2014 Volta ao Algarve, Feb 19-23 (2.1)

[Jelantik]

will be curious how Alberto fares with other contender? Porte, Evan and Quintana start their campaign with a big bang. Kwia seems to be in a good form.

 

[Gloin22]

will be curious how Alberto fares with other contender? Porte, Evan and Quintana start their campaign with a big bang. Kwia seems to be in a good form.

Top 5 would be a good sign. Kwiatek looks a favoruite for the GC.

 

[Parrulo]

The climb on stage 2 it's 4.5km's long at roughly 7% according to CarroVassoura so it might actually harder than Malhão.

The hill before Malhão iirc is 1km at 10% or something like that.

Also there should be some live coverage from a portuguese channel. RTP, TVI24 and SportTV seem to be the more likely. Hopefully it will be RTP as everyone that has followed the Volta knows, their online free streaming service is pretty good.

 

[Netserk]

Top 5 would be a good sign. Kwiatek looks a favoruite for the GC.

Anything else would be a disaster. A good sign would be a GC win or stage win.

 

[Parrulo]

Anything else would be a disaster. A good sign would be a GC win or stage win.

I would even say anything other than a podium would be a disaster.

 

[will10]

I would even say anything other than a podium would be a disaster.

Nothing in February is a disaster.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Time trial is 10km too short

 

[Parrulo]

Nothing in February is a disaster.

If you spend the off season saying you want to go back to your old days (preparation wise) and in your old days you used to win this very race as your first race of the season. I would say that if you don't even podium it, it might not be a disaster but it won't be a good sign either.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Nothing in February is a disaster.

This exactly.

 

[Parrulo]

Last year February wasn't a disaster either, then March wasn't a disaster, then April wasn't a disaster, then June wasn't a disaster but july came and it only was a disaster for people that refused to see what everyone else had already saw.

The fact is, Contador just had the worst year of his career(as a top rider) by a long margin and has no more margin to negotiate. So a good performance here is a must.

And let's stop pretending like nothing is a bad sign in the early part of the season. If you say you will be good, which Contador did, and you are bad then it is a bad sign. Doesn't matter how one spins it.

 

[Gloin22]

If you spend the off season saying you want to go back to your old days (preparation wise) and in your old days you used to win this very race as your first race of the season. I would say that if you don't even podium it, it might not be a disaster but it won't be a good sign either.

Well I think we know his best days are over, it's whether his 'new' level is good enough to challenge in 2014. We'll see in upcoming days.

 

[Parrulo]

Well I think we know his best days are over, it's whether his 'new' level is good enough to challenge in 2014. We'll see in upcoming days.

I agree that his best days are past him but he has been hyping himself as if that wasn't the case. So he should be judged by the standards he has been hyping himself too, and not by our expectations of his level.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Last year February wasn't a disaster either, then March wasn't a disaster, then April wasn't a disaster, then June wasn't a disaster but july came and it only was a disaster for people that refused to see what everyone else had already saw.

The fact is, Contador just had the worst year of his career(as a top rider) by a long margin and has no more margin to negotiate. So a good performance here is a must.

And let's stop pretending like nothing is a bad sign in the early part of the season. If you say you will be good, which Contador did, and you are bad then it is a bad sign. Doesn't matter how one spins it.

Exactly. His performance here will probably be a good indicator for the rest of his season, seeing as he made it perfecty clear that he wants to win it.

The field isn't super strong, either. A third place wouldn't be anything special for a top-level stage racer who wants to perform in his first race ...on a parcours that used to suit him really well with a short ITT and a relatively short MTF. Classic Contador stuff.

 

[the sceptic]

I would even say anything other than a podium would be a disaster.

Agreed, if he is going to improve from last year I expect him to win this. Ok, If Kwiatkowski manages to stay with him on malhao and beats him in the ITT then whatever, but if he gets dropped by Horner and/or Costa I will be a little worried.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I expect Contador to finish 5th behind Costa, Kwiatkowski, Horner and Martin and I don't think that would be a disaster

 

[Netserk]

I expect Contador to finish 5th behind Costa, Kwiatkowski, Horner and Martin and I don't think that would be a disaster

No ****ing way Horner will beat him in GC. Too ****ty TTer for that (even compared against the 'new' Contador)

With stage 2 and a shorter ITT I also don't think Martin will be able to contend.

 

[LaFlorecita]

No ****ing way Horner will beat him in GC. Too ****ty TTer for that (even compared against the 'new' Contador)

With stage 2 and a shorter ITT I also don't think Martin will be able to contend.

Horner will win on Malhao I think. The TT is only 13km long

 

[Pentacycle]

Horner will win on Malhao I think. The TT is only 13km long

Kwiatek is stronger than him and the favourite, on Mallorca the chase behind him was led by Chris but he clearly lacked shape.

 

[the asian]

Kwiatkowski, Rui Costa and Bertie the favourites.

Course seems touch too difficult for Martin.

Don't think Horner will do much this early in the season.

Good thing that SKY isn't riding it this year, though It has probably contributed to ES's decision not to give live coverage this year.

Will it be a disaster if Bertie fails to podium-Probably not, but it will certainly give him a lot of confidence if does well here after his terrible last season.

 

[will10]

Last year February wasn't a disaster either, then March wasn't a disaster, then April wasn't a disaster, then June wasn't a disaster but july came and it only was a disaster for people that refused to see what everyone else had already saw.

The fact is, Contador just had the worst year of his career(as a top rider) by a long margin and has no more margin to negotiate. So a good performance here is a must.

And let's stop pretending like nothing is a bad sign in the early part of the season. If you say you will be good, which Contador did, and you are bad then it is a bad sign. Doesn't matter how one spins it.

There could easily be three guys in this field who are in better shape earlier than Alberto, that's all.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Totally just saw that Kelderman is competing. Forget the chances of unspeakablepolishname, Beefsteak and portoworldchamp... the winner is known

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Totally just saw that Kelderman is competing. Forget the chances of unspeakablepolishname, Beefsteak and portoworldchamp... the winner is known

I have heard the myth about this Kelderman, is it true as they say, that he can ride the ghost of Pantani of his wheel while eating pancakes and flirting with victoria secret models?

 

[More Strides than Rides]

And they are crap. But at least there are maps on the official website, so I have mapped the finish of stage 2 myself, which is quite different to the profile (at least the altitude):

Off topic, but how are your getting the tracks4bikers profiles to function? I have had problems since the beginning of the year.

 

[Pentacycle]

Totally just saw that Kelderman is competing. Forget the chances of unspeakablepolishname, Beefsteak and portoworldchamp... the winner is known

Lol casual

 

[Netserk]

Off topic, but how are your getting the tracks4bikers profiles to function? I have had problems since the beginning of the year.

Beta builder.

I draw the route (with limits, as I only have seven points IIRC) and at the end, instead of saving the route, I take a screen dump of the profile.

edit: If you want me to, I can walk you through it, but that would have to be over PM or in the Race Design Tread.