Vuelta a España: Stage 3 Preview & Favorites

Stage 2 gave us a lot of answers. Euskaltel had high hopes for Samuel Sanchez in their last Vuelta but the former Olympic Champion got dropped early on the final climb. Sergio Henao came to the race as one of the outsiders for the podium but the Colombian climber didn’t have a great day and ended up getting dropped with 4 km to go. Both Henao and Sanchez lost 2:41 min to Nicolas Roche who took a brilliant stage win.

Vincenzo Nibali is new rider in the Red Jersey and unless Astana decides to give it away, Nibali could very well end up having this jersey all the way to Madrid. Roche is second overall, eight seconds down, while Zubeldia, Horner and Kiserlovski all finished with the favorites on stage 2 and sit 10 seconds behind Nibali.

Monday’s stage 3 looks a little bit like stage 2. It’s another flat one alongside the Galician coast but this time a headwind will make it hard for a breakaway to get a big gap. The TV-viewers will be spoiled by images of the amazing scenery and like on stage 2, there will be time to enjoy it. Unless the wind splits up the peloton, the stage probably won’t get interesting until the final 20 km.

The final 5 km of stage 3 up to Mirador de Lobeira-

The riders will be struggling with the headwind for most of the day but with four kilometers to go, the peloton turns right and the final four kilometers uphill will take place in a strong tailwind. The ascent up to Mirador de Lobeira only has an average gradient of 4.8 % but it has some steep parts. 

Also, it’s extremely important to be near the front. With about 1.5 km to go the riders turns right on the very narrow Camiño Novo. There are parts of 8% on this little road and you need to be among the first five riders if you want to win this stage. If not, you simply can’t move up in the peloton before it’s too late. There are 10 bonus seconds on the line and should Nicolas Roche be able to make two out of two, he will take the Red Jersey. It’s not very likely but if Saxo-Tinkoff delivers him in front, it could happen.

Even though the final climb isn’t very long nor very steep, I highly doubt the few pure sprinters will have a chance. Guys likes Gianni Meersman and Michael Matthews however, may have a chance. Both riders are in great shape, cope well with the hills and are very fast on the line. On paper, Phillipe Gilbert should have a chance but I don’t think he’s ready after his crash in Eneco Tour. Edvald Boasson Hagen is another rider who could do well on this finish but he’s not 100 % either. 

UPDATE: It's now been confirmed that the race organizers have widened the road the last 1.5 km towards the finishing line. You can see a photo of the new road here. The road is now twice as wide as before and this clearly favors guys like Meersman and Matthews.

The view from Mirador de Lobeira is spectacular. This is one of the last turns on the narrow road towards the line.
Photo via Google Maps.

Movistar cranked up the pace on the final climb on stage 2 but they didn’t have anyone ready to follow when Dani Moreno attacked. Alejandro Valverde easily won the sprint among the favorites and should Movistar decide to go hard on the part of 8 %, Valverde will be the man to beat. The strong Spaniard has been eager to point out that for him, the World Championship is more important than the Vuelta. Still, few in the professional peloton has a killer instinct like Valverde when he sees the finishing line. If sprinters like Meersman and Matthews aren’t in the peloton, I can’t see who should beat Valverde.

Simon Gerrans is here to prepare for the World Championship and on paper, this is a very good stage for him. However, I’m not quite sure if Gerrans is up for it already. Matthews is definitely GreenEdge’s best card to play and he comes to the Vuelta with two fresh stage wins from Utah in the bag.

In case Gianni Meersman doesn’t have a good day, Omega Pharma Quickstep has two other very interesting riders in Pieter Serry and Zdenek Stybar. Both are very good on these kind of climbs and both are  packing a solid sprint as well. I doubt they can outsprint Alejandro Valverde but with a late attack they may take the peloton by surprise. 

For other outsiders look to the two Italians Rinaldo Nocentini and Diego Ulissi. Nocentini did very well in Burgos lately and finished 5^th in Tre Valli Varesine just a week before the Vuelta started. Rinaldo Nocentini is fighting for a spot on the Italian team for the World Championship and this stage is almost tailor-made for the Ag2r veteran. Domenico Pozzovivo came close on stage 2 and it won’t be a big surprise if Nocentini comes close on stage 3.

Diego Ulissi used Tour of Poland as preparation for the Vuelta and he started out by outsprinting the whole peloton to take the leader’s jersey. He later faded but then finished in a strong way. Lampre tried to set up Ulissi for the stage win on stage 2 but he waited too long and had to settle with 6^th place after Valverde. 

Ulissi is still young and he’s not a rider for a three weeks Grand Tour just yet. He knows how to target one-day-races and specific stages and I’m sure he has his eyes on this one. It won’t be easy to win but if the strong climbers can get rid of guys like Meersman & Matthews, Diego Ulissi definitely has a chance to win on Mirador de Lobeira.

