La Vuelta a Espana - The MN Pro-cycling Peloton rides again!

[MaillotRojoPan]

The third Grand Tour of the year, following the Giro d'Italia in spring and the Tour de France in summer. It's always a tough ride and this year's is a beast.

If you've seen pro-cycling on tv for instance, or witnessed local rides and been a bit curious about the hows and whys we have such a spectacle of endeavour, tactics, sacrifice, strops and often pointless 'break-a-ways' then be curious no more - the committed MN peloton members will ride with you and chat as we go. Some members will be distracted by so many fit young men with bulging thighs, but be kind to them.

Next up, a course outline, timings and general stuff about La Vuelta.

I'm wondering how a time-trial specialist like Tom Dumoulin can be so amazing in the mountains, unless the GC boys are still playing the watch & wait game? Although Froome looked to be completely knackered at the end of yesterday's stage.

Doping? He is massive to be hauling himself up hills like that!

I really thought Froome had that stage, then up he came and got him before the line.
Wasn't it Dumoulin that hung on to the car the day after Nibali got dq for it? I think they should have sent him home as well if they'd done it to Nibbles the day before but everyone carried on regardless - makes you think there's something in Nibali's statement of they only did it because it was him...

it was Boohani from Cofodis who had an extraordinarily sticky bottle
the following day.
I think the cheating Italian was done because it was for at least 100m up a hill, on camera, and escaping the bunch he was with, who all must have thought 'qu'est-ce le......'etc. Still being a tour master and contender there is a sort of 'leadership' thing that goes with it, so if it was Froome currently, Quintana etc they would have been just as eligible and booted off.....imho

Fair enough, I've got my names mixed up!

I thought Tom D seemed quite authentic in his surprise at being asked about it.

But yes, the questions need asking unfortunately don't they? Even at the World Athletics Champs this week athletes have been found out (Kenyans, and the Russians haven't done as well as to be expected ordinarily.....) where the prize money is much less than biking. Noticed also though that Lizzie Armistead is complaining about vampires coming for her blood from UCI when some of her competitors haven't needed the garlic and stakes.

And Bouhanni crashed out a couple of days later, so ... karma He also has a bit of a reputation for bumping into people, so, more karma!

clarity! - Lizzie is beyond reproach, not just because she is gorge, , but she was indicating the inconsistency about tests.

And as dry and witty as his scripts are, Gary Imlach really has to do something about his jazz hands.

Rodrigues will be everyone's friend after today.

Was Froomey looking at his handlebar Cbbies again?

I think Froome should abandon. His knee looks fucked. Yesterday's stage was designed to weed out Froome the GC contenders who rode the Tour, and it worked.

He tweeted this last night:

Knocked sideways into a barrier & stone wall today. Further scans in the morning but start unlikely as I can’t walk without crutches

Knocked? Wonder who he thinks knocked him ...

Cycling News were tweeting this morning, promising news of a shock transfer - turns out to be Louis Meintjes (MTN) signing for Lampre-Merida, which wasn't as exciting as our speculations here!

Quite Atiao - but he is now out of it and focus on the Worlds?

The tweets from that Tinkov man after the race. What a horrible lump of human he is. If I knew what products were to do with the company I would boycott them what exactly is a Tinkov-Saxo anyway?

Hi MaillotRojoPan , afternoon all,

Sorry to butt in, but we've just officially opened the new Cycling topic (yes, finally!).

Would you like us to move this thread over there?

Whoop!!! A cycling section!!!
Thank you mn!!

That twat Tinkov man knows how to make friends doesn't he?!

Still gutted for Froome. Been an interesting race though!

Dawn - yes please, it seems like our natural home

Yay to cycling topic!

Thank you MN. Our very own home

Lovely article barking, what a charming man.

Thanks for the new topic MNHQ

Haven't been posting much recently, but am enjoying the Vuelta.

Evening Dawn, as it were.
Nice to see the topic thing, thanks! Needing some advice about mudguards and how swearing at them does not make them perform any better...or lead to a drier arse...