39th Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian (1.UWT)

[Bonimenier]

Re: Re:

Valverde looked second rate after team rode all day for him

I'm still of the opinion that Valverde has lost a lot of the hunger and desire he had when he won the Worlds. He's admitted he's lost some of it as he said wearing that jersey he feels like he's already won the race before the race even starts and that he's much more relaxed.

And eventually the day will come that a rider starts declining. Even if his name is Valverde.

 

[sir fly]

Re:

Greg second. Usually I'd be disappointed about the near miss, but I'm too much in awe for what Remco did here. So incredible.

As Billie said, all three reigning world champions in the top ten. Nice little fact.

Don't forget the Olympic champion.
Epic scoreboard.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

I was playing in an E-sports tournament, Imagine my surprise logging onto Sporza and seeing the thumbnail.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

Valverde looked second rate after team rode all day for him

I'm still of the opinion that Valverde has lost a lot of the hunger and desire he had when he won the Worlds. He's admitted he's lost some of it as he said wearing that jersey he feels like he's already won the race before the race even starts and that he's much more relaxed.

And eventually the day will come that a rider starts declining. Even if his name is Valverde.

Except in this case it's much more of a lost of hunger/desire than it is a true decline. There is no way he's declined that much between last year and this year. He's flat out admitted that the rainbow jersey has taken some of the hunger away.

 

[fuiers]

Remco making a real case. Too bad I had to work and again missed a what seemed to be a proper race and even more impressive victory.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re: Re:

Valverde looked second rate after team rode all day for him

I'm still of the opinion that Valverde has lost a lot of the hunger and desire he had when he won the Worlds. He's admitted he's lost some of it as he said wearing that jersey he feels like he's already won the race before the race even starts and that he's much more relaxed.

And eventually the day will come that a rider starts declining. Even if his name is Valverde.

Except in this case it's much more of a lost of hunger/desire than it is a true decline. There is no way he's declined that much between last year and this year. He's flat out admitted that the rainbow jersey has taken some of the hunger away.

Did look like he went for it 100% in the sprint. You could see that he was giving it his all, and yet he still lost to some names he would usually beat in a decimated group sprint. But ofcourse there is no way of knowing if he took too much responsibility of the chase and was left more exhausted for the sprint than others.

But maybe what you are saying is reflected more in his training and not so much in the races where he will always gives 100%.

On another note, what is the 'explanation' for Evenepoel losing contact on the penultimate climb? I read the short interview in the CN race report, but there was nothing about the sudden recovery from the dead??

 

[Bonimenier]

He did say he didn't have good legs for most of the race. It also seemed like he started the penultimate climb way too far in the back of group.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

It's strange, because he got caught behind the split, and he came back twice. I assume the fact that he was so far back, shows he wasn't great. But on the other hand, he closed the gap twice on his own (once uphill, once on the flat), brought bottles to Mas & Devenyns, and then attacked... So, i don't really know what to make of that.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

It's strange, because he got caught behind the split, and he came back twice. I assume the fact that he was so far back, shows he wasn't great. But on the other hand, he closed the gap twice on his own (once uphill, once on the flat), brought bottles to Mas & Devenyns, and then attacked... So, i don't really know what to make of that.

Felt bad, didn't realise everyone feels bad cause that's what WT one day races are like.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

It's strange, because he got caught behind the split, and he came back twice. I assume the fact that he was so far back, shows he wasn't great. But on the other hand, he closed the gap twice on his own (once uphill, once on the flat), brought bottles to Mas & Devenyns, and then attacked... So, i don't really know what to make of that.

He has very little experience of riding in a peloton. Being in the wrong place sometimes because he doesn’t know what he’s doing would not be surprising.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

Valverde looked second rate after team rode all day for him

I'm still of the opinion that Valverde has lost a lot of the hunger and desire he had when he won the Worlds. He's admitted he's lost some of it as he said wearing that jersey he feels like he's already won the race before the race even starts and that he's much more relaxed.

And eventually the day will come that a rider starts declining. Even if his name is Valverde.

