Who is the favorite to win Vuelta a espana?

[auscyclefan94]

not really. will be able to follow most in the mountains though.
who can you make such a statement? although he had made the vuelta his main goal of the season, no one knows what he will be like come september.

I still maintain winner could be any of the following: Valverde, Basso, Sanchez, Gesink, Rogriguez and maybe even mosquera. I don't consider Fugslang a real contender, he comes 7th or 8th (cant remember) in the dauphne and he is suddenly a GC contender? (oh and i guess evans could too, but like the schlecks, and kruziger i don't think he is there for vuelta victory... and im not sure he will have the form anyway)

I can make my statement because Sanchez has dedicated his whole season to this race. He can climb with all the big guns and will out time trial the rest of them. This may vary though if AS and CE really have have a crack at the vuelta. Even though it doesn't have the strongest field you could imagine i think it will be a cracker of a race as it is always full of surprises.

 

[eric_vv]

Gesink is not a bad time trialer, I'd say he is at the same level as schleck. (andy) when he is older he will have a pretty decent TT level to accomadate his nifty climbing ability



I agree that stepper longer climbs suit gesink more, but he is still very good on the short punchy climbs (you don't get a 3rd at amstel just by tactical riding, and he changed the WCs with his attacks on the short climbs last year) for his age he is very good in those types of climbs too... it's just he is exceptional in the high mountains for his age Good point about the Huy btw, I was certain he could win at FW this year if it hadn,t been for the injury (anyone remember his ride up the huy in 2008...? was brilliant)

I didn't mean he isn't good at the short climbs, he was probably among the best 5-10 in the AGR. He just can't drop the other contenders on the short climbs because he lacks the acceleration. He forced a selection on the hill and timed his attack perfectly, just good racing. I was convinced he would win the FW after the AGR (at least a few hours till I heard about the injury).

Gesink is actually a better ín long TT's than Schleck, at least in the races they both did. But it's hard to compare the two, Gesink has a higher base level while Andy has higher peaks (overall not just TT's). Gesink was good in every race he did this year, while Andy disappoints in most races but is very impressive in the races he targets. Gesink doesn't have those high peaks (yet). That could be explained by injuries (after AGR and in the TDF) and if he's ready we might be in for a great show in the Vuelta.

 

[anubisza]

Got to be Basso.

 

[TRDean]

I didn't mean he isn't good at the short climbs, he was probably among the best 5-10 in the AGR. He just can't drop the other contenders on the short climbs because he lacks the acceleration. He forced a selection on the hill and timed his attack perfectly, just good racing. I was convinced he would win the FW after the AGR (at least a few hours till I heard about the injury).

Gesink is actually a better ín long TT's than Schleck, at least in the races they both did. But it's hard to compare the two, Gesink has a higher base level while Andy has higher peaks (overall not just TT's). Gesink was good in every race he did this year, while Andy disappoints in most races but is very impressive in the races he targets. Gesink doesn't have those high peaks (yet). That could be explained by injuries (after AGR and in the TDF) and if he's ready we might be in for a great show in the Vuelta.

Andy disappoints in most races? You really have a high standard my friend. What does Andy have to do for you...win everything? Jeez!! I will take Andys results this year over Gesink anyday...and I am a big Gesink fan.

 

[eric_vv]

Andy disappoints in most races? You really have a high standard my friend. What does Andy have to do for you...win everything? Jeez!! I will take Andys results this year over Gesink anyday...and I am a big Gesink fan.

I'm talking about the races he doesn't target like the Tour of California and Tour de Suisse. When he actually targets a race he's always good. I don't expect him to do better and win everything I'm just comparing the two. And I would take Andy's results over Gesink's but that's not the point.

Now that I think about it, it's also a result of the teams there in. Andy often rides as a support rider, while Gesink is almost always expected to lead the team in every race he does.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Can any Aussie's tell me if sbs will be covering La Vuelta a Espana! I'm itching for it to come as tour of poland is making me really bored.

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

The Vuelta is a tricky one to predict... It'll come down to who wants it the most. There's obvious talent there - Shleck, Evans, Basso who should 1, 2, 3 it, if only for other priorities.

I'd say Valverde and his fellow compatriots Sanchez and Rodriguez will definitely be up for it, and I can see Gesink wanting to do it and Fuglsang getting a podium, he's on fire at the moment and wanting to cause a big splash.

 

[El Imbatido]

the points competition will be tight with out cav

The points comp in the Vuelta is much more like the one in the Giro than the Vuelta. Which means it is likely to go to a more allround rider who finshes well on sprints and climbing stages. Greg Van Avermart wons last year by taking the intermediate points on the final day via the lotto lead out train (this proves that they do know how to support their riders) to beat Valverde for it.

