Kevindale

As of right now it looks like the competition between Froome, Uran, and Bardet will continue in the Vuelta a Espaņa. Bardet has never done the Vuelta, and Uran hasn't done it in a few years, and has never done very well in that tour. Aru (and Nibali) will also be there. All of them are obviously in fine form, though my impression is that Bardet pushed himself to his very limit in the TdF, and I can't imagine he'll have time to fully recover in less than a month.

This race seems to be one Froome really wants, but the closeness of the TdF seems like it could give significant motivation to his top competitors. I'm already looking forward to it! I hope Cannondale has the depth to send some strong support with Uran.

Nine summit finishes! Only one time trial. It looks like the fireworks will really start about half way through.

Cigarguy

Looking forward to the Vuelta. Much better than TDF in my books. More mountain stages, less French tourism and French bias. Always hard to predict the race favourite for the Vuelta as guys react, train, and party differently after the TDF. My pick is someone who crashed out early from the Tour but have recovered for the Vuelta or someone who did not compete at the TDF.

Campag4life

In spite of our differences Kevin, thanks for sharing your perspective about the Vuelta.


Does anybody know if NBCSN is going to pick up coverage for the race? (like the TdF)


Thanks

Kevindale

Someone rested would obviously seem to have an edge, though Quintana won after finishing 3rd in the TdF last year. Hopefully the lack of mountains in the first half of the Vuelta will allow the TdF riders some recovery.

vtchuck

NBC Sports Gold will cover all stages of the Vuelta live and full event replays

Campag4life

Do you know if the Vuelta will be covered on NBCSN aka regular cable without the Sports Gold membership?

vtchuck

Only the last day... delayed coverage. Looks like it will be be on the Olympic Channel every day as delayed coverage

Campag4life

Thanks...not familiar with the Olympic Channel or don't recall. I have a decent but not top level Comcast/Xfinity cable package.

vtchuck

Its 624 on Directv. According to the press releases it is carried by Comcast & AT&T but only certain packages. Launched about a week ago and replaced Universal channel. Good luck. You may be able to stream it as well.

Edit #1: FWIW, NBC Sports Gold is worth every penny. Carries a great number of races from the Tour & Vuelta, spring classics, CX, World Championships... all for $40 a year

Edit #2: Also Steephill TV usually has a video summary of most races, or if you have VPN, you might be able to access EuroSport.

Campag4life

Many thanks for sharing that Chuck.

cycledogg

I agree. I think Nibali has the best chance since he did not ride TdF. So far, few top GC riders have been able to do well in back-to-back Grand Tours. Contador tried and failed, Quintana tried and failed, so I'm looking forward to see how Froome does. Since I have only been able to find some short provisional start lists, I don't know who all will be there this year. I'd like to know who will be helping Froome. I consider the Vuelta to be the better Grand Tour over Tdf and Giro. The only thing I dislike about the Vuelta, is usually several GC riders tend to leave early to prep for the Worlds. I wish they would push the Worlds further down the calendar.

Kevindale

This site has a fair amount of info and links to teams, etc. It turns out Uran will be in Colorado and then Canada, so he won't be there, but lots of other strong riders. Froome has gotten several seconds in the Vuelta, and he wouldn't do this unless he were going all out. It's would be hard for me to bet against him. I think he might be worrying that he'll be known as a guy who only won the TdF among the great bike races.

I just found out that Sagan will be lining up in the Tour of Poland this weekend, along with some other notable riders. Hopefully Viz-Cycling will be posting videos the day of the races, as that looks like a fun one to watch.

And I agree with you about the Worlds. Maybe they're worried the season will just be too long, or if it's any later they couldn't hold the race in a place like Norway (though they did delay the race last year, I assume because it might have been too hot otherwise in Quatar).

gpsblake

They got Froome at even money winning the Vuelta. His main contender will be a fresh Nibali.

MinnMan

I can never understand why any of the riders do the TdF and the Giro or the Vuelta. Doing a grand tour has got to take something out of you, physically *and* mentally. Doing two so closely spaced just seems counterproductive. Do the riders really want to do this, or are they under pressure from their teams? The only double that is maybe reasonable is the Giro/Vuelta.

Kevindale

I think for Froome it must be to burnish his legacy as one of the great riders. He needs a Giro or a Vuelta or a World Championship to be seen a rider for the ages. If he retired right now, he'd be on the list of great TdF riders, but wouldn't crack the top 10 or 15 for the history of bike racing.

gpsblake

Also interesting that sometimes the GC men from the TDF become the top lieutenants in the Vuelta. A couple of years ago, the fiasco of the USA pro cycling challenge managed to draw a lot of big names away from the Vuelta. No longer the case.

colombo357

Winning another Tour is probably more valuable than a Giro Vuelta double.

Winning a Tour double is potentially more valuable than winning the next Tour (for someone who already has several under his belt).

There is much less risk in attempting a Tour-Vuelta double than Giro-Tour double.

roadwarrior

If you go to the NBC Sports website they list everything...good news is that if you get the Olympic Channel (new channel which looks a lot like the old Universal Channel) stages are on in the evening. There's a whole listing for it.

Brian25

Any word on Giro winner Tom Doubilon (???on spelling his name, couldn't it be easier?) and Mr. didn't make it thru stage 1 of the TDF; Valverde or Esteban Chavez Racing?? That would really fill out the field eh.

diphthong

i believe i read somewhere that dumou(lin) is sitting it out (altho i think he could finish top five),
valverde is still recovering from that season-ending crash during the tdf prologue. chaves might
race it since he missed the giro and i think both yates bros are riding it as well. chaves didn't do
squat during the tdf but between him and both of the yates, orica would have a pretty fearsome
(on paper) ghidorah three-headed monster gc team.

diphthong

aand looking at the provisional starting list for the vuelta (from a few days ago so it's
not super accurate but it is juicy) just makes me believe this is going to be a free for all.
no team sky laying down a suppressing fire every day. can't wait. fave gt every year.

paintguy

You can watch the Vuelta on the Olympic Channel via a You Tube TV Free Trial, if it's in your city.

sch

Pops up locally on Uverse Ch1667. Stage 5 9am CDT.