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

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Really looking forward to this Vuelta. So I hope Primoz has decent shape, and that we don‘t see stupid crashes that result in a DNF for one of the GC riders.

Curious how Simon Yates will do… Will he crack again, and lose 30 minutes at one stage - or will he win the final GC?

O‘Connor could win the final GC. I hope Superman Lopez is strong, wins his queen stage, and podiums in Madrid.

Nibali and Valverde will go for a final Top5/Top10, and enjoy their last GT ever…

Landa, Buitrago and Mader will do some serious damage. Sadly Haig is missing.

Higuita, Hindley and Kelderman will try to repeat 2022‘s Giro.

Ineos are super strong. I expect a lot from Plapp. If he has the endurance for three weeks, he will be among the best. His climbing is great, his TT is great.

Evenepoel will be interesting, don‘t know whst to expect.

Ayuso could go really well, he‘s such a talent. Almeida is good, but maybe already too old and on the decline.

Fingers crossed all riders finish the Vuelta healthily and successfully. Go, men!

 

[Mosul]

By my calculations, one of the following results is needed in Vuelta 2022, otherwise, we go a full year without any updates to the Podium Slam thread.

Landa top 10
Uran top 6 (or top 3 to achieve the podium slam)
Pinot top 5
Kelderman top 3
MA Lopez top 2
Carapaz win

 

[Gratemans]

Ayuso could go really well, he‘s such a talent. Almeida is good, but maybe already too old and on the decline.

Lolwut?

 

[tobydawq]

Really looking forward to this Vuelta. So I hope Primoz has decent shape, and that we don‘t see stupid crashes that result in a DNF for one of the GC riders.

Curious how Simon Yates will do… Will he crack again, and lose 30 minutes at one stage - or will he win the final GC?

O‘Connor could win the final GC. I hope Superman Lopez is strong, wins his queen stage, and podiums in Madrid.

Nibali and Valverde will go for a final Top5/Top10, and enjoy their last GT ever…

Landa, Buitrago and Mader will do some serious damage. Sadly Haig is missing.

Higuita, Hindley and Kelderman will try to repeat 2022‘s Giro.

Ineos are super strong. I expect a lot from Plapp. If he has the endurance for three weeks, he will be among the best. His climbing is great, his TT is great.

Evenepoel will be interesting, don‘t know whst to expect.

Ayuso could go really well, he‘s such a talent. Almeida is good, but maybe already too old and on the decline.

Fingers crossed all riders finish the Vuelta healthily and successfully. Go, men!

The last two paragraphs are absurd. Almeida is 24...

And of course all riders will not finish the race.

 

[Pirazziattacks]

Something about this start feels underwhelming. Aren't there enough races in the Netherlands already? All we've got is a short TTT and some "farmers" protesting about their already 110% EU subsidised operations. Get the two Habsburg loyalists in the Netherlands (if there are even that many) out to demand reunification or something to spice it up a bit.

 

[Lequack]

They should've started in Greenland.

 

[Rollthedice]

Don't expect too much from Pozzovivo, he confessed he is in the worst shape before a GT since ages. Bad COVID in June and never got back to his old self. He'll try though to do his best.

 

[Netserk]

They should've started in Greenland.

The longest reasonable circuit I can make in Nuuk is 14 km. So you can have an ITT, a TTT, and a road race.

 

[Lequack]

The longest reasonable circuit I can make in Nuuk is 14 km. So you can have an ITT, a TTT, and a road race.

Perfect!

 

[cen]

Roglic looks 16

 

[Lequack]

Meanwhile:
Richard Carapaz signs for EF Education-EasyPost

Richard Carapaz signs with EF Education-EasyPost | EF Education-EasyPost

We are proud to announce that Richard Carapaz will join EF Education-EasyPost in 2023.

efprocycling.com

 

[aku994]

View WebcamXP camera in Netherlands, Utrecht

Watch live cam located in Netherlands region Utrecht Utrecht.

www.insecam.org

This webcam is next to the stage 1 route. You can already see teams training.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Jens Voigt with an interesting take. Thinks Roglic wil never contend for a GT again due to crashes. I agree he crashes too often. But somehow TGH is stronger?

"In general: Carapaz, Geoghegan Hart, Yates and Evenepoel are all stronger than Roglic. Joao Almeida of UAE Emirates might also have a chance as an underdog."

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Jens Voigt with an interesting take. Thinks Roglic wil never contend for a GT again due to crashes. I agree he crashes too often. But somehow TGH is stronger?

