The Daily Race: Vuelta a España Stage 1
by Jen See on Aug 27, 2010 11:11 PM EDT
in Vuelta a España
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Stage 1: Sevilla — Sevilla
What is it? Team time trial. At night!
Got Climbs? Nope.
Red Jersey Battle: Not really, though certainly, it's a nice prize to take the first leader's jersey of a grand tour.
Ideal Rider: The big teams tend to thrive in the team time trials, so watch for Caisse d'Epargne, Liquigas, and Saxo Bank as the favorites. Garmin-Transitions loves the team crono, and is always in with a chance.
@Gavia: Glow in the dark skinsuits. Could someone... please?
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It's a short, flat dash around Sevilla for this opening stage of the Vuelta a España. The organizers have kept the spectacle high, by staging this team time trial at night, but the sporting significance remains relatively low. The team trial covers just 13 kilometers, which should keep the time gaps reasonable even for the teams who are not specialists in this particular discipline. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Vuelta a España. No place better than Sevilla to start the celebrations.
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meh is undecided right?
Have been thinking about it.. The Giro had some nice finishes in the TTT no? Di Luca who get angry because somebody pipped his jersey? (Can’t remember who was involved anymore) It’s an hard battle.. You can start sooo good with a leadersjersey.. It’s what they all been riding for…
gasparotto
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
Hooray for the start of the Vuelta!
To have three riviting GCs in one year would be wonderful. The cast of participants in this one promises an interesting race.
Thanks in advance for the overviews and detailed stage descriptions.
Dat was echt een schwalbe!
Phew
Finished annotating all the stages just in time, I mean adding markers for climbs & intermediate sprints. View all 21 stages via Prev/Next links in the right side column on the Bikemap pages linked above. Let me know if you see any errors!
One thing, though not relevant for stage 1: I tried to find the official start for every stage, which is often outside the town which has the ceremonial start. Particularly obvious on stage 12 from Andorra la Vella, stage 15 from Solares (actually starts in Heras, ahem) and stage 20 from San Martín de Valdeiglesias.
Ceci n'est pas une signature.
Ola from Seville
The website of the Best cycling mag bought since got here is www.cyclismoafondo.es. Great climb profiles and some top interviews, all online too. Recommended.
Oh how excellent to be there! Have fun
link is http://www.ciclismoafondo.es/
Ceci n'est pas une signature.
trying to be as cool as the Giro & TdF?
by ZoeRochelle on Aug 27, 2010 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Hoping the low light helps hide the hideous leader's jersey from view...
Then, by the next stage – too late, you got it!
Yes, I will have an Ultra Liberal MoCo Latte please.
by JustJoshinYa on Aug 27, 2010 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions
amen
I'm feverished, or the way you want to spell it
by plinytheelder on Aug 28, 2010 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions
6am on Sunday for those of us in Aus
I love the start of GT as much as the next girl, but don’t see myself getting up early for that.
We find your lack of faith disturbing
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Aug 28, 2010 4:15 AM EDT up reply actions
6am is early? the usa west coasties are going to truly call you a wimp
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
We can take it... I'm with Celerity... 6am on a Sunday morning? I think not...
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
tho, i will admit, while i can get up way early, i no longer last much past 8pm, 9pm tops, w/o getting a bit ill
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
8pm?
holy shet
I'm feverished, or the way you want to spell it
by plinytheelder on Aug 28, 2010 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions
all relative, usually up at 2am, crashed by 8pm, 9pm at the latest.
really, how different is that from someone who gets up later and stays up later?
nowhere near like when in college, when often didn’t crash out until 4am/5am, and up at 8am/9am.
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
wow 2am...that is impressive
I'm feverished, or the way you want to spell it
by plinytheelder on Aug 28, 2010 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm not a morning person either...and weekends are sacrosanct.
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Same!
