Vuelta a Espana 2011

[Surkin]

Only a little over 3 weeks away and it is shaping up as a very good field.

Wiggins has confirmed he will start after crashing out of the tour, with JVB also a likely starter. Nibali will be there to defend his title. Menchov, Sastre, Scarponi and Igor Anton some of the other big names that will be there.

 

[sblack]

JVDB has only just restarted training, so I dunno how effective he will be, especially as the final week is nearly all flat.

A few other names you missed. Joaquin Rodriguez, who will love those big MTF in Sierra Nevada and Angliru. Cadel will could also ride, which could keep the passing cycling fans interested a bit longer. Sammy Sanchez might ride it as well, but as a Domestique for Anton. A good Radioshack contingent should be there; Brajkovic, and maybe Horner. Also, the young Rabobank rider, Steven Kruijswijk. Also, a couple of young riders to watch for, Peter Sagan from Liquigas, and Alexandre Geniez from Skil Shimano

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Some History behind the route. This is the first time in 33 years (since 1978), that the Vuelta will pass through Basque Country. Stage 19 will see them finish in the Capital of the Basque region, Bilbao.



1 TTT Saturday 20 August - Benidorm > Benidorm 13,5 km
2 Plain Sunday 21 August - La Nucía > Playas de Orihuela 175,5 km
3 Plain Monday 22 August - Petrer > Totana 163,0 km
4 Mountains Tuesday 23 August - Baza > Sierra Nevada 170,2 km
5 Plain Wednesday 24 August - Sierra Nevada > Valdepeñas de Jaén 187,0 km
6 Plain Thursday 25 August - Úbeda > Córdoba 196,8 km
7 Plain Friday 26 August - Almadén > Talavera de la Reina 187,6 km
8 Mountains Saturday 27 August - Talavera de la Reina > San Lorenzo de El Escorial 177,3 km
9 Mountains Sunday 28 August - Villacastín > Sierra de Bejar. La Covatilla 183,0 km
10 Time-trial Monday 29 August - Salamanca > Salamanca 47,0 km

Rest Day Tuesday 30 August

11 Mountains Wednesday 31 August - Verín > Estación de Esquí Alto de la Manzaneda 167,0 km
12 Plain Thursday 01 September Ponteareas > Pontevedra - 167,3 km
13 Mountains Friday 02 September Sarria > Ponferrada - 158,2 km
14 Mountains Saturday 03 September - Astorga > La Farrapona. Lagos de Somiedo 172,8 km
15 Mountains Sunday 04 September - Avilés > Anglirú 142,2 km

Rest Day Monday 5 September

16 Plain Tuesday 06 September - Villa Romana La Olmeda (Palencia) > Haro 188,1 km
17 Mountains Wednesday 07 September - Faustino V > Peña Cabarga 211,0 km
18 Mountains Thursday 08 September - Solares > Noja 174,6 km
19 Plain Friday 09 September - Noja > Bilbao 158,5 km
20 Mountains Saturday 10 September - Bilbao > Vitoria 185,0 km
21 Plain Sunday 11 September - Circuito del Jarama > Madrid 94,2 km

*Bolded routes are the big MTF Stages.

 

[Sasquatch]

What I love most about this route is the time trial is done in the first half so the second half is the climbing, including the climbing in the last week. So the folks that lose time in the Time Trial know exactly how much they need to make back up in the mountains rather than trying to go full out in the mountains trying to get time on the time trial only to eventually lose the race. This suits some riders more than others now. The guys that can time trial now can't rely on the time trial on the penultimate day to win.

 

[monty1104]

I'll be barracking for Joaquin Rodriguez. I absolutely love him. He is a more aggressive version of Vino, with better climbing ability. His TT lets him down horribly, but with the climbs on the course, he is still a shot at winning.

The other Spaniards will be a threat, notably Anton and Sastre. Contador is on record saying that Igor Anton is the only rider he fears. With Sanchez as his right hand man, Anton could go a long way.

Sastre could be riding on a team with Menchov, so I don't know who will lead the team, but whoever does will be a big chance.

As for the riders from the TDF who could ride, I think Brajkovic has the best shot. He withdrew early, with concussion, so shouldnt have lost much in the way of fitness.

Nibali and Kruijswijk both had great Giros and could perform well again.

 

[LeverPuller]

Teams? Assuming Saxobank, Sky, Menchov's team (can't remember the name off the top), Euskadel-Euskadi...HTC? Katyusha throwing all their internationals at it?

 

[Warsaw]

Will this be on SBS aswell?

 

[sblack]

Teams? Assuming Saxobank, Sky, Menchov's team (can't remember the name off the top), Euskadel-Euskadi...HTC? Katyusha throwing all their internationals at it?

No start lists yet, but the teams are confirmed

Omega Pharma-Lotto (Bel)
Quickstep Cycling Team (Bel)
Saxo Bank Sungard (Den)
Euskaltel-Euskadi (Spa)
Movistar Team (Spa)
Ag2R La Mondiale (Fra)
Sky Procycling (GBr)
Lampre - ISD (Ita)
Liquigas-Cannondale (Ita)
Pro Team Astana (Kaz)
Team Leopard - Trek (Lux)
Rabobank Cycling Team (Ned)
Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team (Ned)
Katusha Team (Rus)
BMC Racing Team (USA)
HTC-Highroad (USA)
Team Garmin-Cervelo (USA)
Team Radioshack (USA)

Wildcards:

Andalucia Caja Granada (Spa)*
Geox-TMC (Spa)* - Menchov/Sastre
Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne (Fra)*
Skil-Shimano (Ned)*

 

[Cruiser23]

This could be more entertaining than The Tour, Stage 15 will be ridiculously EPIC.

