Who will win the 2011 Vuelta a España?

[auscyclefan94]

Who will win the 2011 Vuelta a España?

Who will win the 2011 Vuelta a España?

This thread is for discussing the General Classification only. It is 1 week out from th start so I thought it would be approopriate to make another thread about the VaE.

 

[auscyclefan94]

There was suppose to be a poll but my Computer f****** things up.

Can the mods make a poll and have these names as the 10 options?

Anton
Menchov
Sastre
Scarponi
Rodriguez
Nibali
van den Broeck
Wiggins
Kloeden
Other (please specify)

 

[dlwssonic]

Anton should win it unless he crashes.

 

[jobiwan]

I second the Anton pick. It's just hard to see someone to challenge him. Purito, maybe, but there's a time trial, unfortunately for him.

And if Menchov has reached peak form, he's another threat.

 

[Ferminal]

Nibali gets top of the list, as the defending champion.

Doesn't matter though as he will not podium

 

[jobiwan]

Ferminal, when I hit vote it took me to some random thread in the About the Forum section!!

 

[Ferminal]

Ferminal, when I hit vote it took me to some random thread in the About the Forum section!!

So it wasn't just me... I have no idea why this happened or how to fix it

Corrupt data FTL.

Edit: I know why it is happening, the thread it's linking to is thread # 448, the number of this poll is 448...

Doesn't happen in other threads when you add polls afterwards, random bug

 

[jens_attacks]

1.klodi
2.purito
3.duarte
4.scarponi
5.kash

but unfortunately it will be just between scarponi and nibali i think.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I experience the same bug when I vote. It does seem to count though. Anyway I voted Scarponi. I think he and Anton will battle it out. If Anton is as good as last year if might be tough for Scarponi however.

 

[greenedge]

I think Anton will go very well. However i doubt his ability to hold his form and match it in the 3rd week. I think JROD would win if there was not a long ITT. Behind them in the mountains will be JVDB, Scarponi, Menchov and Nibali. I have a hunch that JVDB might surprise everyone and win.
JVDB ( illogical rationing/ hunch. I feel that he will not lose much time in all areas and he is due for a win soon )
Menchov ( long ITT and nice team. Will not blow up )
Anton ( shall blow everyone up but might be inconsistent and will lose some time in the ITT )
Nibali ( Shall have a strong team and go well on the hills but will blow up one day )
Kloden ( has a strong team ) including Busche who i think might top 10.

 

[LukeSchmid]

I think Anton will go very well. However i doubt his ability to hold his form and match it in the 3rd week. I think JROD would win if there was not a long ITT. Behind them in the mountains will be JVDB, Scarponi, Menchov and Nibali. I have a hunch that JVDB might surprise everyone and win.
JVDB ( illogical rationing/ hunch. I feel that he will not lose much time in all areas and he is due for a win soon )
Menchov ( long ITT and nice team. Will not blow up )
Anton ( shall blow everyone up but might be inconsistent and will lose some time in the ITT )
Nibali ( Shall have a strong team and go well on the hills but will blow up one day )
Kloden ( has a strong team ) including Busche who i think might top 10.

Busche, top 10, I highly doubt it. He has only finished in the top 10 of one stage race while at Radioshack, third in the 2010 Tour of Denmark.

 

[Midnightfright]

Nibali the favourite to me he's the man to beat. Anton and Scarponi will complete the podium. Menchov has every chance if in form. I suspect it will just come too early for Wiggans and JVDB. I can't see JRod in the top 3 with his TT, and he certainly won't take enough time on the climbs to counteract his TT skills.

 

[The Hitch]

This is what weve waited for all season. A big race that literally anyone can win. No idea who. The Giro was always Contador. The cobbled classics was Cancellara vs the rest. The Hilly ones was Gilbert. The Tour had potential but Mont Allesouts screwjob, the ttt then destroyed everything before the first sprint stage, and crashes made it worse.

But here you have 5 guys who could win it, all with probably a equal chance. As much as I love the Shark, I don’t think he can defend. Scarponi and Anton have proved themselves better climbers. He can take them in the tt but not too much Scarponi anyway, and if the tt is going to decide things then you have to look at Menchov.

