Vuelta: first part of the race (your opinions)

[Asturiano]

As someone said about the first stages: "these are just the equivalent of the flat stages in the Tour".

First: Tough short climbs
Second: Long climbs
Third: Tough and long climbs

The level is really high, not only because of the contenders but the rythm of the race.

So, what's your opinión about the first block of the Vuelta and wha't your opinión about the things we can watch in the future?

 

[Red Rick]

Too many tricky stages. Not enough steep finishing climbs.

 

[yaco]

First week is far more exciting than the Giro and the TDF.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Hard racing each day, definitely one of the better first weeks in recent GTs I'd say.

 

[bob.a.feet]

At least some of the stages were exciting so far. The problem is that the race is pretty much over as Froome is stronger than everyone else.

 

[ice&fire]

As I said when the parcourse was unveiled, Xorret de Catí and Cumbre del Sol together was too much of the same thing.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Better than the first week of the Giro and Tour but looking at the overall picture, it's too much. As someone said in the stage thread I don't like seeing the same group of 10 riders fighting it out on 15 out of 21 stages, no matter if those are sprinters, climbers, TTers or classics specialists.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

Hard racing each day, definitely one of the better first weeks in recent GTs I'd say.

Agree, but stages 8 and 9 were meh for a week-end.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Good variation which makes the occasional "miss" like today acceptable.

 

[HelloDolly]

My favourite stage was the rolling stage (where Tejay & Betencur crashed ...not sure which day that was)

This stage had open racing and up and down all day ...I would have like less uphill sprints and more rouler stages

There are so many riders who could come to the fore on these

This was also my view at the Tour

 

[jsem94]

Not enough multi-mountain stages left though, but enjoying the race so far. I want real gaps soon enough though, sick of seeing about 20 guys in the GC contention.

 

[May0maniac]

A bit of a murito/Unipublic stage overkill, but still a good first week.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Strong first days, weak week-end.

 

[Climbing]

Way too many muritos,way way way too many.
Racing was good though, too bad Froome killed it for GC.

 

[Lequack]

If this was the TDF we would have probably 7 sprint finishes by now. Six of those would be won by Kittel.

 

[sir fly]

Generally speaking, smaller differences in the GC would probably be better for the rest of the race, but it doesn't have to mean anything.
We'll see how the second week unfolds.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

bring on the longer climbs please, plus a short TT instead of Xorret or Cumbre would not have been bad

 

[dacooley]

I like the vuelta muritos actually. 3-4 kms at 9-10% on average is what pretty much guarantees gc contenders gapping each other. the first week of the vuelta comfortably beats first weeks in the giro and tour by a fairly big margin. still it would've been much better for fascinating continuation if those hilly finishes delivered different outcomes, but we have what we have..

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

bring on the longer climbs please, plus a short TT instead of Xorret or Cumbre would not have been bad

Cumbre was definitely overkill, especially in hindsight. A hard hilly day throughout, like stage 5 or 6 but a little harder, or a short TT had definitely been preferable.

 

[Põhja Konn]

The feeling that the overall GC is already decided is taking away most of the enthusiasm, but racing wise it's been quite good week regardless. A mirror image of the first week of the Tour, where the weekend in Jura was brilliant, but a week before that largely forgettable. At the Vuelta instead, the weekend ranks lot lower than the week preceeding it.

 

[mikii4567]

Even with the Andorra stage it's backloaded, especially given what stages there are in week 3. Froome seems like he could take it atm, but I don't know if his form will last, so I don't think it's settled yet. Two muritos to end the week were a bit lame, as were four breakaway stages. I'm looking forward to the second week though, and in particular the third.

 

[HelloDolly]

Re:

Even with the Andorra stage it's backloaded, especially given what stages there are in week 3. Froome seems like he could take it atm, but I don't know if his form will last, so I don't think it's settled yet. Two muritos to end the week were a bit lame, as were four breakaway stages. I'm looking forward to the second week though, and in particular the third.

I just watched ITV highlights ...everyone looks knackered except Froome...he looks like he just finished a Sunday ride ....so waiting for Froome to tire maybe a long wait

 

[Asturiano]

It's like the other members of pelotón didn't want to fight except Contador.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Reasonable enough compared to the tour and giro

 

[Escarabajo]

The good think about the Vuelta is that they don't have many pure flat stages. I like that very much.
The bad think is that they have way too many Muritos. But that's its signature and I accept it. However because of that It can never be the preferred GT of the year.

So basically is a fight between too many flat stages versus too many Muritos. I take the second.