Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco, 4-9 April

[rantanplan]

we all know ll sanchez never works for anyone, not even valverde in his days. so I doubt he will put out a finger to help gesink.

You are right Ryo, Luisle never help anyone, he is very good but haven't team skills

 

[Eric8-A]

I'll be rooting for Purito


What do you say about Richie Porte's chances? He seems to be Saxo-Bank's leader for this race.

 

[Ryaguas]

What do you say about Richie Porte's chances? He seems to be Saxo-Bank's leader for this race.

Maybe He can take the ITT... but I dont see him holding up with the big guns in the >12% slopes...

 

[Ferminal]

Or if Chris Horner can ride a top ten at the Tour, why can't Tony Martin...

1) Horner only finished top 10 because of a long breakaway (this is factually correct, not a Ryo "Porte wouldn't have been top20" comment).

2) Horner was eighth on the Tourmalet finish, when Martin gets a similar result out of the pack then maybe we could consider him a top10 contender.

3) As things are now, he would need closer to 100km of ITT'ing, as opposed to the 40km or so we get these days.

Anyway, there is already a thread on Martin in GTs.

I'm going with Basso.

Same climb they went over last year when Rodriguez won

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnuNOr2DL4s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQJqybyI0hQ

Ahhhhhhhhh! I wasn't sure if this climb was in there again... that stage was one of my favourites last year.

 

[theyoungest]

How much help will he give anyway? It's not like he's impressed this season.

This is the first time I've seen his name being mentioned.

Lulu was the team leader in Paris-Nice, where his helper Mollema both outclimbed and out-time trialed him. And in the final weekend he really failed on all accounts.

 

[El Pistolero]

From what ive read their good friends.

I heard him complain about Valverde and his doping stuff a few times, so I just assumed.

And he was pretty angry at Valverde in Paris-Nice last year. I think in the last stage or something.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I heard him complain about Valverde and his doping stuff a few times, so I just assumed.

And he was pretty angry at Valverde in Paris-Nice last year. I think in the last stage or something.

where did you read or hear this??

 

[Angliru]

I mean, it's a prestige race and great competition, but how can you say something like that ?
And you can predict outcome of Ronde and Roubaix ?
Please tell me. Then I will tell you who will win Pais Vasco.

Perhaps we can get big money out of that arrangement.

While I can appreciate the history and prestige of P-R and Ronde, I always look forward to the stage races' mountainous staes and the hilly classics more than the cobbled classics.

Is it that difficult to fathom someone having a different viewpoint and preference?

 

[The Hitch]

He seems to be Saxo-Bank's leader for this race.

Yeah. Kind of like Johnny Walker was Footons leader for the Vuelta

1) Horner only finished top 10 because of a long breakaway (this is factually correct, not a Ryo "Porte wouldn't have been top20" comment).

.

But then he lost a lot of time in the earlier stages pacing Lance. And the guy behind him (lulu) also got lots of time from a breakaway.

 

[Ryaguas]

Same climb they went over last year when Rodriguez won

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnuNOr2DL4s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQJqybyI0hQ

Naaaaaaaah.... oh man... I almost cry when I heard the little girl in the 1st video yelling "Vamos Valverde! vamoooos!"

 

[Eric8-A]

Yeah. Kind of like Johnny Walker was Footons leader for the Vuelta

What did happen to Johnny Walker?

 

[Descender]

Yeah. Kind of like Johnny Walker was Footons leader for the Vuelta

What did happen to Johnny Walker?

He sank into a deep depression when the Spanish TV cycling producer was fired.

 

[ISDfan]

How do you think can Cunego win Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco , with such Lampre roster ?

Lampre - ISD to Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco : CUNEGO Damiano , PEREZ ARRIETA Aitor , GAVAZZI Francesco , BALLONI Alfredo , BONO Matteo , NIEMIEC Przemyslaw , KASHECHKIN Andrey , KOSTYUK Denys .

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

How do you think can Cunego win Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco , with such Lampre roster ?

Lampre -ISD to Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco : CUNEGO Damiano , PEREZ ARRIETA Aitor , GAVAZZI Francesco , BALLONI Alfredo , BONO Matteo , NIEMIEC Przemyslaw , KASHECHKIN Andrey , KOSTYUK Denys

probably not.
He probably isn't good enough to drop some of the other guys on these climbs, might out sprint them if it came to that, but not drop. And with the ITT I doubt it- tho he has had decent tt results here before.

 

[roundabout]

it's a good team but

1. how well did Cunego recover from his otitis

2. the TT is most likely too much

3. he is aiming for Ardennes so may not go all out

 

[Hiddas]

Who do you think will win the first stage? A well climbing sprinter or a well sprinting climber?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Who do you think will win the first stage? A well climbing sprinter or a well sprinting climber?

maybe friere. Is good enough to make it over the hills.
but we'll see.

 

[Lanark]

That climb is about 2.5 km with an average gradient of 10%, with only 3 km to go to the finish. I wouldn't be surprised if we have a 5-10 men group sprinting for the win, Freire seems really doubtfull.

 

[theyoungest]

it's a good team but

1. how well did Cunego recover from his otitis

2. the TT is most likely too much

3. he is aiming for Ardennes so may not go all out

He usually does pretty well in Pais Vasco, even if the Ardennes are the main goal. But I don't think he can win this, he might limit the losses on that Eibar finish, but then the TT will be his undoing.

 

[Tuarts]

What did happen to Johnny Walker?

Racing the American circuit with FlyV Australia.

 

[ISDfan]

He usually does pretty well in Pais Vasco,

I agree , he allways does pretty well in Pais Vasco .

Cunego's results on Pais Vasco :

http://www.cyclingfever.com/editie.html?_p=rider&sporter_idd=Mzk1&editie_idd=MjE1NDA=

 

[El Pistolero]

I think Samu will FINALLY win this race.

 

[Havetts]

I think Samu will FINALLY win this race.

I think the same or Gesink wins ( one has to fanboy ).

 

[Oldman]

What stage was it last year that had the 20%+ wall up into a village? Wild seeing guys get off their bikes...think Gesink lost 20 seconds or so on that hill.

 

[killswitch]

What stage was it last year that had the 20%+ wall up into a village? Wild seeing guys get off their bikes...think Gesink lost 20 seconds or so on that hill.

Alto de Aia in the last stage before the TT.