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
The genius of 6 am starts
Living on the Best coast, almost all Euro races start somewheres between 6-7. I love it. Even though I am not normally a morning person. So why do I love it? Because I get to watch a race and then get on with my day. I don’t have to interrupt my day to watch a race a noon or in the evening and because of that I see more racing than I normally would.
I think the beauty here usually is that my day is done...
I’ve had dinner, graded papers, prepared lessons etc., but race time is time to relax..
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Bah!
I got up at 6 am to ride bikes this morning. Watching other people ride bikes is way easier. Also, you don’t have to get dressed for it.
Good point.
I went riding, too, but didn’t get up early for it.
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
Start order
1. Footon-Servetto 22:04
2. AG2R La Mondiale 22:08
3. Team Milram 22:12
4. Team Katusha 22:16
5. BBOX Bouygues Telecom 22:20
6. HTC-Columbia 22:24
7. Quick Step 22:28
8. Omega Pharma-Lotto 22:32
9. FDJ 22:36
10. Euskaltel-Euskadi 22:40
11. Lampre-Farese Vini 22:44
12. SKY Professional Cycling Team 22:48
13. Cofidis, le credit en ligne 22:52
14. Liquigas-Doimo 22:56
15. Xacobeo-Galicia 23:00
16. Garmin-Transitions 23:04
17. Astaná 23:08
18. Caisse d’Epargne 23:12
19. Team Saxo Bank 23:16
20. Rabobank 23:20
21. Cervélo Test Team 23:24
22. Andalucía-CajaSur 23:28
i see the home team goes last, pride of place
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
Gilbert he says he is riding the entire Vuelta, says it will be optimal training for Worlds and leaving on the day after the race
to fly to Australia, so he will still have just about 2 weeks so he should be all good barring any incidents.
Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!
Cadel Evans: the first WC champ who finished the Vuelta since 1998.
Just saying.
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
But he wasn't the world champion then..
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
i think majope may have worded it incorrectly. the last time a rider who rode the vuelta and THEN won the wc was 1998, prior to cadel in 2009
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
meaning, that the vuelta is excellent prep work for the wc
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
doesn't it mean rather the opposite?
That if you ride the whole Vuelta you’re not likely to win the WC?
seldom do you see those who are targeting the worlds finish the vuelta. they usually pull out after the 2nd week or so.
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
no, i'm saying that maybe those who target the wc should STOP dropping out of the vuelta early. maybe they might do better.
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
ah
but doesn’t majope’s statistic above suggest that is unlikely?
I’m sure someone could do a thorough analysis though….hinthint
not me. statistics? analysis? i no think that-a-way
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
Okay, let's take a look.
The Vuelta moved to the fall in 1995, and began finishing a few weeks before the Worlds.
In the 15 editions since then, 4 winners of the Rainbow have finished the Vuelta: Olano (1995), Brochard (1997), Camenzind (1998), and Evans (2009).
8 WC winners started the Vuelta but pulled out.
3 WC winners didn’t race the Vuelta at all.
Of the Vuelta finishers from the 1990s: Brochard confessed he’d doped in the ‘97 Vuelta and was probably still under the influence when he won the WC; Camenzind left cycling after a positive test for EPO in 2004; and Olano is said to have had a positive test in 1994, but I can’t find details about that so I don’t know if it’s true or not. But at least 2 of them may have had some help with recovery between their Vuelta and Worlds.
So, dropping out of the Vuelta for some rest and/or targeted training has been a good strategy for over half the rainbow jersey winners since the Vuelta moved. We’d need more cyclists to even attempt to finish the Vuelta as WC training to see if it’s a good idea or not, or whether Evans was an anomaly (given the shadow over the ’90s results).
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
wait, didn't boonen win in madrid? didn't he ride the vuelta to see the finish in madrid also?
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
Thing is, we’re all relying on a relatively small sample size to draw on. I think it’s better to assume that all riders have different bodies, that riders know what they are doing with their bodies, and will generally make the correct decision vis a vis prepping for the Worlds.
