Vuelta Espana - 2005

[font=Verdana]I like Oscar Pereiro but not for overall. I think Landis can do some good work and is a BIG chance. Can time trial better than Heras et al. and after last year has leant some lessons. My money is on Landis.[/font]

limerickman said:

Sorry to interrupt the LA media circus - but we have, starting tomorrow, the third grand tour of the season : La Vuelta.

22 teams line up in this Pro-Tour season looking to try to win the Golden Jersey.

The usual suspects are there : CSC, DC, Telekom, Libert, Phonak, with a smattering of local Spanish teams like Comunidad Valenciana.

Some of the big name riders won't be there - like Ullrich and Valverde but given this, the starting line up looks impressive.
Heras, Landis, Beloki, Bettini, Petacchi are all listed as starters.

Who gets my vote (kiss of death) to win ?

I think Oscar Pereiro will feature.
As will Landis and Heras.

Putting my neck on the block - I am going to go for DeGaldeano of Liberty.
He hasn't had a great season but his DS Saiz always went to win the Vuelta when he directed ONCE in the 1990's and I think his team might well provide
this years winner.

Anyone else ?

whiteboytrash said:

[font=Verdana]I like Oscar Pereiro but not for overall. I think Landis can do some good work and is a BIG chance. Can time trial better than Heras et al. and after last year has leant some lessons. My money is on Landis.[/font]

Aitor Gonzalez!!!!!!!!!!! for the overall.

Unfortunately there are 7 hilltop finishes, so Roberto and Mancebo will actually be the favorites in my book.

I dont care really who wins so long as it is en exciting race, and they check everyone's urines 7 years from now so the podium ceremony can take place he he🙂

Plus, Roberto learned so much from Lance about SPECIAL training methods...OK I take it back, forget that last bit.

I like Landis but he has been going strong since April in TdGeorgia, so I dont know how he can hold form. Sounds like Phonak is going to be tearing each others legs off to prove who's best--sort of like they did in the Tour with Pereiro's relentless attacking. I mean I dont think it would have mattered to Landis, but on a couple of stages it would have been good to have OP pace him back or up when things exploded.

Lets have predictions for the prologue which is 7KM including 1km with a 150 meter rise! Like a Belgian classic, only 243 km shorter I guess.

Who will win the prologue? An expolsive rider who can bike handle the twists and turns and keep it going for like 9 minutes.
Gonzalez will surprise and win!

hombredesubaru said:

Aitor Gonzalez!!!!!!!!!!! for the overall.

Unfortunately there are 7 hilltop finishes, so Roberto and Mancebo will actually be the favorites in my book.

I dont care really who wins so long as it is en exciting race, and they check everyone's urines 7 years from now so the podium ceremony can take place he he🙂

Plus, Roberto learned so much from Lance about SPECIAL training methods...OK I take it back, forget that last bit.

I like Landis but he has been going strong since April in TdGeorgia, so I dont know how he can hold form. Sounds like Phonak is going to be tearing each others legs off to prove who's best--sort of like they did in the Tour with Pereiro's relentless attacking. I mean I dont think it would have mattered to Landis, but on a couple of stages it would have been good to have OP pace him back or up when things exploded.

Lets have predictions for the prologue which is 7KM including 1km with a 150 meter rise! Like a Belgian classic, only 243 km shorter I guess.

Who will win the prologue? An expolsive rider who can bike handle the twists and turns and keep it going for like 9 minutes.
Gonzalez will surprise and win!

Interesting views :
Aitor Gonzalez is a good option - but you refer to Landis too.
he was going really well in the Vuelta last year and one bad stage and his challenge fell apart.

Landis is certainly a contender.

limerickman said:

Interesting views :
Aitor Gonzalez is a good option - but you refer to Landis too.
he was going really well in the Vuelta last year and one bad stage and his challenge fell apart.

Landis is certainly a contender.

Put me on the Gonzalez bandwagon.

I also think Simoni could do a good Vuelta. And I'd like to see Menchov redeem himself a bit.

Mancebo! It's all about the grimace. I wonder if he wakes up with that expression? Eats dinner like that? Cuts the lawn, face drawn in a mask of pain?

Don't forget, in the ITT at Le Tour he placed 9th, about 50 seconds behind Landis.

He will more than make up that time in the mountains.

