La Vuelta 2013 (24 Aug - 15 Sept) **SPOILERS**

[smutchin]

Only five weeks to go...

• 6 flat stages
• 13 mountain stages
• 1 team time-trial stage
• 1 individual time-trial stage

Stage 1 is the TTT, stage 2 is the first mountain stage. The sprinters might as well stay at home and watch this one on TV.

 

[oldroadman]

They will have their days, although a lot of suffereing to be done first. It's a not untypical Vuelta, Spain being very mountainous, but they have lately seemed to search out climbs at ridiculous percenntages. There's a point it stops being bike racing and becomes weightlifting on wheels. 20km at 5.5% with stretches of 10-15% is one thing, but 10km when it's over 25% in places is just daft. Then I always was a non-climber, or at best average, and hated the tiny ones who could torture us all!

 

[smutchin]

So, who are the main contenders?

Nibali, Rodriguez, Henao and Betancur seem to be the obvious candidates. Porte and Contador probably won't have it in them after the Tour. Personally, I'd love to see Betancur do it.

It'll be a shame if we don't get to see Uran there, but will Sky allow it?

 

[thom]

Sky's Columbiana to feature. Brailsford is 2/3 of the way to scoring top 3 finishes in each Grand Tour this year - can he complete that hat-trick ?

Who else ? J Rod, Contador, Valverde ? It could be a great opportunity for either of Henao or Uran^2 given the tour participants will be knackered and Nibali is unlikely to go (he's after the World Championship - we need a thread there as well - Froome says that will be his next target .

 

[smutchin]

lately seemed to search out climbs at ridiculous percenntages.

Yes, it does all seem a bit silly at times.

The sprinters might win a stage or two but it certainly won't be a sprinter who wins the points jersey this year. Even the supposedly "flat" stage 3 finishes on a Cat 3 climb.

 

[oldroadman]

Agree there, an all rounder a la Sagan for points jersey, a strong climber who can TT a bit for the overall.
Uran may get a ride or not, as he is leaving Sky at the end of the season, if he got a really good result all the UCI points might go with him. I think the rules on that may be changing, though.

 

[smutchin]

If Nibali and Contador aren't there, I wonder if this could be Purito's best (last?) shot at getting a GT win. He kept his powder very dry for the first two weeks of the Tour and spent the last week riding himself into great shape. His experience might be enough to hold off the combined Colombian threat.

I don't rate Valverde's chances of overall victory - he put too much into the Tour.

 

[Slaav]

Nibali for the win surely?

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Uran may get a ride or not, as he is leaving Sky at the end of the season, if he got a really good result all the UCI points might go with him. I think the rules on that may be changing, though.

I'd say it was about time Henao got a shot at a GT anyway.

 

[thom]

Nibali for the win surely?

I think he is focusing on the World Championship in Italy, which could be hilly enough for him. If so, I imagine him missing the Vuelta.

 

[smutchin]

How about the usual suspects trying to salvage something from a season of performing below expectations - JVDB, Brajkovic, Gesink...

And who will be flying the flag for Spain apart from Purito - Igor Anton? Txurruka? Izagirre? Mate? Herrada? Lobato?

 

[rich p]

Blimey, maybe Wiggins should make a come-back - he could win this with the number of no-shows!

 

[Noodley]

I reckon we should enter Team CC, we could pi ss it

 

[400bhp]

Might try and get over there for a weekend and watch the odd stage.

 

[rich p]

I reckon we should enter Team CC, we could pi ss it

Well, we could pi ss it up, if we took Delftse Post's beer fridge.