La Vuelta a España 2023

[love2fly]

On 8/23/2023 at 8:28 AM, peepeekaitjie said:

https://www.sbs.com.au/sport/article/israel-premier-tech-miss-selection-for-la-vuelta/ru8b8yilk

Thanks....things are looking bleak for them. When I looked at Impey in Tour of Norway, he was like 100th out of about 120...

Edited August 28, 2023 by love2fly

[peepeekaitjie]

7 minutes ago, love2fly said:

things are looking bleak for them

well if they didn't spend a third of their budget on Froomey and the rest on geriatrics they could probably get a decent team together

[babse]

44 minutes ago, BuffsVintageBikes said:

Don't count out Gee, he might play it down but I'm pretty sure he's gunning for the top step.

He'll be there about playing the underdog and probably end on the podium...

Actually dig the old sod 😅

[love2fly]

53 minutes ago, peepeekaitjie said:

well if they didn't spend a third of their budget on Froomey and the rest on geriatrics they could probably get a decent team together

Yip. I'm a great fan but it's time to retire

[Dirt Tracker]

1 hour ago, Jewbacca said:

I know it's a completely different beast, but I love the absolute change in tune with the two/multiple leader 'solution'.

JV do it successfully once or twice and suddenly it's brilliant, but Movistar did it for years with nothing but hate..... 

If JV get it wrong, will everyone blame form, fatigue and bad luck or will they point to the multiple leader setup as the culprit, as everyone did with Movistar?

I loved the trident, the fork or what ever they were calling it. Amazing to watch as it imploded over and over again, the passive aggressive beef, Unzue's paternal encouragement in the face of the facts, each prong tuning on the other as the thing falls apart and then watching it all over again in the Netflix doco. 

The modern trident is just too professional. 

[peepeekaitjie]

28 minutes ago, Dirt Tracker said:

The modern trident is just too professional. 

you have clearly not seen UAE race without Pogacar

[Dirt Tracker]

17 minutes ago, peepeekaitjie said:

you have clearly not seen UAE race without Pogacar

there is a common factor to be fair. 

[Dirt Tracker]

[peepeekaitjie]

Ayuso spearpoint with Soler trying to drag Almeida back to the front in the background or Soler just doing Soler things by himself. 4 very strong climbers though if Vine can stay on his bike 

Edited August 23, 2023 by peepeekaitjie

[babse]

12 minutes ago, peepeekaitjie said:

Ayuso spearpoint with Soler trying to drag Almeida back to the front in the background or Soler just doing Soler things by himself. 4 very strong climbers though if Vine can stay on his bike 

Ayuso looked very good dropping Remco and his COVID form in TDsuisse.

Looking forward to him growing 💪

[peepeekaitjie]

Team Jumbo-Visma

 

Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic will lead Team Jumbo-Visma at the Vuelta a España. They will be supported by Sepp Kuss, Wilco Kelderman, Attila Valter, Jan Tratnik, Robert Gesink and Dylan van Baarle. 

 

They are the strongest looking team on paper. Probably get a 2min lead on everyone in the TTT, get up the first two weeks with the Jumbo train and cross the line holding hands. Once they have a 30min lead over everyone else, a game of rock-paper-scissors decides who takes the red jersey to Madrid.

 

UAE

Joao Almeida, Juan Ayuso, Finn Fisher-Black, Juan Sebastián Molano, Oliveira bros, Soler and Vine.

 

Strong group of riders but UAE is generally a beautiful mess, reminiscent of Movistar, without Pogacar. Is it bident, a trident, or a fork? Even if their GC bid goes belly up they could still contest for 6/7 stages.

 

Soudal Quick-Step

Remco Evenepoel, Andrea Bagioli, Mattia Cattaneo, Jan Hirt, James Knox, Casper Pedersen, Pieter Serry, Louis Vervaeke

 

The general consensus is that this is gonna be a weak team in the mountains and Remco has very little support but it doesn't matter. Jumbo and UAE will be battling each other. How Remco does this will just depend on his individual level. He just needs to follow Jumbo and UAE.

 

Movistar

Enric Mas, 2nd in the 2022 race, returns into racing after his crash in the Tour and will be the leader of a roster also including Spanish road race champion Oier Lazkano. The lineup is completed by Colombia’s Einer Rubio, Portuguese duo Nelson Oliveira / Ruben Guerreiro and Spaniards Iván García Cortina, Jorge Arcas and Carlos Verona.

 

Movistar is either gonna be completely invisible or absolutely chaotic. 

 

Let’s see if Mas can return to the lofty heights of last year after his crash in the Tour this year. 

 

Best of the Rest

Geraint Thomas. Gonna be tough for the old dog with such a stacked lineup. Barring crashes and illnesses, I can't see him able to reach the podium.

 

Aleksandr Vlasov hasn’t really had a good year so far but looked decent at the Vuelta a Burgos so hopefully, his form will improve.

 

As usual, EF left their press release to the last minute so I haven't bothered to look at it. 

 

Young Guns

FDJ is bringing a young squad, including 2 future great French hopes, only to end in tears a la, Tibot Pinot. Martinez and Gregoire ride in their first grand tour. It will be interesting to watch them, especially as they probably have the freedom to go for stages and won't have to defend 9th place in GC for Gaudu.

 

Jayco AlUla names young and hungry team that could be exciting with Dunbar and Zana in Giro form.

 

DSM also bring 2 GT debutants, Max Poole & Oscar Onley, both will be looking for their first WT wins after both have looked promising in their first year as a Pro.

[peepeekaitjie]

Bora just released their full squad.

 

👉🏼 Emanuel Buchmann 👉🏼 Nico Denz 👉🏼 Sergio Higuita 👉🏼 Lennard Kämna 👉🏼 Jonas Koch 👉🏼 Cian Uijtdebroeks 👉🏼 Aleksandr Vlasov 👉🏼 Ben Zwiehoff

Looks like Bora is sending their best mountain team apart from Hindley. I am interested in his Uijtdebroeks first GT

[lechatnoir]

Does anyone know the start times for tomorrow? I presume QS will be off last?

The official site indicated 18h55 kickoff with estimated 2035 final whistle, but what's the team order?

[Jewbacca]

I just looked at the route...... Goodness me.

I think there are about 4 actual sprint stages, maybe less.

BRUTAL racing. I am really looking forward to this now

['Dale]

One word:

A N G L I R U 

[babse]

If Jonas is anywhere close to his tour form, can't see how anyone is going to compete... Should be interesting.