His strongest challengers will be Simoni and Heras.

limerickman said:

Sorry to interrupt the LA media circus - but we have, starting tomorrow, the third grand tour of the season : La Vuelta.

22 teams line up in this Pro-Tour season looking to try to win the Golden Jersey.

The usual suspects are there : CSC, DC, Telekom, Libert, Phonak, with a smattering of local Spanish teams like Comunidad Valenciana.

Some of the big name riders won't be there - like Ullrich and Valverde but given this, the starting line up looks impressive.
Heras, Landis, Beloki, Bettini, Petacchi are all listed as starters.

Who gets my vote (kiss of death) to win ?

I think Oscar Pereiro will feature.
As will Landis and Heras.

Putting my neck on the block - I am going to go for DeGaldeano of Liberty.
He hasn't had a great season but his DS Saiz always went to win the Vuelta when he directed ONCE in the 1990's and I think his team might well provide
this years winner.

Anyone else ?

Great to see your photo on the forum again L'man. Sign me up for Pereiro for GC.

I've suddenly lost interest in cricket and rugby so I'll be following the Vuelta closely.

Well got to stick with Heras: after all this is HIS race!!! Not a lot of pressure (compared to le tour).....

I think A. Gonzalez of Euskatel (ha they found there magic stuff again:p ) will be up there.........I don't think Simoni will be a contender though....

Boonen, Pettachi, Zabel, Madmax will contest for the sprints and I wouldn't be suprised if Madmax won a sprint or 2/3.......

mitosis said:

Great to see your photo on the forum again L'man. Sign me up for Pereiro for GC.

I've suddenly lost interest in cricket and rugby so I'll be following the Vuelta closely.

Thanks Mit.

Trent Bridge isn't going to well for Oz.
For the first time in 20-odd years, I think England might have a chance !

But back to the cycling, love to see Pereiro win.
Catabolic though has a good suggestion in Mancebo.
Some years back I viewed Mancebo as the next great Spaniard rider but he seems to have stalled, despite getting great results.

Come to think of it: MENCHOV!!!!

His sole objective was the TDF, but after a very very bad TDF (he got sick) the directeur sportifs of Rabobank said in the dutch press he gotta perform now or else they will cut his HUGE (1 million) salary and he isn't certain for some races anymore because his big name......

This reminds me of Leipheimer: also his sole focus was in 2003 the TDF and after he crashed out in the first stage he was forced to ride a good Vuelta (which was impossible)....still the rabo team thought he could do better....

That was the beginning of the end for leipheimer at rabo.....

Hope rabo has some brains to have faith in Menchov..........Menchov is saying in the dutch press that he feels ready and that he will be up there!!! (doesn't suprise me when you see his good performance during san sebastian)

limerickman said:

Thanks Mit.

Trent Bridge isn't going to well for Oz.
For the first time in 20-odd years, I think England might have a chance !

But back to the cycling, love to see Pereiro win.
Catabolic though has a good suggestion in Mancebo.
Some years back I viewed Mancebo as the next great Spaniard rider but he seems to have stalled, despite getting great results.

MJtje said:

Come to think of it: MENCHOV!!!!

His sole objective was the TDF, but after a very very bad TDF (he got sick) the directeur sportifs of Rabobank said in the dutch press he gotta perform now or else they will cut his HUGE (1 million) salary and he isn't certain for some races anymore because his big name......

This reminds me of Leipheimer: also his sole focus was in 2003 the TDF and after he crashed out in the first stage he was forced to ride a good Vuelta (which was impossible)....still the rabo team thought he could do better....

That was the beginning of the end for leipheimer at rabo.....

Hope rabo has some brains to have faith in Menchov..........Menchov is saying in the dutch press that he feels ready and that he will be up there!!! (doesn't suprise me when you see his good performance during san sebastian)

Menchov is a classy rider to be sure : still can't get away from the impression that Rabo are more of a one-day, shorter stage race team, rather than a grand tour team.

Catabolic_Jones said:

Mancebo! It's all about the grimace. I wonder if he wakes up with that expression? Eats dinner like that? Cuts the lawn, face drawn in a mask of pain?

Don't forget, in the ITT at Le Tour he placed 9th, about 50 seconds behind Landis.

He will more than make up that time in the mountains.

His strongest challengers will be Simoni and Heras.