Ive decided im going to support Rodriguez though with the tt its going to be tough. Would be great to see him win a gt, his career deserves one huge win, either a monument or a gt. He sucked most of the Giro so theres every chance he can fade, but if he can master those 3 20% finishes and get the bonus seconds theres hope yet. Hes shown on Finnestre and TOurmalet he can handle the toughest mountains, though maybe cracks on easier ones like Andorra. Still this is the Vuelta, where he has shown most consistency before and he was tired last year. Tt does need to improve though. Needs to limit losses to Anton to about a minute and that will be hard.

Finally I predict Sastre will podium or win KOM. Hes been training hard for this and is one of the great gt riders of our time. Theres life there yet. Geox will get the chance to play the cards they dropped under the table in May.

Oh and Daniel Martin for a stage and top 10.

I predict the following podium though.

1

2

3

 

[Ruudz0r]

I think Anton will win it, and think that Dan Martin will surprise.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Anton or Menchov--if menchov has top form (i am not sure he is capable anymore, but we will see) he will win imo. Otherwise Anton.
Scarponi, Nibbles, Jrod will be amongst it for sure.

 

[just some guy]

This is what weve waited for all season. A big race that literally anyone can win. No idea who. The Giro was always Contador. The cobbled classics was Cancellara vs the rest. The Hilly ones was Gilbert. The Tour had potential but Mont Allesouts screwjob, the ttt then destroyed everything before the first sprint stage, and crashes made it worse.

But here you have 5 guys who could win it, all with probably a equal chance. As much as I love the Shark, I don’t think he can defend. Scarponi and Anton have proved themselves better climbers. He can take them in the tt but not too much Scarponi anyway, and if the tt is going to decide things then you have to look at Menchov.

Ive decided im going to support Rodriguez though with the tt its going to be tough. Would be great to see him win a gt, his career deserves one huge win, either a monument or a gt. He sucked most of the Giro so theres every chance he can fade, but if he can master those 3 20% finishes and get the bonus seconds theres hope yet. Hes shown on Finnestre and TOurmalet he can handle the toughest mountains, though maybe cracks on easier ones like Andorra. Still this is the Vuelta, where he has shown most consistency before and he was tired last year. Tt does need to improve though. Needs to limit losses to Anton to about a minute and that will be hard.

Finally I predict Sastre will podium or win KOM. Hes been training hard for this and is one of the great gt riders of our time. Theres life there yet. Geox will get the chance to play the cards they dropped under the table in May.

Oh and Daniel Martin for a stage and top 10.

I predict the following podium though.

1

My prediction there will be a conclave to elect the next Pope.

Scarponi
Anton
Nibali
Rodriguez

I agree Dan Martin top 10

 

[ak-zaaf]

Lotto. So JVDB

 

[AussieGoddess]

Yeah is going to be a pretty good race.

I am going to be in full support of Scarponi .... he was great in the Giro and I would love for him to win a GT.

Cant see Sastre or Menchov doing much though. Will be between Scarponi, Anton, Nibali with maybe Wiggans or JVDB as an outsider ... I would but JRod but too many time trial km's I think.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Lotto. So JVDB

He could get amongst it, I just am unsure of he level, especially when the first 2 weeks are heavy.

 

[Parrulo]

i am going with nibbles.

he has been improving steadily as a rider for the past 2 years so i expect him to be even better now then he was at the giro.

 

[sublimit]

Bradley Wiggyns. You heard it here first.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I tipped Anton but I think Kloden will podium. With the TTT and the long ITT he will have a good chance for victory. Probably will find himself in the leaders jersey once we get to Salamanca.

 

[veganrob]

My logical? choice is Anton.
Illogical choice is Wiggins. I feel he has something to prove yet this year. Depends somewhat on how strong Team will be also. But watch out for him.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Velits, Peter

 

[Shardi]

1. Andreas Klöden
2. Igor Anton
3. Michele Scarponi