Vuelta a España 2012 (with spoilers)

[smutchin]

Too early? I'm still buzzing after the Tour and don't want to come down yet, and the Olympics isn't enough to sustain my high...

Anyway, the big question: Can Froome do it? I'm not sure myself. His season has been built around peaking for the Tour, and those three weeks are going to have taken a lot out of him. Will he have enough left in the tank for another three weeks of gruelling effort? On the other hand, he's likely to have some strong support, not least in the form of Sergio Henao, who did extremely well in the Giro and had a cracking Tour of Poland.

Contador will be back - can he go straight into racing at that level after two years off? Hmmm. Bit of an unknown quantity but you can't rule him out.

I think on paper I'd have to make Movistar favourites - question is whether they back Cobo or Valverde. Cobo will want to defend his title but Valverde looked towards the end of the Tour like he's coming into some very strong form. They've got a strong team of climbers to back up either man.

Any other names we should be looking at?

d.

 

[smutchin]

I'm rather assuming Sky will give Wiggins August off to spend some time with his family!

 

[marinyork]

I supppose to me this seems the place to say it, but I think that the turning the corner in cycling in this country started last year at the worlds and the vuelta. That's not to take anything away from what is happening this month or has happened, but rather means that I'm very much looking foward to the vuelta 2012.

I would think Froome will be on the podium again. Van den Broek might be one to watch too.

Edit: the other thing I find interesting is the huge bias towards the north this year (I know this balances out one a few years ago where it was mostly in the south).

 

[Crackle]

Cobo looked like he was timing his form for the Vuelta. Gadret had a crap early season, I'd expect him to be there and challenge for a podium place.

No idea yet who Sky will take. Swift, Thomas, Flecha, Froome, who else?

 

[PpPete]

Uran and Henao ?
They seemed to alternate good days and bad days in the mountains in the Giro.

 

[raindog]

All eyes will be on Berto, who won't be race fit, but will be going flat out for the win I should think. Then, as you say, Cobo and Froome must be favourites too. It's going to be a fascinating three weeks that's for sure.
Starts last week in august doesn't it?

 

[smutchin]

Cobo looked like he was timing his form for the Vuelta.

He's been saying that he would all season. Only question in my mind is whether Valverde will work for him or will expect to be team leader himself.

Gadret had a crap early season, I'd expect him to be there and challenge for a podium place.

Good shout. Rodriguez might fancy his chances too, and maybe some of those who didn't do as well as expected in the Tour - Menchov, Mollema, Gesink.

No idea yet who Sky will take. Swift, Thomas, Flecha, Froome, who else?

Those four plus Uran, Henao, Stannard, Dowsett, Lofkvist would be my (wild) guess.

d.

 

[Noodley]

I wonder how good Contador will be?

I hope he'll be racing clean so probably, like Basso, he'll not be as good as he used to be.

 

[smutchin]

By the way... 13 mountain stages, with 37 mountain passes and six summit finishes.

 

[ColinJ]

By the way... 13 mountain stages, with 37 mountain passes and six summit finishes.

Blimey!

That'll really encourage the peloton to ride clean ....

 

[smutchin]

Cuitu Negru, which has already been baptized the Asturian Bola del Mundo, is an extension of the Pajares road, an offshoot from Brañillin with an average gradient of 13.3%. It covers one ramp of 24% and another of 25%, and its final 500-meter section presents an unrelenting average of 17%. Adding the 2.8 kilometers to the climb to Valgrande-Pajares, the total ascent will be 23.5 kilometers at 6.8%.

http://acnbblog2012.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/vuelta-2012-queen-stage-will-end-at-cuitu-negru/

http://www.lavuelta.com/12pr/en/recorrido/index.html?e=16

 

[marinyork]

http://acnbblog2012.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/vuelta-2012-queen-stage-will-end-at-cuitu-negru/

http://www.lavuelta.com/12pr/en/recorrido/index.html?e=16

That's very cool.

 

[Chuffy]

I wonder how good Contador will be?

I hope he'll be racing clean so probably, like Basso, he'll not be as good as he used to be.

Hopefully Valverde will be crap as well.
Bertie - hmmmmm. Not sure. Vaughters has said that he's seen some of Contador's testing data that which suggests he really is something a bit special, so he's still probably going to be right up there. Ask me again if we see him doing 6.5 w/kg for an hour....

 

[rich p]

www.Contador&Cobo.co.esp
Two of the finest role models one could hope to see which, if they do win the Vuelta between them, will leave a nasty taste after the 'New Dawn' feel of the TdF.
You'd think Froome would be too tired mentally and physically to do it but he may be driven by frustration to try. Uran and Henao should do well.
What happened to Mollema and Gesink this tdf? Crashed out or under-performed? I was away for the first 2 weeks so have a few bits of memory missing.

 

[raindog]

What happened to Mollema and Gesink this tdf?

Gesink was battered in crashes and retired.
It's frustrating because it was obviously going to be interesting to see what he could do - same with Hesjedal.