Yes, the grimace.
Too bad we cant hear Paul and Phil comment like they used to about Escartin "The man looks like a crab on a bike!"
I mean besides the grimace which is just classic, Mancebo rides the bike freekin sideways, he always looks like he has twisted his body inside out.

limerickman said:

Thanks Mit.

Trent Bridge isn't going to well for Oz.
For the first time in 20-odd years, I think England might have a chance !

But back to the cycling, love to see Pereiro win.
Catabolic though has a good suggestion in Mancebo.
Some years back I viewed Mancebo as the next great Spaniard rider but he seems to have stalled, despite getting great results.

I think he may be out of his stall, he keeps creeping higher each year in the Tour. To stay with Lance on Courchevel must have been a huge moral boost, but then he wasnt there on the other big days...he just fades.

Which is Landis' point about this race...the Vuelta,,, all about endurance and strength with 7 hilltop finishes. No Angliru...you cant put in one huge attack and create a 3-4 minute selection on one day

NOOOOOO Beloki fell off his bike in the first turn..........he WILL NEVER overcome that crash in the TDF.......

Beloki's career finished during that gap stage.......!

hombredesubaru said:

I think he may be out of his stall, he keeps creeping higher each year in the Tour. To stay with Lance on Courchevel must have been a huge moral boost, but then he wasnt there on the other big days...he just fades.

Which is Landis' point about this race...the Vuelta,,, all about endurance and strength with 7 hilltop finishes. No Angliru...you cant put in one huge attack and create a 3-4 minute selection on one day

MJtje said:

NOOOOOO Beloki fell off his bike in the first turn..........he WILL NEVER overcome that crash in the TDF.......

Beloki's career finished during that gap stage.......!

Yes and Landis already over a minute back with 4 km racing done.
He's over. Too bad he couldnt hold his form

Beloki is just mentally shattered...

I forgot McGee could target the prologue if he can get up that hill.

I see oberto Laiseka has been back the his doctor again.
That guy is sooo inconsistent.

Prediction, if Heras loses 25 seconds...his Vuelta is over, less than that and it means he blew the doors off the climb 15% for a km and will kill in the mountains. Tommy D is up there as wll.

hombredesubaru said:

Yes and Landis already over a minute back with 4 km racing done.
He's over. Too bad he couldnt hold his form

Beloki is just mentally shattered...

I forgot McGee could target the prologue if he can get up that hill.

I see oberto Laiseka has been back the his doctor again.
That guy is sooo inconsistent.

Prediction, if Heras loses 25 seconds...his Vuelta is over, less than that and it means he blew the doors off the climb 15% for a km and will kill in the mountains. Tommy D is up there as wll.

Looking at the results so far, the climb has been decisive.
Roberto will do well but not win.
Aitor really didnt do well.
Simoni did well, which suggests he will be an animator on the clims.

Too bad Cunego and Valverde arent here.

WOW.....what did I say: MENCHOV!!!!!!!!

Look out for him his confidence is back!

hombredesubaru said:

Looking at the results so far, the climb has been decisive.
Roberto will do well but not win.
Aitor really didnt do well.
Simoni did well, which suggests he will be an animator on the clims.

Too bad Cunego and Valverde arent here.

MJtje said:

WOW.....what did I say: MENCHOV!!!!!!!!

Look out for him his confidence is back!

Good call.
How is his ITT?
He has always been afactor in the mountains.
Looks like he will be good to go.

hombredesubaru said:

Yes and Landis already over a minute back with 4 km racing done.
He's over. Too bad he couldnt hold his form

Beloki is just mentally shattered...

I forgot McGee could target the prologue if he can get up that hill.

I see oberto Laiseka has been back the his doctor again.
That guy is sooo inconsistent.

Prediction, if Heras loses 25 seconds...his Vuelta is over, less than that and it means he blew the doors off the climb 15% for a km and will kill in the mountains. Tommy D is up there as wll.

Prediction: the 7km prologue will not serve as a good indicator of the overall Vuelta GC results.

MJtje said:

NOOOOOO Beloki fell off his bike in the first turn..........he WILL NEVER overcome that crash in the TDF.......

Beloki's career finished during that gap stage.......!

I, for one, don't think Beloki is over yet. He has improved this year, despite some bad prologue luck in the Giro and Vuelta.