"In general: Carapaz, Geoghegan Hart, Yates and Evenepoel are all stronger than Roglic. Joao Almeida of UAE Emirates might also have a chance as an underdog."

Well that settles it. Can someone please inform Roglic and save him from humiliation?

 

[Carols]

Jens Voigt with an interesting take. Thinks Roglic wil never contend for a GT again due to crashes. I agree he crashes too often. But somehow TGH is stronger?

"In general: Carapaz, Geoghegan Hart, Yates and Evenepoel are all stronger than Roglic. Joao Almeida of UAE Emirates might also have a chance as an underdog."

Shut Up Jens!

 

[Fantastico]

Jens Voigt with an interesting take. Thinks Roglic wil never contend for a GT again due to crashes. I agree he crashes too often. But somehow TGH is stronger?

"In general: Carapaz, Geoghegan Hart, Yates and Evenepoel are all stronger than Roglic. Joao Almeida of UAE Emirates might also have a chance as an underdog."

Considering that he was a very successful cyclist for more than 15 years and should know the sport, Jens Voigt sometimes has some of the weirdest takes that I have ever heard.

Edit: It's funny that he was a very good stage-hunter himself, but among the Eurosport commentators in Germany he often has the worst estimates for a break making it or not.

 

[aku994]

Jens Voigt with an interesting take. Thinks Roglic wil never contend for a GT again due to crashes. I agree he crashes too often. But somehow TGH is stronger?

"In general: Carapaz, Geoghegan Hart, Yates and Evenepoel are all stronger than Roglic. Joao Almeida of UAE Emirates might also have a chance as an underdog."

Even with crashes one could argue that Roglič has preformed on higher level than Yates, Carapaz...Evenepoel didn't even finish any GTs and suddenly he is stronger? While he might perform really well this year that is still a bold statement.

 

[ice&fire]

Meanwhile:
Richard Carapaz signs for EF Education-EasyPost

Richard Carapaz signs with EF Education-EasyPost | EF Education-EasyPost

We are proud to announce that Richard Carapaz will join EF Education-EasyPost in 2023.

efprocycling.com

I can't get any explanation other than an obsession with wearing pink

 

[Carols]

Meanwhile:
Richard Carapaz signs for EF Education-EasyPost

Richard Carapaz signs with EF Education-EasyPost | EF Education-EasyPost

We are proud to announce that Richard Carapaz will join EF Education-EasyPost in 2023.

efprocycling.com

Hey finally they have a decent GC contender!

 

[Red Rick]

Wish all my *** takes were seen as interesting

 

[Breezy1985]

I look forward to liking Richard Carapaz again.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Jens Voigt with an interesting take. Thinks Roglic wil never contend for a GT again due to crashes. I agree he crashes too often. But somehow TGH is stronger?

"In general: Carapaz, Geoghegan Hart, Yates and Evenepoel are all stronger than Roglic. Joao Almeida of UAE Emirates might also have a chance as an underdog."

Likely the idea was all of them combined. Then maybe.

 

[noob]

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

Not sure if it's Ayuso compared to Brad Pitt or some of the other guys. Most hilarious is he feels he has to explain to the guys that Brad Pitt is an actor

Almeida also showed a hilariously ugly video of Soler on his Facebook events, but I haven't seen it anywhere else

 

[Valv.Piti]

Jens Voigt with an interesting take. Thinks Roglic wil never contend for a GT again due to crashes. I agree he crashes too often. But somehow TGH is stronger?

"In general: Carapaz, Geoghegan Hart, Yates and Evenepoel are all stronger than Roglic. Joao Almeida of UAE Emirates might also have a chance as an underdog."

?! XDD

Maaaan.... Jens Voigt is such a dumbass. Tao Fricking Hart?

 

[staubsauger]

Considering that he was a very successful cyclist for more than 15 years and should know the sport, Jens Voigt sometimes has some of the weirdest takes that I have ever heard.

Edit: It's funny that he was a very good stage-hunter himself, but among the Eurosport commentators in Germany he often has the worst estimates for a break making it or not.

Voigt has got zero tactical sense. It's pretty clear nowadays, why he either attacked or worked like a horse.

 

[tobydawq]

?! XDD

Maaaan.... Jens Voigt is such a dumbass. Tao Fricking Hart?

I heard he once won a Grand Tour.

Honestly, I am a bit surprised that Axelgaard didn't put him among his top 15, especially considering what he wrote about Hindley and the craziness of being able to surprise twice. Eh, hello?