|
La Vuelta a Espana preview and discussion
|
|
| Ad Bot |
Posted on 09-12-2025 18:26
|
Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
|
|
| IP: None |
|
|
| Roman |
Posted on 25-02-2012 13:07
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4279
Joined: 29-05-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
Really nice effort by Rohregger. It will be hard to achieve, but I still believe that top 20 overall could be possible to achieve. And nice to see some aggresive riding once again from my team.
The other good news are for me that we are still 9 men in the race. Especially nice too see Vanderaerden, Hutarovich and Forero staying in the race with their really poor MO stat. Hopefully they can finally achieve something in these flat stages which are coming right now..
The only thing I don't like to see is 8 Spanish riders top 10 overall. And because Webeffect manager really doesn't seem to care about his team anymore, so only thing I can say is: GO MACHADO! 
|
| |
|
|
| p3druh |
Posted on 25-02-2012 13:25
|
Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2388
Joined: 28-09-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
I had a mini heart attack when I saw the list of 16 riders at the climb and Machado wasn't in it. I opened the picture but still couldn't figure out if Machado was in there or not. You can kill a man with something like that Smowz! 
Anyway, Machado doing just fine. Could be better positioned in the peloton but so far so good. A top-10 is the goal and it seems to be going well. Also, very happy that we haven't lost a single rider so far. That can turn out to be very important for the very long TTT. Even though Pearl Adidas don't have any brilliant TTers, the fact that they have 9 riders can help cut the gap to better teams that only have 6 or 7 riders.
Oh and I agree with Roman, GO MACHADO
|
| |
|
|
| Smowz |
Posted on 25-02-2012 13:31
|
Team Leader
Posts: 6386
Joined: 09-04-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
You know what it is every time I write the report I keep getting confused between Madrazo and Machado - which makes little sense I know.
It should be an interesting TTT ahead with some teams down to just 5 riders!
|
| |
|
|
| Kami |
Posted on 25-02-2012 17:12
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3386
Joined: 19-06-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
Fuck yeah, Van Stayen not performing the whole season and then taking 2 stages in the Vuelta. Awesome!
|
| |
|
|
| alexkr00 |
Posted on 25-02-2012 17:18
|
World Champion
Posts: 13566
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 400.00
|
Kami wrote:
Fuck yeah, Van Stayen not performing the whole season and then taking 2 stages in the Vuelta. Awesome!
He seems to have a pedigree for Grand Tours then. He did the same last season, but the 2 stages that he won were in Le Tour.
|
| |
|
|
| SotD |
Posted on 25-02-2012 21:25
|
World Champion
Posts: 12635
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
|
Two good stages. Too bad Festina and Santander couldn't come to consensus on taking a big dig on the others. 2+ mins on Valverde and Sella would have been breathtaking. Another third, and second GC is good with Serpa climbing well, and Holloway in good shape. 1/3 of the race well done...
|
| |
|
|
| Bushwackers |
Posted on 25-02-2012 23:13
|
Sprinter
Posts: 1983
Joined: 07-02-2009
PCM$: 300.00
|
Well, that was mediocre from Gomez Marchante. Stage 5 had me hoping for a possible top 5 overall, but I think 7th or 8th would be the best case scenario for him. And I was expecting Marquez to do a little better than outside the top 20. Chtioui missing the cut will definitely hurt us too...
But Richeze! Podium in a GT Stage!!
|
| |
|
|
| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 25-02-2012 23:31
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4726
Joined: 06-12-2006
PCM$: 200.00
|
Got a feeling Colombia are not going to get much (more) out of this Vuelta.....
Roman wrote:And because Webeffect manager really doesn't seem to care about his team anymore, so only thing I can say is: GO MACHADO!
Probably not the thread for this - but my view would be that managers who fail to stay active through the season should be sacked at certain points. Count Arach and Smowz have/will be putting a huge amount of time and effort into reporting the Giro and Vuelta - if you can't even be bothered to thank them for the work they've put in - then I think you should be removed from the game. |
| |
|
|
| SotD |
Posted on 26-02-2012 08:34
|
World Champion
Posts: 12635
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
|
fenian_1234 wrote:
Got a feeling Colombia are not going to get much (more) out of this Vuelta.....
Roman wrote:And because Webeffect manager really doesn't seem to care about his team anymore, so only thing I can say is: GO MACHADO!
Probably not the thread for this - but my view would be that managers who fail to stay active through the season should be sacked at certain points. Count Arach and Smowz have/will be putting a huge amount of time and effort into reporting the Giro and Vuelta - if you can't even be bothered to thank them for the work they've put in - then I think you should be removed from the game.
I kinda agree, eventhough it's difficult to say when's when. It could be related to familiar causes or so...
Looking at my team for the TTT I will be losing shitloads of time on both Santander and Vesuvio here I fear. My two best guys are both out of the race.
