The Vuelta boasts five new summits, shorter stages, and plenty of uncertainty – VeloNews.com
It's that time of the year again. The final grand tour is upon us. As we prepare for the start of stage 1, check out this race preview from VeloNews:
Short, fast, hot and hard — that pretty much sums up any Vuelta a España.
A quick glance confirms that the 2019 edition will live up to the billing: There’s no stage longer than 200km in the route peppered with climbs over the northern half of Spain. There are five new summits, and even one day — stage 9 in Andorra at 96.6km — under 100km. With a short detour into and Andorra and France — including a key 36.2km individual time trial in stage 10 — the 2019 Vuelta should deliver as the race that no one can predict.
This year’s edition won’t disappoint anyone who loves the style of aggressive and unpredictable racing that the Spanish grand tour delivers.
“Every Vuelta is hard,” said Trek-Segafredo’s Peter Stetina. “There might have been a time when it was easier, but the Vuelta is as hard as any race now.”
There could be more than a few surprises lying in wait, however, especially in an unconventional final week across Spain’s rugged Sierra de los Gredos, a region that typically has not seen much racing action in the Vuelta’s third week.
Rather than end on such emblematic climbs as L’Angliru or Bola del Mundo, the Vuelta’s final week will be fought out across the stark landscapes of Spain’s northern meseta.
So, where will the race be won?
A few stages stand out among the 21-stage, 3290km route starting August 24 with a team time trial in Torrevieja and ending in Madrid with a traditional mass gallop on September 15.
Stage-hunters and sprinters will get their chances sprinkled across the route, but the real battle — like any Vuelta — will play out on eight uphill finales underscoring another climb-heavy edition. Perhaps the route is not stacked with as many “walls” as in previous editions, but this Vuelta measures up. There’s hardly a chance for GC riders to let down their collective guard.
“Compared to other grand tours, the Vuelta offers more chances for the escapees,” said Lotto-Soudal sport director Mario Aerts. “The course difficulty of this year’s Vuelta is comparable to the one of previous editions. There will already be a lot of clarity, GC-wise, on the second rest day, both stage fifteen and sixteen are relatively short but really hard.”
The opening team time trial sets an important pecking order within the peloton, and the first week is book-ended by a decisive stage in Andorra. There are a few opening-week steep climbs to eliminate the wheat from the chafe that cannot be overlooked. The first serious winnowing out will come in Andorra in stage 9 with the action-packed, five-climb stage ending at Cortals d’Encamp.
Following the first rest day, the Vuelta’s main time trial on a power course in Pau on stage 10 should see a major opportunity for Primoz Roglic(Jumbo-Visma) to position himself for a podium run against a peloton filled with Latin American climbers.
“Overall, with the amount of meters of climbing, this year is one of the hardest we have seen in recent years for the Vuelta,” said Julian Dean, sport director at Mitchelton-Scott. “Andorra is definitely a key stage but also once we get up to Asturias there are some climbs that we have never done before.”
Indeed, the second week is loaded with the trademark steep climbs that has made the Vuelta so entertaining. Los Machucos, the beyond-steep climb that was so decisive in Chris Froome’s 2017 victory, is back in stage 13, followed by two major tests backed up in stages 15 and 16 in Asturias. The finish up Sanctuario de Acebo (8.1km at 9.8 percent) in stage 15, followed by the longer, grinding Alto de la Cubilla (18km at 6 percent) the next day should see the podium contenders surge to the front.
On paper, it appears as the final week lacks a bit of a punch. There isn’t a punctuation mark to end the Vuelta, but instead a series of challenging, undulating terrain offers up some intriguing possibilities to set up the race for attack-driven tactics. Even transition stages have some unexpected features that could catch any leader on siesta off their guard.
Spain’s Sierra de los Gredos — hard, knobby climbs along Spain’s inhospitable middle spine — is the main protagonist in the final week. It’s new terrain for the Vuelta to face on the third week, and it could upend the GC. The undulating nature of the terrain could see a strong team snuff out the action, or open the door for adventurists to try to blow apart the race.
