Cav' Posted March 19, 2014 Posted March 19, 2014 It's the 94th Volta a Catalunya, and there's not a single flat stage. Every single big shot GC contender present except Valverde and Nibs. This will be the first clash of the season between Chris Froome and Alberto Contador. These two riders seem to be the two biggest favorites for the Tour de France as Nibali appears to lack form. Froome won the Tour of Oman in February but could not start in Tirreno-Adriatico due to back problems. Contador won a stage at the Volta ao Algarve and finished second there, and won Tirreno-Adriatico in a convincing way by winning two back to back mountain stages, one with an attack with 150m to go and one from a long-range 32km attack. Carlos Alberto Betancur won Paris-Nice, also winning 2 stages like Contador. The Colombian seemed to be in control but does he have what it takes to win on a more difficult parcours too? Domenico Pozzovivo's results this year may not be as impressive as those of the previous three riders, but he has shown great consistency by finishing top 10 in each of the stage races he's started this year. It's hard to see him winning but if he feels great he could finish on the podium. Joaquim Rodriguez finished 4th at the Tour of Oman and decided to resume competition at the Volta a Catalunya, instead of racing Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico. We'll see if it was a smart choice but "Purito" is very likely to finish top 5. Tejay van Garderen impressed many with his performance on Green Mountain at the Tour of Oman. He finished second behind Froome, also securing second place on the GC with that performance. It remains to be seen if he can repeat it at this race, with a much tougher field. Daniel Moreno has also had a good start of the season, but Rodriguez will probably be 's leader here so Moreno might have to play domestique. Richie Porte is the same story as Moreno. He has shown good form, but Froome will lead here. Also, he had to withdraw from Tirreno-Adriatico due to illness and perhaps he's not fully recovered yet. Nairo Quintana won the Tour of San Luis but, perhaps due to the birth of his daughter, hasn't shown great climbing form since. He got dropped by Contador on the Passo Lanciano, losing close to 40 seconds in about 5km. This isn't the great Quintana we saw in last year's Tour. Stage 1 | Calella > Calella, 165.7km Stage 2 | Mataró > Girona, 171.2km Stage 3 | Banyoles > La Molina (Alp), 162.9km Stage 4 | Alp > Vallter 2000/Setcases, 166.4km Stage 5 | Llanars-Vall de Camprodon > Valls, 222.2km Stage 6 | El Vendrell > Vilanova i la Geltrú, 163.9km Stage 7 | Barcelona (Montjuïc) > Barcelona (Montjuïc), 120.7km
Cav' Posted March 19, 2014 Author Posted March 19, 2014 Previous Winners2013 | MARTIN Daniel2012 | ALBASINI Michael2011 | SCARPONI Michele2010 | RODRIGUEZ Joaquim2009 | VALVERDE Alejandro2008 | VELOSO Gustavo2007 | KARPETS Vladimir2006 | CAñADA David2005 | POPOVYCH Yaroslav2000 | MARIA JIMENEZ Jose
Cav' Posted March 19, 2014 Author Posted March 19, 2014 Competing Teams (and their important riders) 1. Garmin Sharp (Martin, Danielson)2. Team Katusha (Rodriguez, Moreno)3. Movistar Team (Quintana, Anton)4. Tinkoff-Saxo (Contador, Majka)5. Omega Pharma - Quick-Step (Meersman, Uran)6. Team Sky (Froome, Porte)7. AG2R La Mondiale (Betancur, Pozzovivo)8. Astana Pro Team (Landa, Aru)9. Belkin-Pro Cycling Team (Kelderman, Martens)10. BMC Racing Team (van Garderen, Sánchez)11. Cannondale (Basso, Wurf)12. FDJ.fr (Pinot, Jeannesson)13. Lampre - Merida (Horner, Niemiec)14. Lotto Belisol (van den Broeck, De Clercq)15. Orica GreenEDGE (Clarke, Lancaster)16. Team Europcar (Voeckler, Rolland)17. Team Giant-Shimano (Mezgec, Barguil)18. Trek Factory Racing (Nizzolo, Kiserlovski)19. Caja Rural - Seguros RGA (Sanchez, Arroyo)20. CCC Polsat Polkowice (Rebellin, Matysiak)21. Cofidis, Solutions Crédits (Navarro, Bagot)22. Wanty - Groupe Gobert (Seeldraeyers, Kreder)
Cellar Posted March 19, 2014 Posted March 19, 2014 I'm gonna go out on a limb, and say that neither froome or porte will start.
