The Vuelta
Comments
-
knedlicky wrote:And I would welcome it if England had a special relationship with Italy.
Wales has a special relationship Italy. I would love a stage of the Giro in Wales.0 -
SecretSqirrel wrote:knedlicky wrote:And I would welcome it if England had a special relationship with Italy.0
-
I quite like the Vuelta. Some of the finish towns are quite stunning on TV. What's that place with the huge "castle like" wall all around it?0
-
With a bunch of riders stating they're at the Vuelta for Worlds training (Schleck, Evans etc.) has anyone actually said they're gonna try and win it?0
-
oxoneil wrote:I quite like the Vuelta. Some of the finish towns are quite stunning on TV. What's that place with the huge "castle like" wall all around it?
Ávila:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%81vila0 -
bipedal wrote:With a bunch of riders stating they're at the Vuelta for Worlds training (Schleck, Evans etc.) has anyone actually said they're gonna try and win it?
Samuel Sanchez has focused his entire season around it. I imagine Basso will be going for the win, too.
Not really sure why Evans or Schleck would pull out early for the Worlds. When was the last time a proper climber won the rainbow jersey?0 -
afx237vi wrote:oxoneil wrote:I quite like the Vuelta. Some of the finish towns are quite stunning on TV. What's that place with the huge "castle like" wall all around it?
Ávila:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%81vila
Yeah that's it.0 -
afx237vi wrote:Not really sure why Evans or Schleck would pull out early for the Worlds. When was the last time a proper climber won the rainbow jersey?
The course in Mendrisio is meant to be very, very hard.0 -
andyp wrote:afx237vi wrote:Not really sure why Evans or Schleck would pull out early for the Worlds. When was the last time a proper climber won the rainbow jersey?
The course in Mendrisio is meant to be very, very hard.
Yeah it's a climber's course this year, and a sprinter's one next year.
Di Luca was having the team built round him for it, so I assume leadership of the Italians will go over to Cunego.0 -
TakeTheHighRoad wrote:andyp wrote:afx237vi wrote:Not really sure why Evans or Schleck would pull out early for the Worlds. When was the last time a proper climber won the rainbow jersey?
The course in Mendrisio is meant to be very, very hard.
Yeah it's a climber's course this year, and a sprinter's one next year.
Di Luca was having the team built round him for it, so I assume leadership of the Italians will go over to Cunego.
Pellizotti? Could have a chance.
They say it's a climbers course virtually every year, but looking at the profile, this year it might actually be true :shock:
Mendrisio 2009
In comparison, Varese 2008
Shorter circuit, steeper climbs.0 -
With Nibali, Pelizotti and Basso Liquigas will definitely claim one of the leadership positions. It's like that every year with the Italians.... almost like Astana0
-
FJS wrote:With Nibali, Pelizotti and Basso Liquigas will definitely claim one of the leadership positions. It's like that every year with the Italians.... almost like Astana
Complete with infighting, the only difference being that they usually manage to chase each other down.We\'ll kick against the darkness \'till it bleeds daylight0 -
It's on tight roads too. There's a kind of fly through the course on the website that I've lost the link to, and the climb looks a little like the St Nicolas in LBL, twisty and steep (maybe not AS steep!)0
-
What are the chances the uci will clarify the valverde situation before the start of he vuelta? I'm beginning to think they'd rather retrospectively change the podium than rock the boat before the race and spoil all the sweet publicity0
-
I am as big a Valverde fan as frenchfighter is a Contador fan, but it's lookin' bleak with the news about Ricco, it seems the UCI are manning up and actually giving out suspensions.
It's only a matter of time before Valverde's ban is applied worldwide, and I don't think they will mind when it happens, so long as it happens.0 -
Schleck brothers and Evans are going to be in the Vuelta.
Favourites at the moment:
Valverde
Mosquera
Samuel Sánchez
Astarloza
Pereiro
Luis León Sánchez
Basso
Frank and Andy Schleck
Gesink
Evans
Cunego
Andreas Kloden
Without confirmation:
Vino and Chicken legs
Roman Kreuziguer
Levi Leipheimer
For first time in the history The Vuelta has a harder route than Giro and TourIf you like Flandes, Roubaix or Eroica, you would like GP Canal de Castilla, www.gpcanaldecastilla.com0 -
Someone mentioned Pellizotti riding. I couldn't imagine unless he's doing the Marino Lajaretta thing and ride all 3 Tours in one year.