Eurosport is covering this year’s Vuelta a España intensively. Before and after each stage you will get inside information from the many interviews with the riders. The interviewer is Spanish journalist Laura Meseguer. She knows what’s going on inside the peloton and each day she will get you her own personal winner picks for the stage.

For Stage 3, Laura picks Alejandro Valverde Gianni Meersman to win. 

For live coverage of the stage go to steephill.tv

Interview - Vuelta Update with Laura Meseguer

Laura Meseguer, Eurosport. Vuelta 2012.

With less than a week left of this year’s Vuelta España it’s now time for an update from the center of the race. Laura Meseguer follows the Vuelta circus everyday in her job as interviewer for Spanish Eurosport and to get a view from behind the lines I made the following interview with Laura on the second rest day of the race.

Laura. We are now already at the second rest day of the Vuelta. How will you describe the first two weeks?
I think it’s been a good show for everyone! The favorites are strong and they all show a very competitive personality which are giving us one of the most equal races this year. That being said we have also seen John Degenkolb taking four impressive stage wins and by that giving his team some good headlines which are very important for a team like his that wants to be on the World Tour.

Which rider has impressed you the most so far?
It’s impossible just to mention one. I will say all the four favorites - inclusive Froome - because of their strength, aggressiveness, consistency and the show they have given the fans. And all the riders fighting for Top10 who have to cope with the demanding pace set by the favorites. Also the whole Argos-Shimano team for the incredible strength they have shown to obtain all their good results in this Vuelta. After Stage 13 [where Argos-Shimano tried to bring back the break alone but failed by very little, edt.] many riders in the peloton were impressed by their work and Degenkolb himself said he saw it as a victory.

In your new job as interviewer for Eurosport you have a finger on the pulse of the peloton. What do the riders think of the race so far?
They enjoy it and they all agree that the favorites are giving us a good show. Of course they say it’s a very hard race, but compared to other times where you hear more complaints from the riders, they really seem to be enjoying this one.

Laura Meseguer & Alberto Contador.

And being behind the red tape of the race, do you have any good stories to tell?
Well, I can’t really think of any right now, but some of the Argos-Shimano riders told me that Pablo Lastras had come to their team bus after stage 13 to congratulate them on their hard work. Degenkolb said  he was thrilled that a cycling icon like Lastras had come to congratulate the team.

It’s now set to be a fight between Purito and Contador for the overall win. Talking with both riders almost every day, who do you see as the strongest before the last week?
I see a Purito more focus than ever and only the victory counts for him. All his victories this year, the leader’s jerseys he has been wearing and the fact he has improved his time trial skills and in the high mountains, it all gives him an immense security. Alberto is back again and he expects to win. He looks relaxed and he is giving everything he has. Still I sense some insecurity or weakness from him, even though he doesn’t let it show.

So, in your opinion, do we see a weaker Contador than earlier or just a stronger Purito than ever?
Both. It’s only normal that Alberto isn’t at the same level he was at in the Giro last year. It’s still Alberto though and everybody shows the same respect and fear as always. I think he is more or less as strong as before. Right now Purito is very, very strong and it’s clear to everybody that it will be difficult to take this Vuelta away from him.

Looking ahead, what do you think we can expect of the last week?
Uff…I don’t know, but I think we will see some drama on a stage where we didn’t expect it! It’s a feeling I have. I don’t think Bola del Mundo will make big differences in the classification though, but I’m sure the favorites will be very alert at all time the rest of the week.

Laura Meseguer & Miguel Indurain.

Bola del Mundo will be spectacular though. Do you think it will be as spectacular as Mirador de Ezaro or Cuitunigru?
Sure! And I think Alberto still have some attacks left in the tank. He won’t quit without trying again and again!

And the million Dollar question. Who will win this Vuelta?
Purito!

Okay. Last one. I’m sure the riders are enjoying this rest day after three hard days in the mountains, but what about you?
To be honest, the rest day is pure agony! I just thought about  it earlier; working in TV means that we are covering more or less the same amount of kilometers as the riders are. We always have to stay alert, check our watches and make sure to send in our images on time. It’s stressful and I’ve been running around a lot! I will certainly end this Vuelta España in very good shape!

Interview - Laura Meseguer (cycling journalist)

Laura Meseguer.

The last couple of months this site has been getting a lot of visitors searching for "Laura Meseguer" on Google and other search engines. It seems like Laura is everywhere these days, so to sum what is happening, I made the following interview with her today.

Laura, first of all. For those people who have been sleeping the last couple of months, can you just quickly tell who you are?
Sure. I'm a Spanish cycling journalist who works for the magazine Pedalier Pro. I also work for the cycling micro site of Festina and for the cycling tourist race Mallorca 312. This is my 5th year working with cycling and I’m still learning everyday.

You seem to be everywhere these days. What is happening?
I don't know! I'm just doing my job behind the computer and at the races. A Belgian cycling magazine, CycloSprint, showed interest in interview with me a few weeks ago and of course I agreed to do that. I'm a bit surprised about it, because I really don't think my life can be interesting for an interview like that, but I feel very pleased with the attention.