Cav' Posted March 19, 2014 Author Posted March 19, 2014 Full startlists: Garmin Sharp MARTIN Daniel FERNáNDEZ Koldo CARDOSO André GAIMON Phillip DANIELSON Thomas HESJEDAL Ryder ACEVEDO Janier Alexis BROWN Nathan [new] Team Katusha RODRIGUEZ Joaquim CARUSO Giampaolo MORENO Daniel LOSADA Alberto VORGANOV Eduard [new] BRUTT Pavel [new] BELKOV Maxim [new] VICIOSO Ángel [new] Movistar Team QUINTANA Nairo ANTON Igor SZMYD Sylwester LASTRAS Pablo HERRADA Jose [new] CASTROVIEJO Jonathan [new] PLAZA Rubén [new] MORENO Javier [new] CAPECCHI Eros [new] Tinkoff-Saxo MAJKA Rafal SUTHERLAND Rory POLJANSKI Pawel SøRENSEN Chris Anker CONTADOR Alberto PAULINHO Sérgio HERNáNDEZ Jesús [new] PIRES Bruno [new] Omega Pharma - Quick-Step URAN Rigoberto DE GENDT Thomas MEERSMAN Gianni VERONA Carlos [new] ALAPHILIPPE Julian [new] PAUWELS Serge [new] VAKOC Petr [new] BRAMBILLA Gianluca [new] Team Sky FROOME Christopher LOPEZ David WIGGINS Bradley PORTE Richie NIEVE Mikel [new] SIUTSOU Kanstantsin [new] PATE Danny [new] EARLE Nathan [new] AG2R La Mondiale CHEREL Mikael DUMOULIN Samuel POZZOVIVO Domenico BETANCUR Carlos BARDET Romain GASTAUER Ben KERN Julian MINARD Sébastien Astana Pro Team WESTRA Lieuwe BRAJKOVIč Janez LANDA Mikel AGNOLI Valerio TIRALONGO Paolo ARU Fabio [new] DYACHENKO Alexandr [new] LUTSENKO Aleksey [new] ZEITS Andrey [new] Belkin-Pro Cycling Team KELDERMAN Wilco CLEMENT Stef TEN DAM Laurens KRUIJSWIJK Steven KEIZER Martijn MARTENS Paul TANNER David BOBRIDGE Jack BMC Racing Team VAN GARDEREN Tejay SáNCHEZ Samuel STETINA Peter MORABITO Steve BURGHARDT Marcus [new] EIJSSEN Yannick [new] KOHLER Martin [new] ATAPUMA John Darwin Cannondale BENNETT George BASSO Ivan WURF Cameron SARMIENTO Jose Cayetano BOIVIN Guillaume [new] KOCH Michel [new] MARINO Jean-Marc [new] SABATINI Fabio [new] FDJ.fr JEANNESSON Arnold ELISSONDE Kenny PINOT Thibaut ROY Jérémy VEIKKANEN Jussi [new] ROUX Anthony [new] VAUGRENARD Benoit [new] PINEAU Cédric [new] Lampre - Merida ANACONA Winner NIEMIEC Przemyslaw HORNER Chris CATTANEO Mattia [new] POLANC Jan [new] SERPA Jose Rodolfo [new] FERRARI Roberto [new] DURASEK Kristijan [new] Lotto Belisol DE CLERCQ Bart HENDERSON Gregory VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen VANENDERT Dennis [new] VAN DER SANDE Tosh [new] VALLéE Boris [new] BROECKX Stig [new] ARMéE Sander [new] Orica GreenEDGE YATES Adam CHAVES Johan Esteban MEIER Christian HOWARD Leigh [new] HOWSON Damien [new] CLARKE Simon [new] LANCASTER Brett [new] BEWLEY Sam [new] Team Europcar ROLLAND Pierre MALACARNE Davide VOECKLER Thomas RéZA Kévin [new] QUEMENEUR Perrig [new] MEDEREL Maxime [new] KERN Christophe [new] BERHANE Natnael [new] Team Giant-Shimano BARGUIL Warren JI Cheng HAGA Chad DAMUSEAU Thomas MEZGEC Luka [new] PREIDLER Georg [new] PETERSON Tom [new] FROHLINGER Johannes [new] Trek Factory Racing HONDO Danilo BEPPU Fumiyuki NIZZOLO Giacomo ZUBELDIA Haimar VOIGT Jens ARREDONDO Julián David VANDEWALLE Kristof KISERLOVSKI Robert ZOIDL Riccardo [new] Caja Rural - Seguros RGA TXURRUKA Amets SANCHEZ Luis Leon MADRAZO Ángel ARROYO David PARRA Heiner Rodrigo [new] GARCIA Marcos [new] VIGANO Davide [new] PIEDRA Antonio [new] CCC Polsat Polkowice HONKISZ Adrian MARCZYNSKI