Who will win the Vuelta a España 2016

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

I think we will get a surprise winner this year, like Cobo and Horner was. Contador should be the freshest of main favorites but I have a feeling he will not win this Vuelta. Froome and Quintana I doubt too. Maybe Chaves, maybe someone else, I don't know...

Come on, uneven years are for outsiders, even years for Greats of the Sport

FTFY

 

[Amnes2015]

unfortunately for cycling i think this is the GT where Contador will go in decline

 

[StuyvenFan]

By taking third place in The Tour of Utah against Costa and Morton Andrew Talansky has proven that he is the favorite for this Vuelta.

 

[staubsauger]

Re:

unfortunately for cycling i think this is the GT where Contador will go in decline

That was already last year's Giro d' Italia somehow. This actually might be the gt where he fights back one last time like he already did there in 2014. He's a true champ after all and true champs tend to do this. Hell, even Pantani managed to show some last flashes of past glory at the 2003 Giro. Tbh I don't expect Contador to win, but he should definitely manage to podium.

 

[flashke]

By taking third place in The Tour of Utah against Costa and Morton Andrew Talansky has proven that he is the favorite for this Vuelta.

Finally someone that understands Talansky is one of the greatest of his generation.

 

[DNP-Old]

I doubt Landa will win, since he won't start.

 

[rick james]

Bertie has to win, the others have actually done some racing this year

 

[contador_attacks]

I miss Vino...

Contador will win it - for obvious reasons.

 

[movingtarget]

This will be Contador's last GT win I think. He's not the rider he was but he's still good enough to win this.

 

[This Charming Man]

By taking third place in The Tour of Utah against Costa and Morton Andrew Talansky has proven that he is the favorite for this Vuelta.

I agree, this is Talanskys Vueltato lose, 2nd USA winner.

 

[Robert5091]

I see this to be TdF part 2 - and you know what that means ...

 

[StryderHells]

Re:

I see this to be TdF part 2- and you know what that means ...

Froome fades in the 6th week?

 

[spalco]

I think Quintana's strategy will work much better here than it did in the Tour, with multiple contenders and probably a weaker Froome. I would certainly take him over Contador.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Bertie has to win, the others have actually done some racing this year

?
Race days in 2016:
Chaves 39
Kruijswijk 46
Contador 48
Froome 51
Quintana 52

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

Contador always win polls like this

But this time for a very good reason, don't you think?

not realy, i mean, he's a contender, but not the top favourite

How is het not the topfavourite? Allthough I'm not so sure he recovered as well as in 2014, but he is the most rested of the big GT riders and in all honesty if the big 3 are in topform Contador sure is able to challenge Froome. I think Froome is overall a bit ahead of AC these days, but really not that much.

We simply rarely got to see an fight on equal terms. Actually we've never seen it I'm afraid.

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

Bertie has to win, the others have actually done some racing this year

?
Race days in 2016:
Chaves 39
Kruijswijk 46
Contador 48
Froome 51
Quintana 52

Oh wow. Didn't realise this.
Alberto really should've left the TdF earlier.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Oh wow. Didn't realise this.
Alberto really should've left the TdF earlier.

Of course, he left the Tour before it got really hard, but I think those 9 days took more out of him than they normally would because of his injuries. But anyway, he had longer to recover than others. Chaves might really push him though, he should be very fresh.
Quintana was smart to skip the Olympics, think that will be the biggest issue for Froome.

 

[barmaher]

I don't care who wins it so long as it is good racing.

Personally, I voted for Froome, but I nearly voted for Quintana.

I am surprised so many people voted for Contador. I am glad he is racing as he adds to any race he participates in.

 

[Netserk]

If we compare with 2014, I think we'll see a weaker Contador (at least in the third week compared to then), but I also think his opposition will be weaker (no Spanish amigos, Froome have completed the Tour and the OG, Quintana have completed the Tour, but will hopefully not crash out this year). Of new competition, I only think Chaves is a potential winner/contender.

Even if he won, I must say that I was disappointed by Contador in Burgos. If he wasn't better than that, perhaps it would have been better to stay home and train ahead of the Vuelta. He needs to go up a gear for Vuelta, not during, but immediately. I still see him as the clear favourite, but we'll quickly see if that's merited during the first week. I have no doubt that if he does as well there as two years ago, he will win.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

What about the K-Man?

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

If we compare with 2014, I think we'll see a weaker Contador (at least in the third week compared to then), but I also think his opposition will be weaker (no Spanish amigos, Froome have completed the Tour and the OG, Quintana have completed the Tour, but will hopefully not crash out this year). Of new competition, I only think Chaves is a potential winner/contender.

Even if he won, I must say that I was disappointed by Contador in Burgos. If he wasn't better than that, perhaps it would have been better to stay home and train ahead of the Vuelta. He needs to go up a gear for Vuelta, not during, but immediately. I still see him as the clear favourite, but we'll quickly see if that's merited during the first week. I have no doubt that if he does as well there as two years ago, he will win.

Contador generally had a higher level in 2014, but his injuries were worse. IIrc he said before the Vuelta that he still isn't at his best and still can't really accelerate. And I think if he had ridden Burgos in 2014 he would have been even worse.
I understand your point though. I also expected a bit more in Burgos, but I think he will be fine in the Vuelta.

What surprises me is that so many expect a lot from Chaves. He was only the 3rd strongest rider in the giro and one of the guys who beat him was the worst Nibali I have seen in a gt since the Vuelat 2011. I doubt there won't be anyone stronger than him in the Vuelta.

 

[Jspear]

Re: Re:

If we compare with 2014, I think we'll see a weaker Contador (at least in the third week compared to then), but I also think his opposition will be weaker (no Spanish amigos, Froome have completed the Tour and the OG, Quintana have completed the Tour, but will hopefully not crash out this year). Of new competition, I only think Chaves is a potential winner/contender.

Even if he won, I must say that I was disappointed by Contador in Burgos. If he wasn't better than that, perhaps it would have been better to stay home and train ahead of the Vuelta. He needs to go up a gear for Vuelta, not during, but immediately. I still see him as the clear favourite, but we'll quickly see if that's merited during the first week. I have no doubt that if he does as well there as two years ago, he will win.

Contador generally had a higher level in 2014, but his injuries were worse. IIrc he said before the Vuelta that he still isn't at his best and still can't really accelerate. And I think if he had ridden Burgos in 2014 he would have been even worse.
I understand your point though. I also expected a bit more in Burgos, but I think he will be fine in the Vuelta.

What surprises me is that so many expect a lot from Chaves. He was only the 3rd strongest rider in the giro and one of the guys who beat him was the worst Nibali I have seen in a gt since the Vuelat 2011. I doubt there won't be anyone stronger than him in the Vuelta.

Chaves is fresh - That's a lot in the 3rd gt of the year. This vuelta course suits Chaves better than it does Kruijswijk that's why people are hyping Chaves over Kruijswijk. Chaves has done well in his last 2 gt's. It's reasonable to think that he'll be just as good or better in this GT. In light of what every other GT rider has raced or experienced (crashes, sickness) this year, I think he has a decent shot at winning.

 

[Escarabajo]

There is no clear favorite IMHO. There is an issue that you can make on every rider.

I don't think Lopez will be a factor. Too young. This one will be his first GT. Simply too much.

Odds have Contador, Froome and Quintana in that order. Maybe they are onto something.

 

[Escarabajo]

By taking third place in The Tour of Utah against Costa and Morton Andrew Talansky has proven that he is the favorite for this Vuelta.

Now finally somebody with some reason in this forum!

 

[Laplaz]

Leopold König.