Rate the vuelta 2021

mididoctors
mididoctors Posts: 18,908
in Pro race
"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
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Comments

  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    LR on you tube claimed this was the best GT of 2021!

    What's the forums take?
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    5 for me and I rate these polls generously. You need to justify anything more imo .
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Boring enough I stopped watching it and tuned in when I saw it was kicking off - which was not very often.
    _
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,165
    Some good days of racing, but never any doubt about the overall, not very scenic (or foggy when it could have been).

    I didn't bother watching stage 20, so might catch up on that as it's being claimed to rival the strade bianchi stage of the Giro as best GT stage of the year.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    Some reasonably good individual wins - Magnus Cort for example.

    Stages 19 was OK (where Bernal and Roglic attacked from 60k), I missed 20 but as above maybe I have to go back and watch it. I have seen the Leeroy Jenkins moment with Champoussin though, which is certainly memorable...

    Two decent stages and a few nice stage winners doesn't make for a good GT though and overall it was dull with the only source of jeopardy being whether Roglic would stay on his bike.

    3 or 4 for me. Will withhold till after I have caught up on Stage 20.
  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,819
    I went for 4 - lowest I've rated a GT for a long time.

    Poor first week. Some daft scheduling (sprint stage on a Saturday). Poor coverage. Lack of any GC interest. Might have been lower but for the last couple of mountain stages.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Maybe it was because it came at the end of a packed sporting summer, but I mostly lost interest in it.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    I was generous and went for a 4. Didn't watch all of it but there was just no jeopardy on GC or many of the Stages. Two good stages (16 and 20). The TV directing and ES commentary just made it worse. I think I've over-marked it like a school teacher taking advantage of Covid exam marking!
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Whoever went for 8 should be banned for trolling.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,165
    Pross said:

    Whoever went for 8 should be banned for trolling.

    Unless they are Magnus Cort.
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,572
    I watched big chunks of it at was isolating with Covid. Coverage was woeful - the helicopter shots were so distant you couldn't see who was who, and general coverage was really poor.
    The race had no excitement, and a boring winner. As others said, a couple of good stage wins, but the result was never really in doubt, and Movistar acted like extra domestiques for Roglic, and never tried to make a race of it.
    Worst GT for a long time.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    I still think the position in the calendar is problematic.
    _
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    @vincesummerskRoxcBTr. You need to defend that 8
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,104
    Didn't really follow it but watched quite a few individual stages and they seemed decent enough. Now thinking I may have over rated it given the other scores!
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  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,342
    Racing wasn't too bad but the coverage was woeful at times.
    Spoiled by the video feed.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
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  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,198
    I was far too generous (I must be in a post ride good mood) It never really got going, the coverage from the hosts wasn't brilliant. It's closer to a 4 in all honesty.

    As for the position in the calendar - it should be starting now; move the World Champs back.....
    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    edited September 2021
    Lost interest early on and was never able to rekindle it. Normally my 2nd favourite of the GT's but poor coverage and (as had already been said) some odd scheduling of stages pretty much killed it. The odd stage of interest but the were watched on catchup rather than live.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    The 2nd week was woefull after a somewhat indifferent/mediocre first week.. the third was better
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • thejimmymethod
    thejimmymethod Posts: 458
    Maybe a 4 at best. I'd basically tuned out by the end of the first week. Some good stages late on and Cort's performances peaked my interest, but poor coverage, meh scenery and the overwhelming sense of inevitability really made it a struggle to stay interested for me
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,438
    Mostly lost interest because the highlights on Quest were so poor. And then my TV stopped even bothering to record the highlights by series link and I didn't even try to sort it out
  • m.r.m.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,475
    edited September 2021
    I wasn't able to watch, so I shouldn't be voting. I think a 4 seems reasonable since there was a clear lack of competition for Roglic. In the Tour other world beaters at least try to keep the leader's jersey for a while; that was Odd Christian Eiking here (no offense to him).
    Even the ITT specialists decided to all go to the Benelux Tour instead of getting the red jersey here and a stage or two additionally. So rather lacklustre field with a generational talent as the winner.
    Jakobsen was basically sprinting against no one (especially when Philipsen left).
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,655
    4
    I've marked it up for Magnificent Magnus and the ridiculous stage 20, which was genuinely one of the most entertaining stages of a GT I've seen.
    The lack of GC interest was a killer though, despite Ineos throwing the kitchen sink at it.
    Oh and yeah,sporting fatigue after Euros, Tour, Olympics...
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    rick_chasey said:

    I still think the position in the calendar is problematic.

    When do you think the right time is?
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,342
    salsiccia1 said:

    rick_chasey said:

    I still think the position in the calendar is problematic.

    When do you think the right time is?
    IMO it was pretty cool last year at the end of October.
    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: 22,726
    Having the race right in the middle of August is ridiculous, given the UCI now has an extreme weather protocol.
    Beef up the calendar for mid/latter part of August, bring the worlds forward the Worlds forward a week.
    La Vuelta could then start the week after, around 20-25th September.

    I haven't seen sufficient stages to vote, but based upon what I have seen, it wouldn't be scoring very high.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • jimmocrates
    jimmocrates Posts: 131
    pblakeney said:

    salsiccia1 said:

    rick_chasey said:

    I still think the position in the calendar is problematic.

    When do you think the right time is?
    IMO it was pretty cool last year at the end of October.
    I really liked the season running into late October last year. Gives a bit more recovery time if any riders are going forGC at Tour too.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,698
    I believe I've said many times that any GT can only ever be as bad as a 5 but I went below that for the tour I think so...man!

    The combination of dull + awful coverage meant I saw no point in watching however, so I also have spinelessly avoided contradicting myself by not voting. Perhaps that's the point though, a sub-4 GT is just not worth bothering with.
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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Re calendar positioning, I think it's right to make the most of the climate and have it later in the year - October works well.

    I also think it would free up for the worlds to return to its rightful place the week or so after the Tour.
    _
  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,819
    Probably didn't help that Bernal clearly came in undercooked. The last few stages gave an indication of how good a battle it could have been between him and Roglic if he'd been at his best.
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,984
    edited September 2021
    The route was reasonable, and the organisers can't overly control who participates or not - had Pogacar been there, I might be saying it was the best GT of the year.
    Glimpses from Bernal, Yates and Mas were good though, but failed ultimately to lead to a viable challenge, as well as the unexpected leaders in the early part being a plus point.

    The organisers can control the coverage though, and camera footage they feed through to broadcasters, and I thought that was the worst I have seen in a very long time - not sure what happened to cause that, did the out source it perhaps.

    On a more personal note, having to endure kirby day after day did eventually wear down my resolve, and I didn't watch (the last 45k or so of) every stage in the final week.

    Adam Blythe was a welcome boost in the commentary box, but his tenure was pretty short really - delighted to see him working for ITV4 on the TOB - small mercies.

    Here's hoping next year might deliver more, and yes a different slot in the calendar could work wonders for it.
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