2013 Vuelta a España - Tour of Spain

Excited about the start of this, hoping for a good swashbuckling race, no idea at all who will win it

the thin guy

One of Valverde, Rodriguez, Nibali, Basso, Kreuziger, Henao or Sanchez.

Basso? Really?

Nibali seems to be making an awful lot of noise about how he's not that good at the moment. Did he change doctors?

#trollolololo

Sanchez? Really?

Kreuziger? Really?

Basso? Really?

Nibali seems to be making an awful lot of noise about how he's not that good at the moment. Did he change doctors?

#trollolololo

Yes, Basso. The course suits a rider who is consistent, and that has always been Basso's strength. He's looked strong in the recent warm up races.

Nibali is the class act in the field, he's sensibly trying to put more pressure on the likes of Valverde and Rodriguez.

Henao? Really?

Oh.

I do think Henao is a TT short of a GT win, that and consistency in the mountains. Clearly Uran is the more credible challenger but given his switch of lyalties he's not going to get the leadership role. Top ten, top five maybe

Henao is 25, so he's going to have some flaws still, but I think he'll be a better GT rider than Uran.

Well I meant this minute, in this Vuelta based on what I have seen from them both so far this season. I've no doubt Henao is is going to be a GT rider in the future, just thinking it may be too soon, generally because of his comparative weakness in the ITT. But then Uran isn't a brilliant TTer, and neither is Rodriguez even.

There's a solitary ITT, and it has a 3rd cat climb in it, so it favours strong riders more than specialists. He stands to gain more from the 11 uphill finishes than he'll lose in the ITT.

Ok but I also questioned his consistency in the mountains. I'm not saying he's not a credible GT rider, just that it may be soon for him

Hoy. Deffo.

No, mañana!

(I'll get my abrigo.)

EBH got dropped in the TTT!? Wha!?

Nic Roche... Brilliant!

Ok but I also questioned his consistency in the mountains. I'm not saying he's not a credible GT rider, just that it may be soon for him

Jimmy likes to be right.

Henao got dropped on the last climb today. Not a good start, unless it was tactical m

Fucking ace Nico! What was the last year Ireland had 2 GT stage winners?

Jimmy likes to be right.

Jimmy wins again. Uran inherits the leadership he should have anyway if he wasn't decamping to Quickstep. That said Sky look underpowered while Movistar look ominous in their home Tour. Nibali probably doesn't want red, now Astana will have to defend. Purito for the win

Having Brian Smith co-commentating doesn't make life any easier. Some people might like his monotonous voice I suppose but it's pretty rare for someone to possess no sense of humour at all. I imagine long car journeys with him would pass slowly.

Oh, it's Sean Kelly today. All is right with the world again.

Roche, Majka and Kreuziger (in no particular order) is an interesting cocktail for Saxo-Tinkoff... in principle all podium material really.