Vuelta 2015

[fat and old]

Being naturally predisposed towards all that is Spanish.....I'm looking forward to this. Lots of mountains, lots of tired GC contenders, a genuine chance to see Froome either loose badly or win and change my opinion of him, likewise a chance the Sky train meets its match with Astana......

Bring it on

Oh yeah....go Nairito Show me you're not a sook.

[biker jk]

TTT on sand/dirt/rubber mats. Maybe they need to use CX bikes.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vuelta- ... al-course/

[yugyug]

What a bunch of scaredy cats. They can always slow down to mitigate risks!

[Roobar]

"Chris Froome was one of the first to raise concerns about safety, after realising that he and his teammates will be expected to race at close to 50km/h on the dirt track."
No Chris, you're expected to rideas fast as you can without crashing. A 50km/h train is impressive on TV, but boring live if you're not at the finish line. Watching a bunch of pro riders hammer it in poor conditions is entertaining both on TV and in person.
Watching teams tactics and gear selection make a real difference in the race might not play into sky's hands but this and the dirt climb in the giro add some excitement for the audience.

[tcdev]

Thanks for the heads-up. As a relative cycling noob and Vuelta virgin I've been looking forward to this but it slipped my mind! Another three weeks of my wife rolling her eyes at me watching 'some boring bike race' and 'watching men in lycra'. I'm happy that Sagan is riding - or starting the tour at least. And here's hoping that Quintana can show Froome a clean set of wheels!

[MichaelB]

TTT on sand/dirt/rubber mats. Maybe they need to use CX bikes.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vuelta- ... al-course/

Looking at the pics, ya gotta admit that it doesn't make sense for a World Level event to be run on sand.

Yes, they may spray a chemical to firm it up, but what happens if that breaks down and stops working after a few teams are through ?

Don't mind narrow, twisty ala the Giro TTT, but the Vuelta version seems a bit iffy ....

[toolonglegs]

It's ridiculous

[biker jk]

TTT times to be neutralised.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vuelta- ... -concerns/

[toolonglegs]

Still ridiculous ... but fair enough, if they had said they were going to race up the beach for 5 km's on fat bikes it would have been more fun. I for one don't want to see someone smashed against a rock at 50 kmph because of a spectacle on the beach.

[BenGr]

So the sand is not quite CX level (from what i've seen), but still sounds daft. I like someones suggestion of a team running fat bikes in protest.

[tcdev]

TTT sounds like a dead rubber to all but a few teams...

[Strydz]

It wasn't just the sand that was the issue, I watched the GCN video previewing the stage (the guy who did it has one of the most annoying voices I've ever heard) and there were several surface changes over the 7 k's with plenty of bumps that could of caused havoc when you have 9 riders on TT bikes, it also looked touch and go if team cars could of followed the teams through the whole course so this really was a big stuff up by the Vuelta organisers. It doesn't really matter anyway with it being such a short course that time gaps wouldn't of been very big.... It should be an interesting Vuelta, Astana clearly have the strongest team but with Nibali, Aru and Landa it will be interesting to see if the will work for eachother, Landa is leaving anyway so I don't doubt if he thinks he's got the legs he will go for it. I have no idea who will win Vuelta but I don't see it being Froome

[Xplora]

Astana already cheating. Nice.

[biker jk]

Astana already cheating. Nice.

Can't wait for Froome to tweet about Nibali holding onto the team car to repay him for his barb (Froome was disqualified from the 2010 Giro for holding onto a motorbike. He was going uphill at the time so a little different to Nibili).

[find_bruce]

Beat me to it jk. My first thought was the penalty was a bit harsh until I remembered Nibali's backhander.

[GAV!N]

Astana already cheating. Nice.

Can't wait for Froome to tweet about Nibali holding onto the team car to repay him for his barb (Froome was disqualified from the 2010 Giro for holding onto a motorbike. He was going uphill at the time so a little different to Nibili).

I only saw the aerial view, but looked like Nibbles was going uphill too? The rest of the bunch seemed to grind to a holt. Maybe that was just the speed he was going though :p

[MichaelB]

After the Porte penalty in the Giro, if the rules are clear, then the penalty must be applied for consistency. Don't know the exact wording of the rule, but seeing the clip on the net, it bit damn obvious ....

What was he thinking if it was only for 100m ? (as reported) .....

What will Vino think

[biker jk]

Astana already cheating. Nice.

Can't wait for Froome to tweet about Nibali holding onto the team car to repay him for his barb (Froome was disqualified from the 2010 Giro for holding onto a motorbike. He was going uphill at the time so a little different to Nibili).

I only saw the aerial view, but looked like Nibbles was going uphill too? The rest of the bunch seemed to grind to a holt. Maybe that was just the speed he was going though :p

Yes he was going up hill but not quite the Mortirolo.

[biker jk]

Nibali replicating a Froome like acceleration uphill.

[Thrilloilogy]

Nibali gone from the Vuelta and deservedly so.

What is the UCI going to do about Astana? It's name is synonomous with cheating and the old way. Cycling shouldn't have any more room for people like Alexandr Vinokourov and Astana.

[biker jk]

Nibali gone from the Vuelta and deservedly so.

What is the UCI going to do about Astana? It's name is synonomous with cheating and the old way. Cycling shouldn't have any more room for people like Alexandr Vinokourov and Astana.

Sorry but I fail to see how Astana is any different to Sky in this regard. The latter had Froome and Porte cheating and employed a doping doctor and former dopers as DSs.

[bigfriendlyvegan]

Nibali replicating a Froome like acceleration uphill.

That was freaking hilarious. Can someone please add some Yakkety Sax to that one?

[queequeg]

Nibali replicating a Froome like acceleration uphill.

Far out, Nibali must have been cranking out the power to pull that car away so fast!

[Xplora]

I thought the DQ was excessive, but if Porte is the precedent, then they had to. It is cheating, but the commissaires are usually so soft it surprised me.

[fat and old]

Nibali replicating a Froome like acceleration uphill.

Man, that's outta hand.

Now, if only they penalise everyone else fairly...sticky bottles, drafting, the lot.