Vuelta a España 2012 (with spoilers)

[rich p]

I suspect there's a bit of plastic Brit in this discussion too or am I reading too much into it?

 

[marinyork]

I'm not convinced that froome is pissed off half of the time when he's accused of being so. I think that's just his personality, how he interviews and the pitfalls of being interviewed after doing some nuts day on a mountain.

I am looking forward to the vuelta and glad that ITV4 are doing highlights so those without eurosport or eurosport player can watch it.

 

[Noodley]

Go Froomedog!!!!

 

[fimm]

Apologies for being a complete ignoramus, but would someone mind explaining
"Flecha ... will probably be road captain" - what is a road captain?
and
"Rodriguez will want to make up UCI points to Wiggins" - I'm guessing "UCI points" are some kind of world ranking?

 

[Kiwiavenger]

anyone nkow if LL Sanchez will be riding the vuelta? would love to see his reaction if he keeps getting pipped at the post again by team sky, but would also love for him to succesfuly fend off attacks by them to preserve his sanity! lol.

 

[400bhp]

I'm not convinced that froome is pissed off half of the time when he's accused of being so. I think that's just his personality, how he interviews and the pitfalls of being interviewed after doing some nuts day on a mountain.

Agree. Too much reading of minds going into it.

 

[Chuffy]

I suspect there's a bit of plastic Brit in this discussion too or am I reading too much into it?

Yes, you are. At least as far as my POV is concerned.

@400bhp - not reading minds, just reading what he's been reported as saying. Also reading what his girlfriend (@michellecounde) was saying on Twitter. No psychic powers required.

 

[400bhp]

I don't do Shitter

 

[The Couch]

Apologies for being a complete ignoramus, but would someone mind explaining
"Flecha ... will probably be road captain" - what is a road captain?
and
"Rodriguez will want to make up UCI points to Wiggins" - I'm guessing "UCI points" are some kind of world ranking?

I guess a definition for a road captain could be: the guy everybody in the team should listen to because of the experience (age) that person has e.g. Stuart O'Grady, George Hincapie, Jens Voigt are all men that in the last years were road captains whenever they rode in a team

The UCI ranking is a way of comparing performances to each other. This is the current ranking:
http://www.uci.ch/templates/BUILTIN-NOFRAMES/Template3/layout.asp?MenuId=MjExMw&LangId=1
Whenever you have a chance to be claimed "the best rider of the year", you're not going to let it slip by. (Of course you could argue that "Tour" victories weigh to heavy versus winning the 1-day classics, but that's a whole other discussion)
Before the TdF Rodriguez was in the lead by quite a margin, now he is way behind Wiggins. Still if he could get some stage victories (which would inevitably lead to a pretty good overall ranking) he could make up a lot of points and there are still some 1-day courses that should fit him well: e.g. Classico San Sebastian and the World Championship

@kiwiavenger
LL Sanchez is in great shape this year (even despite bad luck), but I would think that he has already ridden so much this year, he can't also be thinking of riding the Vuelta as well. Still in my opinion he has become an excellent attacker and "time trialist", but no longer a thread for the GC, his endurance of long climbs is just not good enough. (And I personally prefer seeing him in the attack for 1 or 2 stage wins, than hanging on for a possible 10th place in the GC)

Don't know how it was in your country/ies, but actually Froome was quite liked here. Since a lot of people don't follow the Vuelta, he was a new name for a lot of TdF viewers and we always seem to favour the underdog. The reactions he gave to the our press were considered by many as very level-minded (or even just nicely dictated by the all-powerfull engine that Sky was during the TdF). So many people here would have liked Froome to take victory over Wiggo.
Still I personally believe that the fatigue will play a bigger part then the pressure of being the "main guy". It's not like when you're number 2 in the TdF that you have no obligations or pressure during that time. If I am not mistaken, he missed part of the preparation in the beginning of the year. I was expecting that to be an advantage after de Dauphinee, namely that he would only grow stronger the more mountains and kilometers he would ride. Now there will have been a "down-period" of 2-3 weeks already , I would expect that the slight lack of basis/foundation will appear in the (grueling) Vuelta. Especially since I believe that Contador will be very strong (and strong-minded to show that he is one of the best riders around).

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Chuffy sums up my opinion on Froome perfectly.

Me too. But there's just a little more. I like his riding style and I think he has done a tremendous job in recent races and fully deserves his chances to win major titles, but he doesn't endear himself to me as a person and - let's put it this way- while I have no reason to think that he's anything but clean, at the same time I also would also not be as shocked if he did fail a test as I would be about many other riders. It's just a feeling which I can't entirely shake, which I will admit may be entirely down to an unreasonable reaction to his public persona.

 

[Get In The Van]

agree with Chuffy, you sign on the dotted line knowing full well what the season ahead will involve re GT tactics. Sky putting Wiggins as the main contender wasn't suddenly sprung upon Froome 20 mins before the first stage

 

[raindog]

I don't do Shitter

unfortunately Froome's GF does

 

[Smokin Joe]

agree with Chuffy, you sign on the dotted line knowing full well what the season ahead will involve re GT tactics. Sky putting Wiggins as the main contender wasn't suddenly sprung upon Froome 20 mins before the first stage

Froome knew full well what he was getting into, but you can still understand his being less than thrilled when he thought, "It should have been me", after he felt (rightly or wrongly) that he was the stronger rider.

What's with this "Personality" business anyway? Many of the people on about it would be first to sneer at the celebrity culture of the PR coached rubbish spouted by the likes of Beckham and the plastic reality stars yet as soon as a top sportsman doesn't play the media game you're down on him like a ton of bricks. Froome has genuine class and it shouldn't matter a damn how he comes across in the media.

 

[Chuffy]

Froome knew full well what he was getting into, but you can still understand his being less than thrilled when he thought, "It should have been me", after he felt (rightly or wrongly) that he was the stronger rider.

A bit like Wendy Houvenaghel moaning that she should have been in the gold medal winning/world record setting pursuit team. She'd have been better of S'ing the F up as well.

What's with this "Personality" business anyway? Many of the people on about it would be first to sneer at the celebrity culture of the PR coached rubbish spouted by the likes of Beckham and the plastic reality stars yet as soon as a top sportsman doesn't play the media game you're down on him like a ton of bricks. Froome has genuine class and it shouldn't matter a damn how he comes across in the media.

Your straw man needs a hat or he's going to get sunburnt.

 

[rich p]

Apart from rubbing shoulders with Riis and Contador, Roche's move is a good one. He'll find his level as a super-domestique and as an occasional team leader in smaller races and maybe the odd stage win in the GTs.