La Vuelta (Tour of Spain) and The Tour of Britain

[Pan]

Taking a leaf out of my new biking hero Sylvan Chavanel, it seemed a good idea to lead from the front.
Vuelta starts this Saturday, and many of the usual suspects will be in there. The course looks quite climby, so Team Sky have opted for their Columbian rider Sergio Henoa Montoya as leader, tho' an old warrior will be the sprint king.
Useful links are:
A course guide
and
The Start List by Team
As far as I can tell, Eurosport are carrying live action and ITV4 are showing highlights, tho I think that may well be from the action the day before.
The Tour of Britain starts the day the Vuelta ends, 15th September.

Sooo, if you like most things in lycra and whizzing along a road, this is the place for you. As NicholasTeacozy reckons, it's like chess on hundreds of wheels. If you're intrigued but don't know your peloton from your domestique, drop in and someone will no doubt help out.

[LostInWales]

That was a strong finish! It's a great race so far, couldn't call at thing for the GC at the end.

Was it brilliant Quint? The atmosphere at the big races we have been to has always been absolutely amazing. Did they have a caravan chucking out free stuff?

[elQuintoConyo]

Atmosphere great! No caravan chucking out free stuff but on our way back to the car we past a hotel where a couple of teams are staying; their team buses and tour buses were outside. Bikes were being repaired, re-tyred etc and the Italian team were washing the tour cars swoons haha! Not a wet t-shirt in sight though!
DH found a highlight clip where you can see a flash if green (me!) If you squint and keep hitting pause/play/pause/play! I'll try and link it later.

We're hosting the Mediterranean Games in 2017, DS will be 6, we hope to go and see more sports - the excitement is contagious!

¡Viva La Vuelta!

[elQuintoConyo]

passed not past!

[LostInWales]

[Pan]

Oh poor Eddie! And now I want a yacht moored in the Tarragona harbour, just like el obviously has.

[DramaDragon]

Oh poor Eddie indeed - so near & yet so far. I really thought it was his day today. He must be gutted.

I am ridiculously excited after discovering today that one of the Tour of Britain stages finishes in my home town! Only I'm not there anymore .

Sorry name change alert - the former DramaAlpaca has taken on a more fearsome form thanks to HoneyDragon's dragon thread. I might keep it - I'm not really a meek alpaca/llama type, but then I'm not especially dramatic either .

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I was gutted for Eddie and pleased for Gilberte in equal proportions. I do love a good sprint finish, though it is odd to see a sprint without Mark Cavendish's trademark emergence from the pack, hunched over his bars (his form is unique, n'est pas?), to hurtle over the line.

[prettybird]

Ds had to miss the last 3km as a) his dad was going off to a business meeting and needed the iPad and b) he had to get ready for his last crit of the season which also meant he missed seeing the ITV4 Highlights .

He was gutted to find out that it was another an exciting finish.

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

DramaDragon - I am already ridiculously excited for next year, July time - I live in Yorkshire and the TdF comes very close. Twice!

[Pan]

oh my giddy aunt.

I became not caring who won, just so long as they all made it safely down the slopes without hitting the barriers, incl Ratto's leg out technique. Surely the organisers are guilty of pushing the design too far, with so many out with hypothermia, even amongst these 'hard' men.

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

That was horrible! I don't think the organisers were planning the hideous weather though, they were hoping for lots of attacks up big mountains.

[HowGoodIsThat]

It was desperately nerve-wracking, wasn't it? My arse hurt from being so tightly clenched with anxiety at the cornering. I don't think I have ever seen professional bike-riders take corners so carefully. Poor Nico Roche could barely talk at the end. Luke ROwe must be wondering why he deserved this as his Grand TOur baptism.

[Pan]

Doesn't Horner have the most elegant climb riding style? No rocking side to side, efficient, no change in cadence, perfectly balanced - could watch it all day'ish.

[Pan]

Escapado Pan.

[Pan]

And on the way home I tried Horner's technique - and it works! Shoulders down and elbows out. We two must have the same build then.

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

(I can't ride a bike).

[Pan]

oh Endo I'm not sure my 'riding' would be anything like Horner's. At 15st with a large rucksack on my back, riding a hybrid up a slope hardly qualifies.
Still. The dancing on the pedals in that sytle in those circs felt cool!
Do you not want to ride a bike at all?

[Pan]

or style even!

And today's leg/section/ridey part is really good, if anyone's not seen it yet.

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

Pan - my parents tried to make me as a child, it was miserable. I tried again as an adult, just can't do it. I have crap co-ordination.

I just like watching bike races though, my brother and dad were mad keen so I've been watching Tour de France since the 80s.

Yes, today's was very exciting. I'm looking forward to the last few days, another rest day tomorrow though.

[DramaAlpaca]

That's a great mental picture of you Pan, riding gracefully along a la Horner...

I love riding a bike - but I have serious trouble with hills. Unfortunately I live at the bottom of a steep slope, so I have to get off & push before I can go anywhere at all!

[Pan]

'gracefully' is way too big a word for it DA.

Watching today's highlights later, but the box has been shook up quite well after yesterday, hasn't it? And iirc today is pretty punishing where seconds and poss minutes will be won and lost.

[HowGoodIsThat]

I came over a bit prophetic back up thread with my comment re Luke...

I have been experimenting with a more bouncy climbing style on my road bike and I love it. I used to like to grind a big gear Ulrich-style but now I am Contador-esque in my bounciness. I do not, however, chemically enhance my performance, unless you count cycling home after wine book group.

I watched last night after having struggled up a mild incline cyclin home from the station and felt very pathetic.

[prettybird]

I know at the couple of hill climb races that ds did last year the fastest up were the ones who chose easier gears and spun faster, dancing up the hill rather than grinding out a big gear and risking losing momentum.

This was the same for the adults as well as the kids.

[DramaAlpaca]

HowGoodIsThat do you eat steak with your wine?

[Pan]

You did get all prophetic Cassandra How didn't you! I looked on twitter and saw he really did run out of biscuits and was just knackered.

yes I used to sit further back in my saddle and try to push uphills, but not now.