Who is going to the Vuelta?

[TourLeTour]

Is anyone going to be attending the Vuelta in person? I am planning to ride the complete race on my MTB, ideally doing the stages the morning ahead of the race and then watching from the finish line. So if anyone is there, drop me a messge and say hi. But better, if anyone is going to be driving from Barcelona over to Ponteareas, I would love a lift for me and my bike!

 

[rantanplan]

DLC free Cycling magazine number 9 (Vuelta preview)

I´m going to be from Ancares to La Bola, sorry

Hope I can meet you, How´s your maillot?

 

[iZnoGouD]

I´m going to be from Ancares to La Bola, sorry

Hope I can meet you, How´s your maillot?

i'am probably going to, what is the best stage to watch that is closer to the north of Portugal?

 

[TourLeTour]

Hi Rantanplan, It would be good to meet. Most of the time I will be wearing either my triathlon club o It has a comfortable chamois, ok, and cross training is good for you as long as you remember to look forwards as you ride...) Eintracht Frankfurt kit, or else my cycling club (Hunter District Cycling Club) kit, and I will be the guy on the fully laden mountain bike with panniers! I will try and post some pictures of the two sets of kit later. If you spot me, shout out!

 

[TourLeTour]

i'am probably going to, what is the best stage to watch that is closer to the north of Portugal?

It always depends what your interests are. The TT is probably a bit early in the race to be really exciting. The guys who are needing a big TT gap will give it everything as it is their only chance, but the chances are that everything will change a lot from that point onwards. Stage 14 to Puerto de Ancaras is a mountain stage, but will probably be ridden a bit conservatively because there are two more solid mountain stages coming up.

I would say if you want to see a big bunch sprint finish then the stage into Ferrol should be good because the sprinters will be taking their last opportunity for a while, but what might be more exciting is the day before coming into Mirador de Ézaro. The stage is mostly flat but then the last 2km head up quite sharply and anything could happen. most of the stage will probably be fairly unexciting but at the finish I would exect this to be a brilliant opportunity to see someone breaking out of the bunch with a huge attack and then hanging on through pure determination for a solo win, which to me is where cycling is most beautiful!

And if you wanted to go a bit further from Portugal, I would head for stage 16 - after a few days of climbing they might be a bit tired, but it has a great profile and could see the GC guys attacking like mad to try and build a gap. I think the chances of someone establishing a huge gap here are not great, but certainly a few pretenders will be shown up and dropped.

Regardless, if you see me on the road don't forget to say hi!

 

[Forunculo]

i'am probably going to, what is the best stage to watch that is closer to the north of Portugal?

Stage 12 // August 30

stage 11 is a ITT and stage 13 a flat stage, so stage 12 with Ezaro finish.

 

[iZnoGouD]

that stage going to be awesome, i hope i will be there

 

[TourLeTour]

Yep, that one you can be assured of a good attack at the end. It might even be one where a break could stay away. It is a very interesting finish. Anyway, hope to see you there!

 

[TourLeTour]

i'am probably going to, what is the best stage to watch that is closer to the north of Portugal?

I sure hope you got to Mirador de Ézaro by the way. That was one of the toughest hills I have ever gone up with a bike (would say ridden, but to be fair I walked a few bits - it isn't easy with the panniers!) and also one of the most exciting finishes I have seen. Absolutely brilliant!