.

Yeah, Tour is loaded with the super epic stages alright
For me, Vuelta beats Tour every year since 2011.
Giro is another beast, though.

 

[Lequack]

The lack of strong sprint teams that like to boss the peloton is another welcome thing.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Small stage races wouldn't compete with the Vuelta in their own right.

Only thing they compete with is as prep for Worlds + Autumn classics

Personally I don't think a 1 week race comes close to competing with the Vuelta as the best prep for most riders for a difficult Worlds course (and Lombardia). But now with the Tour of Germany there is the possibility to ride that in combination with one or more other 1 week races (maybe riding to win one) and I can see plenty of riders/teams opting for that schedule rather than the Vuelta. Especially if their plan was just to drop out of the Vuelta after 2 weeks

 

[Red Rick]

Personally I don't think a 1 week race comes close to competing with the Vuelta as the best prep for most riders for a difficult Worlds course (and Lombardia). But now with the Tour of Germany there is the possibility to ride that in combination with one or more other 1 week races (maybe riding to win one) and I can see plenty of riders/teams opting for that schedule rather than the Vuelta. Especially if their plan was just to drop out of the Vuelta after 2 weeks

Yeah it thins out the stagehunting herd more than the GC field.

Weak GC field this year is more of a consequence of the huge amount of riders that went Giro/Tour this year and both Dumoulin and Froome crashing out of the GT season

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah, Tour is loaded with the super epic stages alright
For me, Vuelta beats Tour every year since 2011.
Giro is another beast, though.

That's not what I said. For what it's worth, I agree that the Vuelta has been better every year starting in 2012

In the Tour you're hoping something might happen, and usually you end up disappointed. In the Vuelta you have expectations of a good final 5km and you usually get it.

Tour also has this 'zomg biggest race of da year' thing going on over the Vuelta.

 

[Carols]

Vuelta and Giro are always more exciting that the Tour.

Totally agree! Although the Tour was good this year until the damp squib of an ending

 

[del1962]

The Vuelta will never have the prestige of the other two grand tours, mainly due to the difference in history, but it can be fun to watch but so can the Artic Race of Norway

 

[Escarabajo]

Bets are on Roglic, Lopez and Carapaz in that order. Can't argue with that TBH.

Then there are a several outsiders. This Vuelta is more crowded with outsiders than with real favorites which could give us a great entertainment.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I always look forward to the Vuelta and really like the race. Its not worth putting hours and hours and hours into like the Giro, but there's something relevant happening on more than half the stages, mainly due to them not giving too much for sprint stages. Thats the thing I like about it the most.

Also, it really has the feel of being a lesser version of the other GTs. Its a lot more relaxed in that sense, also for the viewers. Not that much is happening much of the day until the end, the riders are going on a siesta, but you get paid back in the last hour usually as a spectator.

There's really something to each of the three GTs. Honestly, I always looks tremendously forward to most GTs, and I have that feeling every year for the Vuelta as well. The Giro is the first GT of the year, usually has the biggest mountains stages, Tour is Tour, and the Vuelta is often the race you look forward to in the near future after a horrible Tour (not the case this year). First and foremost, Im a GT-man. I like the monotony of watching 1-2 hours cycling each and every day, usually more when it comes to the Giro and especially the Tour. Less for the sprinter stages usually, but cycling and good commentary is very relaxing.

It obviously also helps that my favourite rider (by a mile) most often does really well in this race. Thats extra spice to the race for me.

 

[Koronin]

La Vuelta is my favorite of the Grand Tours. I enjoy the fact it's usually more open and less predictable. Of course it helps my favorite rider usually does very well in this race. I like the terrain and the climbs better. Overall I'm a classics gal and prefer the one day races to stage races in general.

 

[lenric]

Quintana doing something worth of his past would be good as a farewell note to Movi*. Even though I don't quite think it will happen, unless he goes rogue.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Five days before the race there is still no complete start list? Ineos has only announced six riders?

 

[tobydawq]

Four hours ago, there were just 7 teams confirmed. Now that number is 14. Probably it will be 21 by tonight and then EF will announce their roster on Saturday morning.

 

[repre]

Mark Padun is riding Vuelta. He gonna win the whole thing!

 

[Salvarani]

Astana with a very strong team

Wonder in what form Fuglsang shows up in, would be a very nice super dom for Lopez

 

[repre]

Astana with a very strong team

Wonder in what form Fuglsang shows up in, would be a very nice super dom for Lopez

I wonder if their underperformance in GTs will end or not. Team looking strong, but it was like that in Giro and TDF too...

 

[Valv.Piti]

Astana with a very strong team

Wonder in what form Fuglsang shows up in, would be a very nice super dom for Lopez

Probably not a very great form, at least in the first 10 days. But overall a great team that really can rival Jumbo and Movistar and as I have said before, its basically between those 3 teams. They have the best leaders and the best domestiques.

 

[Salvarani]

I wonder if their underperformance in GTs will end or not. Team looking strong, but it was like that in Giro and TDF too...

Yeah, and Lopez usually has a bad day or lose some stupid time on muritos or crash/mechanical. Astana should be pretty strong in the TTT though. If ITT goes well also, he should have a pretty good chance if climbing form is there and the helpers are strong.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Movistar: Arcas, Carapaz, Erviti, Oliveira, Pedrero, N.Quintana, Soler, Valverde

Arcas and Erviti the flatlands domestiques, Oliveira is more of an allrounder, Soler and Pedrero mountain domestiques and then 3 leaders. Glad that Betancur wasn't selected as he simply didn't train enough between Suisse and now, but I had actually thought they would select Sepulveda, but then again, they also need some grunts. Nice team as usual in this race for them, probably the best team, maybe along with Jumbo.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Damn there's a lot of bad, bad teams in this Vuelta. Nothing else to do than stagehunt and ride aggressively which in turn is good the the race.

 

[tobydawq]

Damn there's a lot of bad, bad teams in this Vuelta. Nothing else to do than stagehunt and ride aggressively which in turn is good the the race.

I wonder if Ineos will even do something as anti-Ineos as bringing Halvorsen. It seems like all their potential GC riders except Geoghegan Hart will not go.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I wonder if Ineos will even do something as anti-Ineos as bringing Halvorsen. It seems like all their potential GC riders except Geoghegan Hart will not go.

Isnt Poels going? De la Cruz is 99% I'd guess.
Sivakov and Sosa most likely aren't going, so yeah, Halvorsen probably is going then since none of the above really is worth supporting that much.