Except in this case it's much more of a lost of hunger/desire than it is a true decline. There is no way he's declined that much between last year and this year. He's flat out admitted that the rainbow jersey has taken some of the hunger away.

Did look like he went for it 100% in the sprint. You could see that he was giving it his all, and yet he still lost to some names he would usually beat in a decimated group sprint. But ofcourse there is no way of knowing if he took too much responsibility of the chase and was left more exhausted for the sprint than others.

But maybe what you are saying is reflected more in his training and not so much in the races where he will always gives 100%.

On another note, what is the 'explanation' for Evenepoel losing contact on the penultimate climb? I read the short interview in the CN race report, but there was nothing about the sudden recovery from the dead??

In an interview he gave back in early June he said that not having the same hunger means that he doesn't have that extra he's had before this year and that other riders just want it more than he does. I think we're still seeing that. He admitted in that interview his hunger and desire are less than in past years. If he was in form and on top of his "game" no way he doesn't end up on the podium with the way today's race played out. Without that same desire and hunger he's had in the past he ends up loosing a sprint to people he should never loose a sprint to.

 

[JosephK]

Nice to see the Mini Badger take his first world-tour-level classics win over reigning World and Olympics RR champions. He's 19. I'll have to ponder this awhile.

 

[Juan Pelota]

Is there video of this race anywhere? Even a good highlight in English?

 

[Scarponi]

Re: Re:

In an interview he gave back in early June he said that not having the same hunger means that he doesn't have that extra he's had before this year and that other riders just want it more than he does. I think we're still seeing that. He admitted in that interview his hunger and desire are less than in past years. If he was in form and on top of his "game" no way he doesn't end up on the podium with the way today's race played out. Without that same desire and hunger he's had in the past he ends up loosing a sprint to people he should never loose a sprint to.

Whats the point of slaving around for 200km just to miss 1% of your best at the end, lack of true motivation would see him being dropped.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

In an interview he gave back in early June he said that not having the same hunger means that he doesn't have that extra he's had before this year and that other riders just want it more than he does. I think we're still seeing that. He admitted in that interview his hunger and desire are less than in past years. If he was in form and on top of his "game" no way he doesn't end up on the podium with the way today's race played out. Without that same desire and hunger he's had in the past he ends up loosing a sprint to people he should never loose a sprint to.

Whats the point of slaving around for 200km just to miss 1% of your best at the end, lack of true motivation would see him being dropped.

There seems to be a difference between lack of motivation, which he seems to still have and having less hunger. However, you're right it appears he's missing maybe 1 or 2% at the end of races. He says is less hunger. He said sure he still wants to win, but the hunger and desire aren't as strong as they were before he got the rainbow jersey. As he's won a handful of races this year he obviously is still capable of winning. I've also gotten the impression this year that lesser placing (including podium places) just don't mean as much to him as they did before as well.

 

[yaco]

At the end of the day the riders looked tired with 70 kms to go and no-one from the peleton could make a difference on the final climb - Doubt it was a failure on valverde's behalf.

 

[red_flanders]

Re:

Is there video of this race anywhere? Even a good highlight in English?

Last nearly 10k in Basque...

https://www.eitb.eus/es/deportes/ciclismo/videos/detalle/6586163/video-ultimos-kilometros-clasica-san-sebastian-2019/

 

[Pantani Attacks]

Last 25k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI_b9nhctXo

 

[red_flanders]

Last 38 in HD. Flemish:
https://youtu.be/n871v2M8gCs

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Belgian newspaper HLN is reporting Evenepoel was dropped on the penultimate climb, due to a mechanical defect.

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

In an interview he gave back in early June he said that not having the same hunger means that he doesn't have that extra he's had before this year and that other riders just want it more than he does. I think we're still seeing that. He admitted in that interview his hunger and desire are less than in past years. If he was in form and on top of his "game" no way he doesn't end up on the podium with the way today's race played out. Without that same desire and hunger he's had in the past he ends up loosing a sprint to people he should never loose a sprint to.

