Vuelta a España 2022: Pre-race discussion/hype tread

[Tonton]

Remco is overhyped,, but the field is weak.

In '79, the "New Merckx", Fons De Wolf was 22 years old, won 5 stages and finished La Vuelta winning the points' classification and earning a 9th place in the GC, I'll use that as a measuring stick: the rest is bullstick.

The field is weak. And the route sucks. So I hope that stage wins are epic and reward great rides. I will enjoy this Vuelta even if its winner is at best the 4th best GT rider in the World today.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Is the field really that weak? I don't know how prepared individuals will come to this race. Still if i count the "big names" from the current start list. The number is just shy of a 10 names. That in my book can perform good on such route. I don't know on why that would account for a weak field?

As for the route. I took a quick look and well it's interesting. Some TTT and a rather long flat ITT. On top of that a whole lot of climbing. And i guess a lot of mano-a-mano action.

If Roglič to be in good shape a lot of potential to stomp.

Not sure if Remco will be able to cope with that, though. Climbing part of it. But he will for sure try and that alone will likely be good.

 

[Big Doopie]

I do think Remco might win. But it would mean that he strung three weeks together of all his best highlights.

However, I believe it is likelier he crashes and burns at some point. In terms of GC he either wins or he’s out of the top ten. Hopefully he wins a stage or two. I see the most likely scenario is something like Pidcock’s TDF.

 

[Kaptain Kool]

Agree that the course is bad. Disagree that the field is weak. The field will be stronger than the Giro, just like every year due to their positions on the calendar.

Edit to add: The first week stages after leaving the Netherlands are actually good. Everything after Stage 9 is horrible, tho.

 

[houtdffan]

I do think Remco might win. But it would mean that he strung three weeks together of all his best highlights.

However, I believe it is likelier he crashes and burns at some point. In terms of GC he either wins or he’s out of the top ten. Hopefully he wins a stage or two. I see the most likely scenario is something like Pidcock’s TDF.

LOL even comparing Remco to Pidcock. Pidcock is not even in the same realm as Remco. I do not see Remco finishing an hour behind in GC

 

[sir fly]

Objectively, there aren't enough data to tell whether Evenepoel is a GT-winning material or should turn the focus elsewhere.
His ambitions and intentions are related to the three-week races for sure, and the coming Vuelta will be a benchmark.

 

[BigCoward]

LOL even comparing Remco to Pidcock. Pidcock is not even in the same realm as Remco. I do not see Remco finishing an hour behind in GC

Quite, he has won a major mountain stage in a grand tour and actually finished the whole 3 weeks of one. Not in the same realm at all.

 

[houtdffan]

Quite, he has won a major mountain stage in a grand tour and actually finished the whole 3 weeks of one. Not in the same realm at all.

Please. Remco was 3 days away from finishing

And we are actually comparing someone with more than 30 victories with someone who has 2?

 

[Bolder]

Quite, he has won a major mountain stage in a grand tour and actually finished the whole 3 weeks of one. Not in the same realm at all.

Different types of riders. Pidcock is punchy, more like an Alaphilippe who can win a mountain stage from the break. I don't think he really has GC aspirations but like Alaf he could potentially top 5 a GT with the right course and competition.

 

[Bolder]

It's a bit insane how still nobody takes Hindley seriously, when he has been 2nd and 1st in the Giro.
Of course this will be his second GT this year and I think Higuita will be the leader. Still he should be a big name by now and talked about.

I'm taking him very seriously and in my book he's a podium favorite, if not for the win. He's had a good break since the Giro so fatigue should not be a factor. he was really strong in the third week, too, which bodes well against anyone who's done the Tour.

Higuita to me isn't a real GC contender yet. He's a good one-day and one-week racer but don't think he can top 5 a GT.

 

[Lequack]

What about the one and only Bernal?

 

[Jan the Man]

What about the one and only Bernal?

is he confirmed to be racing?if so it would be probably to get 10/12 stages under his belt as a base for next year

 

[AlfaLum]

I'm taking him very seriously and in my book he's a podium favorite, if not for the win. He's had a good break since the Giro so fatigue should not be a factor. he was really strong in the third week, too, which bodes well against anyone who's done the Tour.

Higuita to me isn't a real GC contender yet. He's a good one-day and one-week racer but don't think he can top 5 a GT.

Higuita is gonna prove you wrong!

 

[Filippo_3467]

Higuita is gonna prove you wrong!

I'm more on the side of Bolder. I'm not sure he has everything that he needs to be a GT contender. The TT is worse than that of Hindley and Kelderman. His positioning is often pretty bad and going from what we saw up until now he had also problems in hard multi-mountain racing.

That being said the course isn't actually bad for him, but there is not so much really steep stuff where he could excel. So in the end a Top 10 is for sure possible if he doesn't get hurt by bad positioning in a crosswind or so, but I have a hard time seeing him on the podium as he probably isn't even the best choice for his own team for that.

But stage wins could be possible if Roglic is not at a 100%. Bora said from the start he is the GC Leader for the Vuelta so maybe they are seeing more (and they were right with Hindley). Right now it seems hard to see him getting near the front. of the pack with not that many climbs where he can really use his power to weight ration optimal.

 

[BR2]

I'm more on the side of Bolder. I'm not sure he has everything that he needs to be a GT contender. The TT is worse than that of Hindley and Kelderman. His positioning is often pretty bad and going from what we saw up until now he had also problems in hard multi-mountain racing.

