Vuelta a España 2019 General Thread

TheBlaaMan

Deleted User wrote: »

All going well Bennett will win two to three sprint stages & Roche usually performs well at the Vuelta, so a stage win is possible.

That's probably way over-optimistic. Possible, sure, especially for Sam, but there will surely be a lot of sprint competition - it is a GT after al.l

TheBlaaMan

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

That's probably way over-optimistic. Possible, sure, especially for Sam, but there will surely be a lot of sprint competition - it is a GT after al.l

I wouldn't say it's a packed field of top tier sprinters based on the startlist as it is at the minute especially in comparison with the Giro or the Tour.

Even Cavendish could be in with a shout at a stage.

Mezgec though for MS mugged a few big names in Poland recently and took 2 of the sprints so one to keep an eye on.

dastardly00

Stages 3, 4, 14, 17, 19 and 21 are all flat. All great opportunities for Sam

cunavalos

Was just looking at the expected lineups from Procyclingstats and Eddie has now been included in the provisional INEOS team which would be great to see especially as like in the Giro he will be able to ride his own race without a clear GC guy to domestique for.

The sprinting field has weakened somewhat from the earlier predicted squads with Bennett, Jakobsen, Degenkolb and Gaviria the biggest names.(Cavendish not selected again) One potential side effect is will there be enough teams interested in the sprints to control breakaways in the later stages during Weeks 2 and 3. This is why I think Stage 3 and 4 will be vital for Sam to get an early Stage win and take the pressure off. Worth noting that Richeze is likely to be in the DQS leadout train so expect a more physical approach to Sam hitching a ride on Jakobsen's leadout.

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/vuelta-a-espana/2019/startlist

Gallant_JJ

No Dunbar in confirmed Ineos lineup;

Jonathan Castroviejo
David de la Cruz
Sergio Henao
Tao Geoghegan Hart
Michal Kwiatkowski
Salvatore Puccio
Pavel Sivakov
Dylan van Baarle

CantGetNoSleep

Don't think either Kwiatowski or Sivakov were expected to be there

cunavalos

Gallant_JJ wrote: »

No Dunbar in confirmed Ineos lineup;

Jonathan Castroviejo
David de la Cruz
Sergio Henao
Tao Geoghegan Hart
Michal Kwiatkowski
Salvatore Puccio
Pavel Sivakov
Dylan van Baarle

Team has changed again, in come Poels, Kiryienko, Stannard, Doull, Elissonde and neither of the Spanish riders make the cut for their home tour. Much better balance to the squad but still a little behind Movistar, Jumbo and EF

Not sure whats going on with David de la Cruz this year. I've a feeling he'll be out the door if a better offer comes his way but he's not had a great year. His program this year has a wiff of Deignan to it.

TheBlaaMan

Deleted User wrote: »

Not sure whats going on with David de la Cruz this year. I've a feeling he'll be out the door if a better offer comes his way but he's not had a great year. His program this year has a wiff of Deignan to it.

De la Cruz has been parachuted into the Ineos team for the Vuelta - apparently to quell significant flak that there was for his initial absence; Ellisonde is leaving Ineos at the end of the year, so - despite his great climbing-domestique role - he is the one to be sacrificed. Kinda sh1tty but thats pro sports I guess.....

Richard Carapaz is in doubt now following a crash at the weekend

TheBlaaMan

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

De la Cruz has been parachuted into the Ineos team for the Vuelta - apparently to quell significant flak that there was for his initial absence; Ellisonde is leaving Ineos at the end of the year, so - despite his great climbing-domestique role - he is the one to be sacrificed. Kinda sh1tty but thats pro sports I guess.....

Going on whats been reported in the last few hours Ellisonde was already in Spain told to head home with little by way of explanation.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Richard Carapaz is in doubt now following a crash at the weekend

Now confirmed he won't start.

MPFGLB

Deleted User wrote: »

Going on whats been reported in the last few hours Ellisonde was already in Spain told to head home with little by way of explanation.

They could have left out one of the others ...Ellisonde has won in the Vuelta before and is a good climber
Its de La Cruz's home race

But Stannard or Doull or Kiryenka ??

Poor Kenny

TheBlaaMan

Deleted User wrote: »

Going on whats been reported in the last few hours Ellisonde was already in Spain told to head home with little by way of explanation.

Way to go, Team Sky.:rolleyes:

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Now confirmed he won't start.

Probably not a bad thing for Movistar if the rumours of a frosty relationship between rider and management are true.
They'll just have to focus on riding against Quintana now.

Bugsy2000

Didn’t see one anywhere else so I’ve set up a Velogames league, details below.

League Name: Boards Vuelta
League Code: 856332313

Fair play I'd completely forgotten about velogames.

Daroxtar

Flying out tomorrow morning. Five men with a litany of excuses for excess kilos, going to attempt plenty of stupidly steep climbing and watch 2 stages, Saturday and Monday. Any tips for a Vuelta first timer?

dastardly00

Daroxtar wrote: »

Flying out tomorrow morning. Five men with a litany of excuses for excess kilos, going to attempt plenty of stupidly steep climbing and watch 2 stages, Saturday and Monday. Any tips for a Vuelta first timer?

The Guardia Civil don't take too kindly to blokes in mankinis running alongside the peloton :pac:

Sorry, I've never been to the Vuelta, enjoy it!

Daroxtar

dastardly00 wrote: »

The Guardia Civil don't take too kindly to blokes in mankinis running alongside the peloton :pac:

Sorry, I've never been to the Vuelta, enjoy it!

It's OK, the mankinis are green white and gold so they'll know we're foreign and treat us better

Lusk_Doyle

Daroxtar wrote: »

It's OK, the mankinis are green white and gold so they'll know we're foreign and treat us better

Green, white and gold? Where is that from?

Tim76

Roglic blows away the field in the ITT, think Lopez will catch him in the mountains though.

Helicopter picked up some suspicious plants on a roof while covering the race during the weekend :pac:

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2019/sep/04/helicopter-rooftop-marijuana-plants-vuelta-spain-catalonia-race

CramCycle

Deleted User wrote: »

Helicopter picked up some suspicious plants on a roof while covering the race during the weekend :pac:

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2019/sep/04/helicopter-rooftop-marijuana-plants-vuelta-spain-catalonia-race

"Abandoned" :pac:

MPFGLB

Confirmed that Nicolas Roche has a fractured patella after his Vuelta crash

neris

Looks like the vuelta helped in a drugs burst that didn't involve riders

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/49581440

MPFGLB

Nico's diary on his injury

And also on his event with Philip Gilbert in October in Kildare and Wicklow mountains

https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/nicolas-roche-vuelta-injury-has-given-me-a-chance-to-work-on-my-next-project-38475338.html

Raymzor

FairPlay to team Feshtina! Enjoyed checking in on the league.

Bugsy2000 wrote: »

Didn’t see one anywhere else so I’ve set up a Velogames league, details below.

League Name: Boards Vuelta
League Code: 856332313