Vuelta a San Juan 2023 (January 22-29)

[Devil's Elbow]

The other January race that returns for the first time after Covid. Much like at Down Under, the route is different than it used to be, but here the changes are unequivocally bad: the MTF remains, but both the TT and puncheur finish are gone, leaving us with a litany of sprints instead. On the other hand, the field is star-studded - Evenepoel, Bernal, Martinez, Higuita and a López with a point to prove headline the GC battle, while Jakobsen, Bennett, Nizzolo, Gaviria and Sagan are the most important sprinters here.

Startlist (currently incomplete)

The route
Stage 1: San Juan (Estadio Aldo Cantoni) - San Juan (Estadio Aldo Cantoni), 143.9k
Sprint number one.

Stage 2: Villa San Agustín - San José de Jáchal, 201.1k
Sprint number two. Also the longest stage of the race.

Stage 3: Circuito San Juan Villicum - Circuito San Juan Villicum, 170.9k
…maybe not sprint number three? The race has been here twice before, and despite the benign gradients (the main drag is 4.4k at 2.3%), neither was won by a sprinter: one narrowly went to the early break and was won by Tivani, the other saw Stybar attack successfully in the final kilometre.

Stage 4: Circuito San Juan Villicum - Plaza Barreal, 196.5k
The final stage before the rest day is also the second-hardest of the race and on unexplored terrain. It should be a sprint, but will all the sprinters make it that far?

Stage 5: Plaza de Chimbas - Alto del Colorado, 173.7k
The queen stage, to the same tempogrinder MTF at altitude (higher than any GT, and likely any European race, will go this year!) as always.

Climb profile:

Stage 6: Velódromo Vicente A. Chancay - Velódromo Vicente A. Chancay, 144.9k
Yet another sprint.

Stage 7: San Juan (Av. Circunvalención y Mendoza sur) - San Juan (Av. Circunvalención y Mendoza sur), 112.7k
As is tradition, the final stage consists of several laps of the ring road of San Juan.

The race is on Eurosport/GCN. All stages finish at 19:40 local time, which is 23:40 CET. Despite this, most stages have their coverage start between 7pm and 8pm (CET), if accurate, those are the longest broadcasts I can remember for a stage race of this size.

 

[Sandisfan]

Makes me sad considering what they could do with even a couple of bumps near the end of a couple of stages. OH Well.

 

[hayneplane]

Shocker of a decision to increase the coverage then deliver this lame duck of a route. Nobody wants to watch that many bunch sprints in a single stage race.

Unless we get some friendly wind conditions this will be all about 1 mountain for the GC.

 

[Berniece]

Shocker of a decision to increase the coverage then deliver this lame duck of a route. Nobody wants to watch that many bunch sprints in a single stage race.

Unless we get some friendly wind conditions this will be all about 1 mountain for the GC.

I agree, they could've at least put some more hilly stages in it. Anything to give punchers and climbers something more to work with. There are 2 other mountains but that's in the start of a stage race, the sprinters will probably survive.

 

[Anderis]

That's some serious mountains we have in this race:

I hope at least half of the peloton will manage to make the time limit with these types of climbs.

 

[tobydawq]

That's some serious mountains we have in this race:

I hope at least half of the peloton will manage to make the time limit with these types of climbs.

Maybe some riders will equip their bikes with a triple chainring to allow for smaller gears.

 

[Salvarani]

Potential for echelons during these stages?

 

[Berniece]

Potential for echelons during these stages?

Yes, apparently there can be a lot of wind

 

[Cookster15]

Heck of a course for January. No wonder it gets its own thread when TdU is relegated to “Hot racing in Australia”. Will be interesting to see who has the necessary form to win on Alto del Colorado in January. I will be hoping for Bernal but fear Remco will make another statement.

 

[steffr222]

Not on GCN, is it?

 

[Sandisfan]

Not on GCN, is it?

For the US it's on Peacock. I have GCN+ but it's listed as not available in this area. I think you can get around that by figuring out which countries it's available and use a VPN to get around... Your mileage may vary

 

[steffr222]

For the US it's on Peacock. I have GCN+ but it's listed as not available in this area. I think you can get around that by figuring out which countries it's available and use a VPN to get around... Your mileage may vary

yeah cheers, Germany here - think I read something about YouTube coverage somewhere some days ago, but can‘t find it anymore, so I‘ll check

edit: just checked again, it‘s on GCN here, thanks though

 

[Nick2413]

For the US it's on Peacock. I have GCN+ but it's listed as not available in this area. I think you can get around that by figuring out which countries it's available and use a VPN to get around... Your mileage may vary

GCN in the US sucks without a VPN. Almost every single race is only available through VPN, but no discount…

 

[Sandisfan]

When I wrote in response I thought I was in the Hot Racing in coming up in Australia, that's the race that's on Peacock I think The Vuelta a San Juan is available on GCN+ I will look later.

 

[Scarponi]

Heck of a course for January. No wonder it gets its own thread when TdU is relegated to “Hot racing in Australia”. Will be interesting to see who has the necessary form to win on Alto del Colorado in January. I will be hoping for Bernal but fear Remco will make another statement.

South America could do a Grand Tour of sprinting and this forum will splooge for it

 

[RedheadDane]

Heck of a course for January. No wonder it gets its own thread when TdU is relegated to “Hot racing in Australia”. Will be interesting to see who has the necessary form to win on Alto del Colorado in January. I will be hoping for Bernal but fear Remco will make another statement.

That's jus tradition.

 

[DNP-Old]

I'll throw a surprise candidate in there for ya: Quinn Simmons.

 

[search]

yeah cheers, Germany here - think I read something about YouTube coverage somewhere some days ago, but can‘t find it anymore, so I‘ll check

edit: just checked again, it‘s on GCN here, thanks though

the first couple of stages are also live on Eurosport 1. Later in the week they switch to snooker, unfortunately.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Considering the field and stage profiles. I will mostly watch stage 5. To see on where things stand. This early in the season. Hope to see Bernal in good form. Trio of Martinez, Higuita and a López should try to put Evenepoel under pressure. Evenepoel likely in great form already.

We'll see.

 

[Pirazziattacks]

South America could do a Grand Tour of sprinting and this forum will splooge for it

The really strange part is that it makes no sense to have a race in this area and make the course mostly flat. May as well replace it with the Vuelta a Rio de la Plata. That would be some proper flatland racing, Uruguay and Paraguay could even get involved too.

 

[Valv.Piti]

the first couple of stages are also live on Eurosport 1. Later in the week they switch to snooker, unfortunately.

Or rather, fortunately, looking at this route... what is this even?

 

[Berniece]

I'll throw a surprise candidate in there for ya: Quinn Simmons.

Looking forward to his performances this year, he said himself that it's time to win more races. If he kept making progress physically he should be able to make that happen.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

The only thing it comes down to is the climb to Alto Colorado. Now, I don’t see Remco winning, not that he can’t win, it’s just we have some altitude merchants who thrive on those type of climbs.

 

[Jungle Cycle]

Sierra Nevada is +2,500m...

 

[BR2]

Waaah, that body mass index that PCS just brings up for Bernal... my body hurts seeing that number...