Can anyone say “Froomigal“? Organizers are certainly hoping to see a repeat of dramatic, race-changing dynamics.
While a few marquee names are missing, including defending champion Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), this year’s Vuelta start listreads like a who’s who of cycling’s next big stars. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), Richard Carapaz (Movistar), Miguel Ángel López (Astana) and Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos) all line up as pre-race favorites.
With an intriguing course profile and a start list filled with ambition, the 2019 Vuelta should not disappoint.
Source: https://www.velonews.com/2019/08/analysis/the-vuelta-boasts-five-new-summits-shorter-stages-and-plenty-of-uncertainty_499732 ... See more
An unconventional closing week across Spain's rugged Sierra de los Gredos could up-end the Spanish grand tour
grateful for all the opportunities she got but she is now ready to make a step forward.? ?The past four years the team has given me everything they could possibly offer and whilst I?m very grateful that they have developed me to this level, I?m now ready for a change and to step up to the highest level. I?d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone from my previous team, Bizkaia, and all the other wonderful people who have supported me until now. They have stood by us during the good times and, especially through those bad times when they had to personally struggle to offer their athletes all they could. I will be forever grateful.? Sanchis was very delighted with the chance Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling team manager and owner Rochelle Gilmore has given her when she signed the contract in November last year. ??I started talking to people on the team after the World Championships in Florence, Italy. They put me in touch with manager Rochelle Gilmore. From the beginning it felt good and I am very excited to be part of such an organised and professional team. I look forward to riding with a group of really good riders, who will motivate me to work as hard as possible to help the team?s leaders to win a lot of races. It will be a big change for me but it is a dream that?s come true! I am very happy they have given me this opportunity because I was struggling with finding a team and with my motivation. If Wiggle Honda didn?t come up I probably would have quit professional cycling.? For Sanchis it is the second time in her career she will be riding for a non-Spanish team after having ridden for the Italian Safi-Pasta Zara Team in 2009. In that same year Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling?s Giorgia Bronzini was one of her team mates and friends. But her period on Safi-Pasta Zara didn?t turn out well due to a knee injury and not getting paid by the team, but she is very confident her new adventure in a foreign team will turn out well. ?This time it is different because Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling is a very professional team and one of the best. For example on Bizkaia-Durango all staff members have a full-time or part-time job. On Wiggle Honda everyone is fully dedicated to only work for the team. Also the team structure, the approach of the races and the level of dedication is much different. Now I already have a global plan of how my season will look like. Before I didn?t have it and it was always a surprise when I was able to race. Personally I really want to be on a team with good cyclists like Giorgia Bronzini and Linda Villumsen who are constantly winning races. Working for them and helping them and the team to achieve this will help me to improve as a professional cyclist. It is really something special.? Medical studies and racing In 2014 Sanchis will combine her medical studies with international racing. With exams in January and June, Sanchis will start her season at the end of March with the World Cup Trofeo Binda. ?I’m studying medicines. I am following two courses, but each year I? do a few subjects. Cycling and studying at the same time is very difficult, but I hope to become a doctor one day. I have no hurry to finish my studies, the most important thing at the moment is the bike. After my cycling career I will focus on being a doctor, I hope.? Due to her examinations her final racing program still has to be finalized yet but the 26-year old will focus on the stage races this year. ?This team is missing someone to help Linda in the stage races and the high Mountains. I think I can be that rider. In the sprint finishes the team has already a lot of riders to support Bronzini. This year my goals will be the Giro Rosa and the Route de France. I really want to be good in these races. Either to help Linda (Villumsen) or to go for my own chance. Nothing has been 100% decided yet but I will most of the time compete in the stage races. These races really suit me and it is what really motivates me.? Sanchis continues: ?I am constantly chasing for the best. Consistency is very important in life. The Daily effort is very important to reach your objectives. Ups and downs, overcoming every obstacle? Nothing is impossible. The first step to achieve your objectives is to believe in them. Have faith in yourself and keep fighting. Persigue tus sue?os siempre. (Follow your dreams forever)?