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2012 Volta ao Algarve

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theyoungest

Jan 11, 2010
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Parrulo said:
i would say this season is his last chance to prove he can do it. racing all year on base form and top 10ing every 1 week race doesn't cut it if he wants to have a free role on a team, he needs to start peaking.

also he should stop focusing on his time trial which is already at a very good level and really improve his climbing( if possible without losing any of his time trial)
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Didn't Popovych say that Machado sucks at riding in the peloton? If it costs too much energy he'll never perform over three weeks.
 
Parrulo

Parrulo

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theyoungest said:
Didn't Popovych say that Machado sucks at riding in the peloton? If it costs too much energy he'll never perform over three weeks.
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he did, worst part is that instead of saying that to machado and advising him, popo decided to say it in the press and make machado look like total amateur that can't ride in the peloton if his life depended on it. a very bad thing to say about your room mate imo. . . my guess is that he was **** hurt because machado was assigned as leader of the team from the start instead of him.

anyway, that thing about riding on the peloton was why i wanted machado to ride a GT with guys like paulinho and kloden so he could learn from them (mostly kloden) he already did that so now we have to wait and see.

from the what i saw on the willunga stage he seemed fairly confortable riding on the top 20 riders in the peloton when the splits were being caused, just in front of piti and gerrans and behind a team so there is hope.
 
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theyoungest

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Parrulo said:
he did, worst part is that instead of saying that to machado and advising him, popo decided to say it in the press and make machado look like total amateur that can't ride in the peloton if his life depended on it. a very bad thing to say about your room mate imo. . . my guess is that he was **** hurt because machado was assigned as leader of the team from the start instead of him.

anyway, that thing about riding on the peloton was why i wanted machado to ride a GT with guys like paulinho and kloden so he could learn from them (mostly kloden) he already did that so now we have to wait and see.

from the what i saw on the willunga stage he seemed fairly confortable riding on the top 20 riders in the peloton when the splits were being caused, just in front of piti and gerrans and behind a team so there is hope.
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I think a group of 20 riders at the top of a climb is not what Popovych is talking about ;)

There's certainly hope, Gesink isn't great at it either but he still got a few GT top-10s (and a few race ending crashes...)
 
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greenedge

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I think Contador could win this if only because he has just ridden another race. Sure his ITT was not great but he might feel better by now. Then again he was beaten by Cummings last year on the Malhao.

Martin would also not have trained as much. Last year he also had TJVG's help.

He is still a contender of course. Sky look to have a strong team that could exploit opportunities so i will say Wiggins/ Froome, Contador, Machado ( ? ), Martin and i will throw in TJVG as the contenders for this race.

A pity the race has shortened.
 
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greenedge

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Parrulo said:
you mean like what he did on willunga? :p i am almost sure he will do it again lol he just can't avoid attacking at the wrong time. on willunga even tho he is much slower then piti and gerrans and had been on the front of the break for a few K he still managed to only lose 2 seconds to those 2 which is better then every1 else who hadn't attacked did so i would say he was on par with them in terms of strength.
i am curious to see if he will ride the tour as a domestique or the vuelta with a somewhat free role, i haven't taken a deep look into the tour route yet but if every1 is still fairly together by the first itt it would be hilarious to see him pass the schlecks on GC à lá froome :p
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He might not even get into the TDF though he was impressive on Wilunga and will hopefully carry that form through the year. Rogers attacked as well ( he looked the best there ) but just did not have the punch to sprint at the finish.
 
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Waterloo Sunrise

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greenedge said:
I think Contador could win this if only because he has just ridden another race. Sure his ITT was not great but he might feel better by now. Then again he was beaten by Cummings last year on the Malhao.

Martin would also not have trained as much. Last year he also had TJVG's help.

He is still a contender of course. Sky look to have a strong team that could exploit opportunities so i will say Wiggins/ Froome, Contador, Machado ( ? ), Martin and i will throw in TJVG as the contenders for this race.

A pity the race has shortened.
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Given the length of the climb, the time of year, and the TDU, I'd say Boasson will probably show more than Brad.
 
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Waterloo Sunrise

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greenedge said:
Ok i suppose the climb is similar to Wilunga ( in length and it's a climb where there are not many gaps, except for the first few ) but EBH is yet to really win a stage race of this stature. He might be a good contender for it but still...
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He's a 2 time World Tour Stage Race Winner I'll have you know.





Stop sn!-ggering at the back. [EDIT - hypersensitive filtering blocks real words again]


I would also note Eddy has a good history of early season form - 2nd on a much tougher climb this time last year, followed by a TT win the next day. You couldn't design a stage race with any sort of hills to be much better for him.
 
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maltiv

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Waterloo Sunrise said:
He's a 2 time World Tour Stage Race Winner I'll have you know.

I would also note Eddy has a good history of early season form - 2nd on a much tougher climb this time last year, followed by a TT win the next day. You couldn't design a stage race with any sort of hills to be much better for him.
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He could indeed podium here, but considering the strong startlist he'd need a couple of bonus seconds in the flat stages. I don't know what sprinters will be present though, but I assume he should have a good chance of picking up quite a few top 3s. Either way I'm not sure if he'll even go for the GC with Froome and Wiggins present.

He has said though that he will have an increased focus on winning stage races this year, but hasn't said which ones he aims for. P-N is probably too hard this year and T-A is definitely too hard.
 
Parrulo

Parrulo

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greenedge said:
He might not even get into the TDF though he was impressive on Wilunga and will hopefully carry that form through the year. Rogers attacked as well ( he looked the best there ) but just did not have the punch to sprint at the finish.
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seriously rogers stronger then machado that day? please go and watch the race again :eek:

gregrowlerson said:
On Machado leading the team at the Vuelta: I thought Monfort was focusing his season around the Vuelta.

And I think Maxime is a better rider, at least at this stage.
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maybe they will share roles?
 
Angliru

Angliru

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Reuell said:
I guess you people have missed the news that The Giant will be returning to procycling level here, with all the talk of Martin and Contador winning...
The greatest Dutch talent of his age will be riding his first race for United Healthcare.
He will bag this one easy peasy
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Excuse my ignorance but who is "The Giant"?:eek:
 
Froome19

Froome19

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greenedge said:
Ok i suppose the climb is similar to Wilunga ( in length and it's a climb where there are not many gaps, except for the first few ) but EBH is yet to really win a stage race of this stature. He might be a good contender for it but still...
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Yet to win a stage race of this stature?
He has won Eneco which is a world tour stage race unlike this race
 
El Pistolero

El Pistolero

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Froome19 said:
An on form Gilbert is just as hard to defeat imo (especially as was on Gilbert's favourite terrain)
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There were 2 time trials in there, Gilbert was never going to win. Not in that form at least. He also held back in the final stage of Eneco Tour to safe him self for the Belgian nats.
 
Froome19

Froome19

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El Pistolero said:
There were 2 time trials in there, Gilbert was never going to win. Not in that form at least. He also held back in the final stage of Eneco Tour to safe him self for the Belgian nats.
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TBH he was still in good form then after winning sans sebatien and going on to win the national tt, something as you mentioned he is not a specialist at.

From the fact that Gilbert won the nats tt it shows he is evidently a pretty good time trialist and full credit to EBH for beating gilbert by the amount he required in order to win. That is how he will need to time trial if he wants to win any stage race especially this one and beat the likes of contador, so it certainly doesn't detract from EBH's accomplishment in beating Gilbert
 
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