I’d say that past results, in and of themselves, are rather inconclusive. Most people who are targeting Worlds will not ride the entire Vuelta, so obviously most people who win at Worlds will not ride the entire Vuelta.
Jens! doesn’t have a shadow because he dropped it repeatedly until it retired, climbing into the CSC team car and claiming a stomach ailment.
by dees ees en drama on Aug 28, 2010 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Well, yeah.
And if they do know their bodies and most choose not to finish the Vuelta, then most think there’s more benefit in pulling out than in finishing.
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
I agree with you..
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Well usually worlds is a week after and not 2 weeks so 2 weeks seems to be the general consensus
or thereabouts to stop racing. Good this year though that they can take advantage of the whole Vuelta.
Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!
by Vlaanderen90 on Aug 28, 2010 8:44 AM EDT up reply actions
But do you think they will?
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Well if you leave right afterwards, that should be plenty of time...
I mean, if you finish the whole thing and leave the Monday after then subtract a whole day of travel/time then you probably have 11 days before race day for the road race.
Millar might drop out since he is only doing the TT and other people like that but who knows. If Gilbert is staying then that is probably a sign
Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!
by Vlaanderen90 on Aug 28, 2010 8:53 AM EDT up reply actions
Okay, if that wasn't clear:
Evans was the first person since Oskar Camenzind in 1998 to win the World Championships after finishing the entire Vuelta.
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
Sorry... I didn't mean to be pedantic
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
reminds one of the 2008 tour/olympics timing. cance going directly to china after the tdf finished. and we all know how well that turned out for him.
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
I'm hoping he will be using his "one day per hour time difference"
formula again – more stalking sighting opportunities
I've never thought of you as a lurker before... please take pics :)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
That's it...with a camera around your neck....papparazzi maybe?
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
I was too shy to talk to any riders at the start of a race
I don’t how likely it is that I’ll stop one on the street and ask for a photo, but I’m definitely going to keep my camera in my bag for a few weeks!
I would be too... I'm talking about secret snapshots ;)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
See you already know someone... how cool is that?
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Are you in Melbourne?
And on a related note to the actual aussies: If you are going to pronounce it gelong anyway why waste the extra e ?
If only that were the worst of our spelling sins...
Try this: Goonoo Goonoo… it’s pronounced ‘gunna ganoo’…
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Now that's dedication!
I’m still considering moving to Valkenburg for 2012.
by blackswangreen on Aug 28, 2010 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions
so, the ttt isn't going past the cathedral?
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
The start ramp is a couple streets over...the catherdral sits back a little from the main drag so they can't go past it but they
are about as near as they can get. Start and finish are separate but both are right by the Torre del Oro (Gold Tower). It’s dodecagonal! Built by the Berbers too
Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!
by Vlaanderen90 on Aug 28, 2010 7:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Way cool--thanks for that.
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
Ooooooh.
I never lived in Germany, but I spent a long weekend there. Took the train down the Rhine valley, and I swear—every mile or so there was another castle overlooking the river. Just beautiful (er…if you don’t stop to consider the systemic social inequality that produced them).
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
The need about a week long tour of castles...Could start in Belgium at finish in Namur at the citadel, head through Luxembourg
and then head south through Germany. Would be the prettiest race thread of them all
Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!
by Vlaanderen90 on Aug 28, 2010 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Visited a castle from the Swedish "superpower-era" (17:th century) last week
Sensational original murals and roof-paintings
(from the “Austria-room”, designed to suck up to another superpower)
I'm guessing Gustav Adolphus era but I might be totally off...really cool though
Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!
by Vlaanderen90 on Aug 28, 2010 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Yep
The whole course is covered by Streetview, by the way, check out the little yellow/orange man on the stage 1 map.
Ceci n'est pas une signature.
Oh yes! Forgot about those brilliant things...
I was going off the google map on lavuelta.fr and comparing it to another google map for famous buildings and whatnot but thats simplifies it a bit. Thanks
Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!
by Vlaanderen90 on Aug 28, 2010 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions
well, this sucks, according to the schedule tve-international isn't showing the vuelta.