Tomasz REBELLIN Davide SAMOILAU Branislau [new] RUTKIEWICZ Marek [new] OWSIAN Lukasz [new] MIHAYLOV Nikolay [new] MATYSIAK Bartlomiej [new] Cofidis, Solutions Créd... MATE Luis Angel NAVARRO Daniel TAARAMäE Rein EDET Nicolas LEMARCHAND Romain [new] POULHIES Stéphane [new] MOLARD Rudy [new] HARDY Romain [new] BAGOT Yoann [new] Wanty - Groupe Gobert DE GREEF Francis BAUGNIES Jerome DEGAND Thomas GILBERT Jérôme [new] KREDER Michel [new] MINNAARD Marco [new] SEELDRAEYERS Kevin [new] SIJMENS Nico [new]
Cav' Posted March 19, 2014 Author Posted March 19, 2014 I'm gonna go out on a limb, and say that neither froome or porte will start.http://www1.skysports.com/cycling/news/15264/9211290/chris-froome-targeting-volta-a-catalunya-after-recovering-from-back-injury
Cellar Posted March 19, 2014 Posted March 19, 2014 http://www1.skysport...rom-back-injury Yeah? So? How the hell did he injure his back just riding his bike in the first place? This stinks I tell ya.
Cav' Posted March 19, 2014 Author Posted March 19, 2014 Yeah? So? How the hell did he injure his back just riding his bike in the first place? This stinks I tell ya.What are you suggesting?
Cellar Posted March 19, 2014 Posted March 19, 2014 What are you suggesting? That there is more to this injury than they are letting on. He fell (maybe not off his bike - remember when Jalabert fell off the step ladder? Wait, was it Jalabert?) or something, and reading between the lines it's a heck off a lot more serious than the skybots are letting on. I'm suggesting that a normal cyclist training and racing doesn't develop a back injury in such a severe form that they cannot race, unless they fall hard, or it's a pre-existing degenerative condition like Roche suffered from.
Cav' Posted March 19, 2014 Author Posted March 19, 2014 That there is more to this injury than they are letting on. He fell (maybe not off his bike - remember when Jalabert fell off the step ladder? Wait, was it Jalabert?) or something, and reading between the lines it's a heck off a lot more serious than the skybots are letting on. I'm suggesting that a normal cyclist training and racing doesn't develop a back injury in such a severe form that they cannot race, unless they fall hard, or it's a pre-existing degenerative condition like Roche suffered from.Haha ok then, maybe he was just scared that Berto would kick his arse.
Cav' Posted March 22, 2014 Author Posted March 22, 2014 There will be bonus seconds up for grabs on all stages but 3rd and 4th.
'Dale Posted March 22, 2014 Posted March 22, 2014 There will be bonus seconds up for grabs on all stages but 3rd and 4th. That's an unusual thingSelective stages have bonus secs
Cav' Posted March 22, 2014 Author Posted March 22, 2014 That's an unusual thingSelective stages have bonus secsIndeed
jcza Posted March 24, 2014 Posted March 24, 2014 The entire race http://inrng.com/medias/images/voltaprofiles2014.jpg
jcza Posted March 24, 2014 Posted March 24, 2014 Time bonuses will apply but it is 3-2-1 seconds for 3 places.
Jakkals. Posted March 24, 2014 Posted March 24, 2014 stage 3 and 4. well I just wish all the sprinters to have good legs on those days.
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