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!
@Jeff in PetroMetro
Relax man – droughts are part of the cycle of life. Down in our part of the world over the last few years we have had decade long droughts of biblical proportions only to be replaced by floods of the same strength…
I don’t see Boonen winning a sprint at this year’s Vuelta. Ouch! It hurts just to read about it.
@Marcus
Did someone say “Circle of Life”? I’ve got a picture of my parents in body paint… never mind.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
Bloody hell! The Vuelta’s torn him a new one. Fuck he’s a hard man to keep riding through that. Chapeau!
@mouse
Oooh, that hurts just to read about Boonen’s crotch. I can’t remember what year it was, but Kelly had to retire from the Vuelta because of a groin injury while wearing the leader’s jersey. One of his teammates recounted how he hear Kelly scream in pain as they tried to sew up the wound. he recalled that if Kelly was screaming in pain then it must be really bad . . . I wonder if it’s the crazy intense heat and all the sweating that is a factor?
@Jeff in PetroMetro
“there is a hole.”
Talk about baring it all in an interview… perhaps he’s attempting to out-TMI Hoogerland. Just say “saddle sore” and leave it at that.
@Dr C
Jerez, old chap. Not cracked the ton yet, had a couple of good rides last week before my left knee swole up like a watermelon. It’s getting better but between having to balance riding with the family and the fact that it’s not light until 7.30am, I’ve not managed anything more than a 40 miler, a thirty miler and a coulple of interval sessions on a hill in the resort (bit like Ireland over here, huge golf development that no-one is buying into.
Rides are here
Been swimming quite a lot which seems to be working very nicely for the cardio.
Serious sailing? What sort of boat have you got? I’ve always fancied getting over to Ireland for a spot of racing, when I was a kid my parents had an Irish built boat, a Ruffian 23.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
Disturbing to say the least. CyclingNews has a ‘Do You Like This?’ option to check at the top of the page. I doubt its getting much use.
@Marcus
Yeah. We saw both the fires and the floods y’all got. Pretty awful stuff.
@mouse
@wiscot
@ben
@VeloVita
Does the Vuelta have a Worst Case of Root Rot jersey? I assume the podium girls don’t give out kisses for that.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
It sure seems that way. I’d imagine a bad case of root rot with the attendant stitches, bandages etc would be a bit of a passion killer. Mind you, Boonen got a 6th place today so it’s good to see him up there again. I have to say, I’ve been very impressed with both Boonen’s tenacity in not abandoning and Cancellara’s stellar domestique work. I guess this is why their teammates give it up for them in the spring. Turnabout is fair play.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
THANKS! Just finished my first outside ride here in TX. Still mid-to-upper 90’s but not that bad. I think that it is not supposed to break 100 today for the first time in weeks.
But it is tough finding a place to ride here in San Antonio. Ended up doing a bunch of loops in Brackenridge Park and finally figured out a great, almost 5 k, loop with two 9% hills in it. I think I now know where to go for hill repeats, at least!
Merckx dammit; just as I drop Sagan from my picks…
I hope I never get a hole in that area. And if I do, I hope I am able to rest in bed until it is gone, not have to ride a 47 km TT while standing the entire time.
OUCH!
@Jeff in PetroMetro
@Frank should send him a personalized v-pint just for this. At least you could look forward to a beer as all your V is oozing out of your nutsack.
@Buck Rogers
Excellent! A hill. Don’t know what that looks like, but I hear they’re awesome.
@eightzero
6th place today is pretty awesome for a guy who can’t sit down. I hope it all continues to get better down there before Worlds.
@G’phant
Slight question my good man…
Haven’t you lot been sayin this before the last 4 World Cups before choking & collapsing in a spectacular heap???
@Mikael Liddy
No – this is the first time I’ve stated with utter confidence that Julian Dean will win the rainbow bands.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
From castigating Ron about faux demin to this? What has the world come to?