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
Eurosport is
(at least NL/BE Eurosport) from 21:34 local time CEST to midnight.
Ceci n'est pas une signature.
but you're in europe. i've relied on tve-international in the states for vuelta coverage for years now.
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
UNIVERSAL SPORTS!!! GOGO!!!
"Until you shoot me off my bike I'll keep looking for a contract" - Jens!
Quitter's People United member # 42
um, no, i don't think so. i really can't stand the american commentators.
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
(Option mute)
"Until you shoot me off my bike I'll keep looking for a contract" - Jens!
Quitter's People United member # 42
it has commercials. i HATE commercials.
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
What I do
is put up an internet stream for when they cut to commercials. No way am I watching on my lap top over the TV though
"Until you shoot me off my bike I'll keep looking for a contract" - Jens!
Quitter's People United member # 42
quad core mini tower attached to bravia monitor.
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
Oh right, on TV you mean?
I thought it would be a stream, and there is bound to be one for Eurosport. Anyways, it’s rally car driving right now :(
Ceci n'est pas une signature.
We've got a Vuelta preview show on Universal TV.
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
Should be fun to watch Team Saxo Bank all climb on Spartacus' back
and get towed to the line. It’s short enough that he should be able to race at the head of the team for the whole TTT.
One would think that Gustav Larsson would have a thing or two to say about that statement
then again being Scandinavian he’s probably too modest to say anything.
Well......
TdF 2009 TTT he didn’t exactly climb on Cance’s back , he was more like quietly cruising along in the mighty slipstream
We will see.
I expect Larsson to take a pull or two.
Can you imagine next year?
Cancellara, Contador, Gustav Larsson… You’d feign injury for less if you were a Schleck.
Still don't know the full composition of Team Lux yet.
Plus, while we know Riis wants to keep Cancellara, Bert must be costing him a fortune. A buy-out would certainly improve the cash flow.
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
I don’t think that he has any cash problems, have rarely before seen him with such a big smile, it goes almost from ear to ear ;)
by LittleOldLady on Aug 28, 2010 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Still not impossible Riis could let him go.
Depends on the depth of Cancellara’s unhappiness, and the potential effect it might have on his teamwork. At some point, it’s just not worth keeping him.
But I don’t know how upset Cancellara is—he might have just been initially pissed off that he had to find out about the team changes from the media. Maybe he’s over it by now.
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
That is odd for him--his usual face is worried.
And, good for him. But I do hate to see Fabian stuck there if he’s unhappy.
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
Yes that is odd for him, and that is why I have noticed it.
But when he is really happy about something you can see it, he looks like at cat that have swollowed the bird with the cage and everything.
I do not know anything about that Fabian should be unhappy, I know that some german newspaper have written something to that effect, but until there are som true statement from Fabian himself I would not put too much into that. From what I have read through the years Fabian and Riis have a very good relationship, and I do not think that Contador could come between that.
by LittleOldLady on Aug 28, 2010 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Can't hurt Fabian's outlook that Alberto may be available next April for LBL
If Fabian wants that monument bad enough I’d bet that Alberto would be 100% ready to help him get it. It sure didn’t hurt Vino having him on the team last April.
O/T: Goddamn.
Pizza is good.
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
My dinner companion overruled my suggestion of pizza in favour of Chinese.
I really wanted pizza too.
YAY, it's starting! In 3 minutes the ugly outfits set off :)
It’s 10 PM, wow, weird feeling. Can’t wait!
"Not a great entertainer is young Edvald" - Bradley Wiggins
Ah, so despite your name, you're not in the Tri-City* area of New York?
*Schenectady, Albany, Troy
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
What a spectacle!
Racing at night, team trial, shadows all over the road, small roads….Viva la Vuelta!
"Thanks again, Floyd Landis, Yellow Jersey Wearer: Nuisance Category"
Whoa. I thought this was the live thread.
Thanks!
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
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