I'm left with a couple of decent TT'ers and a bunch of no good rednecks:
Alberto Contador (75TT I believe)
Tim Dees (76TT)
Steve Morabito (72TT)
and my rednecks with less than 70TT:
José Serpa
Dan Holloway
Rafael RodrÃguez Segarra
That's really tough, when I had a very strong setup before the race with 78-77-77 I think it was. With those gone, I should be looking towards the last places unfortunately, and thus leaving Contador with little chance of a podium. Too bad, as he has been very strong. A couple of minutes on Valverde, Sella and those likes would have been awesome.
|
| |
|
|
| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 26-02-2012 09:57
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7366
Joined: 19-02-2008
PCM$: 200.00
|
I think I still have a full complement of riders which leaves me with TT stats of 78, 75, 74, 73, 73, 72, 70, 67 and 65. Which should leave us in quite a strong position.
|
| |
|
|
| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 26-02-2012 10:27
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4726
Joined: 06-12-2006
PCM$: 200.00
|
My main worry for the TTT is the weaker guys won't be able to stay with Rogers and him and Abal will come in 3 or 4 minutes ahead of them. Could be some major AI fails on the horizon. |
| |
|
|
| Kami |
Posted on 26-02-2012 11:27
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3386
Joined: 19-06-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
Bah, Van Stayen clearly the strongest there, to bad he was blocked.
|
| |
|
|
| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 26-02-2012 12:02
|
Team Manager
Posts: 31706
Joined: 08-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
Its a worrying problem with the AI that if your team has a top sprinter, your GC guy is used to chase on flat stages.
But now for the TTT. Kittel 81, Intxausti 77, Stundzia 74, Kvasinia 72, Iglinski 71, Claerebout 71, Samwel 60.
Id be surprised if Jack Wolfskin dont win, but hopefully I have a chance to put time on the closest rivals to Intxausti - Sella and Valverde should definately lose time.
|
| |
|
|
| Roman |
Posted on 26-02-2012 14:46
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4279
Joined: 29-05-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
Forero was finally in a really good position, but unfortunetely he started sprinting too soon. He got at least some points in the end..
My team should ride quite solid TTT. Coppel (83), Kreuziger (77), De Gendt (76), Bouet (76) and Rohregger (75) is solid squad. Hopefully they will drop König (70), Forero (69), Hutarovich (65) and Vanderaerden (58) really soon to get some solid time and maybe some points as well.
|
| |
|
|
| niconico |
Posted on 26-02-2012 14:55
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3926
Joined: 09-07-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
0 stage wins this season and counting (though I obviously don't have to)
|
| |
|
|
| ember |
Posted on 26-02-2012 15:37
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7062
Joined: 27-03-2008
PCM$: 900.00
|
Nice first week,, none of the big favourites taken out by crashes, that's always nice. Santander looks set for the overall win, wonder whether they'll keep also Arroyo and Tenorio top 10 through the whole race, that would kind of just prove how strong their line up for this Vuelta is.
|
| |
|
|
| SotD |
Posted on 26-02-2012 16:49
|
World Champion
Posts: 12635
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
|
Dan Holloway is doing quite well here. I'm not expecting him to battle for stagewins in a pack like this, so 5th is nice. More of that will be welcomed.
I like the fact that Madrazo and Valverde use energy with sprinting in the bunch, and Sella spending up energy by chasing for his sprinter. Also being 3rd in the Teams classification might help us in the TTT, where we need to pull a wonder if we aren't 3+ minutes behind the best riders by the end of the stage.
Serpa in 14th is very interesting, as Contador could potentially pull him even further up in the GC. 14th is very nice though.
|
| |
|
|
| Bushwackers |
Posted on 26-02-2012 17:21
|
Sprinter
Posts: 1983
Joined: 07-02-2009
PCM$: 300.00
|
Well, if we are comparing our TTT stats: 75, 71, 71, 71, 70, 70, 65, 59
Good game, Gomez Marchante...
Not looking forward to it, we probably will lose around 5 minutes.
|
| |
|
|
| mb2612 |
Posted on 26-02-2012 17:45
|
Team Leader
Posts: 5535
Joined: 18-05-2008
PCM$: 200.00
|
Mine are: 79, 77, 74, 70, 70, 68, 60, 54.
The hope is that because they are all climbers they are stronger (maybe)
 [url=www.pcmdaily.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=33182] Team Santander Media Thread[/url]
Please assume I am joking unless otherwise stated |
| |
|
|
| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 26-02-2012 21:18
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4726
Joined: 06-12-2006
PCM$: 200.00
|
It's really good to have a stage like this one - I'm actually really looking forward to seeing how it goes.
Colombia have 84 - 77 - 73 - 70 - 70 - 62 - 54. Just got to hope Rogers rides on the front and the others in the 70's just hang on for 60km. My guess is they're going to get dropped. |
| |
|
