La Vuelta 2020, Pre Race Info and General Discussion.

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
edited October 2020 in Pro race
Irún now hosts the Big Start of the 2020 Vuelta a España on Tuesday 20 October. The Spanish Grand Tour features just eighteen stages, with the Dutch Depart being put into cold covid storage.
The race, as ever these days, is extremely mountainous and wastes no time at all, by throwing in a tough GC challenge on the very first stage.

It serves summit finishes at the Sanctuary of Arrate, Laguna Negra, Tourmalet, Moncalvillo, La Farrapona, Angliru, Mirador de Ézaro and in La Covatilla. Fingers crossed, the finish is intended to be on 8 November in Madrid.



Might as well get the Covid impact out of the way first.

The organisation of La Vuelta, in coordination with health authorities and the government delegations of all territories crossed by the route of the 75th edition of the race, have agreed to apply a series of restrictions to some departures, finish-lines and mountain passes, limiting the amount of public that may attend.

La Vuelta deeply regrets that the current epidemiological situation in Spain does not allow the adequate conditions required for the public to be present at those points. The race will take place without its usual commercial and advertising activities, such as the Parque Vuelta and the advertising caravan, in order to avoid any unnecessary crowds.

The reduced group of organisation personnel, media, sponsors, teams and state security forces that will travel with La Vuelta 20 will be subject to strict sanitary protocols. The organisation will also rigorously enforce a maximum capacity control in all restricted race areas. The team parking area, a space that is usually open to the public in order to allow fans to get closer to the riders will be completely closed-off to the public in order to guarantee the protection of the athletes and of the personnel working with their respective teams.
The following mountain passes will have restricted access:

PUERTO DE ARRATE
LA LAGUNA NEGRA. VINUESA
COL DU TOURMALET
PUERTO DE ORDUÑA
ALTO DE MONCALVILLO
ALTO DE LA FARRAPONA. LAGOS DE SOMIEDO
ALTO DE L’ANGLIRU
MIRADOR DE ÉZARO. DUMBRÍA
ALTO DE LA COVATILLA












"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,692
    Psssst.... Last time I checked, Utrecht (the original planned depart) was in The Netherlands, not Denmark ;)
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  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    edited October 2020
    No_Ta_Doctor said:

    Psssst.... Last time I checked, Utrecht (the original planned depart) was in The Netherlands, not Denmark ;)

    I am getting confused by the sheer volume of stages, GTs and their cancelled visits.
    That was the TDF cancellation for next year, right?

    On the bright side I am glad someone is actually reading all my bumf.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • flite
    flite Posts: 227
    Lets hope your work on the Vuelta pre-view is not wasted.
  • bm5
    bm5 Posts: 599
    Wish I was there (for stages 11 and 12 in particular)
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,692
    blazing_saddles said:

    No_Ta_Doctor said:

    Psssst.... Last time I checked, Utrecht (the original planned depart) was in The Netherlands, not Denmark ;)

    I am getting confused by the sheer volume of stages, GTs and their cancelled visits.
    That was the TDF cancellation for next year, right?

    On the bright side I am glad someone is actually reading all my bumf.
    Yeah, 2021 was going to be the Tour grand depart in Copenhagen, but we're also hosting the European champs (football) the same time and the delayed Tokyo Olympics meant there was no room for manoeuvre. So we get it in 2022 instead.

    I think you can rest assured your thread starters are well read. I often find I'm waiting for one to tell me what to expect from the next stage (no pressure mate ;))
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  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,490
    blazing_saddles said:


    On the bright side I am glad someone is actually reading all my bumf.

    Yesterday's Giro stage got 3k views alone so there are quite a few reading your bumf. 😉
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    A strong team for Movistar as you would expect


    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    edited October 2020
    Bookies Odds (PaddyPower)

    2/1 Roglic
    4/1 Dumoulin
    7/1 Buchmann
    8/1 Carapaz
    12/1 Valverde, Pinot
    14/1 Mas, A.Yates
    16/1 Vlasov
    20/1 Kuss, Froome
    25/1 Sosa
    30/1 Gaudu
    40/1 Uran
    50/1 Soler, Martinez
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,692
    pblakeney said:

    blazing_saddles said:


    On the bright side I am glad someone is actually reading all my bumf.

    Yesterday's Giro stage got 3k views alone so there are quite a few reading your bumf. 😉
    For a SPRINT STAGE.
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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    RichN95. said:

    Bookies Odds (PaddyPower)

    2/1 Roglic
    4/1 Dumoulin
    7/1 Buchmann
    8/1 Carapaz
    12/1 Valverde, Pinot
    14/1 Mas, A.Yates
    16/1 Vlasov
    20/1 Kuss, Froome
    25/1 Sosa
    30/1 Gaudu
    40/1 Uran
    50/1 Soler, Martinez

    remarkable that you would have Dumoulin at 4/1 when his teammate is at 2/1 but anyway.
    _
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    rick_chasey said:


    remarkable that you would have Dumoulin at 4/1 when his teammate is at 2/1 but anyway.