-Jerry“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”- Albert Einstein
"You can't ride the Tour de France on mineral water."
-Jacques Anquetil0 -
Leipheimer has said he'll ride Missouri not the vuelta... So does that really mean horner is Astana team leader?!0
-
The Astana team leader is going to be KlodiIf you like Flandes, Roubaix or Eroica, you would like GP Canal de Castilla, www.gpcanaldecastilla.com0
-
victorponf wrote:The Astana team leader is going to be Klodi
i thought astana operated a system whereby "the road decides". this identifying the strongest rider on the team as the leader in advance is a novel idea.
I'm sure I saw confirmation elsewhere that vino is riding, but can't find it now.
3 summit finishes in a row looks good.0 -
vino is ridinginterview.cyclingfever.com0
-
I'm looking forward to seeing Mosquera riding, Xacobeo need to have a good Vuelta to make up for the Giro, which in my eyes was a waste of a wild card.0
-
TakeTheHighRoad wrote:I'm looking forward to seeing Mosquera riding, Xacobeo need to have a good Vuelta to make up for the Giro, which in my eyes was a waste of a wild card.
I think the intention was to give Mosquera a shot at a GT outside Spain, but then he went and broke his arm climbing up stairs in his house.
I think he could get a podium this time.0 -
frenchfighter wrote:Looking forward to seeing Martin vs Schlecks vs Gesink. Was disappointed when Gesink had to drop out this Tour as he would have added more excitement to the mountains.
As for the route, have a look at all those lovely summit finishes! Three in a row too.
]
First week looks like a snoozefest long lazy days staring at endless brown plains with the GC favs all marking each other the lumpy days before the Stage 7 time trial. First proper day of GC racing will be stage 8Gasping - but somehow still alive !0 -
Moray Gub wrote:frenchfighter wrote:Looking forward to seeing Martin vs Schlecks vs Gesink. Was disappointed when Gesink had to drop out this Tour as he would have added more excitement to the mountains.
As for the route, have a look at all those lovely summit finishes! Three in a row too.
]
First week looks like a snoozefest long lazy days staring at endless brown plains with the GC favs all marking each other the lumpy days before the Stage 7 time trial. First proper day of GC racing will be stage 8
Sorry but you are wrong, cobbles stones in Benelux and a uphill finish in Vinaroz.If you like Flandes, Roubaix or Eroica, you would like GP Canal de Castilla, www.gpcanaldecastilla.com0 -
avoidingmyphd wrote:victorponf wrote:The Astana team leader is going to be Klodi
i thought astana operated a system whereby "the road decides". this identifying the strongest rider on the team as the leader in advance is a novel idea.
I'm sure I saw confirmation elsewhere that vino is riding, but can't find it now.
3 summit finishes in a row looks good.
'The road decides' was a Lance invention rather than Astana system.
OMG - Vino & Klodi back together, with Klodi as leader! :shock:
That will stretch Klodi's elastic patience somewhat. Bring back memories of the Tdf 2007 bust and all that jazz.
Having said that, it will be in Vino's interest to keep Klodi sweet if he hasn't already signed for RadioShack. We might see Vino the model lieutenant, if he can keep up the pace enough to be of any assistance.0 -
Roman Kreuziguer in the Vuelta too (he said so yesterday in San Sebastián)If you like Flandes, Roubaix or Eroica, you would like GP Canal de Castilla, www.gpcanaldecastilla.com0
-
Even with his "chute" in San Sebastián, Andy Schleck has confirmed his participation.
Extra-oficially Vino tooIf you like Flandes, Roubaix or Eroica, you would like GP Canal de Castilla, www.gpcanaldecastilla.com0 -
From "Plataforma Recorridos Ciclistas: En España sí hay montaña" we are saing that Vuelta 2009 has a better router than Giro and Tour editions.
We have data to demostrate it: (sorry is in spanish but the file has good comparatives profiles and tables). For example Sierra Nevada by Monachil and Sabinas is harder than Blockhaus (this year summit, until top they have almost the same grafic) or la Ragua (both in the same stage) is very similar to Madelenien.
You can see it in:
http://unavueltamejor.files.wordpress.c ... a-2009.pdf
Enjoy itIf you like Flandes, Roubaix or Eroica, you would like GP Canal de Castilla, www.gpcanaldecastilla.com0