Who is the favorite to win Vuelta a espana?

[dblueroom]

Now Contador is not defending this title, who has better chance to win?

universal sports will have live coverage on its website.

 

[TheArbiter]

Now Contador is not defending this title, who has better chance to win?

universal sports will have live coverage on its website.

Evans to surprise all.

 

[usedtobefast]

Evans to surprise all.

beat me to it

 

[Tugboat]

Kloden, if he's riding, would be my pick.

 

[joeags]

Thanks for this info, good to know.

universal sports will have live coverage on its website.

 

[auscyclefan94]

When peole tip kloden to do well he does crap. When peole don't really think if him as a contender he goes awesome. I don't think he is riding. I'm not sure if cadel will go to hard for the vuelta as he will want to save himself for the worlds which has been a big goal for him. Schleck might go for stage victories as he said himself that a person of his age doesn't have strong enough stamina to contend 2 GT"S a year separated by a month and also having a crash though he still could win it if he has good stamina.
My Podium for this years vuelta not including the guys i have talked about is:
1. Sanchez
2. Basso
3. Gesink/Anton

 

[auscyclefan94]

Now Contador is not defending this title, who has better chance to win?

universal sports will have live coverage on its website.

Who said AC wasn't riding the tour. Can you cite where you got that informaation.

 

[ericthesportsman6]

This is what is great about the Vuelta this year, it's going to be extremly unpredictable, unlike the tour. With all the climbing and only about 30 km of TT, I doubt Kloden or Evans will win. Watch for a youngster like Gesink. Sammy Sanchez might have a good chance as well.

 

[issoisso]

only about 30 km of TT

68, actually

8km prologue + 2x 30km ITTs

 

[badboyberty]

It'll all be decided on who wants to win the Veulta and who wants to win the Worlds, as both events are supposedly suited to climbers I fear we may see a pretty half arsed Vuelta... but I hope I'm proved wrong.

S Sanchez gets my vote as he seems to be the only top level rider who's built there season targeting the Vuelta, but I hope Kirchen, Basso and Evans stay the three weeks and make it a race worth watching (assuming they start and Cadel doesn't stop riding halfway through the second week).

 

[Aguirre]

funny nobody said Valverde. He will win, no official body would stop riding him the Vuelta. This will be his first Big Tour

 

[uphillstruggle]

1. Schlecklette
2. Sanchez
3. Basso

 

[Zen Master]

My top five prediction for La Vuelta

1 Basso
2. Valverde
3. Sanchez
4. Gesink
5. Evans

 

[auscyclefan94]

This is what is great about the Vuelta this year, it's going to be extremly unpredictable, unlike the tour. With all the climbing and only about 30 km of TT, I doubt Kloden or Evans will win. Watch for a youngster like Gesink. Sammy Sanchez might have a good chance as well.

Evans can climb with guys like Valverde and will time trial better than anyone else in the vuelta. Valverde will have to climb way better than everyone else if he wants ti win and i personally think he won't as he hasn't shown any consistency in any grand tour. Though i don't think he can climb as well as a guy like Igor Anton who has a huge accleration on the climbs.

 

[Henrik]

My money is on Valverde.

 

[bjaelkesex]

1. Schlecklette
2. Sanchez
3. Basso

Andy and Frank are riding as domestics for Jacob Fuglsang. I doubt they'll be riding for the GC as well.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Andy and Frank are riding as domestics for Jacob Fuglsang. I doubt they'll be riding for the GC as well.

Andy will be too tired to contend. He even said that his main goals for the season are the Worlds and Lombardy.

 

[balkou]

Many mountains this year. I'll go for Valverde. I don't think Evans will be top form, it's too long from Dauphine to the end of September. Sanchez is a mystery to me. He's good but not that good on the mountains. To his advantage the fact that the race is his main target.
Kirchen has some chance too. He didn't seem to go full throttle in the Tour, maybe he has saved a lot for September to come.

