Vuelta a Espana - 22h

[Bear]

95% chance to start here for me. 4% chance to not ride the Vuelta and 1% to start at a different time. But in September will start the harvest, so no real chance for a start before 22h, 22h could be difficult on some days, too. But here is my team:

#1 Matthew Bearclaw - leader - wants to show some good performances in his last GT
#2 Jamie Bearclaw - nephew and co-leader - important helper for Matthew with small chances for white
#3 Drew Bezanson - classical helper - helping Matthew will be his only job
#4 Cal Clutterbuck - TT specialist - important for the TTT
#5 Kris Holm - TTT helper
#6 Angelo Pagani - classic rider - helper for Matthew, but maybe he wants a personal victory
#7 Steve Romaniuk - helper - wants to be part of the team
#8 Juha Salminen - the escape guy - wants to try everything for a stage win
#9 Marko Tarkkala - flat guy - flat rider

#X Taliriktug "Talle" Desalle - 60-80er - maybe he will replace Marko at the vuelta with age of 33/34 years, depends on his training

Salary: about 534.045 (544.696 with "Talle"). It will be expensive but fun is the most important thing in this GT. Some good results would be perfect.

Who else will start here? Radler? Hansa? Libby? Skullz? Kielgy? Leso? Cerro? Berlin? Riders? ...

[Buhmann]

Hmm, maybe i will start too. I don´t know the profiles, hope that Coulieu has the chance to win again. But i need some new young riders, so that i don´t think that my team will be very good.

[kielgy]

Hm, i m not sure to ride the vuelta... but if i start, its 22h.

i don t know yet, i think i would need a sitter again for a few days...

[Bear]

KMT also here? Great. This is gonna be a great competition...

[Team Australia]

Yeah, mañana comenzará la Vuelta! A mi, este curso me gusta mucho. Allí en España he ganado mis victorias más importantes. En tres participaciónes (una vez peloton 2) ganó 2 veces la valoracion general, 12 etapas y cada una vez la valoración de las montañas, del sprint y de los equipos. Por eso, claro, la vuelta me gusta mejor que otros cursos. En este año no he jugado muchisimo el RSF. Por eso no sé si puede participar en peloton uno, pero espero que si. Tampoco estoy seguro si participaré allí o a las ocho de la tarde. Creo que las ocho faltaré menos pero el peloton será mejor a las diez. Vamos a ver...

Yeah, tomorrow will start the Vuelta! I like this tour very much, because I had me greatest victories here. I started 3 times (once in field 2) and won 2 times the general classement, 12 stages and one time (each) green, red and the team classement. Because of that the Vuelta is my favourite big tour. This year, I didn´t play RSF so much like the years before, so I don´t know if I can ride in field 1. But naturally I hope so. I don't know for sure if I'm going to start here or at 20h either. At 20h I'd miss less races, but at 22h there will probably be a stronger field. We'll see...

Equipo / Team

Sergei Larin 88-59-72-50-52-51
Ernesto Zepeda 71-84-50-60-57-42
Ruben Santiago 71-81-65-46-48-50
Gregory Reeves 71-83-68-48-58-52
Bryan Wood 50-85-63-52-46-40
Janis Sanders 50-86-46-49-49-46
William Lynch 47-70-50-47-47-56
Servet Yilmaz 51-56-62-46-95-35

No estoy seguro quien es el 9. ciclista. / I don't know yet who'll get the 9. place.

Espero que hay más equipos que quieren sprints. / I hope there are some more teams with like to do sprints on flat stages.

Mí objetivo más importante es la alegría / My most important goal is to have a lot of fun.

[The Owl]

I also play vuelta at this time!!!

for me objective is to be in top 10 and win a stage.

good luck to all!!!

[kielgy]

I cant... a pity

[RP KMT]

hmm .
manager motivated,
team motivated,
computer ready,
but esmanden dont want to ride in field 2.

wildcard for kmt !!!

Wilmer Esmander
Achille Aguzzi
Peniu Kalahati
Wille Vlokken
Fokke Frkandel
Ingmar Skagen
xxx
xxx
xxx

[Buhmann]

Where are you KMT?

And what a pervers rider is Hüberli? 85-77 pfffff

[lesossies]

I wanted to ride the vuelta too but at 21:28 I saw that 23 teams were announced and I decided to go out from this vuelta to avoid a splitting.

20 teams are now riding. A good field for a long tour.

Maybe its better for my team without a general leader.

Enjoy it.

