- Jul 28, 2019
- 614
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Why did the group of the favorites actually sprint for no reason today? KÄMNA even gave a leadout to Vlasov..
- Jan 31, 2016
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- Jan 31, 2016
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Just in case gaps open up, no doubt. It was a reasonable tactical decision to let the jersey go but I doubt the new Pink's team will be able to defend much. It takes pressure off the favorites to do anything but attack when it works, hopefully.
- May 10, 2015
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UCI points.
Well, atleast for some of the guys sprinting that's probably the reason.
Van Wilder is as likely to win a GT in his career as Masnada is to every win Pro or WT race again.
Congratulations to Aurélien Paret-Peintre for the stage win and to Andreas Rikardsen Leknessund for taking the leaders jersey.
Riders like McNulty and Healy have really stress tested SOQ today. I wasn't expecting such outcome. That is for SOQ to blew up like that on stage 4. On top of that and considering all the effort invested, Evenepoel eventually had to undress the leg warmers. On the last climb maybe GC guys could try more. Then again maybe the tactics, by Ineos, was not to let Evenepoel to attack. JV rode smart today and likely preserved a bit of freshness for stage 7. Today the bunch was still too big to make a difference.
Riders like McNulty and Healy have really stress tested SOQ today. I wasn't expecting such outcome. That is for SOQ to blew up like that on stage 4. On top of that and considering all the effort invested, Evenepoel eventually had to undress the leg warmers. On the last climb maybe GC guys could try more. Then again maybe the tactics, by Ineos, was not to let Evenepoel to attack. JV rode smart today and likely preserved a bit of freshness for stage 7. Today the bunch was still too big to make a difference.
- Jun 7, 2011
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I think it's too soon to come to a definitive conclusion, but it has happened before. On the other hand, in Mallorca, there was the race where he was the strongest in the race but finished 3rd, it was also cold and raining. I seem to remember the queen stage in the Tour de la Paix he won in '19 was also in very bad weather. Maybe it's just coincidence. Maybe it's the first mountain stage that gets him, which coincidentally had bad weather now, in last year's Vuelta, and back in Romandie '21.
Or it's possible Lodewyck was actually speaking the truth, lol.
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- Jul 16, 2015
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Roglič is just chilling, waiting for week 3. Some people will hate it but I really do think that final ITT will create the biggest gaps in GC in this race. It's a disgusting climb.
Also, that stage yesterday was nowhere near hard enough for anyone to try anything. An attack on that final climb would have been a waste of a bullet.
- Aug 29, 2009
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here's an interview with him after the race. No idea what he is talking about, but he looks ok'ish
There's some more details about the performance of SQS yesterday in today's press:
Apparently after the race, at the bus, Ballerini was completely spent, Van Wilder told his coach he didn't have a great day and Hirt said he was bad. They aren't worried though, Hirt needs to be (and they expect him to be) at his best in the third week and they think it was just an off-day for Van Wilder. Remco was feeling very good and they knew he would be able to counter attacks on the last climb so they just told the riders to take a short pull and come in easy.
They also confirmed it was McNulty they didn't want to let go. Since he already had a big deficit, they didn't want him to come back in the mix.
Remco said they went superfast the first two hours but that he had great legs and didn't feel much of it. He also thought the pace from Ineos was quite easy and he was surprised none of the Ineos riders attacked to at least try to gain some time.
Apparently after the race, at the bus, Ballerini was completely spent, Van Wilder told his coach he didn't have a great day and Hirt said he was bad. They aren't worried though, Hirt needs to be (and they expect him to be) at his best in the third week and they think it was just an off-day for Van Wilder. Remco was feeling very good and they knew he would be able to counter attacks on the last climb so they just told the riders to take a short pull and come in easy.
They also confirmed it was McNulty they didn't want to let go. Since he already had a big deficit, they didn't want him to come back in the mix.
Remco said they went superfast the first two hours but that he had great legs and didn't feel much of it. He also thought the pace from Ineos was quite easy and he was surprised none of the Ineos riders attacked to at least try to gain some time.
Armchair Cyclist
Moderator
- Mar 22, 2010
- 15,228
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Williams obviously struggling with his ill-remembered school Welsh, while Thomas, who I thought was near fluent, answers in English.here's an interview with him after the race. No idea what he is talking about, but he looks ok'ish
- Jul 7, 2013
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I don't know if this monstrous TT will take place at all (due to logistics). Roglic will need great climbing legs anyway. Him reaching Vuelta'21 climbing level is definitely possible and time will tell how Remco can defend himself in the mountains.
- Jul 16, 2015
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I believe that ITT is happening. Now whether there's some politicking going on behind the scenes is another matter (like I can imagine some teams & riders might want the organization to drop it). Because as it stands, it'll be a leg breaker. Especially the rhythm change from the first flat 10km's to suddenly hitting 22% gradients & getting zero recovery.
Kuss said in an interview that Rog told him it's horrible. This tells me it'll be one of the best TV moments of the year.
- Jul 7, 2013
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- Jul 15, 2021
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Am I the only one picturing Vino with make-up and a sash now?
- Apr 30, 2011
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It was plenty hard enough. The finish (4.15 km at 8.84 % with 3 km to go) was similar to Arrate (4.5 km at 8.8 % with 2.4 km to go) and a bit easier than Mende.
When Arrate has featured in the Vuelta (2012 & 2020) there was GC actions both times, but of course less than we see in Itzulia.
Passerino in 2021 was a bit harder and in a harder stage, but not too dissimilar:
- Apr 30, 2011
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While it could have been expected that Evenepoel and Rogla would watch each other and wait for others to attack, Ineos had a defensive posture which chained Hart, and I guess UAE would be happy for Almeida to not draw sword after chasing back previous in the stage. Which more or less leaves Bahrain with an incentive to try anything, but I think they were too weak and dissuaded by the Ineos train.
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