Vuelta starts in 10 days...

[MattTuck]

Time flies.

Current startlist (http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Vuelta_a_Espana_2017_Startlist)

I'm pulling for Chavez.

[PQJ]

I'm pulling for the same guy I was pulling for at the Tour, even though I know his chances of winning are only slightly better at about 1% (vs. .1% for the Tour) - Contador.
Here's hoping the Vuelta is more exciting than this past edition of the Tour, which was probably the least compelling one I have ever seen.

[MattTuck]

That would be fun to see. Quintana's ill-conceived Giro-Tour double was allegedly* born out of Movistar seeing something in Valverde's training data last year (he rode the tour and vuelta) and then trying to apply it to the Colombian.

Trying to apply stuff you see in a 37 year old to a 27 year old turned out not to be so good of an idea. Still, the double grand tour may suit Contador (being older) more, so we can hope for good things.



*Yes, it could also have simply been that Movistar thought their chances were better in the Giro, than putting all eggs in Tour basket against Froome.

[cmg]

Fabio Aru and Bardet will be there. As will Chris froome. Quintana is not listed.


"Quintana's ill-conceived Giro-Tour double was allegedly* born out of Movistar seeing something in Valverde's training data last year (he rode the tour and vuelta)" No, it was born out of defeating Chris Froome last year at the Vuelta by over a minute. Chris became beatable.

[CSKeller]

Looking forward to it!

Does anyone know if it will be televised on the U.S.

BEIN Sports carried the Giro and NBC Sports had the Tour...but I haven't heard of either of them picking up the Vuelta.

[Mark McM]

There will be daily coverage of the Vuelta on the NBC Sports Gold streaming, and on Olympics Channel cable channel (owned by NBC Sports):

http://www.nbcsports.com/cycling-schedule

The coverage NBC Sports Gold coverage seems likely to be live coverage in the morning, and the Olympics Channel will have a 1 or 2 hour recap each evening.

[FlashUNC]

A farewell tour for Contador. I hope he eats all the beef he wants.

[Elefantino]

.

[jlwdm]

Hard to get too excited when you scan the team rosters. You learn who some of the other Sky riders are. The Vuelta does give a lot more riders the chance to ride a three week race.

Jeff

[adub]

a farewell tour for contador. I hope he eats all the beef he wants.

lol!!

[ultraman6970]

Hahaha...

Will be an interesting vuelta, valverde is not there just to start. Froome cant ride the spanish climbs too well, are too steep for him, but who knows. Nibali is back... well could be contador's... my top 2.. nibali and contador...

A farewell tour for Contador. I hope he eats all the beef he wants.

[livingminimal]

I don't know the parcours for this year and how it suits them, but I really want to see Contador win a stage, and Bardet win the GC.

[rnhood]

Should be another easy tour for Froome. I hope Contadore makes the podium but he seems to be struggling of late.

[jlwdm]

Should be another easy tour for Froome. I hope Contadore makes the podium but he seems to be struggling of late.

Not sure what you mean about Froome? It seems Sky has a team at the Vuelta because they are required to, but as in the past they are bringing a weak team and don't have a lot of interest in the race.

Jeff

[MattTuck]

Might be a weak team, but Froome could certainly decline to ride the Vuelta. He has the power to do that, and simply go back to training. I've heard the arguments that he rides the Vuelta as training for next year's tour. That could be a big motivation, but the guy is still trying to win it. Even if he's there for the training, the prerequisite is that he's pushing himself to win in a way that racing allows that simple training does not.

[livingminimal]

Froome has made doing the tour/vuelta double a goal for awhile now, he just struggles with the second GT, like every modern rider.

[blood]

Time flies.

Current startlist (http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Vuelta_a_Espana_2017_Startlist)



I'm gunna go with Aru even though I don't know how well he recovers. I think he got sick in July which is why he was going backwards on the climbs in TdF's final week. Especially when Sky put that uphill pain train on.. Hard to go against Froome. But Froome with Landa, Kwitko, AND being sick.. They were ripping legs off. So hopefully Aru can get some redemption at a race he's previously won.

[cmg]

SKY may be bringing a weak team but if Froome smells victory he throttles up. there's no 2nd chance. The final stages of last years Vuelta were great. Looking forward to it. I want Bardet to put up a challenge.

[ultraman6970]

He cant climb stuff over 12 -15% thats this problem and the vuelta is full of them. Stages that steep were the ones that gave him troubles at the tour. Thats there reason I do not see when he will be able to win the vuelta probably ever.

Might be a weak team, but Froome could certainly decline to ride the Vuelta. He has the power to do that, and simply go back to training. I've heard the arguments that he rides the Vuelta as training for next year's tour. That could be a big motivation, but the guy is still trying to win it. Even if he's there for the training, the prerequisite is that he's pushing himself to win in a way that racing allows that simple training does not.

[Clean39T]

And we got a positive: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/samuel-sanchez-tests-positive-in-out-of-competition-control/

I'm still excited for the start tomorrow...TTT and all...

[azrider]

And we got a positive: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/samuel-sanchez-tests-positive-in-out-of-competition-control/

"Dirty Sanchez" :D

[54ny77]

Sure was fun to watch when he was ON.

Maybe he'd been off the jamon especial the past handful of years.

[tiretrax]

"Dirty Sanchez" :D

Accch. Beat me to it.