Vuelta 2021 - more of the same of something different ???

[MichaelB]

From Steephill TV

http://www.steephill.tv/vuelta-a-espana/

1st stage is a short TT (only 8km) and the 2nd is a pretty flat day for sprinters, but then it’s GC action for Stage 3 - 203km with a MTF on Pico Blanco at 1500m

http://www.steephill.tv/players/profile ... ile-03.jpg

Edit : Can't get image link to work

SBS Coverage starts on 14th Aug, but the coverage doesn't start till typically 11pm, so more of being a stage behind in watching !

[Warnesy]

Just as I was starting to feel rested…

Enjoyed the Vuelta last year, which was my first year watching some of it. How many late nights can I handle…

[find_bruce]

They made a good attempt to hide the jpg address behind a transparent layer

[DavidS]

Just as I was starting to feel rested…

Enjoyed the Vuelta last year, which was my first year watching some of it. How many late nights can I handle…

As long as it finishes by about 1 it's fine, 1 is a normal bedtime . . . right?

DS

[RobertL]

I see that Jay Vine is listed on the Alpecin-Fenix team list. This will be his first Grand Tour.

[find_bruce]

Looks like the battle for the lantern rouge is wide open, now that Froome has dropped out

[MichaelB]

Looks like the battle for the lantern rouge is wide open, now that Froome has dropped out

Mind you, never thought that was going to even be an realistic wish, let alone reality.

Maybe ISN actually want to enter someone that may be useful for the team .... ?

[fat and old]

Man, it's one thing to be laughed at, but to pay millions of dollars for the privilege? The ISN head honcho mustn't walk very straight.

On the bright side, Dan Martin really was the best for once......

[MichaelB]

Man, it's one thing to be laughed at, but to pay millions of dollars for the privilege? The ISN head honcho mustn't walk very straight.

On the bright side, Dan Martin really was the best for once......

Yep, curious arrangement indeed, and it's not like they are using him for marketing ...

On another note, Pog won't be lining up, as I sorta expected, instead apparently concentrating on the Worlds.

[MichaelB]

Some interesting performances in the Vuelta Burgos lead up race.

Yates & Bernal stocked it early, but performed well on the last stage. Bardet won a stage but faded out of the lead and Landa and Aru in seemingly good form.

Hopefully some interesting fireworks and wonder if Movistar are in their normal pattern !

[MichaelB]

Whilst this post from CN is a bit old, it reflects that the Vuelta, as always is characterised by a lot of nasty steep climbs.

https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/fi ... -a-espana/

[MichaelB]

And a full (but light and easy to digest) 21 stage review by Cycling Tips.

https://cyclingtips.com/2021/08/preview ... na-course/

Sadly, due to the times of telecast, it'll be a record and watch the next day.

True to form, some of the climbs, and stages are just plain NASTY !!!

Stage 7 could be real nasty, lots of attention required ;


Stage 9 just before 1st rest day

In the words of Fernando Escartín, this is a “very tough, pure mountain stage” with almost 4,500 metres of climbing. The first half isn’t too hard – there’s just one Cat 2 climb that averages 3.8% – but the second half is a different story.
The Alto Collado Venta Luisa is a 29 km-long monster (that averages 4.4% but has a flat section in the middle). That’s followed by a smaller Cat 3 (7.1 km at 3.9%) and then there’s the race’s first HC climb: the 13.2 km ascent to Alto de Velefique which averages 6.4%. This will be a tough day’s racing ahead of the first rest day.

Plenty of other tough days, but then there is Stage 18 ...

Held in the mountainous north west of Spain, this is almost certainly the hardest stage of the Vuelta. There are two Cat 1s as an appetiser: the Puertu de San Llaurienzu (9.9 km at 8.6%) and the Altu de la Cobertoria (7.9 km at 8.6%). The Cat 2 Altu la Segá o del Cordal peaks 22 km from the finish line (12.2 km at 3.8%), and then it’s into a true monster: the Alto d’el Gamoniteiru. This stage-ending climb is 14.6 km long at an average of 9.8% with most of the climb rising at more than 10%.

eeeek !!! Hope it ends up a true battle amongst all and no nasty crashes like we saw in the Tour !

[AndrewCowley]

Proper mountain top finishes. That'll be a nice change from the TdF.

[MichaelB]

Aru is set to retire after the Vuelta. Whilst his performances (except for last few races) have been well short of his best, he was still one of those riders that was great to watch, albeit a bit painful at times !

Hope we see some of the old Fabio at the Vuelta !

[fat and old]

Aru is set to retire after the Vuelta.

From what?

[MichaelB]

Aru is set to retire after the Vuelta.

From what?

Harsh.

But true

[find_bruce]

Aru is probably grateful it wasn't him called a cycle tourist on TV news

[MichaelB]

So probably no real surprise amongst the GC guys who would take 1st honours with the ITT.

Seems like some of the IG multi leader approach has been partially derailed a bit with the stack on Stage, but luckily only just a bit of lost time.

The Pico Blanco climb at the end of Stage 3 will be REALLY interesting. 7.6km (AT) 9.3% after 195km before that !

Will get up early and try and catch that before work as no hope of watching it live.

[stevenaaus]

Yates sitting on Roglic' wheel at the summit... Here's hoping for a good race.

[MichaelB]

Yates sitting on Roglic' wheel at the summit... Here's hoping for a good race.

Haven’t watched it yet, but know the result. Interesting for some of the GC players

[RonK]

Much to my surprise, La Vuelta is being shown in GCN despite SBS apparently having the local rights.
So no ads, and stream a replay whenever it suits me.

[foo on patrol]

This is a good stage and is coming down to the last 1klm.

Foo

[MichaelB]

This is a good stage and is coming down to the last 1klm.

Foo

Looking fwd to watching it tonight (have seen results, couldn’t help myself).

It’s those short & really sharp climbs that make it entertaining to watch.

[foo on patrol]

That was a nasty crash by Federico Valverde.

Foo

[foo on patrol]

Michael Storer, lets go.

Foo