Waiting for the Vuelta

[uphillstruggle]

Craig - Having the Worlds before the Vuelta has the problem of it not matching the calendar year very well, though I like it.

Why so (genuine question)? If the worlds where after the tour then you would have the sprinters dropping out if it were a flat year but otherwise the big GC guns would only drop out when they were out of contention for top ten. After the tour seems like a great place for the worlds - just enough rest between the tour and the vuelta.

 

[Murray]

Who cares anything about you or what you think? .....

Wow, what a rude thing to say to someone you don't even know. I suppose your opinions are more valid?

 

[Anonymous]

Wow, what a rude thing to say to someone you don't even know. I suppose your opinions are more valid?

No, they are just opinions too. I do find mine more entertaining and valid than the person to whom I wrote that post. But then again, I'll bet you feel the same about yours. Everyone's underwear is kinda' similar really. It is those who don't see it that are the most blind.

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

Viva La Vuelta!

 

[Bala Verde]

Bump...

Interesting names on the Vuelta (preliminary) Start List

I wonder how Marcel Wyss (CTT) will perform, a young swiss climber, as well as the Giro final TT winner Konovalovas.

Valjavec (AG2R) is back after he missed the TdF.

Cobo and Kessiakoff for Fuji.

Tuft for Garmin

A pretty strong LIQ team with Basso, Schzmyd and Kreuziger.

Boom for RAB, his first big Tour, and we know Niels Albert has shown some good things on the road coming from cyclo...

Francis de Greef for SIL

 

[issoisso]

Boom has planned his entire season's training and racing around winning the Vuelta's prologue.

So we should expect him to do abnormally well.

 

[amp300]

First off, thank you for bumping an old thread instead of making a new one

Second, I am looking forward to this race a lot. Mainly because of the names in it, and the hilly stages.
My observations/thoughts:
-Hoping TD does well
-Liquigas has a stud team
-Sammy Sanchez and more importantly Euskatal need a win in their home tour
-Valverde looks to be on form. I'm thinking he is the favorite right now.
-Also looking forward to watching Andy Schleck and Valverde go at it up a mountain. I know he (andy) said he was using it as preparation, but stage 8 looks fun, it would be great to see those two go at it.
Can't wait to watch it, I am glad Universal Sports picked it up.

 

[staubsauger]

(put in my answer from the other Thread here then....)

Gesink isn't a bad Time Trailer, maybe he's not the best, but in California (24 km TT) early this year he even placed higher then Armstrong with 1.14 after Leipheimer just 1 sec behind VdV and before Nibali and Danielson!!!! For him it's more important on witch level and how constantly he could perform in the mountains and if he could win at Sierra Nevada, (he knows the climb very well from his pre-tour practice), then he'll get a good classement placement or the red jersey.

Anybody know sth about Sanchez actually form? I see in the Burgos TT he lost '50 sec to Danielsson on just 10 km, that's on a level with Soler and Mosquera! Actually he has to perform well on the TT's if he wants to win the Vuelta , because he's normally not the strongest at long climbs. Normally he was one of my favourites for the two long TT's.

When Fuji is allowed to start now, can we add JuanJo Cobo to the contenders? Haven't seen him since his great TdF, if he's still on that level he's my dark hose (even has a good team with Fuente, Capecchi and Kessiakoff)

 

[Aguirre]

now that the vuelta is ahead just recall one of its biggest moments, 1999,
actors vdb, ullrich, tonkov, zarrabeitia, chaba jimenez, heras, piepoli, glz galdeano, etc...

THE BIGGEST EXHIBITION OF A CYCLIST
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8MOQuF4_BI&feature=related

HERE THE RESOLUTION OF THE STAGE, AWESOME
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFO162E0wVc&feature=related

attention to the stage of Xorret de Cati in next vuelta, the final climb is like
3'9 km average 11%, one km at 14.5% Glups!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/preliminary-vuelta-a-espana-startlist-announced

Had to laugh about this article. Why the immense bias toward everything anglo-saxon?
Naming Danielson as one of the big favourites and not even mentioning the likes of Gesink, Fuglsang (who is Saxo Banks leader, not the Schlecks, they just came to prepare for the worlds) or Rodriguez.

Also I can't see how one good result in Burgos can make Danielson a sudden favourite again. It just doesn't add up compared to the other riders here. Sorry.

 

[Haylee Agatha]

Hi
I just bought vuelta wheels online. I know that I need a cassette and cassette tool but is there any other parts that I need? I know how projects like this can turn into a much bigger problem if I am missing the smallest of details.

 

[collateral damage]

The Vuelta is my favourite grand tour of the year I find the tour a large media circus and less racing. This year's vuelta looks interesting as there are no clear favourites, I am hoping for valverde to get his first grand tour I know his history but he is still my favourite rider. Basso I expect him to be combative, and it's interesting to see what Gesink can do.

 

[Bala Verde]

Hi
I just bought vuelta wheels online. I know that I need a cassette and cassette tool but is there any other parts that I need? I know how projects like this can turn into a much bigger problem if I am missing the smallest of details.

It's slightly off topic, since we were discussing the Vuelta de Espana - a pro bike race - instead of the wheelset...

Anyway, you need a chainwhip, a lockring for your cassette, a wrench and your cassette of choice. Here is one of the many instructions Don't know the quality of the vid, but it's the first thing I came across...

 

[issoisso]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/preliminary-vuelta-a-espana-startlist-announced

Had to laugh about this article. Why the immense bias toward everything anglo-saxon?
Naming Danielson as one of the big favourites and not even mentioning the likes of Gesink, Fuglsang (who is Saxo Banks leader, not the Schlecks, they just came to prepare for the worlds) or Rodriguez.