@Nate
Ron needed guidance. I’m just happy I could help. What if Ron crashed while wearing the Denim Shit kit? The ambulance would have driven by without slowing down. I saved his life, really.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
I’m sure team doctor Toon Cruyt could have fixed Ron up.
@G’phant
I concur. I’m such a Julian Dean fanboy.
@Nate
True. He COULD have fixed Ron up. Or he might have averted his eyes and ignored Ron in his hour of need. Poor Ron. Crumpled in a sea of Denim Shit and no one willing to help. See? Like I said. I saved Ron’s life.
@G’phant
Listen lawyer boy, don’t twist things to avoid what you know was the true subject of my question. “For the record, we’ll win the WC. I’m going to the final. The only other final I’ve been to is the only other one we’ve won.” This is the section I was referring to in regards to a certain Kiwi trait of being utterly sure the AB’s will win Bill before the tournament only for the knock out rounds to arrive, at which point they win Jack (shit).
@Mikael Liddy
You forget the coach of your Rugby team’s a kiwi. All we have to do is wait for the sleeper drone we’ve planted to activate…
Anyone done the Trans Pyrenees tour?
Looks like a bunch of us are signing up for it for end of May next year – apparently 10,000 metres climbing over 6 days……
Is this a bit insane, or a chance to dish some serious V and pay due respect to my Polkadot socks?
Thank you, Jeff! The only time I crashed badly I was in simple black trousers, heading from one party to another & got caught in a monster storm. Rain, slick roads, cut off by a cabbie, smashed face. A nice older lady did see all of this from her porch & offered a tea towel to cover the gushing eye gash. That was nice of her. But if I’d been in denim, who knows?
As for the Carrera bibs – I do need to buy some new team kit for fall racing, plus I don’t own any V-Kit (I know!). Might have to move the denim bibs to the “want” list for now. Or the dustbin if I heed the wisdom of Mr. JiPM.
Headed home in 12 hours! I can’t wait to get out on a bike, any of my bikes. I don’t miss chasing people or grueling group rides, but I do miss pulling my bib straps over my shoulders, the clip of my shoes as I snug them down, the excitement of swinging my leg over my saddle & hearing that first clip-in. Two weeks without turning a crank in joy is far, far too long for a Velominatus.
Trans Pyrenean
1 Warm-up ride around Sitges (includes the infamous Rat Penat)
30 miles 3,450 ft
2 Sitges Ҽ Coll del Castella Ҽ Los Pinos Ҽ Solsona
96 miles 8,500 ft
3 Solsona Ҽ Coll de Jou Ҽ Coll de Boixols Ҽ Coll de Faidella Ҽ Cellers
84 miles 7,225 ft
4 Cellers Ҽ Port de la Bonaigua Ҽ Col de Portillon Ҽ Luchon
100 miles 8,250 ft
5 Luchon “º Col de Peyresourde “º Col d’Aspin “º Col du Tourmalet “º Luz St Sauveur
58 miles 9,450 ft
6 Luz St Sauveur “º Col de Soulour “º Col d’Aubisque “º Col de Marie-Blanque “º Col d’Ichere “º Montory
80 miles 7,875 ft
7 Montory “º Col de Bagargui “º Col d’Ispeguy “º Puerto d’Otxondo “º Hendaye
91 miles 7,850 ft
Total: 539miles
SHEEIITE!!
@Dr C
It’s a good thing I’m sitting down. The Climbone I got reading that list would be embarrassing if viewed in public.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
Something is wrong with his levers in that photo. They seem to be less than half as long as the drop in the bars.
@Collin
Felt pretty instant hornification myself when I was sent it – currently I can do any one of those days, so long as I have a week to prepare and a week to recover…..
Oh Merckx, please endow me with some massive V betwixt now and thence
I reckon I will also need a new bike for it (well, Rule #12 anyway) – thinking Look 595 as you lot keep twittering on about it, but wow, they are not in the cheap seats
Defo Di2 time soon for me – imagine, a Look 595 with Di2 – is that carnal sin or heretical mismatch, oh learned brothers??
