Vuelta Andalucia 2012. feb 19th - feb 23th(2.1 UCI Europe Tour)

[Zam_Olyas]

http://www.vueltaandalucia.es/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=98&Itemid=136

San Fernando - 6 kms prologue.
19th Feb.

Stage 1. Zahara de los Atunes - Benalmádena.
197.9 kms.
20th Feb.

Stage 2. Málaga - Alto Santuario ntra. sra. De Araceli.(Lucena)
144.7 kms
21st Feb.

Stage 3. Montemayor - Las Gabias.
157.1 kms.
22nd Feb.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Stage 4. Jaén -La Guardia de Jaén
135.7 kms.
23rd Feb.

Teams.
Euskaltel Euskadi.
Spidertech.
Movistar.
lotto-bellisol.
RadioshackNissan.
Vasconsoliel
Rabobank.
Accent-jobs-willems verandas
Katusha
Andalucia.
Caja-rural.
Cofidis.
Saur-sojasun.
Netapp.
It41.
Nsp-ghost.

 

[El Pistolero]

Van den Broeck to win his first stage race

If he starts.

 

[Fetisoff]

Startlist:

http://www.cyclingfever.com/editie.html?detp=view&_ap=startlijst&editie_idd=MjMxNjc=


Anton, Moreno, Arroyo, Valverde, Gesink, TGBM, VDB2, De la Fuente, Frank Schleck among the starters.
Plus my person of interest - Nikita Novikov finally racing for Vacansoleil. Can't wait to see how he does in the protour

 

[will10]

Probably Valverde but I'll plump for Anton.

 

[theyoungest]

Stage 2 the decisive one. Markel Irizar won't win this time. Valverde seems the most logical bet.

 

[Fetisoff]

Stage 2 the decisive one. Markel Irizar won't win this time. Valverde seems the most logical bet.

Yeah, Valverde and Anton should do well there, seems like that last km is @about 10%. However Valverde definitely has edge on Anton in the prologue, plus he's already shown form earlier on, so he's a logical choice for the overall.


I take it this year's route is different from last years, since last year it was all sprints and reduced sprints it seems

 

[TeoSheva]

why Kelderman is not starting anymore?

 

[theyoungest]

why Kelderman is not starting anymore?

Gesink in, Kelderman out.

It's too bad, he seems to be the only Rabo rider with some form, but he's the only one who's not racing at all in February.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I find that funny as hell. Whole Rabobank seems to be riding backwards and indeed, Kelderman is probably the only one with good shape, and they dont let him ride anything.

Probably being 'careful' with youngsters again. Because that payed them so much dividends over the years

 

[theyoungest]

I find that funny as hell. Whole Rabobank seems to be riding backwards and indeed, Kelderman is probably the only one with good shape, and they dont let him ride anything.

Probably being 'careful' with youngsters again. Because that payed them so much dividends over the years

Disappointed fanboy? Gesink returns earlier than expected, logically they let him ride, someone has to make way, and it's the one who already has had some racing.

 

[El Pistolero]

Disappointed fanboy? Gesink returns earlier than expected, logically they let him ride, someone has to make way, and it's the one who already has had some racing.

What other race are they sending Kelderman to then? I remember him being disappointed on twitter after he heard he had been replaced.
To be honest, they could have sent Gesink to Algarve as well.

Ps: shouldn't you correct his grammar mistake?

 

[Ruudz0r]

Moreno Bazan will impress (again)

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

What other race are they sending Kelderman to then? I remember him being disappointed on twitter after he heard he had been replaced.
To be honest, they could have sent Gesink to Algarve as well.

Ps: shouldn't you correct his grammar mistake?

only people who can't win arguments correct grammar mistakes

 

[El Pistolero]

only people who can't win arguments correct grammar mistakes

It's a little inside joke, I'm sure Youngest understands it I make that mistake as well when writing hastily. But anyway, if you know Kelderman's program feel free to post it. If I'm going to follow a young Dutch talent, I might as well follow the best one

He reminds me of Link from the Zelda games by the way. Or some random Japanese anime dude.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Moreno Bazan will impress (again)

Javier Moreno has been impressing for a couple of years now, with Andalucía in 2010 and even more with Caja Rural last year.

Sergio Pardilla won on the climb into La Guardía de Jaén in the 2010 edition, maybe he'll have a tilt at it for Movistar too.

This is a race that quite often I'm disappointed by the parcours of, but this looks like a good route. 2010's had that one MTF, but then a 15km ITT that was way too long to avoid settling the GC totally. It could have been a better race but all the Spanish teams bar Andalucía boycotted it for reasons I've now forgotten. 2011's was all about the reduced bunch sprints.

The guys like Freire still have their chances here, but the route says they might be heading in the direction of a Spanish Tirreno-Adriatico, with short, punchy finishes and windy coastal stages meaning a variety of Classics men can get a runout. I like it.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

It's a little inside joke, I'm sure Youngest understands it I make that mistake as well when writing hastily. But anyway, if you know Kelderman's program feel free to post it. If I'm going to follow a young Dutch talent, I might as well follow the best one

He reminds me of Link from the Zelda games by the way. Or some random Japanese anime dude.

he is what happens when goku and merckx breed.

curious to if he races ta or pn, somehow I expect he wont.
I bet he riders Volta Catalunya.

Tho I'm not sure I haven't seen a calander or program for wilco.

 

[El Pistolero]

he is what happens when goku and merckx breed.

curious to if he races ta or pn, somehow I expect he wont.
I bet he riders Volta Catalunya.

Tho I'm not sure I haven't seen a calander or program for wilco.

So that's pointy yellow hair combined with an Elvis hair style(Merckx in the seventies), I wonder how that looks like

 

[Ruudz0r]

Javier Moreno has been impressing for a couple of years now, with Andalucía in 2010 and even more with Caja Rural last year.

True, to bad he had so many injuries in his career. I really hope goes to the Giro this year so he doesnt have to ride for Valverde/Cobo in the tour or the Vuelta.

 

[theyoungest]

Boom won't ride here either. Still waiting for his firstborn.

Maybe Kelderman will replace him. Or Bos.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

for god sake rabo if you don't have Kelderman ride here now I will personally go to Breukink and give him a piece of my mind. And fists.

 

[theyoungest]

I'm hoping for Bos. Just for the heck of it.

 

[Fetisoff]

Just saw the official start-list, and it is official - Denis Menchov is riding Vuelta Andalucia. So obviously my previous post where I've listed some of the favorites is no longer valid, they might as well crown Denis the winner now, cause he's gonna destroy the field into pieces

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Just saw the official start-list, and it is official - Denis Menchov is riding Vuelta Andalucia. So obviously my previous post where I've listed some of the favorites is no longer valid, they might as well crown Denis the winner now, cause he's gonna destroy the field into pieces

Yes...because Menchov is well known for his early season form

 

[Fetisoff]

Yes...because Menchov is well known for his early season form

1st, 2nd, 2nd last three years in Murcia, which happens right after Andalucia