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Vuelta á España 2014
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| Riis123 |
Posted on 06-08-2014 18:57
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Grand Tour Specialist
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Consistently one of the highligts of the season, the Vuelta will this year kick off in Andalucia the 23rd August. The route will start south, go north and finish of in the north western mountains of Spain. The race's route follows the pattern of the route the last couple of years: ALOT of uphill finishes and not alot of opportunities for the pure sprinters.
Looking at the route, there are at least 7 high impact, altitude finishes coupled with two ITT of 47 kms combined and the standard, kinda boring short TTT starting the race. The result of that is at least half of the stages are having GC-implications and only 47 km ITT means the course will suit climbers such as Rodriguez and Quintana.
The Vuelta has over the years earned the reputation of being the race where the big names are trying to safe their season, mainly Tour de France-contenders crashing out which is also true for this race. Unfortunately, Contador wont attend, but the other favourite for the Tour de France, Chris Froome, will after an abysmal season for his standards. Andrew Talansky, the winner of the Dauphine this year, can also be mentioned here.
That leads me to the favourites: Froome, Quintana and Rodriguez are probably the only ones who realistically can hope to win the Vuelta which this year is very hotly contested. All of these riders ended on the podium in the very challenging Tour de France 2013 which witness their greatness in the mountains and they could very well end up on the podium again bar any crashes.
Right under them we find the likes of many of Quintana's Giro compaignons: Kelderman, Aru, Pozzovivo, Uran and Evans. Neither of them will probably win the Giro, but podium is definetely an option here since they, like Quintana, hasnt done many races since the Giro. We also do have some of the top-10 riders from the Tour this in attandance: Zubeldia, Valverde and Pinot with JVDB just finishing outside. Then there is Dan Martin who hasnt had much going for him this year and the never aging champion from 2013, Chris Horner - both of them seem to have targeted the Vuelta for a long time, so they should definetely be decent once it start going uphill.
Like always, there is a lot of questions about the riders shape going into the ladder part of the season. That's true for Betancur, Gesink, Ten Dam, Hesjedal, Nieve and Navarro. All of them are able to sneak into top-10, allthough I doubt Betancur will do much other than hunt stages. I hope for the better and he can find himself for the remainder of the season.
Then there's the young guns, capable of climbing and also going into the top-10-15: Chavez, Landa, Yates, Arredondo and Barguil. All of them are very interesting prospects, especially Yates who recently showed great shape in San Sebastian. Barguil should also be doing very well like last year.
I have probably forgot of a couple of guys and some of those guys arent even confirmed, but that's how it is (I used ProCyclingStats). If I was to make a top-10 before the race and even before the warmup races for the Vuelta, it would look like this:
1. Quintana
2. Froome
3. Rodriguez
4. Valverde
5. Chavez
6. Martin
7. Urán
8. Horner
9. Landa
10. Arredondo
I pretty much have no reasoning for the 4-10 spots as it's always hard to predict this race apart from the absolute favourites I feel. I probably also should have made a spot for Kelderman and the rather consistent Pozzovivo, but oh well. Let the discussion begin! 
As preparation for the Tour, its pretty much consensus you ride either Tour de Suisse or Dauphine as a GC-contender. There are of course exceptions, Valverde riding Tour du Sud this year and Quintana who prepared in Columbia last year. For the Vuelta however, there are a few more opportunities. I tried to list the GC-contenders and the races they have chosen as preparation:
Tour of Poland: Aru, Monfort, Cunego, Hesjedal, Gesink Sanchez, Arredondo and Barguil
Ruta a Burgos: Quintana, Moreno, Pardilla, Landa, Arroyo, Betancur and Pozzovivo (doesnt attend due to injury)
Tour of Utah: Horner, Anacona, Kelderman and Evans
Circuit de l'Ain: Dan Martin and Uran
None or 1 day races: Rodriguez, Chavez, Contador Navarro, Valverde, VDB, Froome, Nieve, Pinot, Talansky, Zubeldia, Ten Dam and Adam Yates
Edited by Riis123 on 19-08-2014 15:18
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| TimoCycling |
Posted on 06-08-2014 19:07
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Sprinter
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I'm going for Froome, think he is still fresh and eager to win.
Now my hope: Kelderman! Definitely a top 10 if he stays on his bike I think. So Riis23: you should've got Kelderman and also Pozzo in the top 10. Instead of Arredondo and Yates imo.
Looking forward to the Vuelta, what a crazy good startlist! |
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| Riis123 |
Posted on 06-08-2014 19:12
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Grand Tour Specialist
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TimoCycling wrote:
I'm going for Froome, think he is still fresh and eager to win.
Now my hope: Kelderman! Definitely a top 10 if he stays on his bike I think. So Riis23: you should've got Kelderman and also Pozzo in the top 10. Instead of Arredondo and Yates imo.
Looking forward to the Vuelta, what a crazy good startlist!