[Bear]

Biggest field of the Vuelta. Not bad hopefully. I am really missing some friendly teams. But the field will be good I think. I don't know all the teams really well but I am looking forward to three weeks of good competition.

With AGHN and Saller we have two sprinter teams who could work for the mass sprint. Maybe some teams will join them. For the middle mountain stages there are some classics with 60+ sprint. But no team has the riders to control the bunch. Hopefully no chaos during these kind of stages. Mountain stages should go to Coulieu or Matthew, maybe Coulieu let him win at the Bola del Mundo

Hüberli seems to be the big favortite for GC, followed by Sarup. Then there are the climbers with 60 TT, and there are some riders with 70+ mountain and 70-80 TT (don't know what to think about them, but maybe no chance in GC).

So it's up to Radler and me to fight against the others. More or less, there are 9 "mountain" arrivals. With the bonus seconds it could be a chance for Coulieu or even Matthew. Now I need a plan for the upcoming stages...

[Bear]

First real stage, first mass sprint. good work by aghn, saller and skullz. the group was good. unfortunately some guys just went for the mountains jersey, otherwise we would have made it. 2km missing in the end, that could be easily done with the help of one rider. Maybe we did a mistake to change too late to red tempo. Anyway, good first escape. The next two days are gonna be tough. Two uphillsprints are coming.

[Buhmann]

Today you could help me again Bear You could get the leader jersey. Or i get it, would be nice, have financial problems...Maybe it would be better if you would be a 90er, too. We will fight against eachother, not only against the real favorites.

[Bear]

Yap. I know. I have this problem almost everytime. 88-61 seems to be not good enough to win stages in a GT. All I can do is to try it again and again. If a stage win is not possible I have to focus on different goals, like the situation is now. For the GC I need every second. And yes, I will help again today. But not as much as yesterday because my chances are less today. The leaders jersey is possible, but not sure, you just need 3 seconds against me. In the GC fight we are not in a bad situation right now. We will see how much time we can gain till the time trial.

[Bear]

Second uphill finish and again second with a one second gap. Two much second for me. But I don't know if I could follow Coulieu. At the 9% I am pretty sure I can't, at the 5% it might have worked. Anyway, I worked for two jerseys and a second places. Should be ok though. Matthew is now 33, hopefully he don't lose important skills during the next two training sessions.
Today I want to defend my red jersey. But if there is a group which is not dangerous for the GC... go ahead.

[Cerro Torre RT]

As it worked with Gourge and Terray, with no difference in flat skill, i am pretty sure it would've on the 5.

[Bear]

I think so too. But I think Gourge had better form than you and Radler had the same form than me (my suggestion). So I was not really sure. It was a mistake. Next time there is a 5% in the end I will try it.

[Cerro Torre RT]

And beat me, probably, cool.

[Bear]

I don't think so. Matthew will retire next month, don't know exactly when. But I don't remember any races with a 5% finish till the end of September. So maybe I have to say, lucky Terray. Anyway, I wish you good luck in your Vuelta edition. I hope for a good fight.

[Robyklebt]

You always do the wrong thing?

Matthew retire in October? Ok, I hope after Lombardia then... But stop, after Lombardia there is the Jura, I think at least. And then it's already November, and yes, in November the Andes.... Yes, he'll be 35, but the Andes (depending on Rasses route) is one of the few races when 2 climbers really make sense. Even a 85 Matthew still can be very useful there, to help Jamie if Jamie trains well. Or 2 have 2 options if Jamie is not training too well and is only a 84 or 85.

Should have sold him in August Or after the Andes.

[Buhmann]

With two riders Anden makes sense, yes. With a rider with 35 reg too?

[Aixteam]

With two riders Anden makes sense, yes.

You are even allowed to take 9 riders

[Robyklebt]

Depends on the parcours Radler... and yes, I had fun with my superduo Pucci35-Gygax40 2 years ago.. not that I won anything, but.. By riding it defensively? Who knows, with our brillant system right now... yes, 35 can win. Shouldn't, but is the case.

[Bear]

@Roby: My plan is to ride at least Emillia and Lombardia with him (if it's possible). Ok, maybe Jura because it's regardless if I sell him earlier or later in Okt (from the financial point of view). I hope I can ride the Andes. But I don't know if Matthew will start there because I need the money to buy another classic rider (---> Giro '11). I want to buy the second climber in 2011 (jan or feb?). During the winter I have to change a lot of my helpers and for Pagani a classic rider is planned again. So I really need the money for my plans. I don't know if this works when I sell Matthew for less money.

[Buhmann]

You are even allowed to take 9 riders