Vuelta the New Tour?

[Amsterhammer]

The route suits Valverde to a tee.

Basso should be much improved from the Giro, given it was his first GT in 3 years.
Sánchez has trained specifically for this race all season and is thus not tired at all.

Those would be the main favorites for me.

That sounds about right. I imagine we'll all be interested to see how good Gesink can be as leader (presumably Menchov will have gone out to pasture), and I'd also like to see Columbia ride for Martin.

I'm really wondering IF, due to the absence of LA, we will be able to follow the Vuelta here without all the unnecessary sh!te that went down during the Tour. Or, will there be other figures of hate and suspicion riding on whom to vent inflamed passions?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

C'mon guys lets talk about the race. Who's going to win this race? Put your great cycling knowledge out into the forum.

tell you when the race comes a little closer.

Agree with the 3 issoisso mentioned, however if gesink can get his fitness back before the vuelta he will be uo there to imo.

 

[Ferminal]

Hmm, Contador to back up in only a couple of months and win his home GT? He's probably the only cyclist around at present who could.

On another topic, I note that the SBS website says we don't get /any/ coverage of the Vuelta, anyone know if that is true? We DO get the Tour of Ireland though, which is of course much more important than the Vuelta....

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/event/

At the end last night MT said something along the lines of "stay tuned for confirmation of Vuelta highlights coverage"... Seems like we will at least get 15-30mins.

What resolution does cycling.tv stream at? Hopefully they manage to secure rights, 25USD isn't bad if it's good quality.

 

[Señor_Contador]

Did you see that corny hat with that image of his two fingers that he flashed in real both at the finish line and at the podium? I can assure you there isn't a mirror that he doesn't pass that commands his full adoring attention.

The "the two fingers" you are talking about have nothing to do with the 2 TdF he has under his belt. It's actually a hand gesture representing a gun. He is known as the pistolero or gunman. It's what he does everytime he wins a stage.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

These 30km TT's a perfect for Valverde. He tends to suffer in longer ones. If Valverde doesn't win this years Vuelta, he might never win a GC. This is his chance.

 

[lucybears]

some riders

http://www.vueltaespana.nl/index.php/Deelnemerslijst-Vuelta-a-Espana-2009.html

 

[TRDean]

Really excited to see Vacansoleil in the race. I predict a Hoogerland stage win!!!

 

[OKRider79]

The "the two fingers" you are talking about have nothing to do with the 2 TdF he has under his belt. It's actually a hand gesture representing a gun. He is known as the pistolero or gunman. It's what he does everytime he wins a stage.

Um, no. It was a drawing of a hand that had the index finger and middle finger extended. You know, making the number two ... definitely not a pistol gesture.

 

[scribe]

I understand Contador was drawing that in his room when he missed his car to the TT.

 

[staubsauger]

I really have big hopes for this years Vuelta. Normally my favourite GT is the Giro, because it always was a Grand Tour for climbers like Simoni, Cunego, Di Luca or Pantani. This year the Giro was specific to Lance Armstrong, with not as difficult mountain stages as in 2008, 2005 or 2003. But if I look at the stage maps of the Vuelta, I think the Vuelta could fill this gap this year


I don't think that we have a clear favourite for the overall win this year. Contador - if he's going to ride - will be perhaps exhausted from the Tour and will lost time on some mountain stages.

Valverde in the past always had one bad day where he get's a bump, in every GT he was riding , like in last years Vuelta or 2006 when he lost the Maglia Oro to Vinokourov. So I think he won't win a GT again.

Sanchez is a very complete rider, but not the strongest climber. But he has focussed his whole season on the Vuelta, and will have a super-domestique with Igor Anton. Perhaps he will profit from Valverde and/or Contadors failling.

Basso can't win a GT any more, if you ask me. His attacks at the mountain stages in the Giro have all been blown out, he isn't as good as Sanchez or Contador in the TT any more. But perhaps he is better "prepared" than in May and could go for the Podium.

Gesink is my big hope this year. 2008 he was a fantastic 7th in his first GT ever. At Dauphine he looks very good, ending 4th behind Valve, Evans and Conta and would have shown some strong perfomances in France, if he wouldn't have been retired. Now he didn't lost energy at the Tour, if he's back at 100% after his Training in St.Moritz he could be the big suprise, going for the overall win and the red jersey. Although he's only an accetable time trailer. I hope Rabobank will give him strong support with Garate, Weening, Ardillia and/ or Mollema and won't be focussed to much at Freire.

The big question mark maybe is Mosquera. Last year he and Leipheimer have been the only ones who could follow Contador in the mountains, after the retirement of Igor Anton. But he's the worst TT of the favourites and he hasn't got a strong team in the mountains. So it would be very hard for him to place at the podium this year.

Evans will ride the Vuelta too, and if he's in good Form he is definatly a candidate for the podium. For the overall win he may be not good enough in the mountains. He's more a type like Mentsjov or Ullrich, not a great climber like Contador or Sastre that you need to be in this years edition.

Moncoutie may try to place in the Top 10 again, after a dissapointing Tour, and look for a stage win in the mountains.

Would Astana have a second ace like Leipheimer last year? Zubeldia for example or Chris Horner who performed well in Giro until he retired. And don't forget Klöden of course.

What's which the other wildcard teams, like Vacansoleil or Andalucia. Do they have a man for the top 15? Is Gomez Marchante of Cervelo a man for the classement again, after years of injuries?

Vacansoleil could set some accents in break aways with Leukemans for example or with Baden Cooke in the sprint (if they gonna ride). Without Cave the fight for the sprint wins and the points classification will be very interesting with Freire, Greipel, Van Avermaet, Rojas, Cooke e.t.c

So it's all given for a exciting Vuelta this year if you ask me.

