Who will win la Vuelta a España 2012?

[Froome19]

There's no bigger fan here of AC than me (physically I mean ) but I am thinking we need a thread called La Flo's diary where you just post a daily blog about how awesome he is.

How about.... not.


Most likely a Froome Contador battle, see it going Froome's way but only because I have never seen anyone put Froome on his limit at the Tour so far by the end of the Tour my opinion may have changed.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I voted Contador because i want to see at least one GT winner this year who dominates everybody on the climbs. A real climbers.

Too bad De gendt won't go for it.

First of all... what do you mean De Gendt won't go for it? Has he said anything recently?

Furthermore: you want to see a real climber who dominates everybody on the climbs and wins a GT? And for this you envisioned De Gendt? I consider myself quite the De Gendt fanboy, but i'm not seeing him as a "real" climber that can dominate everybody uphill. I'm having trouble comparing him with an other rider. Currently maybe less evolved but ballsier than Froome.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Anyay 13 mountain stages, I'm looking forward to this hell hole

 

[movingtarget]

But since the Vuelta is not the Tour, Andy will use it to train.

He may not be there at all. His body is not mending as quick as he hoped from what I have read.

 

[SetonHallPirate]

Really, I don't think it is worthwhile to discuss cycling topics overhere....I'll follow my own footsteps...........It seems to me that most of you have never raced in a real race

In my case, you'd be 100% correct.

 

[LaFlorecita]

But since the Vuelta is not the Tour, Andy will use it to train.

Yes.

Maybe you should start a new thread: "By how many minutes will Contador win the Vuelta?"

Lol good idea.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Contador was today in Valdezcaray (Stage 4)

Yay!!!!!!!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Most likely a Froome Contador battle, see it going Froome's way but only because I have never seen anyone put Froome on his limit at the Tour so far by the end of the Tour my opinion may have changed.

Lol Froomie I know you are a Sky fanboy, but please stay realistic. Alberto >>>>>> Froome when both have good form.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Lol Froomie I know you are a Sky fanboy, but please stay realistic. Alberto >>>>>> Froome when both have good form.

+ Froome will have this tour in his legs so doubt he will have a very good form

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yay!!!!!!!

Don't get too excited. Ezkarai is almost guaranteed to be a sprint of the elites, or even more. It's easier than Cerler, easier than Pal, easier than Montevergine di Mercogliano, easier than Crans Montana, easier than Serfaus.

 

[SetonHallPirate]

Anyay 13 mountain stages, I'm looking forward to this hell hole

I would really like to know where they get that number. 13 mountain stages might be the sort of Vuelta I would organize, but that number certainly isn't accurate.

The Vuelta's own website (http://www.lavuelta.com/12pr/en/recorrido/vuelta.html) lists seven mountain stages, twelve flat stages, a team time trial and an individual time trial.

 

[The Hitch]

Most likely a Froome Contador battle, see it going Froome's way but only because I have never seen anyone put Froome on his limit at the Tour so far by the end of the Tour my opinion may have changed.

You started watching cycling in last years TDF or last years Vuelta?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Stage 1 - TTT
Stage 2 - flat stage, but slightly uphill sprint finish. It was used in the 2010 Vuelta al País Vasco - Valverde outsprinting Freire, as seen here. Not really a hill, but a sprint that isn't flat.
Stage 3 - medium mountain stage. Pretty painfully weak for a Basque stage, but you should all be familiar with the Arrate finish now. Gaps will be fairly small.
Stage 4 - medium mountain stage. Pretty much a one-climb stage (Orduña is miles out), on a pretty easy finish. Should be a bunch all together.
Stage 5 - flattish circuit race.
Stage 6 - let's call this a hilly one. Mostly flat, but two cat.3s at the end including the uphill steep finish.
Stage 7 - flat stage.
Stage 8 - again medium mountains; a fairly straightforward run-through, with a steep final climb but only 7-8km in length. Perhaps like a slightly better Planche des Belles Filles stage.
Stage 9 - flat stage again. Slightly uphill sprint - same one as Thor Hushovd won in the 2009 Tour. However, unlike that race, the Vuelta has also placed the old Escalada de Montjuïc climb in the run-in which might elevate it to hilly as it gives breakaways a better chance.
Stage 10 - flat stage
Stage 11 - ITT (hilly)
Stage 12 - say a hilly stage? Absolutely pan flat, possible cross-winds too, before a very steep final J-Rod finish.
Stage 13 - flat stage
Stage 14 - real tough high mountain stage
Stage 15 - more or less a medium mountain stage, but with a big summit finish
Stage 16 - real tough high mountain stage
Stage 17 - medium mountains. Really a poor stage, Fuente Dé is just an uphill drag. If they wanted an uphill finish in a medium mountain stage in Cantabria, then Peña Cabarga is there (but has been used two years running), or, even better, Cueva el Soplao.
Stage 18 - flat stage
Stage 19 - flat stage, maybe a slightly tricky sprint
Stage 20 - real high mountain stage
Stage 21 - Madrid parade.

