2012 Volta ao Algarve

[trevim]

Mainly because a certain Mr. A Valverde Belmonte is not riding. There is clearly a team leader there now.

For 2011 for much of the year they looked like that, sure, and especially in the second half of the season after Tondó's death and Soler's injury, but the numbers game is good for them.

If he has recovered from his injuries and is the same rider he was beforehand, Rubén Plaza could win the race. The climb is well within his range and he's a good time triallist, and he has history in Portugal as well.

That's it. I hope some of them can step up and take leadership roles because Valverde can't be everywhere. Plaza was on his way to do so but then he got injured. Cobo is another choice althought he's a bit of a wildcard.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

It's going to be interesting to see Sky's tactics for this race. With Wiggins, Froome, Nordhaug, Porte and EBH (even Löfkvist or Sivtsov) they have an insane amount of guys who could do well here. I imagine Nordhaug will still be the strongest climber, but given his mediocre TT he'll probably have to help some of the other guys.

A bit surprised to see that they're not bringing a single guy who can help EBH in the sprints, without a leadout he is usually quite useless. Had they brought someone like G he'd probably take a couple of stages considering the sprint lineup doesn't seem to be that impressive.

I think he could be quite useful on the sprint into Lagos on stage 2. That's the one Greipel won in the sleet in 2010 ahead of Roelandts and Samuel Sánchez. It's not a long uphill, but it's enough to mean it's not necessarily a field sprint, especially if the weather isn't good. I think it's one EBH would be quite well suited to, actually.

 

[The Hitch]

Sorry, is that climb really named in honor of Luis Figo or it's just a coincidence?

Yeah 4 letters which are common to the Portugese language. Must be named after some footballer

Maybe the Carrefour section of PR is named after the shop

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah 4 letters which are common to the Portugese language. Must be named after some footballer

Maybe the Carrefour section of PR is named after the shop

Or they're both named after the actual meaning of the word Carrefour?

It's not his fault he doesn't speak Portuguese.

 

[The Hitch]

Or they're both named after the actual meaning of the word Carrefour?

It's not his fault he doesn't speak Portuguese.

I dont speak Portugese either, but to suggest that a landform is going to be named after some footballer because that footballer has the same 4 letters in his name and comes from the same country, please.

 

[El Pistolero]

I'm guessing this landmark is named after figs. Italiano: figa(which can also mean something else xD), latin: ficus

 

[Christian]

Yeah 4 letters which are common to the Portugese language. Must be named after some footballer

Maybe the Carrefour section of PR is named after the shop

Did you know carrefour means crossroads in french?

 

[airstream]

Yeah 4 letters which are common to the Portugese language. Must be named after some footballer

Maybe the Carrefour section of PR is named after the shop

sorry, the hitch, unfortunately, not everyone is so clever like you. i bet you know many languages

 

[Izzy eviel]

Luis Figo was named after a hill?

 

[The Hitch]

sorry, the hitch, unfortunately, not everyone is so clever like you. i bet you know many languages

Got nothing to do with languages.

When something is named after someone it generally assumes the whole name rather than just the surname (especially if the surname is just 4 letters).

For example in America the big roads aren't called "King boulevard". They are called "Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard" or occasionally "Martin Luther King Boulevard" but never just "king boulevard".

Thankfully geographical landforms are generally not named after celebrities from another area of the country (even though Putin did name a mountain after his wife, though thats totally different)

 

[theyoungest]

Got nothing to do with languages.

When something is named after someone it generally assumes the whole name rather than just the surname (especially if the surname is just 4 letters).

For example in America the big roads aren't called "King boulevard". They are called "Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard" or occasionally "Martin Luther King Boulevard" but never just "king boulevard".

Thankfully geographical landforms are generally not named after celebrities from another area of the country (even though Putin did name a mountain after his wife, though thats totally different)

Monte Figo just sounds better than Monte Luis Figo. Clever thinking by the naming committee there.

 

[Nicosix]

Complete startlist :

Volta ao Algarve

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Why is Poels not on that startlist?

His site and the Vacansoleil website say he's riding Algarve.

 

[Christian]

Complete startlist :

Volta ao Algarve

BMC looking strong with the Teej and Cummings!

 

[maltiv]

Complete startlist :

Volta ao Algarve

Not completely correct, for example Porte and Zandio are riding for Sky instead of Rowe and Knees.

GC contenders based on the startlist:

J Peraud
A Talansky
T Martin
T Machado
A Klöden
C Froome
B Wiggins
R Porte
L Sanchez
T Van Garderen
R Costa
J Van den Broeck

I probably missed some though.

 

[janraaskalt]

Why is Poels not on that startlist?

His site and the Vacansoleil website say he's riding Algarve.

You should know by now that team & personal web sites are far more accurate than organiser's sign-up lists.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Wout Poels is racing I'm sure.

http://twitter.com/#!/WoutPoels/status/167891377923956736/photo/1

He should be amongst it too

 

[TeoSheva]

CARLOS BARREDO @CARLOSBARREDO
It's snowing, tomorrow we are going to Algarve...The weather will be better there!! I hope...


Barredo is racing too

 

[dlwssonic]

Wooo! BMC for the win!!! There will be some stages for GVA am I not wrong?

 

[jens_attacks]

just seen the startlist,is this the first race for nuno ribeiro?does anyone know if he trained in this period of time?
i hope the portuguese teams will shine but i doubt that mestre or sabido can come at one minute from tony martin in the itt.also let's see if sergio ribeiro still can improve his itt and climbing technique,the valverde of portugal.

 

[theyoungest]

CARLOS BARREDO @CARLOSBARREDO
It's snowing, tomorrow we are going to Algarve...The weather will be better there!! I hope...


Barredo is racing too

Or maybe just training, to avoid the snow? He's on the team for Ruta del Sol.

 

[TeoSheva]

Or maybe just training, to avoid the snow? He's on the team for Ruta del Sol.

could be... I knew that he was selected for Andalucia...

 

[Zam_Olyas]

RSNT
Tour of Algarve (Feb 15-19):

Riders: Jan Bakelants, Matthew Busche, Laurent Didier, Ben Hermans, Ben King, Andreas Klöden, Tiago Machado & Jesse Sergent

Directors: José Azevedo & Luca Guercilena

 

[classicomano]

Eager to see Wout Poels back in action.

 

[jmspinto]

.

Have you seen the line up to this Tour of Algarve 2012????? Hard to believe that portuguese media don´t give a **** of attention to this competition!!!
I´m a proud portuguese and and don´t understand it... It will be interesting to see the likes of Martin, Van Garderen, Hoogerland, Van den Broek and so many others!!