Velominati Super Prestige: 2011 La Vuelta a España
Spain is an awesome country. It has amazing scenery, culture, cities and chicas… oh, the chicas. Its football competition features the world’s best players, their national team are the reigning World Cup holders, and they boast world champions in tennis, Moto GP, Superbikes and Formula 1. They regularly kick the collective asses of France and Italy, and a lot of other European countries when it comes to bicycle racing, although most of their recent heroes have somewhat of a cloud hanging over them. So why does their Grand Tour hardly raise an eyebrow when compared to the other two big tours, and why the fuck do they still allow cowards on horses armed with poison darts to taunt and kill a beast as noble as el toro for ‘entertainment’?
I can’t really answer the last one, but the fact that La Vuelta is treated like the road racing equivalent of a red-headed stepchild is about as fair as the Corrida itself. To me, and to many pros, it is seen as a tour of redemption. Those who, for one reason or another, either due to bad luck, bad management or bad form suffered a less-than-stellar Tour de France, now get a chance to make something of their season and add a ‘major’ to their palmares. Riders like Jan Ullrich, who in 1999 took the amarillo jersey after sitting out Le Tour with a dicky knee. 2008 saw Contador make amends after his Astana team was prevented from starting le Grande Boucle under a doping cloud. In fact, La Vuelta and doping have more than a passing aquaintance, with Valverde winning while under a pending hearing in 2009, and of course little Robbie Heras getting stripped of his 05 title after an EPO positive. Last year wasn’t without its own scandal, with a positive for 2nd place ‘sensation’ Ezequiel Mosquera dragging La Vuelta’s name through the red dust again. It could well be the dirtiest tour of them all, a race that itself seeks atonement as much as those who race it.
This year’s edition has the same sense of redemption written all over it, with some of Le Tour’s unfortunates having a crack at it. There’s Wiggo, who was in the self-proclaimed form of his life before snapping his twig-like collarbone early on. Can he show us what he had promised on the roads of France in the Dauphine, or will the Spanish heat and steep, long climbs be too much for him? How about Jurgen Van den Broeck, also looking great before his own clavicle calamity ended his July. Invisible Denis will also be there, his Geox team considered not good enough for the Tour, out to show that he’s still a force and add to his two Spanish victories. Other battered old warhorses who will never give up easily are Andreas Klöden and Carlos Sastre, but father time may have finally taken its toll on this duo.
In reality, it’ll probably come down to the younger brigade made up of last year’s winner Vinnie Nibali, J-Rod, Scarponi, and Anton. It could be a blow-out, or one of the best races of the year. We may even get another drug controversy to keep up the status quo of years gone by. Whatever happens is anybody’s guess, which is why this race is one of the hardest to pick for VSP contenders, and one that might even be as exciting, vibrant and colourful as the country it traverses for three hot weeks.
So pour yourself a glass of Sangria, give the start list a long or glancing look, and post your picks before 5am Pacific time (yeah, I don’t know when the hell that is either…) and if you have any doubts, confusion or questions, head to the VSP page for clarification, rules and/or rebuttals. No horsing around, no bullshit.
Buena suerte!
Whoo hoo!
Another grand tour to keep us awake at night here in the antipodes.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Scarponi
3. Igor Anton
4. Wiggo
5. Purito
Made selections whilst Drinking an Australian Tempranillo – called Running with the Bulls – so I feel very good Vuelta sensations.
Looking forward to the reputed 28% ramps in the last k of stage 8. Was discussing this with a mate and I mused about the gears the sprinters would use. A 34-28? No. His reply.
Sandals.
Great write up Brett.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Anton
3. J-rod
4. Scarponi
5. Menchov
Ha, second thoughts re wiggo. Probably live to regret it.
Oh, and in a bit of breaking news;
Giblets confirmed to BMC. Holy crap, Cuddles Thor, Giblets.
