This Vuelta should be quite exciting.

Yeah, should be fun, but I reckon Froome will be like Contador or Niabli at the tour - not fully firing on all cylinders.

Should be Valverde's to lose.

And WTF is Schleck doing in the list of possible podium contenders? I thought he'd shot his bolt a few years ago. Maybe he's been seeing Horner's nutritional advisor.

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Swim. Overbike. Walk.

While I agree that it's tougher for Froome to extend his season into September (since he was tuning up earlier than Valverde in races like the Dauphine), I think it brings Froome to more of a level playing field with Valverde. There is one flat 39k TT were Froome should be able to put a chunk of time on Valverde, so he doesn't have to beat him in the mountains.

Tejay becomes an X factor, and of course there is always potential for more drama between Quintana and Valverde as there was last year. Throw in J-Rod and Nibali into the mix and any given stage could be awesome. Sky also looks to be bringing in a pretty strong team as Thomas is on the squad again too.

Last year the top 5 was within 5 minutes of each other, and the podium was within 2 minutes. Hoping for something similar this year as there are a ton of mountain stages, and even the stages not classified as a mountain stage have some uphill finishes.

That is not the double. That is the afterthought. If Froome wanted to attempt the double then he would have lined up with Contador at the Giro.

I thoroughly enjoyed last years Vuelta, both Contador and Froome had withdrawn from Le Tour and were not sure if they'd be fit for a Grand Tour, it was close.
This year I'm predicting Froome will do the double, he has a strong team supporting him and was untouchable in the TdF

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res, non verba

The Vuelta is consistently underrated - I think it brings some of the most exciting racing of the year, much more so than the Tour due to the number of uncertainties and variability in preparation. This year looks to be a good one. Astana is bringing a major hit squad.

He was looking fairly touchable in the last week wouldn't you say? One more MTF and Quintana would have punked his alien ass. Plus he's been doing post tour crits for the last 2 weeks if the media is any indication. Valverde to win, Rodriguez another painful second, Froome a distant third.

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I wonder if Tejay has a legit shot here. Froome will have to crack one day, but Tejay could be the freshest of contenders after missing the bruising final TdF stages.

I thought maybe Tejay would be more likely to take a more relaxed stage-hunting approach after his high strung tour experience...

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Professional Athlete: http://jordancheyne.wordpress.com/ http://www.strava.com/athletes/145340

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To be fair, the vuelta is underrated because historically it was a boring, underfunded, afterthought of a tour, and nowadays is too close to the worlds. It'll never have the prestige of the tour or the giro.

My favourite stage was the Tony Martin breakway in 2013 edition. That was strangely hypnotic and incredible drama at the end.

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Swim. Overbike. Walk.

Interesting if Froomey wins the Vuelta. Then I guess he'll have to give it a shot at next years Giro to hold all the GT at once.

That would be interesting. Especially since he's never done the giro (has he?).

If you thought Roche and Hinault got a rough ride from the tifosi, imagine what Froome would have to cope with...

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Swim. Overbike. Walk.

The number of Americans is triple the number from the Tour De France.

Best Grand tour and plenty to cheer for!!

Andrew Talansky
Tejay van Garderen
Joe Dombrowski
Lawson Craddock
Joseph Rosskopf
Larry Warbasse
Alex Howes
Ben King
Ian Boswell-? Froome may ruin his chances being picked

My cynical self says that with Astana full bore, and the Vuelta being a lot like the Giro from a controls perspective, there will be a clear split between clean and not clean. And I think Tejay and Joe will be among the best of "the rest".

I hope I'm wrong but I don't see this setting up well for the American GC types.

Does anyone know where to watch TV / streaming?

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Less power, more aero.

I believe Universal Sports will be covering it again this year as far as network television.

In Canada, Sportsnet.

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res, non verba

Fresh legs will win it. CF and TJVG will be battle to see who will stay in race longest before dropping out.

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It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev

Astana will come out in force, I think Aru would be a smart each-way bet.

I kind of want to see Schleck kill it and watch the boards go nuts over it.

Not for the glorious betterment of the principality of Luxembourg? I'm shocked I tell you, shocked.

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Swim. Overbike. Walk.

Sooo Froome, Nibali, Rodriguez, Valverde, Quintana all won't win it then? If we're talking about lack of fresh legs? Who does this leave? Aru?

Sagan

hahaha, if cycling stage races were scored like sailing regattas maybe he'd have a chance.