Can any Aussie's tell me if sbs will be covering La Vuelta a Espana! I'm itching for it to come as tour of poland is making me really bored.

I think they are doing 10min morning highlights only......not really worth watching if you ask me..................just use torrents instead

 

[auscyclefan94]

The points comp in the Vuelta is much more like the one in the Giro than the Vuelta. Which means it is likely to go to a more allround rider who finshes well on sprints and climbing stages. Greg Van Avermart wons last year by taking the intermediate points on the final day via the lotto lead out train (this proves that they do know how to support their riders) to beat Valverde for it.
I think they are doing 10min morning highlights only......not really worth watching if you ask me..................just use torrents instead

Van Averamaet won the points classificaton at the vuelta because he was the main sprinter in the end going for victories. Lotto do know how to suupport a sprinter (e.g. mcewen) but not a gc rider. Thanks for telling me about the sbs coverage! I e-mailed sbs about the coverage 10 minutes before i read your post. thanks for telling me!

 

[wpsracing78]

Should be a ripper I reckon - plenty of mountain top finishes.
And the fact that its over to the desperate Second Tier Top GC Riders to battle for the win.

Sanchez for me - ever since they announced hed be going 100% all out on the Vuelta I've thought so. But....Evans said the same thing about the Tour!!!!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

auscyclefan: http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/
they have all sbs coverage info there i believe

listings: http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/event (rubbish that tehy still dnt get teh WC live)
none for vuelta

 

[badboyberty]

auscyclefan: http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/
they have all sbs coverage info there i believe

listings: http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/event (rubbish that tehy still dnt get teh WC live)
none for vuelta

Yeah definitely no coverage of the Vuelta, Tour of Murray is SO much more important to us

Now I really want Cadel to win, just so SBS think about getting their act together.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

To be fair, SBS have gradually improved each year. (what would we have without sbs??)
I remember years ago when we just got a 30 min tour daily highlight show.
From there it went to showing an occasional stage live, and in the last few years we have been lucky enough to get every stage live.
And this year there was Live P-R coverage, ToC coverage, a daily giro show and heaps of races have been show in an hour or so re-cap show. On a whole it isn't great, but it ain't bad either. It is slowly egtting better.
I'm not so sure how much the rights would cost to these races, and is cycling big enough here for it to be a worth while? Surely the reasons for not gettin themm is becaus they have a full schedule, there is always SBS 2

 

[auscyclefan94]

I am disgusted. SBS should really get their act together. Surely 1 of the biggest races in the yeear the world championships tey could get live. . Also they could at least get 1/2 an hour coverage for the vuelta. Phil liggett has covered the event in past years and given 10min highlights. At least that would be something. With 2 channels they should really be able to 1/2 an hour highlights at minimum. 1 or 2 live stages would be good as well.

 

[josekaubeda]

My bet for la Vuelta:

1º Valverde
2º Samuel Sánchez
3º Andreas Klöden
4º Ivan Basso
5º Gesink

 

[auscyclefan94]

My bet for la Vuelta:

1º Valverde
2º Samuel Sánchez
3º Andreas Klöden
4º Ivan Basso
5º Gesink

Is Kloeden riding? I didn't think he was.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I don't think much has been confirmed so far.

here is a "rough" list
http://startlist.cyclingfever.com/s...t&sw_i=z&jaar=2009&land_id=6&maand=8&id=19140

 

[auscyclefan94]

I don't think much has been confirmed so far.

here is a "rough" list
http://startlist.cyclingfever.com/s...t&sw_i=z&jaar=2009&land_id=6&maand=8&id=19140

thanks for that, they put Vino as a starter for team astana.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

some of it is based on fact (i.e rabobank.. except garate should replace martens if he is fit) whereas some of that list is based on rumor.

 

[dolophonic]

Some doper.. why do they even bother having these races?

 

[auscyclefan94]

I am disgusted. SBS should really get their act together. Surely 1 of the biggest races in the yeear the world championships tey could get live. . Also they could at least get 1/2 an hour coverage for the vuelta. Phil liggett has covered the event in past years and given 10min highlights. At least that would be something. With 2 channels they should really be able to 1/2 an hour highlights at minimum. 1 or 2 live stages would be good as well.

I emailed SBS about the tour of spain coverage and they told me SBS is giving 15 minute highlight packages. Better than nothing but could be much better. Really cadel could do quite well in the tour of spain (if he chooses to) so they should really give more coverage.

Dear @#$%,

During the event, SBS will broadcast morning updates of La Vuelta between 7.15 and 7.30am on SBS ONE.

Regards

Hoping for more especially with having SBS 2 now.

 

[staubsauger]

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)