@Collin
the bars certainly look well tilted upwards (is that the official term?) – maybe to stop his hands shooting off the front everytime he whacks a mother pave?
@ Collin, @Dr C
f… myself sideways – just realised, that is 52,000 feet of descending!!!! Yehaaaa
@Collin
@Dr C
His bars are turned waaaaaay up. Total disregard for Rule #46. But I forgive him, for he is Julian Dean.
@Ron
Safe travels home. And welcome back to the peloton. It’s always good to be on a bike.
@Collin
@Dr C
@JiPM
That’s a pretty common lever position for riding on the cobbles.
@Dr C
Looks good in a rather painful way! You’ll spend a bit of time looking down ant the rules on your v-kit bibs!
40 miler this morning, fully Rule #9 compliant, headwinds and heavy rain on the last climb – hadn’t been expecting to wear waterproofs in Spain. Slightly slower than the same route last week but much more enjoyable and a bit more of an achievement given the weather.
Went to Ronda with the family afterwards. Would like to have cycled over but logistics were against me. Mildly hilly, 8,000ft of climbing.
Thanks, Jeff! Just a few hours on a bus & I’m back home. Will be the middle of the night but will of course have to say hello to the whips before I head off to bed. Maybe a touch & a squeeze, as the VMH will be too deeply asleep to be woken!
It’ll feel great to be back in the peloton! Already shouted out to my riding pals & got one unsolicited invite from a friend who broke his collarbone a few weeks back. It’ll be his first non-trainer riding since, that’ll be a fun welcome back to the road for both of us.
Enjoy your long weekends, those in the U.S.! Oh, and since I’ll be working from home that means…live Vuelta from tomorrow until the finish!
Chris – Have a wedding rehearsal dinner tomorrow (what do we rehearse? All I’ve ever done is drink & eat. I don’t need to rehearse that, I’m skilled at it!) and the wedding on Sunday. Going to try and pedal to both. We’ll see, we’ll see. The VMH might not endorse that.
Yeesh
Scarponi 24 minutes back.
Scarponi out.
@Ron – dare you to rock up in full lycra
@Scarponi – unlucky old boy, now, can I swap Fuckslang in instead at my number three, free of charge? Or do we wait until the next rest day?
1. WIGGINS Bradley
2. NIBALI Vincenzo
3. FUCKSLANG Yakob
4. MARTIN Daniel
5. ANTON Cooked
@Chris
Crikey, initially thought, your kids are some cyclists, then the penny dropped / re-read it
Next time, you need to be in the Basque Country when you take the family on holiday week 2 of the Vuelta
Wow. This final climb is gorgeous. Incredible canyon riding and the purest pavement imaginable.
@Collin
Agreed. Climbone material if I’ve ever seen it.
J-Rod and Nibbles off the back. Wiggo seems to be holding his own however.
Mollema, Wiggins or Cobo. Who will win?
Man, I keep waiting for Wiggo to crack. Maybe he can really do it. I really hope so, even if I did not pick him.
Just frickin awesome by Froome and Wiggins – Sky one and two – would you Adam’n’Eve it!!!!
Wiggings just blew himself inside out – chapeau – must be a nightmare to ride against up those long steady slogs at the speeed he maintains – fawesome
J-Rod busted, Nibbles in trouble – what a tour!
@Buck Rogers
Chapeau to Chris Froome too – he’s got an amazing ability to not only ride hard on the front but then he can just sit in and do another stint when needed.
How awesome must it be to ride up a hill knowing that you’re shelling Vincenzo Nibali and Joaquin Rodrigues.
Scarponi is out –
Attempting to swap in Bauke Mollema
1. Fuglsang
2. Nibali
3. Wiggins
4. Mollema
5. J Rod