Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco

[Eldrack]

Quite a few big names starting this race, and CN doesn't seem to be covering it.

http://servicios.diariovasco.com/vueltapaisvasco2006/

Is the official homepage, with startlists and profiles (it is all in spanish though).

Last years race was taken by Danilo Di Luca, got him 50 points towards his pro-tour overall win. Quite a few candidates to take the win here including (but not exlusively):

Valverde, Contador, Sastre, Menchov, Evans, Rebellin, Acevedo, Rubiera, Beltran, Parra, Garate, Di Luca, Mayo, Kloden, Sevilla, Guerini, Zubeldia to list but a few people who can climb well enough to take the overall honours.

I think Valverde will win, with Di Luca up there on the podium.

 

[micron]

Fortunately Eurosport is covering it - watching at the moment - gorgeous countryside and plenty of attacking riding so far - Horner, Chavanel, Valverde etc etc

 

[whiteboytrash]

Fortunately Eurosport is covering it - watching at the moment - gorgeous countryside and plenty of attacking riding so far - Horner, Chavanel, Valverde etc etc

Nice work.... I have recorded it on Sky+ so will watch tonight...... we are spoilt with EuroSport although sometimes like on Sunday they show 30 mins of the Tour of Flanders and then you get 4 hours a day of Tour of the Basque Country...... I'm not complaining thou !

 

[cpr]

Alejandro Valverde has won the first stage. It has been an incredible sprint!!

 

[cyclingheroes]

Quite a few big names starting this race, and CN doesn't seem to be covering it.

http://servicios.diariovasco.com/vueltapaisvasco2006/

Is the official homepage, with startlists and profiles (it is all in spanish though).

Last years race was taken by Danilo Di Luca, got him 50 points towards his pro-tour overall win. Quite a few candidates to take the win here including (but not exlusively):

Valverde, Contador, Sastre, Menchov, Evans, Rebellin, Acevedo, Rubiera, Beltran, Parra, Garate, Di Luca, Mayo, Kloden, Sevilla, Guerini, Zubeldia to list but a few people who can climb well enough to take the overall honours.

I think Valverde will win, with Di Luca up there on the podium.

Klöden is injured and didn't start (by the way, half of the T-Mobile squad is injured..). Thomas Dekker is also riding the Vuelta Pais Vasco, at the end there is a 24 kilometer long ITT, that could be something for him... i think he could be the winner of the Overall, he was with the first group today and i had the impression that he was riding very economicly...

 

[cpr]

A fantastic pic of the finish:

Source : www.elcorreodigital.com

 

[limerickman]

Very enjoyable stage today - great scenery around Irun.

A lot of big names are racing there - including Iban Mayo!
I watched todays stage on Eurosport and it was great footage especially the last climb.

Pais Vasco is a tough race - lots of climbing.

Valverde looked really good today as did Chavanel.
Horner was prominent too.

 

[micron]

And Mayo even had a little dig on the front which was good to see...

 

[limerickman]

And Mayo even had a little dig on the front which was good to see...

I saw that today Micron - Mayo popped out on the Jaiskebal (check spelling).

Given it's the Basque Country, I suppose he had to go to the front at some point.

 

[bobke]

I saw that today Micron - Mayo popped out on the Jaiskebal (check spelling).

Given it's the Basque Country, I suppose he had to go to the front at some point.

Valverde can stay with Armstrong in the fastest mountain stage then outsprint him, and can outsprint one of the best classics riders Freire in the world.
Oh man...in the mold of Lemond and other great all rounders.
This guy is unreal.

 

[sploush]

A fantastic pic of the finish:

Source : www.elcorreodigital.com

real awesome stage today,
can't wait till tomorrow, Valverde has to be favorite again tomorrow.

 

[lucybears]

cycling.tv are showing Pais Vasco live all week with no subscription needed.

 

[cpr]

Samuel Sanchez(Euskaltel-Euskadi) has won the 2nd stage.

 

[DiabloScott]

Samuel Sanchez(Euskaltel-Euskadi) has won the 2nd stage.

Euskaltel's first win of the season! That must be a load off their minds.

Agur.

 

[musette]

Euskaltel's first win of the season! That must be a load off their minds.

Agur.

Not really. They need to perform in the TdF.

 

[cpr]

Euskaltel's first win of the season! That must be a load off their minds.

Agur.

Yeah! Now they´ll be more relaxed. I think they were the only protour team not to win any race.

Not good news : Danilo Di Luca at 11:13. I hope he´ll be ready for the giro.

 

[sploush]

cycling.tv are showing Pais Vasco live all week with no subscription needed.

That's awesome. Today's stage was really good. I love cycling.tv

 

[limerickman]

Euskaltel's first win of the season! That must be a load off their minds.

Agur.

It's their home tour and they featured pretty well in stage 1.

Good result for them today - it will no doubt lift some of the pressure.

 

[barnstorm]

cycling.tv is an american cycling fan's lifesaver. live coverage of PR, pais vasco, gent... watched yesterday's stage today and lots to watch live tomorrow. nice run up that final climb yesterday. can't wait to see sammy s's win.

 

[cyclingheroes]

Not really. They need to perform in the TdF.

Yes and no, ofcourse they have to perform in the TdF, but you don't wanna know what would have happened if they hadn't won something in their home race (the team is called Euskatel-Euskadi, Euskadi means Basque country in the Basque language, they are riding The tour of Basque country...).