La Vuelta 2003

[Seraphim]

Maybe a little early,

but: what about this year's Vuelat?
Last year it was very exciting, and to be honest:
I'm very looking forward to this year's Vuelta!

The Spaniards always try to win it of course, but the thing is..their are so many good Spaniards!

Of course ONCE wants to try to make up for the "lost" Tour (Beloki's fall). The strongly talented Oscar Sevilla wants to make up for his non-participation in this the Tour 2003.
Aitor Gonzalez was nowwhere this Tour, so...

And you have Kelme, and Euskaltel...

And of course leipheimer wants something good to happen over there, to wipe away some post-Tour-frustrations!

I'm looking forward to september!

 

[claggy]

yeah looking forward to it . its always a good one for those who didnt do well at the tour/werent selected/were injured.

dont forget cadel evans , garzelli , pantani ?? , cassagrande, botero , salvodelli and others.

im a bit annoyed as im going on holiday on during the final week with no access to sattelite tv or the internet

 

[Sprinter_989]

I reckon either Mayo or Zubeldia (probaly spelt his name wrong)

But I'm going for Cadel Evans.

 

[Seraphim]

Originally posted by claggy
dont forget cadel evans , garzelli , pantani ?? , cassagrande, botero , salvodelli and others.

Yeahhh...
just too many strong riders to sum up!

I don't know whether Mayo and Zubeldia are competing. i think they will, but wouldn't it be smarter if they don't compete and give everything for next year's Tour?

I'm REALLY looking forward to it now!
So many good riders, with no-one really as a major favourite.

 

[DiabloScott]

According to TodoCiclismo.com Mayo won't do La Vuelta and Zubeldia is a doubtful.

 

[oneradtec]

Will be Banesto's last grand tour. Watch out for Juan Miguel Mercado. Can't count out Rubiera or Heras at Postal. Is Popovych racing? He is a threat if his team is on the start list. This guy has some talent bros. It's gonna be a great Vuelta. I hope Pantani is there.

Originally posted by Seraphim
Maybe a little early,

but: what about this year's Vuelat?
Last year it was very exciting, and to be honest:
I'm very looking forward to this year's Vuelta!

The Spaniards always try to win it of course, but the thing is..their are so many good Spaniards!

Of course ONCE wants to try to make up for the "lost" Tour (Beloki's fall). The strongly talented Oscar Sevilla wants to make up for his non-participation in this the Tour 2003.
Aitor Gonzalez was nowwhere this Tour, so...

And you have Kelme, and Euskaltel...

And of course leipheimer wants something good to happen over there, to wipe away some post-Tour-frustrations!

I'm looking forward to september!

 

[Seraphim]

Yeah, that POPOVICH is certainly a MAJOR talent!

He has a BIG chance to become the first Eastern-European Tour-winner, you know?
Well..at least I think/ hope!

I hope he's there...but he has already done the Giro, so I don't know if hes will do the Vuelta.
BTW, which team does he race for? I thought Fassa Bortolo, but I'm not sure anymore...

 

[Seraphim]

Originally posted by DiabloScott
According to TodoCiclismo.com Mayo won't do La Vuelta and Zubeldia is a doubtful.

That's a good choice!

A lot of Spanish/ Italian riders/ teams are afraid to make that choice; NOT to ride the Grand Tour in their homeland and give everything for the Tour!

Investing in the (Tour) future, I call that!

Of course it's also, in a way, a disappointment, for I think and hope that riders will keep regarding those other Grand Tours as major events as well...they (Giro, Vuelta0 AND the sport itself deserve that!

So let the Vuelta "roster" (or is that a basketball term?) be something to look out for!

 

[oneradtec]

Popovych rides for Landboukredit-Colnago...not sure if I spelled that right. Don't forget..Aitor Gonzalez won the Vuelta last year after being one of the top finishers in the Giro as well.

 

[Seraphim]

Ah, Popovych rides for that smaal Belgium team.
Great!

Yeah, I'm curious about what Gonzalez can do. He was very strong last year, but rode a loust Tour (sickness being one of the problems, BTW).

 

[oneradtec]

I have a special feeling that Juan Miguel Mercado is going to have an excellent Vuelta. The course favors a climber. Mercado is young, gutsy, aggressive, and talented. Don't count him out for the overall. He finished fifth in 2001 at the age of 23!(wow!!) That Popovych is a bad ass!