 

[auscyclefan94]

funny nobody said Valverde. He will win, no official body would stop riding him the Vuelta. This will be his first Big Tour

What will be different this time compared to other tours when Valverde has been considered a contender but lost out by flopping and not having consistency over 3 weeks.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

It'll all be decided on who wants to win the Veulta and who wants to win the Worlds, as both events are supposedly suited to climbers I fear we may see a pretty half arsed Vuelta... but I hope I'm proved wrong.

dont be so sure.

riders like: basso, Valverde, Rodriquez, Gesink, Sanchez, Mosquera will go all out for the vuelta. and them alone are a pretty good line up in my opinion. Riders like schleck, Kruziger, evans, cunego will (i assume) only be there for wc prep.

Evans can climb with guys like Valverde and will time trial better than anyone else in the vuelta. Valverde will have to climb way better than everyone else if he wants ti win and i personally think he won't as he hasn't shown any consistency in any grand tour. Though i don't think he can climb as well as a guy like Igor Anton who has a huge accleration on the climbs.

valverde when on form is a better climber then most, including evans. And in my opinion the vuelta suits him a great deal more then any other GT (especially the tour) only problem has been in the past he spent too much energy at the tour, this year he could come up with teh goods at the vuelta, and will be determined to prove a point. Another thing that benefits him is the length of the ITT, he is quite capable of riding an excellent time trial over those distances.

I'm hoping for a gesink win, but I forsee valverde being hsi biggest obstacle.

I think we will see a select battle in the mountains, and over the course 3 weeks i think it will be consisting of 4 riders... Baso, Valverde, Gesink and Sanchez (my top 4 predicition... with rodriguez closing out the 5)

also.. anyone wonder if conta indeed doesn't ride, that maybe Zubeldia might get a go to lead?

 

[movingtarget]

Vuelta

This will be Valverde's best chance to win a three week tour. No Menchov or Contador and some of the other top rivals not expected to complete the race. He has not got the class and time trialling ability to beat the best in the Tour De France and he always seems to have one bad day in the mountains. He will be psyched as will Sanchez for different reasons. With Evans current frame of mind he will probably just use the race as training for the world title unless he finds form and is in a good position in the second week.

I expect Sanchez and Valverde to fight it out as the fresh riders with Gesink as the big improver and Fulsgang seems to have a bright future ahead of him Evans could do anything, you can never tell with him anymore. I would love to see him complete the race and win it but like most others I have my doubts. Time trials will decide it.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

This will be Valverde's best chance to win a three week tour. No Menchov or Contador and some of the other top rivals not expected to complete the race. He has not got the class and time trialling ability to beat the best in the Tour De France and he always seems to have one bad day in the mountains. He will be psyched as will Sanchez for different reasons. With Evans current frame of mind he will probably just use the race as training for the world title unless he finds form and is in a good position in the second week.

I expect Sanchez and Valverde to fight it out as the fresh riders with Gesink as the big improver and Fulsgang seems to have a bright future ahead of him Evans could do anything, you can never tell with him anymore. I would love to see him complete the race and win it but like most others I have my doubts. Time trials will decide it.

i disagree big time, out of all 3 GTS the vuelta's time trials will have the least effect on the overall.

 

[Nick C.]

I guess Sanchez or Valverde. Gesink and Fulsgang may crack the top 5. Basso could be a dark horse.

 

[auscyclefan94]

i disagree big time, out of all 3 GTS the vuelta's time trials will have the least effect on the overall.

If evans takes the vuelta not just as a traning ride then he will blitz the timetrail apart as none of the other gc riders can really time trail with him. Only sanchez can time trial. Schleck and evans though have said that the vuelta is training for the worlds but if he opportunity arrives for he gc then they'll go for it. Not including evans or schleck my pick is:
1. Sanchez
2. Basso
3. Gesink
4. Valverde

 

[TRDean]

Really tough to call...

I pick Gesink to win...followed by Cunego (but I know that is a long shot as he will be focusing on the worlds). I also expect Fuglsang to make a good showing...not to win, but top 5. I have a gut feeling Sanchez is going to disappoint...I hope not...but just a feeling.