Making the effort to follow cycling more than two weeks a year 🙂

I’d forgotten about it but will sky+ the highlights now.

Trying to keep up with the ITV4 highlights packages – finding the Aussie commentator (AND THE SOUND QUALITY!!!!!) lacking compared to Phil and Paul…. and can someone tell Ned to stop bobbing about everytime he’s doing a piece to camera like he’s sitting on a giant spring!!!!!

Great that it’s on free-to-air though.

I am, in fact La Vuelta is probably my favourite of the grand tours as I love the different landscapes it covers. However, I do feel that it suffers from being the last of the big three and is probably too much for those wishing to do well at the world champs.

having trouble watching ITV4 on tv catch up

For casual UK audiences the fact they shelled Cav off the back inside 4 days means there’s not massive amounts for the less interested viewer to get a hold onto. Towards the end if Wiggins is in with a shout of a podium, I think there will be more viewers.

some nice descending at the end today. and the finish is interesting too.

Highlights not on til 10 tonight. Booo 🙁

Trying to follow it, but struggling due to a mixture of trying to record Eurosport’s random scheduling and staying awake as I’m watching it late at night after the gf has retired.

Still have the Vattenfall classic to watch, the USA Pro Cycling Challenge isn’t getting a look in.

whens the angliru stage?

L’Angliru 04/09/2011
Etapa 15

Haven’t seen any of it this year as I don’t have ITV4, pretty poor show in general for one of the major tours, a clear lack of interest in the UK. 🙁

bestest climb in a grand tour 🙂

One day I’ll pop over and do it.

Beast of a stage that!

They are bigging up wiggo to take the lead today, should be good

Great ride by Wiggins yesterday – leading a major climb and dropping specialist climbers like Rodriguez.
Should slay them in the TT today.

Should take the lead today, but will have a tough job defending for a fortnight against Liquigas.

Yes and my mate (Ian Stannard, local MK lad) is riding as Wiggos bitch for 3 weeks.

Tony Martin in with a time of 55.54 (50.77 kph according to my calculations). Damn that’s fast.
Cancellara in 2nd place a massive 1.27 behind.
Wiggins leaving the start hut at 15.20 our time.

come on Wiggo !!!!!!!!!!!!

This thread needs a spoiler warning….

I find it hard to get excited about. Plus is just doesnt look as good as the Giro or TdF

Chris Froome just started, Brad is off in 3 mins.

Vuelta always feels a bit of an anti-climax – end of a busy season after the Classics, the Giro, the Tour, it seems a bit “tacked on” really. Doesn’t get the crowds, the terrain isn’t quite as exciting as the Tour and it suffers from less/poorer coverage.

Shame cos yesterdays stage with Brad and Chris up the front on that final climb was great to watch.

Luis Leon on a bit of a flier.

Wiggo fastest at the 1st intermediate check

Wiggins looks very comfortable but seems to be losing a lot of liquid. Is he going to have problems with the heat?

2nd at the 2nd 19 secs down on Martin

Brad’s not going to win this one, he’s lost too much time to Martin up to that second split… 🙁

possibly but he will still be in red at the end hopefully.

oh dear he lost a lot of time in the third sector.

Nope, beaten by Chris Froome which means Chris will leapfrog him on the GC. Brad should still get up into the top 5. And hey, there’s still another 2 weeks to go…

Who’d have thunk it?

Well that’s not half bad – Brit leader of the Vuelta. 🙂 Maybe not quite the one Sky intended though…

Who’d have thunk it?

Chris did a great TT in the Tour of California, he’s always been there or thereabouts.

Brit leader of the Vuelta.

Kenyan really, but who’s counting.
Didn’t see that one coming.

Here come the mountains, Nibali for L’Angliru and the red jersey.

+1 don simon

Froome and Wiggo’s bolt well and truly shot

you can’t deny that he is confident:

“Everyone was at his max,” he stated. “When I push 450 watts like I did on Sunday in such a difficult climb, who in the world can do more? Only Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck but they aren’t here. I’ve seen some guys attacking but they couldn’t maintain their speed and stay away. They even paid for their efforts.

“When I took the lead of the front group three kilometres away from the top, I rode fast despite the head wind. I’m pretty good at guessing when my adversaries aren’t well. For three kilometres, I’ve ridden like Miguel Indurain! I had never done that before. I’ve done it after the great work done by Chris [Froome]. It’s fantastic for him to be in the lead. He deserves it and it takes some pressure from me.”

on road.cc

Hoping for an eventful stage today anyway

70km/h ain’t too bad…

Not really sure of the dinner table conversation after the CRI but Wiggins is letting Froome know the real daddy is today.

Looks like Wiggins has the Red jersey 😀
The ITV4 commentary is indeed shocking. I like the gradient indicators on the climbs though.