That being said the course isn't actually bad for him, but there is not so much really steep stuff where he could excel. So in the end a Top 10 is for sure possible if he doesn't get hurt by bad positioning in a crosswind or so, but I have a hard time seeing him on the podium as he probably isn't even the best choice for his own team for that.

But stage wins could be possible if Roglic is not at a 100%. Bora said from the start he is the GC Leader for the Vuelta so maybe they are seeing more (and they were right with Hindley). Right now it seems hard to see him getting near the front. of the pack with not that many climbs where he can really use his power to weight ration optimal.

Actually Higuita's time trialing is better than Hindley's (worse than Kelderman's though, I think).
The itt is the factor mostly against Hindley. Actually Bora don't have a great team for the ttt either.

 

[BR2]

Is anybody going to be in Utrecht or s'-Hertogenbosch?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Quite, he has won a major mountain stage in a grand tour and actually finished the whole 3 weeks of one. Not in the same realm at all.

From a break after losing time in GC, which he finished over 1 hour down to the winner. You understand this happens every GT, right?

 

[BigCoward]

From a break after losing time in GC, which he finished over 1 hour down to the winner. You understand this happens every GT, right?

Of course. What's your point?
RE couldn't have done what TP did, they'd still be looking down a ravine for body parts now if he tried to descend like that.

 

[Bonimenier]

Of course. What's your point?
RE couldn't have done what TP did, they'd still be looking down a ravine for body parts now if he tried to descend like that.

They're not identical riders with the same talents. Yeah okay. What is your point exactly? That Evenepoel can't finish a GT 1h down and win a stage?

 

[sir fly]

Is anybody going to be in Utrecht or s'-Hertogenbosch?

Hopefully.
Would be a fiasco otherwise.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Of course. What's your point?
RE couldn't have done what TP did, they'd still be looking down a ravine for body parts now if he tried to descend like that.

My point is that people were discussing GC potential in a GT, and that winning a mountainstage from a break, and losing 1+ hour in GC, is nothing special in that regard. There are multiple breaks every GT, and there will always be riders winning from the break. So the real question should have been, what was your point? And again, that Pidcock did a great descent was nice, but hardly relevant. As for your comment about body parts...

 

[Valv.Piti]

I'm more on the side of Bolder. I'm not sure he has everything that he needs to be a GT contender. The TT is worse than that of Hindley and Kelderman. His positioning is often pretty bad and going from what we saw up until now he had also problems in hard multi-mountain racing.

That being said the course isn't actually bad for him, but there is not so much really steep stuff where he could excel. So in the end a Top 10 is for sure possible if he doesn't get hurt by bad positioning in a crosswind or so, but I have a hard time seeing him on the podium as he probably isn't even the best choice for his own team for that.

But stage wins could be possible if Roglic is not at a 100%. Bora said from the start he is the GC Leader for the Vuelta so maybe they are seeing more (and they were right with Hindley). Right now it seems hard to see him getting near the front. of the pack with not that many climbs where he can really use his power to weight ration optimal.

I dont get the steep stuff, this Vuelta is not a Vuelta for grinding climbers alá 2003. You have multiple mountain stages with really hard percentages, and if youre a rider like Higuita and want to win the Vuelta, you have to be the best climber, and that means - most likely- that you have to make stuff happen on stage 15 to Sierra Nevada. The climbsare plenty hard to do such things, and you only have 30 km of ITT.

The way I see it, there are climbs for everybody this Vuelta, and thats how it should be. If youre Higuita or similar types of riders, there are stages to Collau Cancuaya, Les Praeres, Sierra de la Pandera and Sierra Nevada.

 

[Big Doopie]

LOL even comparing Remco to Pidcock. Pidcock is not even in the same realm as Remco. I do not see Remco finishing an hour behind in GC

Not really comparing them as riders, no. My only point is that I can see Remco shipping huge time on one or more stages late in the game if his recovery is not at the necessary 3 week level. However I also could see him literally crushing the thing like Hinault in the 1979 TDF. I hope it is the latter. The point is I see him winning or completely out of the top ten. I don’t see an in-between. And Remco’s results parallel that assessment. He can absolutely crush top flight competition on any given day on any given course, but he has “failed” in several very specific races that put his 3 week success in doubt.

I guess that’s why it will be fun to watch.

About Hindley: he seems to be coming around at Burgos after feeling the return to competition at San Sebastián.

And can we discuss the TT(s) truthfully here? Stop lumping the TTT kms in with the ITT as if they are the same and necessarily provide the same advantages to the same people. Only the ITT is the “race of truth”. And there is a MINUTE amount of ITT in this GT. 31kms is NOTHING. Hopefully Remco can put in gaps like he did in Algarve. However, that will only pay off if he is very close to the best when they climb. If he drops even 2-3 mins on a couple of days, that one ITT will have zero effect at all.

 

[BigCoward]

They're not identical riders with the same talents. Yeah okay. What is your point exactly? That Evenepoel can't finish a GT 1h down and win a stage?

Someone compared RE and Pidcock. I pointed out it was daft to compare them until RE has done something comparable in a GT.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Someone compared RE and Pidcock. I pointed out it was daft to compare them until RE has done something comparable in a GT.

I'm quite sure if you can win a monument, that you can win a stage from a break