The Vuelta thread 2024

Yet again, a grand tour creeps up on us with barely any notice,  – been too busy concentrating on / getting over the olympics!

Who have you got your eye on? Josh Tarling is set to make  his grand tour debut and with the opening stage a 12km time trial in Lisbon, Portugal, might he make it a debut to remember with a win?

Will Oier Lazkano be allowed off the leash? I hope so, I really rate him, but maybe he’s not on peak form after the tour?

Will Mikel Landa finally deliver on his promise with a Grand Tour podium? He seems to be muchhappier at Soudal Quickstep

Cycling news have a couple of articles to read through:

https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/five-key-stages-of-the-2024-vuelta-a-espana/

https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/vuelta-a-espana-2024-analysing-the-contenders/

Nothing from Inrng as yet, perhaps like me they’d forgotten about it

Official website:

https://www.lavuelta.es/en/

Velogames is up and running:

https://www.velogames.com/

Anyone who’s previously entered a team into the STW Grand Tours League for either the Giro or the TDF will automatically join again if they enter a team – I can see there are 10 of us in there already

https://www.velogames.com/spain/2024/leaguescores.php?league=347313627

For anyone who’s not done it before, you can spend 100 points on 9 riders in various categories, and the riders score points depending on how they do each day / overall. I’ve never quite figured it out but I pick riders who I want to do well and tend to finish mid table. Once you’ve entered your team, join league ID 347313627

I had September in my head…which it is…. but it starts in August:)

Must look at a team, NBT wants mid-table, I’ll be happy above that….but no chance and B’hop will easily beat me too, but a nice fun comp’ league 😉

Really want to visit one year, how hot will it be?

Enjoy

15 in the league already

https://www.velogames.com/spain/2024/leaguescores.php?league=347313627

cvilla – I usually start at the top and gradually descend the hill towards the bottom of the league :0)

I’m in.

New Soudal Quickstep kit for the Vuelta. Love it!

The best Grand Tour of the season! Team Higgo entered as well. Adds an extra bit of spice to viewing each stage as you look out for riders in your team.

I quite like the Vuelta, it is the last-chance saloon of tours.

It is almost a shame that Roglic is going, i know he is not on top form, but it would be nice to have a grand tour without a “big 4” favourite there.

Like to see Kuss do well again to.

Is it available on free to view TV?

Is it available on free to view TV?

The highlights show is usually broadcast on Quest, freeview channel 12

During the olympics, Discovery+ were running an offer to new subscribers allowing them to sign up  for £3.99 a month till the end of the year, which would give you full coverage for £3.99 if you signed up then cancelled and just got one month

Team TDDW are in. Let’s hope there are a few more finishers than in the Tour (2!).

Could be anyone, random team selection done.

Christ, I know UAE sent an insanely string team to the tour but have you seen the team at the vuelta? It’s not exactly a list of no-hopers

• João Almeida
• Adam Yates
• Isaac Del Toro
• Brandon McNulty
• Jay Vine
• Pavel Sivakov
• Marc Soler
• Filippo Baroncini

The last guy  is the only one I haven’t heard of, and they’ve all been riding pretty well this season

That last guy won the U23 worlds, I think

The absence of “good” riders makes it quite interesting. Yes I know they’re all superb athletes but Roglic apart it is the 2nd string squads. You’d expect Roglic to win if he can stay rubber side down but history suggests he won’t.

Don’t forget Almeida# was “let off early” from the tour for good behaviour/training/covid. They’re not messing around. Obviously going full on VLaB 2023 to win all three Grand Tours at a canter.

#One of my non-finishers in the Tour, so I’ve doubled down 🙂

Almeida and Del Toro in my fantasy team. Also taken a punt on TaoGH.

Thanks as always @nbt the mini league is looking quite healthily stocked now.

Roglic apart it is the 2nd string squads

I’m not sure Carlos Rodriguez is ‘second string’. Slightly underwhelming at the Tour, but then he was ‘feeling unwell’ as part of a squad that lost Tom Pidcock to covid and had Geraint Thomas openly riding with it too, ditto Bernal. It’s pretty obvious that he likely had it too given the communal living nature of grand tour racing.

Anyway, looks interesting. I’m hoping Richard Carapaz is on top form again. I never trust Mikel Landa to deliver, I’ve seen those sad, puppy dog eyes too often, I fear he’s like Richie Porte and at his best when he’s not expected to lead 🙁

I’m not sure Carlos Rodriguez is ‘second string’.

Only because the Ineos bow is bare at the moment, he might be the best they can put out but that feels like an inditement of them rather than a recommendation for him.

Although I enjoy La Vuelta I always think it’s sad because it’s the last road race of the season worth watching. (I always seem to miss Lombardy!). Nice to see that this year is the standard mix of ‘last-chance for a win’ riders, returning injuries and riders you’ve barely heard of. I’ll be hoping that Cian Pullyerpantsdown does well, keeping my eyes open for Jefferson Alexander Cepeda simply because of that fantastic name, and will wait with bated breath for any rider from Equipo Kern Pharma to do something, anything! Although, with that team name, it may just mean Get Your Drugs Here and they’ll be firmly wedged in the middle of the peloton every day, doling out enhanced jelly babies. 😀

VC Siete Chi 555 entered

An all Spanish/Spanish speaking team for the Last Gasp GC Tour of the Year

Nice to see that this year is the standard mix of ‘last-chance for a win’ riders, returning injuries and riders you’ve barely heard of.

Except, as @nbt points out, UAE.

Thanks NBT. First go at this.

Have probably jinked the riders I have selected.

Didn’t enter the Tour one as I have never bothered to read how the points are accumulated and have hence never done very well, but I did miss checking how badly I was doing so have chucked in a team to come last again!!

Knowing how the scoring works isn’t needed AA, I won the dolphiny one without any clue.

Knowing how the scoring works isn’t needed AA, I won the dolphiny one without any clue.

Well I have had no clue for years and never won ?

Last call, not sure what time the deadline is. Reminder, the first and last stages are ITTs, stage 5 is the only out and out sprint stage, the rest are either hilly or mountainous

Well I have had no clue for years and never won ?

You’ve got this. This is your time to shine.

I think Josh Tarling starts 18:32 local time today, so 17:32 UK time? WvA last person just after 6.

Good opportunity for Tarling. I’m going to call out Adam Yates for the GC although I’m not sure the TTs might scupper him. There’s a ridiculous amount of climbing overall.

Pog plus any random selection would have beaten my Tour team. So pick a decent GC rider and randomly choose the others. With Tarling for the TT to do one over Wout ?. Not long to go now. Time for a ride before settling down.

Local time is UK time, it’s Portugal

And off…

Looks choppy out there. I’d pay good money to watch Wout run the double disc today.

pistonbrokeFree Member
Local time is UK time, it’s Portugal

Ah, that’s confusing.

Tarling is off. Windy!

That was a bit of a surprise. Short TT for Tarling to be fair but I bet he’s gutted.

Mr TW, aka Ben and Team Bob. Is feeling confident.

Overall Race Score: 868

Overall Rank: 11 of 15886

Bah!

Hedged on Victor today, but still a healthy points haul. All to play for in team TDDW. Think where you can lose 0.28 of a second!

Not sure how my team mananged the total score of zero points yesterday. Quite impressive really!!

Tour de France Femmes….wow, what an unbelievably great final stage!!