 

[issoisso]

Nice post. Welcome to the forums

I agree with most of it, but I also have two major disagreements:

- Basso's Giro was his first GT in 3 years. It's only natural that he didn't have his usual form. We'll know at the Vuelta if he can improve beyond what he's shown.

- Rojas and especially Cooke, I feel, are in no way contenders for the sprints. Especially with Boonen and Bennati there, and in decent form, unlike at the Tour.
Freire will be a question mark, and it'll be interesting to see Greipel finally get his chance in a GT

Haedo will also be there, but he's....well....unpredictable. He has elite speed, but nothing else.

 

[auscyclefan94]

The route suits Valverde to a tee.

Basso should be much improved from the Giro, given it was his first GT in 3 years.
Sánchez has trained specifically for this race all season and is thus not tired at all.

Those would be the main favorites for me.

Will Valverde get enough time on the climbs. I personally don't think that he has ever really proven himself that openly that he can climb well in a grand tour. Every time he chokes. My favourite will be Basso.

 

[he_man]

wi the way LiquiGas team performed at TdF and with the potential they have

Basso needs to justify he is still the main man..

needs to win if he's to be leader for Tour..or else its Astana drama for them

 

[craig1985]

Vacansoleil's Vuelta shortlist:

Borut Bozic, Matteo Carrara, Baden Cooke, Johnny Hoogerland, Sergey Lagutin, Björn Leukemans, Gerben Löwik, Marco Marcato, Jens Mouris, Matthé Pronk, Bobbie Traksel, Frederik Veuchelen and Lieuwe Westra.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hoogerland-and-cooke-named-in-vacansoleils-vuelta-shortlist

I guess Contentpolis-Ampo is the Spanish version of Skil-Shimano?

 

[issoisso]

Both Schlecks are scheduled to be there.

However, I don't expect them to be up there on GC. Andy has a very short window of top form, which is unusual (I have my theory on that, but that's a different matter), and thus since he's aiming for the Worlds, he won't be good at the Vuelta.

While Frank is quite the opposite, but he's got a knee injury, which is quite likely to screw up his Vuelta, or even the entire remaining season.


This, if they participate, because each and every year they both say they're scheduled to ride the Vuelta, and each and every year they say they're too tired to ride it a week before it starts.

 

[analo69]

According to a Danish cycling website, both the Schlecks will ride for Jacob Fuglsang in the Vuelta.

Very interesting from a Danish POV. But The Schlecks, Cancellara, O'grady, Kroon and Kolobnev domestiques for a Danish neo pro. A very talented neo pro indeed, but nonetheless...

Off course they will be preparing for the Worlds in Mendrisio and some of them will most likely not complete the race.

 

[staubsauger]

According to a Danish cycling website, both the Schlecks will ride for Jacob Fuglsang in the Vuelta.

Very interesting from a Danish POV. But The Schlecks, Cancellara, O'grady, Kroon and Kolobnev domestiques for a Danish neo pro. A very talented neo pro indeed, but nonetheless...

Off course they will be preparing for the Worlds in Mendrisio and some of them will most likely not complete the race.

Same procedure like Rabo did with Gesink last year. Fuglsang looked good at Dauphine in June, so now Saxo wants to see how he could perform in his first 3 weeks GT. If he won't break in the mountains he would be able to end in the Top 10 even he will lost much time in the TT's.

 

[39*23t]

Same procedure like Rabo did with Gesink last year. Fuglsang looked good at Dauphine in June, so now Saxo wants to see how he could perform in his first 3 weeks GT. If he won't break in the mountains he would be able to end in the Top 10 even he will lost much time in the TT's.

throw in dan martin as well and we should see a good indication of some future champions. Can't wait

 

[TRDean]

According to a Danish cycling website, both the Schlecks will ride for Jacob Fuglsang in the Vuelta.

Very interesting from a Danish POV. But The Schlecks, Cancellara, O'grady, Kroon and Kolobnev domestiques for a Danish neo pro. A very talented neo pro indeed, but nonetheless...

Off course they will be preparing for the Worlds in Mendrisio and some of them will most likely not complete the race.

Fuglsang eh? That will be really interesting. I kinda like his style...I hope he does well!!!

 

[staubsauger]

throw in dan martin as well and we should see a good indication of some future champions. Can't wait

Haven't seen him yet, but I'm looking forward to do in August.

 

[pmcg76]

Yeah, looking forward to Dan Martin in the Vuelta, he gave Valverde a run for his money at Catalonia.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I think they'll rest Andy. He's only 25. Give him a rest for the worlds. You don't want to overdo it at his young as a cyclist.

 

[ericthesportsman6]

Yea the vuelta should be great because of all the young guns, Mollema, Martin, Gesink, Fuglsang, etc. Outside of the four main favorites previously mentioned, you can't overlook a rider whose whole season is built around this race, Ezequiel Mosquera. Joaquin Rodriguez should finish high as well.

 

[staubsauger]

Martin won't ride so as Cavendish. I hope Mollema will do, if http://www.lavuelta.nl tells the through there's one vacant position at Rabo's squad, that could be Mollema but also Ardillia or Posthuma.

On lavuelta.nl also stands that Efimkim will be the AG2R captain , but wasn't it so, that Valjavec didn't ride the tour because he wants to lead AG2R at Vuelta?

CSC has a nice team even without the Schleck brothers. Kroon, Kolobnev and van Goolen are always a hot tip for escapes.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

all season i've been hoping mollema would start at the vuelta.
fuglsang will be interesting, I'm not so sure he will be able to ride with the big men throughout the 3 weeks tho, his ride t the dauphne was good, but not mind blowing.

Martin could top ten. I think gesink will only improve on his 7th last year, and could really challange a podium spot. I think if he is in form, he could just about be the best climber there.