Waiting for the Vuelta

[ak-zaaf]

I know, I know - but for the past ? years La Vuelta has been held prior to Worlds, and 69 out of 189 is the highest ratio in those years.

it had the olympics prior to it. maybe that was of influence also.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Forum retards say Lance "doesn't have a chance in hell".

This thread is about the Vuelta. If you'd like to add something to the conversation, please do so. Otherwise stick to the plethora of Armstrong threads throughout this site.

At the same time, he's allowed to have fans too, isn't he?

Sure, it takes up a large part of the rest of the forum. Dozens of threads, and hundreds of posts. This thread is about the Vuelta. Care to comment on it? I'm honestly open to hear what you have to say about it, especially with your screen name.

I'm not trying to start a war on a message board, but this seems to be a rather harsh and judgmental view, all things considered.

All things considered? Did you read what I was responding to? You may also want to read some of my other posts and threads on this site and get to know me before continuing down this path.

Quote by Escarabajo:
You have to be careful how you read the numbers because some of those riders are abandoning to prepare for the World Championship. These abandons are premeditated.

And this is the big problem that Vuelta fans are upset about, and I'm sure what fuels Olano and Delgado to say they'd like to see the race back in April. You'd still see some abandons then, people prepping for the Giro or Tour, but it's almost insulting to some Spanish cycling fans to have so many big names show up at the Vuelta, and after a week or two of "training" drop for the Worlds.

Most years the Vuelta is the shortest of the three GT's. Not by a lot, but by some - usually around 3,100km, while the Tour typically hits 3,500km (and the Giro closer to the Tour). Last year was an "easier" Vuelta, with the huge exception to the Angliru. Two years ago it was almost silly (and boring). There was the concept that easier GT's would mean less doping, which no one believes anymore, do they? This Vuelta the stages aren't especially marathon, but there are just a lot of tough mountains, which is how things have sometimes been in the past (2002, 2005, etc.)

 

[krebs303]

T To see riders going up Whitney Portal

Hey Alpe how about from Badwater to the Whitney Portal? Lowest point to the highest point in the 48 states. Instant Classic.

 

[pmcg76]

Great post Alpe, big repsect, your posts are usually intelligent, balanced and free of any hatred so I got your back on that front.

I have seen so many new people on here this week, its staggering.

Perico, you dont post often but we can see you have been with the forum for a bit now. Its always easy to pick out the Lance fanboys, their attitude, prespectives, ideas are always the same, look at most of the posters that have joined since June/July.

If you dont love Lance, you are automatically a hater, reminds me of that great George W Bush quote, "If you are not with us, then you are against us"
I cannot be bothered to justify my dislike of Lance to all these new tourists. Have been though it too many times. I understand when you dont follow a sport in depth, its really hard to understand why people might not like the star of that sport but really to not even look at the other side...

Roll on the Vuelta, I visited Granada a few years ago and am thinking a return is due some time around 12th September.

 

[krebs303]

T To see riders going up Whitney Portal

Hey Alpe how about from Badwater to the Whitney Portal? Lowest point to the highest point in the 48 states. Instant Classic.

 

[krebs303]

T To see riders going up Whitney Portal

Hey Alpe how about from Badwater to the Whitney Portal? Lowest point to the highest point in the 48 states. Instant Classic.

Edit: Mt. Whitney is the highest point at 14,492 ft. the Portal is 8360 ft. and Badwater is -262

 

[Turd Ferguson]

This thread is about the Vuelta. If you'd like to add something to the conversation, please do so. Otherwise stick to the plethora of Armstrong threads throughout this site.

And this is the big problem that Vuelta fans are upset about, and I'm sure what fuels Olano and Delgado to say they'd like to see the race back in April. You'd still see some abandons then, people prepping for the Giro or Tour, but it's almost insulting to some Spanish cycling fans to have so many big names show up at the Vuelta, and after a week or two of "training" drop for the Worlds.

Nice post regarding that this is a Vuelta only thread - was gonna do that this morning but didn't want to come across bad since only joining in June (I know the sterotype with that)

I have always understood using the Vuelta as training and dropping for worlds but I have always thought it was somewhat disrespectful. With so many pro teams large enough to field two or more GT teams why don't they just send the B team to do it. Obviously - they want the wins for the sponsor advertising so they are gonna send guys that can get it done...only to drop later. No matter how many times I think about it I can bring up pros and cons only to not take a side on the issue. Should I even care really?

Does anyone else think it is disrespectful or is it just commonplace? I don't really know how the organizers feel about a guy coming in, winning a few stages and saying peace. Hmmm, I better stop thinking of this could get waaaaaay to long.

