Vuelta a Espana Predictions and Discusion

[Scotttri]

Well the Vuelta is on us once again so i thought I would start a thread for general discusion/predictions. To me it looks like Liquigas and Saxobank have two of the stronger teams so i'm gona go with, One of the Schlecks or Nibali as being my picks for the top step of the podium. Looks like there a few riders out there to try and salvage a less then great season so it could make for an interesting race.

1. Nibali
2. F. Schleck
3. D. Menchov

 

[genedan]

I'm going to have to go with Andy Schleck, because his stomach is full of anger...and he wants his revenge.

Other candidates include Menchov and Nibali.

I'm sure Frank Schleck wants his revenge too, but I think his broken collarbone would have taken away his form. Roman Kreuziger has an outside chance, but he's probably had too many days of racing already.

 

[Andrija]

What's the matter with you guys?!
No Spaniards on the podium?... A. Schleck for the victory?!
Do you follow news and interviews... Have you watched Vuelta before?

Where are Joaquin Rodriguez, Igor Anton, Arroyo, Sastre, Mosquera, Tondo Volpin, L.L. Sanchez, Marchante...?

Menchov, F. Schleck, Nibali, Kreuziger... certainly are great cyclists and serious contenders, but only if they're starting to win the race. Often they're starting the race just to make strong line up. Strong line up for their teams (how they could justify invitation and maintain their status) and strong line up of the race in general.

It would be great to see Spaniard - free podium, it would mean really exciting racing, but there will be, at least, one Spaniard on podium. Which still means exciting racing... There's no clear favorite, no ProTour rider who's targeting just this race.
Nibali, Menchov, Schleck, Kreuziger all have contracts for next (two) seasons... They don't need to push themselves in order to secure good contracts. They'll go for it only if there's clear shot for overall. They all are prioritizing other (GT) races in their careers.
Menchov looks like the strongest pick for the podium out of non - Spaniards... He's in good form, former winner, enough experienced.
Joaquin Rodrigues will be on the podium too, I think.
Igor Anton, a Caisse rider (Arroyo, Sanchez, Bruseghin), Sastre, Mosquera, Marchante, Volpin... Will be in the mix for the podium.
So, two Spaniards and a foreign rider on the podium. I can't tell the order, but names are there.

 

[Scotttri]

What's the matter with you guys?!
No Spaniards on the podium?... A. Schleck for the victory?!
Do you follow news and interviews... Have you watched Vuelta before?

Where are Joaquin Rodriguez, Igor Anton, Arroyo, Sastre, Mosquera, Tondo Volpin, L.L. Sanchez, Marchante...?

Menchov, F. Schleck, Nibali, Kreuziger... certainly are great cyclists and serious contenders, but only if they're starting to win the race. Often they're starting the race just to make strong line up. Strong line up for their teams (how they could justify invitation and maintain their status) and strong line up of the race in general.

It would be great to see Spaniard - free podium, it would mean really exciting racing, but there will be, at least, one Spaniard on podium. Which still means exciting racing... There's no clear favorite, no ProTour rider who's targeting just this race.
Nibali, Menchov, Schleck, Kreuziger all have contracts for next (two) seasons... They don't need to push themselves in order to secure good contracts. They'll go for it only if there's clear shot for overall. They all are prioritizing other (GT) races in their careers.
Menchov looks like the strongest pick for the podium out of non - Spaniards... He's in good form, former winner, enough experienced.
Joaquin Rodrigues will be on the podium too, I think.
Igor Anton, a Caisse rider (Arroyo, Sanchez, Bruseghin), Sastre, Mosquera, Marchante, Volpin... Will be in the mix for the podium.
So, two Spaniards and a foreign rider on the podium. I can't tell the order, but names are there.

We all have our own opinions, I know spain are the dominant force in cycling, but some of those riders you mentioned have been out of form to. As for the Schlecks one of the two will definately be going for the win, the other will support, I'm just suggesting Frank will be the one going for it. THe two perhaps strongest teams on paper look like Luiqigas and saxobank and there both non spanish teams without any spanish riders riding, and if you watched the other two tours this year it was the riders with the strong teams who won. Ie Luiqigas in the Giro and Astana and Saxo in the Tour.

