What big names will ride this years Vuelta?

Endym

I quess all the best spanish riders will be there like Valverde, Mancebo, Heras and others. But what about other big names - will Ullrich or Basso ride it? What about Cunego or Rasmussen?

Vuelta is my favorite big tour and i hate when usually most big riders will skip it.

whiteboytrash

Landis has committed to ride........ and Ullrich has stated he wants to ride and win the Giro before he retires.... probably 2007...........

musette

I strongly doubt Basso would ride the Vuelta, and try to complete three Grand Tours during a single year. Other reasons are: (1) he already has the second-best (and best, of the active professional cyclists) placement in the Tour and doesn't need to "bolster" his season, and (2) he has some downside in "losing" appeal if he finishes off the podium or even in third place.

DC will field a very good team, as Bruyneel will seek to do the Grand Tour Grand Slam (even though that will be difficult). Ace will be forced by Bruyneel to ride, to increase the team's chances. Popo will also ride.

sam_m

CSC already has a Vuelta contender in Sastre and secondly, the Vuelta starts earlier this year (August 27th), which will effect the recovery time of the riders doing (or thinking of doing) the Tour/Vuelta double.

As per my avatar, go Mayo!

And, I wonder if Isidro Nozal will be included in the Liberty squad. He ran into some trouble with a medical test before the tour and then was hit by a car while training.

tinks

I doubt Basso would be there at the Vuelta, Ullrich maybe. He's commited to riding the Deutschland Tour in August but nothing else after that.

Otherwise, it might not be a bad idea for Ullrich to ride the Giro next year, it might sort out his problem of only hitting top form on the last week of the Tour.

Frihed89

I forgot, the only spanish rider most americans can remember would be Harras. But i imagine a few other top spanish riders will show up, plus an italian or two who are not riding for TDC!

However, i do think it will be exciting to watch TDC try to win this event, as the strategy must be much different than for the TDF, as it was for the Giro (Make sure Basso gets sick). The strength of the team should excell in grinding down the others with a fast pace on the many long, flat stages. I don't believe CSC has the strength to keep up and Sastre is good for a stage victory, but not the overall.

Who will be the TDC captain?

Virenque

Menchov will ride. I think Cunego will ride it as well after dissapointing Giro and after he had to skip theTour.

Dead Star

Duh, Sheryl Crow of course

splinterhead

Hopefully Ekimov will be healed to ride...

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