One of the loveliest things about the Grand Tours is that you get a feel, by the nature of the route, of the country’s landscape and physical qualities. Italy is littered with mountains and coasts, France is bordered by mountains with large swaths of open landscape throughout, and Spain is like Tatooine; mostly desert with some rocky outcroppings. I might be oversimplifying here, but it seems like every edition of the Vuelta features a week or two of riders cutting through open desert on a freeway and then finishing it off with some climbs that require a buzz-saw gear to get up. Of the three Tours, this one is my least favorite, but it’s a bike race and I loves me a bike race.
The Vuelta also stands apart as being the event which generally decides the Velominati Super Prestige GC and the personalized Shop Apron that goes with it; in past editions, we’ve even had newcomers to the event debut at the Vuelta and win the overall, as was the case last year with @Nate’s performance. Unless I have that wrong, in which case I don’t really care. The important point here is that even though there is less interest in this event than others, it matters quite a bit to the year-long VSP, so you better be paying attention, corporal.
No fancy prizes on offer as we did at the Tour, but we do have our customary Symbol Pack up for grabs, in addition to second and third places winning a pair of Handlebar Cufflinks each when they come available in a few weeks. So, check the race details, get your picks in by the time the countdown clock goes to zero (5am Pacific time on Saturday), and buckle in for the ride. Regular GT VSP rules apply. Good luck.
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Van der broek has been left in another country, if the gps is even accurate. But not going to switch him out in hopes of surmounting 5 point penalty. Amazing how fast those gaps add up in just one week.
Travelling outside of access to the Internet when the Vuelta started. The irony may be that I earn more points by coming in late.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin
2. Chris Froome
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. el Pistolero
2. J Rod
3. Gesink
4. Zommy Froomy
5. Valverde
Uran's out. But who is in? Gesink? He is bound to crash. Valverde? He said he still doesn't hold out much hope for GC. Dani Moreno? Going well now, but should sacrifice himself for Purito later. Roche? Saxo will help him get points for 2013, but well, he's still just Nico Roche.
The only logical answer is Valverde, because I would be a fool to believe what he says about anything.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Contador
2. Purito
3. Froome
4. Valverde
5. Capecchi
Thought I had a ringer with DeGent! Whoops, we'll try Valverde instead, but I am sticking with Talansky. Watch him go on Wednesday and then the team will get behind him, and I think he'll make some noise.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Rodriguez
2. Contador
3. Valverde
4. Froome
5. Talansky
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Froome
2. J. Rodriguez
3. Contador
4. Anton
5. Valverde
Cobo the clown? What was I thinking?
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Contadouche
2. Froome-dog
3. Jay-Rod
4. Valverde
5. de Gendt
One swap, I should have picked valverde to begin with. I still think Purito can see it through.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. J-Rod
2. Contador
3. Froome
4. Valverde
5. igor anton
@Skinnyphat
Indeed.
Out, damn Cobo, out!
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Contador
2. Purito
3. Froome
4. Valverde
5. Mollema
One Movistar out, the other in.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Froome
2. Contador
3. JRod
4. Valverde
5. Talansky