Vuelta a Espana Stage 1: Benidorm TTT 13.5km

[the asian]

The hill at the begining make this TTT interesting. Still I'd go with HTC. Sky for 2nd.
Shack for 3rd.

 

[Michele]

I've been to Benidorm plenty of times and don't expect too much from that climb.

And yes, Benidorm is more known for the drinking part than beaches.

 

[Bavarianrider]

No Austrian hillbilly to spoil the party
So HTC should have the golden jersey after day one

 

[iZnoGouD]

Go RadioShack!

 

[Anonymous]

Liquigas FTW

 

[King Of The Wolds]

The traditional sprinter led TTT teams are going to struggle using that approach when the hill right at the start means you either drop those guys or pace to keep them with you and lose too much to catch up.

What is it? 3km at 5%? HTC, who would be overwhelming favourites on a flat course, should still be OK with that. They only really have Cavendish who may struggle, as their other faster men, Goss and Degenkolb, for example, are the sort of guys who can climb a bit. And besides, it's right at the start of the course, when everyone will be fresh.

I think the overall tactic would be to use the better climbers on the hill and then the faster men thereafter, rather than the usual continuous 9 man line with the front guy going to the back after his turn.

I'm still going for HTC.

 

[greenedge]

I think HTC will be very motivated to win as it's their last season and to atone for their TDF TTT. I can only see RS and Sky challenging them realistically. Liquigas and Garmin will be there but Liquigas were surprising in the TDF and Garmin have no real motors.
Movistar might go ok as well as Lampre along with Geox. AG2R and Euskatel will fail. Katusha might have gone ok if they did not have to drag JROD with them.

 

[greenedge]

No Austrian hillbilly to spoil the party
So HTC should have the golden jersey after day one

Goss and Howard yellow jersey after stage 1. Bet on it.

 

[greenedge]

To ACF:

I expected a bit more flair with the OP

Andy would have enjoyed the stage. I'm sure Fabo will.

Expected temperature is about 30ºC, so significantly lower than last year in Sevilla. I wish we had a nightly TTT this year as well.

You make them if you do not like his jks.

Perfect partying conditions for Andy here

 

[sublimit]

Wasn't there a British TV series called Benidorm?

Eldorado I think. It was pretty lame and was dropped after a few weeks.
I was more of a Triangle fan.

 

[Lexman]

Sky FTW, HTC 2nd and Garmin third...

 

[auscyclefan94]

43oC in Benidorm atm....HOT!

 

[RedheadDane]

No Austrian hillbilly to spoil the party
So HTC should have the golden jersey after day one

Why would they want the outdated version of the leader's jersey?

Goss and Howard yellow jersey after stage 1. Bet on it.

That's gonna look rather silly!

 

[Sophistic]

3k@5% is huge for Cav, HTC could lose up to 30s on the hill to a team like Rabo whose 5th guy can climb decently.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

3k@5% is huge for Cav, HTC could lose up to 30s on the hill to a team like Rabo whose 5th guy can climb decently.

they can drop him / let him hang of the back

 

[LaFleur]

17:02 Skil-Shimano
17:06 Garmin-Cervélo
17:10 Quick Step
17:14 Astana
17:18 Cofidis
17:22 BMC
17:26 Leopard-Trek
17:30 Rabobank
17:34 Vacansoleil-DCM
17:38 RadioShack
17:42 Andalucía-Caja Granada
17:46 Omega Pharma-Lotto
17:50 Saxo Bank-SunGard
17:54 AG2R-La Mondiale
17:58 Sky
18:02 Lampre-ISD
18:06 Movistar Team
18:10 Katusha
18:14 HTC-Highroad
18:18 Geox-TMC
18:22 Euskaltel-Euskadi
18:26 Liquigas-Cannondale

Kittel in the virtual yellow for about 2 minutes?

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Andalucia for the last place?

 

[Fetisoff]

Andalucia for the last place?

That was my prediction too
http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showpost.php?p=647112&postcount=14

Not that I'd make an avatar bet for it

 

[icefire]

43oC in Benidorm atm....HOT!

There's just no way Benidorm is hotter than either Sevilla or Córdoba.

http://www.eltiempo.es/benidorm.html

 

[Bavarianrider]

Kittel will be dropped on that climb. But i think the time limit shouldn't be a problem. Is it 25%?

 

[luckyboy]

Nobody will finish outside the time limit in a 13km TTT.

Garmin wins tomorrow probably.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Garmin wins tomorrow probably.

I don't know about that. I mean, they are always good in TTTs, but by their standards they don't have a strong TTT squad at the Vuelta at all. Plus, they will have Martin as a passenger (although he might be of some use in the first few kms up the hill). They'll still wallop the likes of Euskaltel, but I find it hard to see them winning.

 

[Markooo]

Cavendish probably won't be a leader after second stage, even if HTC would win TTT. Like for me, Mark will be dropped on that hill.

 

[William H]

Cav's a strong TTTer, I doubt HTC will want to drop him.

 

[no crostis no party]

The hill creates a very interesting dynamic - whoever wins is likely to have a pretty decent 7th best climber.

It felt a lot harder than 5%, I think because the first pitch from the underpass @ 100 meters in, to the 1st traffic circle is about 10%, to the 2nd maybe 8% then easier.