Poels is going to Deutschland and Britain according to PCS but I don't know how reliable that is. I don't really see de la Cruz as a viable option, he's just not good enough.
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Poels is going to Deutschland and Britain according to PCS but I don't know how reliable that is. I don't really see de la Cruz as a viable option, he's just not good enough.
I don't either, but then again, I dont see Hart doing that much apart either tbh. Dont think he is a GT rider, but he will most definitely try to go for a top-10.
Very weird if Poels isn't going, this is the perfect opportunity to finally ride for himself.... Generally I just dont get all these climbers/GC-riders opting to ride races such as Deutchland Tour, Montreal/Quebec etc... I mean, they really aren't going to do anything in these races.
Very weird if Poels isn't going, this is the perfect opportunity to finally ride for himself.... Generally I just dont get all these climbers/GC-riders opting to ride races such as Deutchland Tour, Montreal/Quebec etc... I mean, they really aren't going to do anything in these races.
Red Rick
BANNED
Pretty much.
I wouldn't mind it if the Vuelta actually had cool alternatives, but now it's all stage races nobody cares about. I feel like the calendar is way too saturated with stage races while it should be much easier to set up a great one day race. Especially climbing one day races should be a nice addition. You can even go as far as using climbs that are basically too stupid to really use in GTs for balancing reasons, unless environmental issues are too big. And a one day format should even make those a lot less too.
No confirmation as far as I can see, but PCS has today listed an 8 man Ineos team with no Poels or Halvorsen.
I still see very good riders for this Vuelta. It is just Ineos that is not bringing Thomas. To be honest, Poels was not going very good at the end in the Tour. So that could have changed the decision for Ineos to let him ride an easier race than the Vuelta.
I agree with Red about having too many stage races that are not important. Especially at the same time with La Vuelta. It is a pity.
I agree with Red about having too many stage races that are not important. Especially at the same time with La Vuelta. It is a pity.
Yes, EF selected their squad a little later than the others and thats definitely a nice one. The trio of Colombians are very interesting, but I heard Martinez was sick before Utah and therefore didn't ride which was a pity. Who knows how serious that was.
Urán? Well, could get a top-5 if going really well, but its always a bit up and down with him. Higuita is still too young, TJ is TJ, but Carthy is very interesting also.
Bora is just always bring interesting squads with great sprinters and climbers. Versatile squad, but Formolo, Maja and Mühlberger isn't going to light anything up in the mountains. Its primarily for stage wins for Bennett
Agree that the Vuelta offers something else than the Giro and Tour, and in theory I think that is a good thing, but the last years that "something else" is for me a suboptimal solution. A clear profile as a race with more shorter and aggressive stages and total distance of perhaps 3000-3100 km would good and far better than the latest versions. A large majority of the mountain stages could be short/middle long, something like 120-150 km, but designed properly for aggressive riding.
The last years it's been mostly about the muritos, and the stages with bigger mountains have been somewhat underwhelming, usually limited to maximum 2 bigger mountains or 3-4 medium mountains in a medium to long stage (often 170-200 km). And almost always the major difficulty as the last climb, limiting the action to no more than the last 5 kms or so.
So I just checked the betting odds for the Vuelta and saw Carapaz is only third behind Roglic and Lopez. Why is that? He beat both of them quite comfortably in the giro. I guess with Roglic you can claim that he misstimed his peak for the giro but Lopez? How can you be so underrated after winning the giro?
Red Rick
BANNED
Consistency I imagine.
Carapaz rode the Vuelta last year and didn't do *** basically, even if he wasn't riding for himself.
Generally I think betting odds don't adjust enough to recent trends and rely too much on things that happened a long time ago
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I can also now happily bring the great news that Valverde will start with number 1 in the rainbow jersey. Great stuff! What I wouldn't give for Valverde to win this race, lmao.
You and me both.
La Vuelta is giving Valverde a wonderful honor by giving him the number 1. Wouldn't be surprised if they have more planned for him than just that.
What? Carapaz didnt ride for himself at all last year and was quite the luxury domestique in the mountains, especially towards the end of the race as far as I remember. Obviously he wasn't riding as well as in the Giro last year, otherwise he would have been protected, but did very decent.
I think Lopez and Carapaz should be about equally rated tbh. Lopez has shown last year that he is very adept at riding Giro + Vuelta and generally is performing very well in that race. His level was higher than 7th indicated in Italy. Maybe Carapaz should be the slightly favored rider, but nothing more IMO.
People shouldn't be looking to the riders that did the Tour for GC results IMO.
I think because the World Championships route this year - and as always Lombardia - many of the GC guys (apart from the pure climbers like Quintana) from the Tour, are mainly there to act as luxury doms some days, and prepare themselves for what comes after the Vuelta on others.
I think because the World Championships route this year - and as always Lombardia - many of the GC guys (apart from the pure climbers like Quintana) from the Tour, are mainly there to act as luxury doms some days, and prepare themselves for what comes after the Vuelta on others.
Red Rick
BANNED
I can't even English anymore.
Anyway, I personally rate Carapaz higher as a potential winner. If MAL beats Carapaz I don't think it's for the win.
Except for Valverde who will race for GC, then go to the Worlds, then the Italian one day races ending with Lombardia.
Will VV race for GC, or will he ride for stages and to help Carapaz and Quintana?
It's la Vuelta and he said something at the end of last year that he'd ride for other teammates at GT's except la Vuelta where he still wants another shot. He's chasing a piece of history at la Vuelta that he may or may not be able to get and that's the podium record. He'd love to win another one. Plus la Vuelta is his favorite race of the season.
Yes, a great honor for a rider! It's a pity he didn't do the Giro, cause they also wanted to give him number 1.
I guess you know you're a true legend, when things like this start to happen.
EF also with a great team. With Jumbo, Movistar and Astana we'll have four very strong teams. I guess the winner will come from one of them...
Me too. I watched him win in 2009 and will be there to watch this year as wellI can also now happily bring the great news that Valverde will start with number 1 in the rainbow jersey. Great stuff! What I wouldn't give for Valverde to win this race, lmao.
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