 

[perico]

This thread is about the Vuelta. If you'd like to add something to the conversation, please do so. Otherwise stick to the plethora of Armstrong threads throughout this site.


Sure, it takes up a large part of the rest of the forum. Dozens of threads, and hundreds of posts. This thread is about the Vuelta. Care to comment on it? I'm honestly open to hear what you have to say about it, especially with your screen name.


All things considered? Did you read what I was responding to? You may also want to read some of my other posts and threads on this site and get to know me before continuing down this path.


And this is the big problem that Vuelta fans are upset about, and I'm sure what fuels Olano and Delgado to say they'd like to see the race back in April. You'd still see some abandons then, people prepping for the Giro or Tour, but it's almost insulting to some Spanish cycling fans to have so many big names show up at the Vuelta, and after a week or two of "training" drop for the Worlds.

Most years the Vuelta is the shortest of the three GT's. Not by a lot, but by some - usually around 3,100km, while the Tour typically hits 3,500km (and the Giro closer to the Tour). Last year was an "easier" Vuelta, with the huge exception to the Angliru. Two years ago it was almost silly (and boring). There was the concept that easier GT's would mean less doping, which no one believes anymore, do they? This Vuelta the stages aren't especially marathon, but there are just a lot of tough mountains, which is how things have sometimes been in the past (2002, 2005, etc.)

1st point- I probably posted the wrong comment to reply to, as I was replying to your original post, which was condescending in so much as it gave the impression you were judging how "hardcore" a fan was by how much, or little, they posted at this particular site. I said that was unfair of you to judge anyone by the number of posts at this site, and I stand by that. That's not to judge you, just to say that your original post seemed a little judgmental.

2nd point- On the Vuelta... The course looks fine, from what I have seen of it, although I wish the organizers would make the Angliru a semi-annual event instead of bringing it out every 4 or 5 years.

However, this is a race that needs some sort of shot in the arm that will draw in top contenders. From a racing standpoint, it's always a pretty decent race, BUT... I can understand the desire to move it back to April in order to avoid being nothing more than the race where failed Tour hopefuls redeem themselves.

Perico is my screenname (and was my hero), but in recent years, the Giro has become my personal favorite grand tour, as it is the one where the season is still fresh, and there are no preconcieved notions. No one is looking to redeem themselves for anything other than a poor performance the prior season. It's a beautiful race.

Also, the Vuelta needs to find a formula that brings more excitement. Watching Heras in the mountains was exciting, but then he had to screw it up. Contador was exciting, but that was a foregone conclusion, even with Leipheimer not that far behind him in GC.

Moving the race back to April might hurt the participation in the spring classics, but that wasn't so bad before they decided to have it in September.

In all, it needs something like a shot in the arm to make it appear to be more than leftover table scraps for perennial tour disappointments like Valverde or the usual suspects from Euskatel to generate some kind of enthusiasm outside of the Basque region.

It will be interesting to see who all participates in it. I doubt Sastre will ride again, considering that it would be his 3rd GT of the year, though he's done that before. Besides Sammy Sanchez and likely Valverde (assuming that his current status doesn't further deteriorate), it's not even that well known who will actually be there. Danielson will lead Garmin, but that's not really going to get the blood rushing with excitement- although the participation of Dan Martin may be intriguing. Cunego is proving to be a rider for the classics, a . We'll probably see a rider from Xacebo (Kelme) do well, maybe Mosquera. Hopefully, Evans will be there, as it is unlikely that Menchov will.

 

[ak-zaaf]

really looking forward to visiting the dutch stages.
it seems like they made the usual life threatening dutch parcours (balloons)

turn, speedbump, traffic island, turn, turn, speedbump etc.


next year giro and tour start...


we are getting spoiled here.

 

[RightWingNutJob]

I'm tired of the circus. Tired of the Lance-Contador pisising contests. Tired of reading about Astana and their money. Tired of the Lance vs. Lemond and Lance doping topics hijacking every other thread. I'm tired of the three-week posters. And I'm tired of having to correct the same misinformation from people who know little about this sport. And that isn't just on this forum. It's out in the world as well.

Alpe, I realize that you want this to be about the Vuelta, but with your line in the opening post you kinda invite people to come in and discuss all this other stuff as well.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Maybe I should go over to the Lance threads and post about the Vuelta?!

 

[RightWingNutJob]

Maybe I should go over to the Lance threads and post about the Vuelta?!

Then they would all come back in September and ruin your Vuelta discussions thinking Lance was in the race.