They are the new superteam.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Scarponi
3. Igor Anton
4. Brajkovic
5. Purito
There was an article on Embrocation (I think) a couple of years back called “Trying to care about the Vuelta”, which kind of sums it up, most years at least, insofar as the Giro is the afficionados GT (Anne Hathaway), the Tour is the one everyone’s heard about (Jennifer Lopez) while the Vuelta is the one that is desperately trying to stay in the same company (Pamela Anderson). Although this year the Giro was pretty dull after Alberto destroyed everyone on the Volcano. After that the only reason to watch was simply to marvel at the suffering that the course put them all through. The TdF was the surprise package this year, interesting to the end.
For once – for reasons noted aboove – Vuelta could be worth watching properly rather than just tuning in for the lunatic bits.
Wonder if Ullrich’s “knee injury” was actually a result of not being able to pass dope tests. Although given who won that year, presumably this would only be the case if Jan had worse doctors. Which is possible.
feeling very lazy – how many TTs in this one?
VSP PICKS:
1. Igor Anton
2. Nibali
3. Wiggins
4. Scarponi
5. J Rod
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Purito
3. Igor Anton
4. Brajkovic
5. Scarponi
Wiggo needs this tour or all his support is going to turn into a sprint train for cav.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Anton
3. Wiggo
4. Scarponi
5. Brojkovic
Nice write up.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. J Rodriquez
3. Scarponi
4. Igor Anton
5. Wiggins
VSP PICKS:
1. Igor
2. Nibbles
3. Scraps Only
4. Wiggo
5. J-Rod
Lets give the carrots their home grand tour win and have wiggo getting a decent placing, confirming him as one of the legions of ‘not quite good enough to win a grand tour but always listed as a contender anyway’. Nibali will defend well and the old boy scarponi will pick up another decent GC placing with j-rod repeating last years performance.
VSP PICKS:
1. Anton
2. Nibali
3. Wiggo
4. J-Rod
5. Scarponi
@Brett
“WIGGINS IN THE FORM OF HIS LIFE” is staring at me in bold black letters on the front page of the June 30 issue of Cycling Weekly, so ‘self-proclaimed’ is a little snarky, unless he also writes the headlines for his interviews.
VSP PICKS:
1. Scarponi
2. Nibali
3. Anton
4. Wiggins
5. Kruijswijk
@ChrisO
Hey, we do snarky really well down here.
Wiggo probably was. He said it, Cycling Wealky said it (see what I did there), no harm in Brett’s comments I’m sure.
Ah, the Tour of Redemption and Desperation. Considering how my VSP season has gone, I think I know how some of the riders feel. I, too, have no contract for next year, have been wracked by injuries (bruised ego), and plagued by my own stupidity (Delgado’d the Giro and earned a hallowed place in The Lexicon for it).
Hmmmm. Now, who to choose…
VSP PICKS:
1. Igor Anton
2. Nibali
3. J-Rod
4. Wiggins
5. Le Mevel
Hmm .. The Vuelta .. I love catching the results, watching the highlights etc, but for some reason I don’t find the yearning for the late nights like I do for the GT’s, along with the spring classics and the Ardennes.
So P-R is Thors, L-B-L is PhilGils and LeTour is Cuddles? (though I’m sure Cadel would be hanging to have LBL on his Palmares). My only issue with BMC becoming popular/a powerhouse is that people will see my ’06 team machine and figure i’ve just jumped on the bandwagon :/
Ash
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbley
2. Anton
3. Scared Pony
4. J-Rod
5. Twigo
I’m really just looking forward to watching some racing. Thanks Brett! (I know that you got this up just for me)
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Scraps only
3. Wigg
4. Igor Anton
5. j- rod
Wow, the final Grand Tour of 2011. Not sure I am ready for another three weeks of racing…here we go though!
Looking forward to Angliru and some of the other steeper climbs, which should favor Anton and Purito. TT should bury the Spaniards, though, and I’m banking on Nibbles being able to limit the damage in the high mountains. Anton for the overall is as much the romance surrounding the return of the Vuelta to the Basque region as anything, but he did show exceptional form last year and showed flashes at the Giro””he’s clearly been saving himself for this race.