Yeah, but there are just so many good names here (many of which I hope is doing well - also Chavéz!) and you know, kinda boring just to be standard and pick ALL the favourites. Its more rewarding after the race to pick the outsiders, because their are somehow always 2-3 guys in the top-10 you didnt expected to see that high - if you know what I mean?  |
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| ryant |
Posted on 06-08-2014 19:21
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2388
Joined: 15-08-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Sammy Sanchez to win by 4-5 mins  (well he should get some freedom, it is his home tour )
In reality it should be an exciting race but I will miss the first few days as I'm on holiday so thats not too great :/
 John St Ledger in Team Bunzl-Centrica and Team U25Red Bull Driver in RFactor
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| Selwink |
Posted on 06-08-2014 19:29
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8702
Joined: 17-05-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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1. Quintana
2. Rodriguez
3. Uran
4. Valverde
5. Aru
6. Froome
7. Pozzovivo
8. Gesink
9. Kangert
10. Barguil
Points:
Rodriguez
KoM:
Txurruka
Combi:
Rodriguez
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| Gino_Bartali |
Posted on 06-08-2014 19:44
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Junior Rider
Posts: 40
Joined: 16-06-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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How all the dutch fanboys in this forum think it will look like:
1./2. Froome
1./2. Quintana
3. Kelderman
...
What it will really look like:
1./2. Froome
1./2. Quintana
..
13. Kelderman +20 min
or (more likely) DNF
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| Smoku |
Posted on 06-08-2014 19:51
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Domestique
Posts: 406
Joined: 22-07-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Quintana winning two GT's in one year at this young age would be too good and too much... |
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| SSJ2Luigi |
Posted on 06-08-2014 20:55
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World Champion
Posts: 11469
Joined: 21-07-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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1. Horner
2. Luis Leon Sánchez
3-89. I don't care
90. Kelderman (Lanterne_rouge)
edit: and then I woke up
Edited by SSJ2Luigi on 06-08-2014 20:57
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 06-08-2014 23:04
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34002
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Hoping the Vuelta will live up to its startlist this year and we have a cracking race |
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 06-08-2014 23:35
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15026
Joined: 08-08-2011
PCM$: 11500.00
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Is Contador definitely not riding Vuelta then? I thought there still was a very small chance.
But startlist is very good, could be the GT of the year after a rather boring Giro and TDF.
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 08-12-2025 07:45
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Bot Agent
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| b3n3v3nt3 |
Posted on 06-08-2014 23:49
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Stagiare
Posts: 158
Joined: 27-07-2011
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Ollfardh wrote:
Is Contador definitely not riding Vuelta then? I thought there still was a very small chance.
But startlist is very good, could be the GT of the year after a rather boring Giro and TDF.
I've read somewhere he would be definitely out. But yeah, lots of great riders in La Vuelta, it will be tough for the bets |
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| Shonak |
Posted on 07-08-2014 00:24
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15579
Joined: 16-07-2013
PCM$: 350.00
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Purito for GT win, pretty please.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| samdiatmh |
Posted on 07-08-2014 03:22
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 891
Joined: 29-12-2009
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SSJ2Luigi wrote:
1. Horner
2. Luis Leon Sánchez
3-89. I don't care
90. Kelderman (Lanterne_rouge)
edit: and then I woke up
only 90 finishers?! |
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| 547984 |
Posted on 07-08-2014 03:45
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4968
Joined: 29-01-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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samdiatmh wrote:
SSJ2Luigi wrote:
1. Horner
2. Luis Leon Sánchez
3-89. I don't care
90. Kelderman (Lanterne_rouge)
edit: and then I woke up
only 90 finishers?!
If you read the edit he was dreaming
baseballlover312, 06-03-14 : "Nuke Moscow...Don't worry Russia, we've got plenty of love to go around your cities"
Sarah Palin, 08-03-14 (CPAC, on Russian aggression) : "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a nuke is a good guy with a nuke"
Big thanks to jdog for making this AMAZING userbar! |
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| weirdskyfan64 |
Posted on 07-08-2014 07:29
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1356
Joined: 15-03-2014
PCM$: 200.00
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1. Quintana
2. Froome
3. Uran
4.Purito
5.Valverde
6. Hesjedal
7.Aru
8. Nieve
9.Arrendondo
10.Kelderman
Green: Quintana
KOM: Arrendondo
Combination: Froome
Disclaimer- Most of my posts are me thinking aloud. And most of what I think is rubbish.
Winner of a FIFA Prediction Fair Play Award (a phrase becoming increasingly ironic)
"... Because he (me) has a sound tactical mind in general..." jandal7, at 9:30 am GMT on 12th May 2016
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| dark_x2012 |
Posted on 07-08-2014 07:51
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 856
Joined: 13-05-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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I just hope Froome will fail miserably.
Spoiler But sadly it's only a dream. 
Otherwise I wanna see what Horner can do this year. |
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| trekbmc |
Posted on 07-08-2014 08:09
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Team Leader
Posts: 7336
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I want Evans to do well but he's performance in giro says otherwise, although he could start well, or win a stage. Interested in Barguil if he's racing. |
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| CountArach |
Posted on 07-08-2014 08:10
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8205
Joined: 14-07-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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So which rider who is out of contract next season is going to have a large and totally inexplicable increase to secure themselves a new contract for next year?
I bet one of the Cannondale guys.
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| MARSUPILAMI |
Posted on 07-08-2014 08:32
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Team Leader
Posts: 5573
Joined: 10-08-2013
PCM$: 300.00
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1 Froome
2 Quintana
3 Rodriguez
4 Uran
5 Valverde
6 Aru
7 Kelderman
8 Nieve
9 Pozzovivo
10 Horner
Points Rodriguez
Mountain Froome
Combi Froome
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| Riis123 |
Posted on 07-08-2014 08:44
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 5061
Joined: 07-08-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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SSJ2Luigi wrote:
1. Horner
2. Luis Leon Sánchez
3-89. I don't care
90. Kelderman (Lanterne_rouge)
edit: and then I woke up
LLS <3 |
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