2013 Vuelta a Espana Spoilers likely

isonomicjedi · 23 Aug 2013 at 14:10

Tomorrow sees the start of the last of this years Grand Tours with Sky sending Henao as their main GC candidate with Uran as back-up.

SKY PROCYCLING (SKY)GBR
BOASSON HAGEN Edvald NOR
CATALDO Dario ITA
HENAO MONTOYA Sergio Luis COL
KIRYIENKA Vasil BLR
KNEES Christian GER
PUCCIO Salvatore ITA
ROWE Luke GBR
URAN URAN Rigoberto COL
ZANDIO ECHAIDE Xabier ESP

Team Time trial to start then an uphill finish for Stage 2

13 of the 21 stages are classed as either medium or hard mountain stages.

Carlos Betancur (AG2R), Vincenzo Nibali (AST), Perito (Katousha) and Maybe Sylvester Szmyd (Movistar) look likely to battle it out

Can't wait.

GSVBagpuss · 23 Aug 2013 at 14:58

I struggle with this one given the WCs are coming up. Contadors post rest day performance last year - that really made me wonder

physichull · 23 Aug 2013 at 17:56

Why are Froome or Wiggins not taking part in this one?

touch · 23 Aug 2013 at 18:01

physichull said:
Why are Froome or Wiggins not taking part in this one?

Froome rode the Tour de France and it's a bit too much to ride 2 grand tours so close together.

I thought the plan would be for Wiggins to ride this after pulling out or the Giro early in the year, i guess he must be concentrating on the World Championships instead?

isonomicjedi · 23 Aug 2013 at 18:02

physichull said:
Why are Froome or Wiggins not taking part in this one?

Froomey is riding in Colorado this week. Just for conditioning for world champs and Wiggo may or may not ride the Time Trial at World Championships before heading back to ride track most likely.

You won't see Wiggo contesting for win in a Grand Tour race again. I reckon anyway.

touch · 23 Aug 2013 at 18:08

isonomicjedi said:
You won't see Wiggo contesting for win in a Grand Tour race again. I reckon anyway.

Yep, he said so himself recently.
He's going to go back to track and try to win some more medals in Rio 2016

physichull · 23 Aug 2013 at 18:09

touch said:
Yep, he said so himself recently.
He's going to go back to track and try to win some more medals in Rio 2016

Will he really still be up to it in 2016 though?

touch · 23 Aug 2013 at 18:19

physichull said:
Will he really still be up to it in 2016 though?

I wouldnt put it past him. He seems to work hard when he has something to focus on.
He'll be 36 in 2016, which is the same age Chris Hoy was for London 2012, so not unusually old.

One More Solo · 23 Aug 2013 at 20:36

Wiggo wouldn't stand a chance on this parcours anyway, even in his 2012 form.

ShiWarrior · 23 Aug 2013 at 21:11

I do like the Veulta, should be good!

Wiggo rode a race not long ago, and the on the TT stage he won

is this thread going to contain spoilers?

Vonhelmet · 23 Aug 2013 at 21:38

I'd like to see Rodriguez win it.

Vonhelmet · 23 Aug 2013 at 21:39

ShiWarrior said:
I do like the Veulta, should be good!

Wiggo rode a race not long ago, and the on the TT stage he won

is this thread going to contain spoilers?

I've rtm'd your post to ask a mod to change the title to refer to spoilers.

Calpol · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:10

Vonhelmet said:
I'd like to see Rodriguez win it.

Agree with this - he deserves a Grand Tour. On the podium for the last 3 he has ridden I think. La Vuelta always features some brutal climbs and mountain finishes so makes them look like mortals.

touch · 23 Aug 2013 at 22:16

Vonhelmet said:
I'd like to see Rodriguez win it.

I would put money on either Rodriguez or Cancellara to have the red jersey at some point in the first week.
Rodriguez could hold it all the way as well.

platypus · 24 Aug 2013 at 08:44

Really excited for this one, looks like a monster of a course. Should be fun!

One More Solo said:
Wiggo wouldn't stand a chance on this parcours anyway, even in his 2012 form.

Nope. Not at all.

Berger · 24 Aug 2013 at 09:02

Not the slightest whose going to win! The first few days provide a good indication normally though

ShiWarrior · 24 Aug 2013 at 09:25

Vonhelmet said:
I'd like to see Rodriguez win it.

He did well last year, his name was always popping up

Vonhelmet · 24 Aug 2013 at 11:42

ShiWarrior said:
He did well last year, his name was always popping up

He did a great job of winding up Contador on some of the climbs.

ic1male · 24 Aug 2013 at 19:33

ITV4 have somehow clawed Phil Liggett back from NBC to provide commentary on their nightly highlights. I might just tune in now. Previous years commentary has been abysmal.

EDIT: Looks like Radio Times got that wrong. Phil is doing the USA Pro Cycling in Colorado at the mo. Oh well. I guess I'll stick to Eurosport. At least Sean Kelly is back on Monday.

Vonhelmet · 24 Aug 2013 at 23:09

TTTs are booooring to watch.

2013 Vuelta a Espana **Spoilers likely**

2013 Vuelta a Espana Spoilers likely