Most of the riders you have mentioned have never made the top 10 in any of the major tours

 

[Chapeau!]

With only 55km of TT'ing in total, the race is more favorable to the climbers.

Igor Antón.

 

[pennstater]

If Contador and S. Sanchez were in the race there would certainly be more predictions featuring spanish riders on the podium. This is a pretty open race with a lot of strong riders, but my prediction is:

1) Nibali - great climber and descent TTist
2) Menchov - he knows how to win the Vuelta
3) Rodriguez - I had to throw a spaniard on the podium

Should be interesting to see how Christian Vande Velede and F Schleck perform after crashing out of the Tour. Getting excited for the TTT in Sevilla at night. I appreciate the Vuelta doing something different. I think the last GT to have a night stage was the 2005 Giro prologue where Cipo wore a pink suit with arteries and veins or something like that. Can't remember to well.

 

[roadhouse]

1.) Menchov
2.) Schleck
3.) who cares.

 

[gtm]

I'm picking A Schleck because he's too good a rider not to start picking up Grand Tour victories. the fact that he pulled out of the Worlds suggests he's going to go at this race hammer & tongs.

 

[lucybears]

I'm picking A Schleck because he's too good a rider not to start picking up Grand Tour victories. the fact that he pulled out of the Worlds suggests he's going to go at this race hammer & tongs.

Andy Schleck has ruled himself out of the Luxembourg national team for the World Championships in Melbourne, Australia. The 25-year-old Tour de France runner up told his national federation (FSCL) that after riding the Vuelta a España in support of elder brother Fränk he plans to ride well at the Giro di Lombardia and the long journey to Australia and back does not fit in with his plans.


Andy Schleck rules himself out of Luxembourg World Championship team


​

 

[Andrija]

We all have our own opinions, I know spain are the dominant force in cycling, but some of those riders you mentioned have been out of form to. As for the Schlecks one of the two will definately be going for the win, the other will support, I'm just suggesting Frank will be the one going for it. THe two perhaps strongest teams on paper look like Luiqigas and saxobank and there both non spanish teams without any spanish riders riding, and if you watched the other two tours this year it was the riders with the strong teams who won. Ie Luiqigas in the Giro and Astana and Saxo in the Tour.

Most of the riders you have mentioned have never made the top 10 in any of the major tours

I didn't see this edit.
Who do you think of when you say that?
Sastre? Menchov? Rodriguez? Arroyo? Bruseghin? Mosquera?... Do you follow cycling at all?
Only Marchante and Volpin are outsiders. Others who weren't in top 10 of a GT were close to it and probably will break in top 10 in this Vuelta already, 'cause their form this season is promising.
Please, if you write something, first check if it's in pursuance of facts.
Maybe you should look at today's stage results if you didn't watch the stage. It's informative regarding form of riders we were talking about so far.

 

[Scotttri]

I didn't see this edit.
Who do you think of when you say that?
Sastre? Menchov? Rodriguez? Arroyo? Bruseghin? Mosquera?... Do you follow cycling at all?
Only Marchante and Volpin are outsiders. Others who weren't in top 10 of a GT were close to it and probably will break in top 10 in this Vuelta already, 'cause their form this season is promising.
Please, if you write something, first check if it's in pursuance of facts.
Maybe you should look at today's stage results if you didn't watch the stage. It's informative regarding form of riders we were talking about so far.

You can add Sanches and Tondo to that list. Last time I checked I put Menchov on the podium in my prediction. Like I said we all have our opinions, the 3 riders in my predictions are all good riders two have been in good form the other has had injury's. After the last stage as you so suggested to prove your point, the three riders I predicted all finished in the top 15 on the stage, as did many of the one's you suggested, time will tell what happens in the race and who will be right, there's no real point in criticising someones comments too much as in the end anything can happen.

Where all here because we like cycling and obviously all watch it, some more so than others perhaps but who real cares!!