    It will be based on bet statistics. Riders who have attracted money in the past will be priced relatively shorter than those that haven't.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,490
    rick_chasey said:

    RichN95. said:

    Bookies Odds (PaddyPower)

    2/1 Roglic
    4/1 Dumoulin
    7/1 Buchmann
    8/1 Carapaz
    12/1 Valverde, Pinot
    14/1 Mas, A.Yates
    16/1 Vlasov
    20/1 Kuss, Froome
    25/1 Sosa
    30/1 Gaudu
    40/1 Uran
    50/1 Soler, Martinez

    remarkable that you would have Dumoulin at 4/1 when his teammate is at 2/1 but anyway.
    Allowing for the possibility that Roglic won't make it to the end?
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Other teams that appear to have confirmed their line ups.

    DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP

    ARCHBOLD Shane
    BAGIOLI Andrea
    BENNETT Sam
    CATTANEO Mattia
    GARRISON Ian
    MORKOV Michael
    STEIMLE Jannik
    STYBAR Zdenek


    MITCHELTON - SCOTT

    CHAVES RUBIO Johan Esteban
    EDMONDSON Alexander
    GRMAY Tsgabu Gebremaryam
    NIEVE ITURALDE Mikel
    SCHULTZ Nicholas
    SCOTSON Callum
    SMITH Dion
    STANNARD Robert

    TREK - SEGAFREDO

    DE KORT Koen
    EG Niklas
    ELISSONDE Kenny
    KAMP EGESTED Alexander
    LIEPINS Emils
    LÓPEZ Juan Pedro
    MOSCHETTI Matteo
    RIES Michel


    UAE TEAM EMIRATES

    COVI Alessandro
    DE LA CRUZ MELGAREJO David
    FARIA DA COSTA Rui Alberto
    FORMOLO Davide
    HENAO MONTOYA Sergio
    OLIVEIRA Ivo
    PHILIPSEN Jasper
    RIABUSHENKO Aliaksandr

    TEAM JUMBO - VISMA

    1 ROGLIC Primoz
    2 BENNETT George
    3 DUMOULIN Tom
    4 GESINK Robert
    5 HOFSTEDE Lennard
    6 KUSS Sepp
    7 MARTENS Paul
    8 VINGEGAARD RASMUSSEN Jonas

    So good, some fair and some what are they doing there?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    This is supposedly the startlist:

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EkW1i-fWkAAO8k8.jpg
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • davidof
    davidof Posts: 3,127
    RichN95. said:

    This is supposedly the startlist:

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EkW1i-fWkAAO8k8.jpg

    No Bardet or Thomas.
    BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
    Instagramme
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,692
    davidof said:

    RichN95. said:

    This is supposedly the startlist:

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EkW1i-fWkAAO8k8.jpg

    No Bardet or Thomas.
    Thomas is crocked, Bardet is riding Flanders
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  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,593
    RichN95. said:

    This is supposedly the startlist:

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EkW1i-fWkAAO8k8.jpg

    Rory Sutherland is on there, he was riding hard on the front at the Giro today!
  • montypec
    montypec Posts: 30
    Buchmann's not riding.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,593
    edited October 2020
    Pross said:

    RichN95. said:

    This is supposedly the startlist:

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EkW1i-fWkAAO8k8.jpg

    Rory Sutherland is on there, he was riding hard on the front at the Giro today!
    My mistake, no he wasn't that was Dylan Sunderland. Too many Aussies with similar names!
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    This Sunweb lineup is ridiculously young.

    .. POWER Robert - 25 years old
    .. ARENSMAN Thymen - 20 years old
    .. DONOVAN Mark - 21 years old
    .. KANTER Max - 22 years old
    .. SALMON Martin - 22 years old
    .. STORER Michael - 23 years old
    .. VAN WILDER Ilan - 20 years old
    .. DAINESE Alberto - 22 years old
  • 50x11
    50x11 Posts: 408
    Ineos line up is strong



    Andrey_Amador
    RichardCarapazM
    chrisfroome
    golasmichal
    brandon rivera
    ivan sosa cuervo
    Dylan van Baarle
    cameron wurf

  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,227
    The first week looks pretty brutal - not exactly easing them into it.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,444
    Roglic has significantly the shortest odds, but not really tipped in any previews. Closer than 2/1 as mentioned above now - seen him as short as 5/4 (oddschecker gives a nice collation).
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,227
    4 week gap between the Tour and the Vuelta - is that too short for those who were competitive in the Tour to peak again? 5 weeks never seems to be enough when it's Giro -> Tour.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    kingstongraham said:

    4 week gap between the Tour and the Vuelta - is that too short for those who were competitive in the Tour to peak again? 5 weeks never seems to be enough when it's Giro -> Tour.


    The difference is that almost all of the contenders did the Tour in some capacity
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 22,025
    Does Froome have no hope? What's he been up to?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    TheBigBean said:

    Does Froome have no hope? What's he been up to?

    Getting dropped
    _
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 22,025
    rick_chasey said:

    TheBigBean said:

    Does Froome have no hope? What's he been up to?

    Getting dropped
    He did that a lot at the Vuelta before though.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,227
    RichN95. said:

    kingstongraham said:

    4 week gap between the Tour and the Vuelta - is that too short for those who were competitive in the Tour to peak again? 5 weeks never seems to be enough when it's Giro -> Tour.


    The difference is that almost all of the contenders did the Tour in some capacity
    True dat. Carapaz seemed considerably undercooked going in and was never a contender, so maybe he's the one.

    I don't think I noticed Mas even being at the Tour. He gradually lost time while losing less time than most others.
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    RichN95. said:

    A strong team for Movistar as you would expect


    Or a tribute band equivalent...
    Half man, Half bike

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