 

[craig1985]

Would it affect the start lists if the Worlds were held a week before the Vuelta starts? Actualy why not hold the Worlds two weeks out after the Tour?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Craig - Having the Worlds before the Vuelta has the problem of it not matching the calendar year very well, though I like it. Having it two weeks after means it has to be in warmer climate most of the time. Imagine having it in Stockholm in mid-October?

I'm going to look at a calendar and see just exactly how the Vuelta might be sandwiched back into April.

And if the Vuelta did move to April, what kind of void would be left in September? What would go there? The Tour of America?!

Then they would all come back in September and ruin your Vuelta discussions thinking Lance was in the race.

LOL! Probably true.

Keep a little in mind where I'm coming from. I've been here almost from day one. I have something like 1100 posts. We've talked about everything over the last few months. The topics surrounding Lance and Contador and Astana came up many times. Too many times. So when a slew of people join in early July and make thread after thread about Lance's weight, Lance's diet, Lance and Berti, Lance and Astana, and they keep regurgitating the same old "greatest ever", "most tested athlete", "never tested positive" mantras, and saying things to anyone critical of that which we already discussed ad infinitum in great detail, that we're "Lance haters", it's really, really, really tiresome.

This may smack of snobbishness, but I feel like we've covered the history of the world here in grad school, and a bunch of freshmen kids come along and want to lecture us the first week they're in school.

Sorry if I'm pisising anyone off.

 

[Nevermind]

The Vuelta course looks really good. Any official team rosters yet? I watched my first Giro this year and I can't wait to watch my first Vuelta.

As for the TDF, people refering to it as the Tour de Lance made me laugh. LA is actually gonna be in the Province of Québec on 9-11 for the Tour de Lance de l'institut des cèdres, a charity ride to help families touched by cancer. The stupid add keeps running on every commercial break and I actually have to mute the damn TV to buy a little peace of mind!

 

[Anonymous]

Who cares anything about you or what you think?

Is that nut tasty?

I want...strike that...NEED your opinion.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

The Vuelta course looks really good. Any official team rosters yet? I watched my first Giro this year and I can't wait to watch my first Vuelta!

This should be a great year to watch.

Team and other info can be found here, at Steephill.tv. As to actual rosters, it's probably not going to be announced until August.

 

[Anonymous]

Is that nut tasty?

I want...strike that...NEED your opinion.

You mean your mom's?

What you need is a force feeding of a laxative so the shit comes out of the right end.

 

[Bala Verde]

Add gesink to the roster, because it looks like he is dropping out of the TdF...

 

[TRDean]

I always enjoy the Vuelta. Great race...but for some reason I always wish it was earlier in the year like it used to be. It was a great springtime race. I know that it is probably not possible now...but moving it to April would be fantastic. Heck, there are enough teams and riders to make up all the rosters.

Speaking of that..being a fan of the Dutch teams...I am really looking forward to Vacansoleil in the Vuelta. I think they will be aggressive and could pull off some stage wins.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Add gesink to the roster, because it looks like he is dropping out of the TdF...

Yup he is out ( )
But he should be fully fit for the vuelta (if he choses to ide, surely he will)
Could be a real contender at the vuelta. IMO can match Valverde n Basso in mountains anway. Maybe a case of "one door closes, another opens".
Long time away anyway.

 

[craig1985]

I personally would love to see the Vuelta bring in a Best Young Rider jersey in, rather then the combination classification they have (not that I understand it, except lowest score wins). Still at least it doesn't have anything on the Giro in all the random classifications they have.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

The best allround guy wins the combination classification. You add your rank in the points, overall and mountain classification, therefore the lowest score wins.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I personally would love to see the Vuelta bring in a Best Young Rider jersey in, rather then the combination classification they have (not that I understand it, except lowest score wins). Still at least it doesn't have anything on the Giro in all the random classifications they have.

all the different giro classifications are horrible.

Tour has the right mixture...
Leader, Mountains, Sprints and Youth. Covers basically everything.

Agree that vuelta should have a young rider jersey

 

[indurain666]

Just wanted to say hello to all the real cycling fans out there. I hear you people, since the Tour started this forum has gone downhill with all the LA jedis as well as the two muppets and bob roll talking about the same crap over and over. But best case scenario, AC will hit the bottom of the ARcalis hard ( the hairpin section) with Sastre, Evans and Schleck and hopefully finish the LA crap once it for all.

Worst case scenario, LA wins but won't do the Vuelta and we could have real pro racing again in a grand tour.

PS: Route looks good.

Am I the only one that think that, generally, this year tour's mountain stages are not that hard?