Contador in the Red in 2014
Holy fuckballs. I’ve never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I’ve missed them entirely – which is another kind of incompetence entirely – but I’m shocked at how quickly this week blew by me. I think I have whiplash.
Be that as it may, the Vuelta is on our doorstep, and before you panic, I’ll leave the picks open until Monday so we have enough time to screw up our picks despite knowing who crashes out in the first few days.
This is actually exciting stuff. We have some serious grudge-matching going on here for the Vuelta. Chris Froome is double-talking, Bardet is trash-talking, and Contador is exit-talking. This could be interesting.
On the subject of Bardet, he is my new Schleck. I love how he looks on the bike, and he’s got a fighting spirit. And he rides a white bike, which is the color bike I’m obsessed with. And I’m equally sure he will never win a major bike race, on account that I fancy him. (Roman, if you are reading this, I ask your forgiveness.)
Alright, I’ll stop faffing about. Check the start list, get your picks in, and let’s get this party started.
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Froome is surely a champion. i was rooting for him to win this Vuelta. he's taken so many shots at this race, you know this was a big deal for him.
i mean look at the guy. he looks like a survivor of some POW camp. he's walking the walk, in terms of what it means to be a Tour champion. maybe he's even redefining the term. he, Bardet, and Contador have made this a very interesting summer.
He still looks terrible on a bike winky smiley
@Cary
Re-reading the Hardmen and wonder whether Froome will make it to the next one. When Sky mentioned he wanted to take the double, I thought, OK that will happen and soon he was already leading the GC as if it was effortless. I think a bit more drama and showing of a bit more suffering would improve his image.He's a good cyclist for sure.
@KogaLover
Froome is a champion, of that there's no doubt. One of the great GT riders? Certainly, and a Giro win would cement that. Hardman? Hmmmm . . . not so sure. Age will catch up with Froome and as dominant as he has been, he's not getting younger and the competition seems to be stiffening.
I'm still very meh about him though. He doesn't get me as emotionally engaged as say Dumoulin, Bardet, and a host of other riders.,
@wiscot
I found it hard to like him but he's been chipping away; attacking over summits and with Sagan last year, letting Aru know who was boss at the tour this year and not being content enough with the double that he had to get stuck into the sprinters going for the points jersey. I can't help but like that.
@chris
Agreed. I think this year, in both the Tour and Vuelta, the victories didn't come quite so easily. I think if he wins a GT with a scrappier, come-from-behind performance, that'll win over a lot of folks.
Ok, ok. I'm a bit busy at work and don't have time to pen an article on this. While Froome's Tour-Vuelta double is amazing, it pales into comparison to Giovanni Battaglin's 1981 Vuelta-Giro double. Fortunately, the good old "comic" Cycling Weekly has done the honors.
http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/grand-tour-doubles-giovanni-battaglin-825
Impressive or what?
@wiscot
super impressive. also impressive, this year's Il Lombardia route: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/il-lombardia-returns-to-the-muro-di-sormano-and-como-finish/
if it's a dry race, this will be one for the ages.
trying to post the link again:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/il-lombardia-returns-to-the-muro-di-sormano-and-como-finish/