Also I can't see how one good result in Burgos can make Danielson a sudden favourite again. It just doesn't add up compared to the other riders here. Sorry.

I've given up complaining about cyclingnews' Anglophone bias. I just try to ignore it nowadays.

It's hard, though, when it's such a huge bias.
When Bennati announced he was going to miss the Giro and the news was "Cavendish sprint rival to miss Giro" (that's an actual quote by the way) I seriously wanted to hit the screen.

The saddest part is that I don't think they realize how tremendously biased they are.

And while we're at it, indulge me and let me get the other complaint I have off my chest:

They never pay attention to their own past articles. Ever.
For example, it doesn't matter that a rider says a trillion times that he won't be at race X or that he'll be there but just ride it for training and is not in form to win.
It also doesn't matter that cyclingnews has reported that rider saying that quite a few times.

The reason it doesn't matter is because come race preview time, they'll list him as a major favorite, then dedicate a large portion of the race commentary and review to how the rider was a huge disappointment and has surely missed one of his big objectives.

Apologies for the rant

 

[issoisso]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/preliminary-vuelta-a-espana-startlist-announced

Had to laugh about this article. Why the immense bias toward everything anglo-saxon?
Naming Danielson as one of the big favourites and not even mentioning the likes of Gesink, Fuglsang (who is Saxo Banks leader, not the Schlecks, they just came to prepare for the worlds) or Rodriguez.

Also I can't see how one good result in Burgos can make Danielson a sudden favourite again. It just doesn't add up compared to the other riders here. Sorry.

I've given up complaining about cyclingnews' Anglophone bias. I just try to ignore it nowadays.

It's hard, though, when it's such a huge bias.
When Bennati announced he was going to miss the Giro and the news was "Cavendish sprint rival to miss Giro" (that's an actual quote by the way) I seriously wanted to hit the screen.

The saddest part is that I don't think they realize how tremendously biased they are.

And while we're at it, indulge me and let me get the other complaint I have off my chest:

They never pay attention to their own past articles. Ever.
For example, it doesn't matter that a rider says a trillion times that he won't be at race X or that he'll be there but just ride it for training and is not in form to win.
It also doesn't matter that cyclingnews has reported that rider saying that quite a few times.

The reason it doesn't matter is because come race preview time, they'll list him as a major favorite, then dedicate a large portion of the race commentary and review to how the rider was a huge disappointment and has surely missed one of his big objectives.

Apologies for the rant

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/preliminary-vuelta-a-espana-startlist-announced

Had to laugh about this article. Why the immense bias toward everything anglo-saxon?
Naming Danielson as one of the big favourites and not even mentioning the likes of Gesink, Fuglsang (who is Saxo Banks leader, not the Schlecks, they just came to prepare for the worlds) or Rodriguez.

Also I can't see how one good result in Burgos can make Danielson a sudden favourite again. It just doesn't add up compared to the other riders here. Sorry.

+1
was a terrible read. some of the articles on cn are terribly biased. I'm gonna laugh pretty hard when danielsen is way behind the leaders in the big mountains and the likes of gesink is right up there

Gesink > (by a mile) TD

 

[Glockers]

Gerrans only a reserve? Cervelo is a joke team.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Gerrans only a reserve? Cervelo is a joke team.

another stupid mistake by them. gerrans would be a good guy to snatch a stage in a hillier course because he is a strong classics rider and therefore would pack a punch.

 

[Bala Verde]

Gerrans only a reserve? Cervelo is a joke team.

another stupid mistake by them. gerrans would be a good guy to snatch a stage in a hillier course because he is a strong classics rider and therefore would pack a punch.

Firstly, for a joke team they have been doing pretty well in their first year ever, which makes me believe that people at the buttons do know a little about cycling.

Secondly, this is only a unconsolidated start list, so things might change.

Thirdly, they might not send him to give others on the team a chance in a big tour, while Gerrans already did one this year. Could even be in his contract...

Fourthly, perhaps he is just a very unlikable fellow, which they noticed during the Giro and have therefore chosen to bench him for the remainder of the season, with a clear message... Go elsewhere.

 

[issoisso]

On second thought, this is probably more apt here, since it's about Vuelta selection

People have absolutely no idea whatsoever what kind of form Gerrans is in.
Yet they "know" for a fact that Cervélo's highly experienced managers who are in on several variables have made a stupid mistake.

And of course these very knowledgeable people are of the same nationality as the rider they're boasting about...how surprising.

Who are the clowns here, again?

If you're going to call something like that, prepare to be shot down hard if Gerrans turns out to be completely anonymous in the classics he'll ride instead of the Vuelta.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Firstly, for a joke team they have been doing pretty well in their first year ever, which makes me believe that people at the buttons do know a little about cycling.

Secondly, this is only a unconsolidated start list, so things might change.

Thirdly, they might not send him to give others on the team a chance in a big tour, while Gerrans already did one this year. Could even be in his contract...

Fourthly, perhaps he is just a very unlikable fellow, which they noticed during the Giro and have therefore chosen to bench him for the remainder of the season, with a clear message... Go elsewhere.

he seems to be a nice guy to me. always firendly and smiling. The worlds is a big goal for him. good luck gerro!

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

Can't help thinking Vandevelde might be getting overlooked...

 

[lucybears]

Can't help thinking Vandevelde might be getting overlooked...

Can't help thinking Vandevelde might be in Missouri....

 

[Jonathan]

Can't help thinking Vandevelde might be in Missouri....

Overlooked by the team, perhaps?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I'd suggest personal choice.

interesting article on gesink (on cn)
playing down his chances, will be pretty interesting to see what kinda form he is in. Hope he is fully fit for the vuelta (at least weeks 2 and 3 anyway)