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

[LaFlorecita]

@sceptic

Please give her the one with Alberto in grey undies

Grey undies are so 2011 red undies are the real deal

 

[Carols]

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.

Links to this hyping please as I haven't seen them. Thanks!

 

[vrtlar]

Of all this week's races Algarve has the weakest field by far.
Contador should be worried if he can't get on top of it

 

[the sceptic]

Are you blind or stupid?



Okay fine, though I do believe he could get top 3 or even win if he's really lucky, but I need a new avi anyway

Cool. you can pick the duration then.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Cool. you can pick the duration then.

Pfff okay till the start of Tirreno?

 

[Rui Quinta]

Hi guys!

As you said, profiles are too bad. Even on time trial (look the x-axis).

On my blog I alerted for stage 2, but the Alto do Malhão's stage still is the queen stage.

Last years it was about time trial and Alto do Malhão. So I alert to stage 2 because the last climb it's hard (could be cat 2) and some riders in good shape can attack and make some difference. However, even a rider gains 10-15 seconds, the main group can have like 15-25 riders. On Malhão, that's impossible a group so large.

I think 2 best contenders are Kwiatkowski and Rui Costa. Kwiatkowski looks in good shape, like Henao last year, and he's a rider who suits on this route. Rui Costa wants it so bad, for sure. Will be epic if one portuguese, with the rainbow jersey, win a portuguese race.

Machado always do well in Algarve and I heard about he's on great shape.

 

[Sykhrzon]

Kwai is the favorite. He can win on most terrain and young riders tend to peak very early in the season.

Horner was third on the mountain in Tramuntana. So I think he is already fit. He will win a stage in Algave (Stage 2 or/and 4). He is unarguably the best climber in the field (given Conta's current situation).

Costa has seemed quite anonymous, but I think he's hungry. He wants to disprove the whole myth of the rainbow jersey's curse.

I wish Contador all the luck he can get in 2014, but I'm afraid he will not deliver. He is possibly my favorite rider to watch. He used to animate every race where he showed up. So I cross my fingers.

These four protagonists will be in this year's Algarve.

My bet will be something like:

1. Kwai
2. Horner
3. Conta
4. Costa
5. a surprise

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

1. Kelderman
2. Big emtpy space
3. Contador or something

 

[trevim]

1. Velasco(2009/2011 come back pleeeeease )
2. Rui Costa (wins the 2nd stage in great fashion with a great attack, beating Velasco in a 2 man sprint; not that difficult considering Velasco doesn't even use the drops for the sprint )
3. Majka (just kidding here, he'll be too busy setting up Velasco's attacks)
3. Nuno Matos (eventually Contador drops him on the Malhao)
4. Kwiat (all-roundness doesn't account for anything when it gets tough on the hills )
5. Krujswijck (or whatever he's called; the first step toward Giro-Vuelta top5; come back season for him I hope)

 

[hfer07]

by looking at the parcours & the competition all together , It seems logical to say the Contador should take this one with no probs-unless of course he's lost his powers permanently....

 

[Parrulo]

1. Velasco(2009/2011 come back pleeeeease )
2. Rui Costa (wins the 2nd stage in great fashion with a great attack, beating Velasco in a 2 man sprint; not that difficult considering Velasco doesn't even use the drops for the sprint )
3. Majka (just kidding here, he'll be too busy setting up Velasco's attacks)
3. Nuno Matos (eventually Contador drops him on the Malhao)
4. Kwiat (all-roundness doesn't account for anything when it gets tough on the hills )
5. Krujswijck (or whatever he's called; the first step toward Giro-Vuelta top5; come back season for him I hope)

Nuno Bico is racing?!!! Awesome!!! I hope the kid does well

 

[Jelantik]

A bigger pic:

Algarve is a very beautiful place, almost as beautiful as Minho

oooohhh... aaahhh... it's really beautifull!!

Contador for the WIN!!... He trained well, he seemed to be more focus and he got something to proof to himself.... come wednesday... come already!!
*and tuesday of course. looking forward to see how kreuziger rubbing elbow with froome.. *

 

[trevim]

Nuno Bico is racing?!!! Awesome!!! I hope the kid does well

He's on procyclingstats start lists so I hope he rides it.

 

[Rui Quinta]

He's on procyclingstats start lists so I hope he rides it.

Yes, he's on starlist sent to press.
But I don't believe Nuno Bico's a rider to show himself this week. Maybe in 2 years he will have this capacity.

 

[jens_attacks]

is nuno ribeiro confirmed for this? only if he had some kms in his legs

also curious about paco mancebo...

 

[jens_attacks]

or edgar pinto, one of my favs from last year's volta...

 

[trevim]

Yes, he's on starlist sent to press.
But I don't believe Nuno Bico's a rider to show himself this week. Maybe in 2 years he will have this capacity.

Yeah I know, I just liked the way he rode last year in the mountains.

 

[Roude Leiw]

Could you please help me out here? If i take alook at the profile of the stages, this seems to be comparable to the TdM, small ITT, a Mont Faron lookalike stage and a few stages either for sprinters of the degenkolb type or for punchers. Is this assessment correct considering that it is early season and all hell will not break loose at the slightest climb? Or is there a real chance some very good climbers can open this up? You cite contadors name a lot in this threat, is that a serious option (i know that he won this race more than once) or are there higher chances of a second tier type of guy to take a shot at his moment of glory?

 

[Der Effe]

Kelderman ftw obviously.

 

[Parrulo]

Links to this hyping please as I haven't seen them. Thanks!

I didn't felt like digging on biciciclismo at the time so Contador decided to spare me some time

Some more self hype:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-wants-more-wins-in-2014-tirreno-adriatico-included

 

[Publicus]

I didn't felt like digging on biciciclismo at the time so Contador decided to spare me some time

Some more self hype:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-wants-more-wins-in-2014-tirreno-adriatico-included

Perhaps we have different definitions of self-hype. Seems to me he's hedging a bit.

 

[Carols]

I didn't felt like digging on biciciclismo at the time so Contador decided to spare me some time

Some more self hype:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-wants-more-wins-in-2014-tirreno-adriatico-included

Doesn't sound like self hype to me. Sounds like a man wanting to see where his form is with no expectation of winning:

Can he win it? "It's a race I've always done well in, but maybe back then there weren't so many early season races as there are now, like Dubai or San Luis. So there are people out there who have already got some racing under their belt. Finally what I have to do is get going and see what my form is like."

 

[Carols]

Perhaps we have different definitions of self-hype. Seems to me he's hedging a bit.

Indeed nothing in that article leads one to believe he thinks he can win!

 

[vrtlar]

Don't let his politeness and restraint fool you.
He's there to win. If the goal is just to see where he is, he would've chosen some race where he could pull more conclusions about his form. Some race where he could compare himself with his principal rivals.

 

[Carols]

Don't let his politeness and restraint fool you.
He's there to win. If the goal is just to see where he is, he would've chosen some race where he could pull more conclusions about his form. Some race where he could compare himself with his principal rivals.

Whatever his motives there is certainly no self hype which was the discussion Of Course he Wants to Win but he never says he can or will (self-hype) or even that he feels prepared to do so.