 

[Sophistic]

13 mountain stages...just going through:

stage 3: 4,9k@8,3%+2km flat
stage 4: 13,5k@5,2%(tougher first half)
stage 6: 3,8k@8,2%
stage 8: 7,2k@8%(tougher 2nd half)
stage 9: 0,9k@10% + 0,7@5%
stage 12: 1,8k@13,5%
stage 14: 9,5k@8,1%
stage 15: 13,5k@7%(incl short downhills)
stage 16: 13,6k@6,3% - 2,6k false flat - 3,1k@12,2%
stage 17: 17,3k@4%
stage 20: 11,4k@8,6%

 

[ElChingon]

I'm looking forward to v2.0 of this thread in a few weeks!

 

[Red Rick]

13 mountain stages...just going through:

stage 3: 4,9k@8,3%+2km flat
stage 4: 13,5k@5,2%(tougher first half)
stage 6: 3,8k@8,2%
stage 8: 7,2k@8%(tougher 2nd half)
stage 9: 0,9k@10% + 0,7@5%
stage 12: 1,8k@13,5%
stage 14: 9,5k@8,1%
stage 15: 13,5k@7%(incl short downhills)
stage 16: 13,6k@6,3% - 2,6k false flat - 3,1k@12,2%
stage 17: 17,3k@4%
stage 20: 11,4k@8,6%

They are doing the harder side of navecerrada before they turn towards Bola del Mundo, is that right? Should be good, as in 2010 it was all about the last 3km, even though it was super exciting

 

[LaFlorecita]

I'm looking forward to v2.0 of this thread in a few weeks!

Will include Samu and Cobo, take out Mollema and add one of the Tour GC riders.

 

[icefire]

They are doing the harder side of navecerrada before they turn towards Bola del Mundo, is that right? Should be good, as in 2010 it was all about the last 3km, even though it was super exciting

They are doing exactly the same side of Navacerrada than in 2010. And that's the harder side of it. In 2010 the Xacobeo train was not exactly a strong one, so nothing happened until the last 3 kms.

 

[PhiberAwptik]

You guys really need to get over the notion that Chris Froome is anywhere on the level of an Alberto Contador. That's just silly talk. if Contador were in the tour he would be blowing up the Sky train every time the road went up.

 

[airstream]

Fleur, reform the poll, otherwise you deprive Juanjo a lot of voices.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Fleur, reform the poll, otherwise you deprive Juanjo a lot of voices.

Vino/other is pretty much the voices of Cobo aint it?

 

[airstream]

You guys really need to get over the notion that Chris Froome is anywhere on the level of an Alberto Contador. That's just silly talk. if Contador were in the tour he would be blowing up the Sky train every time the road went up.

It's a myth. Even Contador can't provide verbier shows a few times during one GT. All the more so, it'd be better to attack with somebody else because, with a positional pursuit, a train often has the edge over the only escapee in a quite long distance.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Fleur, reform the poll, otherwise you deprive Juanjo a lot of voices.

I can't edit the poll.

 

[LaFlorecita]

It's a myth. Even Contador can't provide verbier shows a few times during one GT. All the more so, it'd be better to attack with somebody else because, with a positional pursuit, a train often has the edge over the only escapee in a quite long distance.

Lol, so who do you think will win la Vuelta.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Alberto Contador Velasco 97 - 66.44%
Christopher Froome 24 - 16.44%
Igor Antón Hernandez 7 - 4.79%
Vino/Other 7 - 4.79%
Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver 5 - 3.42%
Andy Schleck 4 - 2.74%
Robert Gesink 2 - 1.37%
Bauke Mollema 0 - 0%

15 July