The steepness of some of the climbs/hills are crazy.

 

[mcgarnacle]

This will be great.

UCI doing their best in their attempt in pressuring the Giro & Vuelta to be shortened by a week. Particularly re the Vuelta, there are several other World Tour events on or immediately around the GT. Poor form and scheduling from the UCI. At least the the Vuelta's Unipublic is part owned by the ASO so their clout should keep it safe. Still, not a fan of the earlier start.

 

[LeverPuller]

Suggested in The Age today that Cadel will sit down and discuss taking a tilt at the Vuelta...

 

[Caesar]

Crazy if he does. If he wants to race the Vuelta he should do the Giro next year and skip the Tour. He's too old to back up.

 

[mcgarnacle]

It was on his program prior to winning the TDF. Lelangue has said that they'll plot out the rest of the season after the next few days, but from a team and sponsors POV, I dont think it's essential that he HAS to do it now. It'll definately come down to whether Evans has the appetite for it at the present, unlike last year with the GIRO for example when BMC needed good results to qualify for the TDF. This Vuelta course is much much harder than the TDF as well. Although some riders are using the Vuelta for World Champs prep, Evans may instead opt for the several World Tour one day races on at the same time.

 

[Caesar]

He did okay in the Vuelta a couple of years ago when backing up after the Tour, but in that case he was out of TdF contention fairly early and cruised a bit. Going hard on the Tour and then backing up onto a brutal Vuelta course at his age seems like asking for trouble.

I don't think the Vuelta is a good prep for the Worlds anyway, they're a fairly flat course this year IIRC. Would rather see him do the criterions, then take a bit of a break with maybe a few one day races to keep his fitness up.

Would be an exceptional year if he managed to win the World Championship on top of the TdF - very few people in history have managed that. But I don't like his chances.

 

[mcgarnacle]

This could be more entertaining than The Tour, Stage 15 will be ridiculously EPIC.

The steepness of some of the climbs/hills are crazy.

The Spaniards in it are always entertaining.

Re the big guns Menchov and Sastre will be fresh, Nibali had an ok Giro but will want to defend this title, Anton will want to be in with a shot with the return of the race to the Basque country towards the end of the race, Wiggins was in good form leading into the TDF (and will be wanting to give this GT a good crack considering he might probably be concentrating on defending the Team pursuit title in London on the track) and along with VDB will want to put a dissappointing TDF behind him, and Rodriguez..........well it's Rodriguez, the personal favourite of many.

And yeah, some of those summit finishes are brutal.........as you say Angliru will be fantastically, sensationally, awesomely epic. Along with lo zoncolan, has become a modern day cycling great.

 

[Cruiser23]

Yeah i'm a big fan of Anton's so i'm giving him an edge here.

Anton
Rodriguez
Scarponi
Nibali
Van den Broeck
Menchov/Sastre
Kruijswijk

Anyone i've missed that's in with some sort of shout? (I forgot Wiggins on purpose...)

Pretty sure Evans isn't riding either.

 

[Surkin]

Anton is my tip to win. Lead last year before crashing out and then won the queen stage of the Giro. Personally I rate him as the third best climber in the world behind Contador and A.Schleck and this is a course that should suit climbers.

And yes, Evans has been ruled out.

 

[Fitzey]

Go Cadel!

 

[Drummond]

Only a little over 3 weeks away and it is shaping up as a very good field.

Wiggins has confirmed he will start after crashing out of the tour, with JVB also a likely starter.

Jay van Berlo? Talented bloke.

Looking forward to watching this on Eurosport. Hopefully that Irish guy with the dullest voice I’ve ever heard won’t be commentating.

 

[sblack]

Jay van Berlo? Talented bloke.

Looking forward to watching this on Eurosport. Hopefully that Irish guy with the dullest voice I’ve ever heard won’t be commentating.

Sean Kelly? He will be covering it, yes.

 

[Drummond]

Sean Kelly? He will be covering it, yes.

That's it! And sigh...

 

[sblack]

That's it! And sigh...

SBS might pick up a few stages? They had the major Giro stages. Might do the same here with the Vuelta, especially considering the success of the TdF

 

[Drummond]

Yeah you'd imagine they would replicate what they did for the Giro. Doesn't bother me though as Eurosport provide great coverage, even with the annoying tones! You'd figure the chances of SBS picking up a few more stages dropped off though with Cadel pulling out.

 

[sblack]

There was no Cadel at the Giro

The only reason I watch SBS is because of the HD. Don't have HD Fox, so any HD kills SD everyday.

 

[Sasquatch]

Looking forward to seeing Kruijswijk handle his second GT at his young age. You all know what I think of him. Will be better than Gesink! Hopefully Slagter will ride too. Love Rabos young roster.

 

[Drummond]

There was no Cadel at the Giro

The only reason I watch SBS is because of the HD. Don't have HD Fox, so any HD kills SD everyday.

Yeah realise that, just saying that I expect SBS' coverage for the Vuelta to be similar to what it was for the Giro, but if Cadel was riding the Vuelta, we might have got more...

Pity Eurosport don't have HD when most of the sports channels do.