2011 Volta a Catalunya

[Jamsque]

Di Luca will not be a force at the Giro if that's how he is going on long climbs.

 

[theyoungest]

De Maar wants to focus on riding gc classifications and getting better at climbing. He was always a rider for small tours and hilly classics at the espoir.

He was used as pure helper by Rabobank in cobbled classics, not his thing. And then at United Healthcare rediscovered his love for riding uphill, time trials and classifications.
He has some catching up to do, but compared to Paris Nice he is already getting better.

He may have felt that way, but if you look at the races he rode, it's simply not true. Mostly stage races.

 

[roundabout]

Contador shows his great mental strength right here. Few riders would manage to do that in these circumstances.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

But when you see the names he finishes with... Weening and Ten Dam are decent riders, but Mollema simply has more talent.

Yes, but the riders in front him have simply more talent (or at least more power at the moment) then him, they are a class above him.
If you look back, aside from Weening, Ten Dam and de Maar, you also see Brajkovic and Anton for instance...
It's still a March result. Mollema has never been good in this period either, so it's already above expectations (as was Paris Nice).

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He may have felt that way, but if you look at the races he rode, it's simply not true. Mostly stage races.

yes because every year he broke something in one of the first cobble races. And then in the autumn he could ride again and do nothing but work for Freire and Menchov. Totally demoralized him.

Good to see he is doing well at Quick Step, and no worse than Rabobanks 'leaders' here.

 

[theyoungest]

Yes, but the riders in front him have simply more talent (or at least more power at the moment) then him, they are a class above him.
If you look back, aside from Weening, Ten Dam and de Maar, you also see Brajkovic and Anton for instance...
It's still a March result. Mollema has never been good in this period either, so it's already above expectations (as was Paris Nice).

Uran had trouble following Mollema's wheel uphill in Paris-Nice (and said so in his blog), now he's suddenly a lot better. I stick with my opinion that this result is slightly disappointing.

Good to see he is doing well at Quick Step, and no worse than Rabobanks 'leaders' here.

Well, it's his first good result for them... but I wish him all the best.

 

[Cobblestoned]

Di Luca will not be a force at the Giro if that's how he is going on long climbs.

He is just feared because of all these forumites crying out loud, if he is up there again.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

De Maar wants to focus on riding gc classifications and getting better at climbing. He was always a rider for small tours and hilly classics at the espoir.

He was used as pure helper by Rabobank in cobbled classics, not his thing. And then at United Healthcare rediscovered his love for riding uphill, time trials and classifications.
He has some catching up to do, but compared to Paris Nice he is already getting better.

de maar was amazing talent indeed, and great climber, rabo misused him of course, now let;'s hope he gets back on trackj although quickstep isn't right team for gc racing

 

[Parrulo]

it's his cousin alex cano ardila

it shows incredible potential because I could name 10 or 15 colombians that are better climbers than him and he already shows this with 0 racing days. I can't wait for what is coming _O_

man you make it sound like columbians will win everything that goes uphill for the next 25 years . . . .

anyway

good to see contador doing what he does best. wining

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Uran had trouble following Mollema's wheel uphill in Paris-Nice (and said so in his blog), now he's suddenly a lot better. I stick with my opinion that this result is slightly disappointing.


Well, it's his first good result for them... but I wish him all the best.

where?? I remenber stage di gregorio won and uran was much better there than mollema and was short climb, uran crashed in p-n that's why he was little less first days and also worked for wiggins. I agree though mollema should be on par with uran in climbing I think.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I still doubt it. In Paris Nice you could see Mollema struggling in every stage uphill, more bywillpower than actual power.

Don't think Mollema will be ever good in this period, nor is he actually on par with the guys that finished in front of him. But we'll see.

 

[Cobblestoned]

de maar was amazing talent indeed, and great climber, rabo misused him of course, now let;'s hope he gets back on trackj although quickstep isn't right team for gc racing

He is great, just a little bit exotic.
Mark is riding in TdF yellow for 4 days now at PCM, after successful breakaway on stage one.
btw, thats a nice national champ jersey he has.

 

[theyoungest]

I still doubt it. In Paris Nice you could see Mollema struggling in every stage uphill, more bywillpower than actual power.

Don't think Mollema will be ever good in this period, nor is he actually on par with the guys that finished in front of him. But we'll see.

Mollema never looks comfortable, that's just his style.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

man you make it sound like columbians will win everything that goes uphill for the next 25 years . . . .

anyway

good to see contador doing what he does best. wining

what ethiopia is in marathon running, colombia will be in stageraces within 5 years. of course it's more complex but when it comes to skills and natural ability there's no match for them in this and makes perfectly sense from scientific standpoint as well. only problem is of course, mentality/homesickness and money, as always, but when cycling stays clean they will be on top

 

[Publicus]

Scarponi is getting stronger as the season progresses.......
I see him causing lots of headaches to AConta in the Giro....

Given that AC is not even close to top form and Scarponi has a fair number of race kilometers in his legs (relatively speaking), I would have to disagree.

 

[Publicus]

it's his cousin alex cano ardila

it shows incredible potential because I could name 10 or 15 colombians that are better climbers than him and he already shows this with 0 racing days. I can't wait for what is coming _O_

Wouldn't this be his 3rd race day? So he has at least two race days in his legs. Not to rain on your parade though

 

[Ferminal]

De Maar wants to focus on riding gc classifications and getting better at climbing. He was always a rider for small tours and hilly classics at the espoir.

He was used as pure helper by Rabobank in cobbled classics, not his thing. And then at United Healthcare rediscovered his love for riding uphill, time trials and classifications.
He has some catching up to do, but compared to Paris Nice he is already getting better.

I only really saw him in the ToC last year, hardly a good indicator of climbing potential though.

But top 30-50 in a GT would be a nice result, and probably better than what most others at QST could achieve.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Not GT's, small tours

in gt's he'd rather go for stage wins me thinks

 

[hrotha]

Given that AC is not even close to top form and Scarponi has a fair number of race kilometers in his legs (relatively speaking), I would have to disagree.

How do we know Contador is not even close to his top form? He's raced quite a bit, and he's winning easily.

 

[theyoungest]

Given that AC is not even close to top form and Scarponi has a fair number of race kilometers in his legs (relatively speaking), I would have to disagree.

I don't see why Scarponi's form would be any better than Contador's. And Contador has already ridden Murcia and Algarve. Is that really much less than Scarponi?

 

[El Pistolero]

How do we know Contador is not even close to his top form? He's raced quite a bit, and he's winning easily.

Isn't he always winning easily?

He raced Algarve and Murcia(only 3 days)

I wouldn't really call that a lot. He has about as much racing days in him as Cuddles.

 

[theyoungest]

I just checked how LE0p@RD TR3k team leader Gerdemann did, and I must say: not bad. He lost less than 8 minutes today.

 

[El Pistolero]

Quite funny how Contador's team is once again doing better then most people expected by the way

6 victories already this season compared to Leopard's 2 wins. Cancellara will probably win another Monument this year though and the Shlecks can win one as well.

 

[Rocksteady]

I see Mini Phini didn't finish. Still recovering from injuries or just lazy?

I know he's never going to be a climber, but you have to finish a race sometime.

 

[Publicus]

How do we know Contador is not even close to his top form? He's raced quite a bit, and he's winning easily.

Prior to this race:

Scarponi: 13 days, 2,203KM plus 26.1KM TT (including TTT)

Contador: 8 days, 1,065.4KM plus 29.6KM TT

So, I'm going to go ahead and give my original comment a +1