Whats the point of slaving around for 200km just to miss 1% of your best at the end, lack of true motivation would see him being dropped.

Exactly. He had the hunger and motivation to make his team work for entire race, yet didn't had it at the very end I don't buy it. He just isn't quite strong enough as he used to be. We'll see at Vuelta though, I think he will hit the right form there.

 

[Bolder]

Amador was in beast mode again, was a perfect set up, but mini-Merckx spoiled the party...

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

In an interview he gave back in early June he said that not having the same hunger means that he doesn't have that extra he's had before this year and that other riders just want it more than he does. I think we're still seeing that. He admitted in that interview his hunger and desire are less than in past years. If he was in form and on top of his "game" no way he doesn't end up on the podium with the way today's race played out. Without that same desire and hunger he's had in the past he ends up loosing a sprint to people he should never loose a sprint to.

Whats the point of slaving around for 200km just to miss 1% of your best at the end, lack of true motivation would see him being dropped.

Exactly. He had the hunger and motivation to make his team work for entire race, yet didn't had it at the very end I don't buy it. He just isn't quite strong enough as he used to be. We'll see at Vuelta though, I think he will hit the right form there.

Yet he has admitted that he doesn't have the same hunger he had before winning the Worlds. He's come out and said that. It may be just 1% off because of that, but he is off from what we've been before this year. It's too drastic to be just a decline. A decline doesn't explain what we're seeing.

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

In an interview he gave back in early June he said that not having the same hunger means that he doesn't have that extra he's had before this year and that other riders just want it more than he does. I think we're still seeing that. He admitted in that interview his hunger and desire are less than in past years. If he was in form and on top of his "game" no way he doesn't end up on the podium with the way today's race played out. Without that same desire and hunger he's had in the past he ends up loosing a sprint to people he should never loose a sprint to.

Whats the point of slaving around for 200km just to miss 1% of your best at the end, lack of true motivation would see him being dropped.

Exactly. He had the hunger and motivation to make his team work for entire race, yet didn't had it at the very end I don't buy it. He just isn't quite strong enough as he used to be. We'll see at Vuelta though, I think he will hit the right form there.

Yet he has admitted that he doesn't have the same hunger he had before winning the Worlds. He's come out and said that. It may be just 1% off because of that, but he is off from what we've been before this year. It's too drastic to be just a decline. A decline doesn't explain what we're seeing.

Yep, he said that in February alright, regarding perhaps his preparation for the coming season, and because of that lack of his usual preparation he had a sub-par first half of the season. But after Liege, he went training really hard, aiming to be in top shape for Vuelta and later. So, in my opinion, Vuelta will tell if there's a decline or not.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

In an interview he gave back in early June he said that not having the same hunger means that he doesn't have that extra he's had before this year and that other riders just want it more than he does. I think we're still seeing that. He admitted in that interview his hunger and desire are less than in past years. If he was in form and on top of his "game" no way he doesn't end up on the podium with the way today's race played out. Without that same desire and hunger he's had in the past he ends up loosing a sprint to people he should never loose a sprint to.

Whats the point of slaving around for 200km just to miss 1% of your best at the end, lack of true motivation would see him being dropped.

Exactly. He had the hunger and motivation to make his team work for entire race, yet didn't had it at the very end I don't buy it. He just isn't quite strong enough as he used to be. We'll see at Vuelta though, I think he will hit the right form there.

Yet he has admitted that he doesn't have the same hunger he had before winning the Worlds. He's come out and said that. It may be just 1% off because of that, but he is off from what we've been before this year. It's too drastic to be just a decline. A decline doesn't explain what we're seeing.

Yep, he said that in February alright, regarding perhaps his preparation for the coming season, and because of that lack of his usual preparation he had a sub-par first half of the season. But after Liege, he went training really hard, aiming to be in top shape for Vuelta and later. So, in my opinion, Vuelta will tell if there's a decline or not.

He also said that in an interview in early June. He said he believed that was why his results had suffered.