Laura Meseguer (right) in the studio for Giro d'Italia
broadcasting last year for Spanish television.

Last year you were on Spanish TV, co-commentating one of the Giro d'Italia stages. Do you think that started this whole thing?
I don't think so. I think that the social networks are responsible for connecting persons all over the world. Especially the communicators. The truth is that when I write or tweet something I don't truly realize the amount of people who is reading it. In these years of social networking you are much more aware of how many people actually read your stuff and the response is almost immediately which makes it more demanding. It amazes me to see how many people that read what I write and it makes me more responsible as a journalist.

If we look at some of your work. In your opinion what is the best interview you have done so far?
I learned a lot when I interviewed Jens Voigt recently. It will be in the next edition of Pedalier Pro. I enjoyed that interview very much. Voigt is a great person and I took many of the things he said as an learning experience. I can't reveal much since it's not published yet, but I can say that I learned a lot of ‘sayings’ talking with Voigt.

To be honest, I enjoy all that I write for Pedalier Pro. It is a magazine where my way of writing and my view on cycling unite perfectly. To mention one article, I like the one I wrote about the Track Cycling World Champions; "Reyes de la Pista, príncipes de la carretera" [Kings of the track, princes of the road]. Another one is "El show debe continuar?" [The show must continue?]. It was a piece I wrote for my personal blog and I got a lot of positive feedback on that one. Of course, first of all, I write to inform, no to please, but I was very touched by the riders commenting on the article with such kind words.

The cover of CycloSprint.

As you said, Belgian cycling magazine, CycloSprint, made a big interview with you this month. Did you expect it to be on the front cover with Fabian Cancellara?
Never! I think Fabian Cancellera deserves to be there a lot more than me. If you ask me, I don't think that the any journalist should be on the front cover.

Recently you even found an article about yourself in the Belgian newspapers Net Nieuwsblad, you are famous now...
That was a surprise. I really didn't expect that! I was a little scared about it, also because I don't understand the language. Though, my Belgian colleagues have told me that the article was positive and respectful and didn't lack a sense of humor, so I can only be grateful.

The article about Laura in
Net Nieuwsblad recently.

How have the feedback been the last couple of months? 
It's always positive, which is the most important for me. Still, I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. I have spent many years preparing to be a good journalist or communicator. I don't want to be a part of what is very popular in Spain these years with "young female sport journalists". I think I started to work with cycling a long time before this new fashion. I want to be professional in my way of working and I don't want to be anywhere thanks to anything but that.

So what do you tell those who compare you to Sara Carbonero [TV-reporter and girl friend of Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas]?
That is exactly what I'm referring to. I don't think the two of us have anything in common at all. I think she made a mistake of converting herself into a product on an TV-station who really knows how to "sell products". It’s problem when you act like a product and still want to be taking serious as a journalist. I don't feel I belong on TV but if so it should be on a serious network that doesn't sell the women as entertainment products but as the real reporters we are.

Do you have any plans of doing TV in the near future?
Not right now, but you never know what will happen in the future. For example I never thought I would end up working with cycling either! In any case it would be something serious in the area of reporting or interviewing, which I like to do so much.

So what is next? Where are we going to see Laura Meseguer pop up next time?
I'll be at some stages of Vuelta a Castilla y León then Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Mallorca312 and maybe Giro d' Italia. After that I'll have a break and rest, like the riders, before I'll start again with the Tour de France, Vuelta a Burgos, Vuelta a España and the World Champions. I don't know about the Olympics yet. We will see.

In case you didn't do it already, you can follow Laura Meseguer on Twitter via @Laura_Meseguer

No luck for Team Saxo Bank

It really doesn't seem like Team Saxo Bank will ever catch a break. In their fight for crucial UCI points they came to Volta Catalunya with a strong team lead by Dani Navarro, Jesus Hernandez and Chris Anker Sørensen. All strong riders for a hilly stage race but apparently nothing goes how it supposed to for the Danish team. Hernandez withdrew early with a muscle injury, Navarro never recovered from his illness and did the same and when Chris Anker Sørensen finally got in the right breakaway and looked to move up in the classification, the race organizers decided to get everybody the same time.

For Team Saxo Bank every UCI point counts if they want to keep their license and naturally they weren't satisfied with the race organizers' decision. After the stage they planned a meeting the next morning to hand in an official complain, but again something got in their way.

Team Saxo Bank bus and team car this morning.
Photo by: Laura Meseguer

As the picture by Spanish journalist Laura Meseguer shows, the snowy conditions didn't allow Team Saxo Bank to get down from the mountain to meet with the race orginazers. Therefore an official complain about yesterday's decision were never given by the Danish team.

The only positive thing for Team Saxo Bank is that Chris Anker Sørensen got the mountain jersey yesterday so at least they have one positive memory from Volta Catalunya. Time will tell if they will get more from the remaining stages.