VSP PICKS:
1. Iggie Pop
2. Vinnie the Shark
3. JRo
4. The Modfather
5. Denny the Mench
Hey. Faboo has a casually deliberate horse riding brother!
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. J Rod
3. Anton
4. Wiggo
5. Scarface
VSP PICKS:
1. Scared Pony
2. Nibbles
3. J-Rod
4. Kruijswijk
5. Wigman
Did you know Heras has been “cleared” of his doping charges from 2005?
@Oli
Ha! I stole the following quote from the comments on that article:
“This is udderly ridiculous. Can we not steer things away from such unwarranted bovine malign? It’s enough to make them see red – or so I’ve herd. Maybe we should just all try to moove on. I mean, can’t we all just get along, little dogie?”
That photo is priceless. The wonders of the interweb never cease.
Much as I’d love JVDB to win, I think he fucked himself properly in France and won’t show until it is too late – hope he gets a uphill win though
Ye of little Lambrettaloyalty – the Form of his Life will win the big Paella, and take that from me of 2 points in the overall standings!
VSP PICKS:
1. Nipples
…what the F happened there – PC has a life of its own!!!
VSP PICKS:
1. Twiglets
2. Nibbles
3. Scampi and Chips
4. Dan Martini, shaken not swigged
5. Granittoo (crappy anagram)
@Ron
can’t keep a good man down – that’s the style!
VSP PICKS:
1. Twiglets
2. Nibbles
3. Scampi and Chips
4. Dan Martini, shaken not swigged
5. Granittoo (crappy anagram)
just nailed my second mile Centuary at the weekend – this was up the first climb that ended up feeling like cycling slowly up the side of a half pipe – 20% of the riders (all experienced and most dressed like Pros) got off and walked – I was about to puke with tunnel vision going on, with about 50 metres to go, but out of respect to the nest of flutterbyes on my spokes, I held on for the next four minutes until I crested the col – worst and best I have felt for some time – think the V-cog on my top tube defo helped, as I knew I could no longer post if I had got off and walked
nothing like flying one’s own flag, but no-one in my vicinity gives a monkeys ass, so I thought I’d share with you all whilst you guess the top five of the uninspiringly named final Tour
@Dr C
Well done, mate. Where was it?
Your picture isn’t working. Hopefully not a picture of you holding back from decorating the butterflies!
Very nicely written Brett.
A lot of Nibbles picks here, but I’m not feeling the repeat. Yes, he podiumed in the Giro after running into the tainted meat buzzsaw, but I don’t know if there’s enough TT miles to make back the time from the escaladores considering the steep ramps to be seen. Additionally, the route ventures heavily into Euskadia for the first time in a long time, giving the ‘Naranjas’ a boost, namely Igorito, who’s shown some good this year.
Gracias, Caballeros!
VSP PICKS:
1. Igor Anton
2. Michele Scarponi
3. Denis Menchov
4. Vincenzo Nibali
5. J. Rodriguez
@Dr C
Well done!!
PS The Eneco tour VSP was never updated.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Anton
3. Scarponi
4. Martin
5. Wiggo
please excuse the GPS, but admire the glasses positioning, and the featherlight touch on the hands, which belies the fact I was ripping the bars off at the stem – at this stage I was flat out at 4kph as the top flattened out
Well Hell! At least I am making this VSP event. Up in VT for the funereal of a good friend who died at age 37 from colon cancer. While here, my grandmother had another heartattack three days ago and my Dad was just diagnosed with cancer yesterday. God Damn! I need a ride and a stiff drink. My fricken life sounds like a country song. Thank God for this site! Let’s me forget life for a moment or two.
VSP PICKS:
1. J-Rod
2. Menchov
3. JVDB
4. Anton
5. Scarponi
Glad to see this up before I head out for knee surgery. Maybe I can be back on the bike before the end of the Vuelta.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Eager Anton
3. Scarponi
4. J-Rod
5. Mensch
Oh this is for VSP!?!? I thought we were naming the next super team. Home of the Rainbows, future past and present, BMC.
looks like frig all of an ascent, but we had just charged 30K in the previous 50 mins to get there, and although it is only about 2000ft climb, it ramps up deceptively to 22% for the last 80 odd metres – this pic demonstrates the squaring and the climb – Mamore Pass in the Inishowen 100 – claimed to be one of the toughest climbs in the area of Donegal, though I’d say there are many worse – road is made of of tarmac without the gluey back stuff between the stones
Safety picks, in case I see a shinny object which distracts me from doing further research on these before 5am Pacifico.
VSP PICKS:
1. Igor Anton
2. Joaquim Rodriguez
3. Vincenzo Nibali
4. Michele Scarponi
5. Michele Scarponi
Oups.
VSP PICKS:
1. Igor Anton
2. Joaquim Rodriguez
3. Vincenzo Nibali
4. Michele Scarponi
5. Denis Menchov
@Buck Rogers
Sorry to hear of all the bad news. Stay strong and keep on the bike, a nice hard ride can definitely help keep you out ahead of all the anxiety and stress tough times can bring. Best wishes to you and your family.
I would love to see Anton win this for the Basque country but I would also love to see Nibbles win again.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Anton
3. Scarponi
4. Martin
5. Menchov
alright modfather, let’s rock ‘n’ roll!
VSP PICKS:
1. wiggo!
2. JVDB
3. purito
4. denis the menace
5. nibali
Kind of feel like I should have a few more Spaniards in here, but I’m thinking Scarps and Nibbles are poised for round 2 of their Grand Tour fight this year, except with Igor working his way into the mix on his home turf.
I’ve got Wiggo and JVDB waiting in the wings as first rest day swaps though, I want to see how their form looks on week one first….
VSP PICKS:
1. Scarponi
2. Igor Anton
3. Nibali
4. J Rod
5. Menchov
VSP PICKS:
1. Anton
2. Nibali
3. Purito
4. Wiggins
5. Van Den Broeck
@Dr C
I know the area well””that’s quite a climb. I’ve not ridden it, but have spent some nice times in Donegal (my wife’s family lives in Celbridge, but I try to get west every time I’m over).
@Nof Landrien
Funny, I first read it as “dopey knee,” not “dicky knee.”
@Buck Rogers
That’s dark, hope you can get out for a ride. Also, I hesitate to say this, but how can it be a country song without any woman-trouble?
@heath
careless presentation of last years model x 2 – cranks at horizontal, valves at 8 o’clock, though probably acceptable variation on casual posture, ridiculous facial fuzz – thank Merckx he looks like a proper person again in 2011
@Steampunk
if you are over, let me know, will organise a viewing, butterflies abound, just spoke to an A1 who was surprised I didn’t get off and walk it, fecker
@Buck Rogers
A Merckx H, that is a shocking run of ill fortune – thoughts are with you – may your wheels provide you some sanity
@LA Dave
Tres riskee LA Dave – I skewered up the rest day swaps in the TdF and ended up with Gilbert and Faboo still as my 1-2, and JVDB in my top five even though he was elsewhere on an iron lung when they winged up the Champs Elysees…. (at least I lead the TdF points after Day 1, never to be heard of again…)
@Dr C
That is a man certainly TFTC, but good on him for the effort. The long straight climbs like that are brutal. I much prefer the twisty mountain roads. At least the length is hidden in the curves. The “I have to go up there, and I’m way down here. Shit” thoughts.
As for picks, well…
VSP PICKS:
1. Anton
2. Scarponi
3. Nibbles
4. Jaws (Dan Martin)
5. J-Rod
VSP PICKS:
1. Anton need a doctor
2. Nibali
3. Scarponi
4. Sagan
5. Van den Walle