49th Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta (2.Pro) // February 15th - 19th 2023

[Netserk]

Pidcock should not take the front again.

 

[postmanhat]

Pidcock's lost his chance to win the stage I think. Should have gone on the most difficult section if he could

 

[Salvarani]

Pidcock wins!

Great today!

 

[postmanhat]

Pidcock's lost his chance to win the stage I think. Should have gone on the most difficult section if he could

 

[Tim Cahill]

Pidcock cant bunch sprint for S**t but clearly in brilliant climbing form

Just go for the GC at the Tour

 

[Netserk]

Ganna should be the GC favourite now.

 

[DNP-Old]

Pippo has this in the bag.

 

[Didinho]

Strong effort from Pidcock!
Almeida you just know he's gonna close the gap in the end.

 

[postmanhat]

Pippo has this in the bag.

What makes you sure he'll beat Foss tomorrow?

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Prefer Pidder's moustache

 

[yaco]

A more tactically mature performance from Ineos today - They used their riders to attack the climb, instead of setting out a mountain train.

 

[postmanhat]

Pidcock cant bunch sprint for S**t but clearly in brilliant climbing form

Just go for the GC at the Tour

In a normal season I'd agree he should try at least. But The Worlds are 2 weeks later this year(?), and he wants that MTB title on home soil, never mind the road race.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

What makes you sure he'll beat Foss tomorrow?

Because Foss is clearly not in his best ever shape, and he is not as good a TT'er as his WC title would have you believe. He's very good, but he could also not reach top 5 tomorrow.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Because Foss is clearly not in his best ever shape, and he is not as good a TT'er as his WC title would have you believe. He's very good, but he could also not reach top 5 tomorrow.

Can Van Wilder defend a 25sec lead to Ganna in such an ITT? Imo he's the actual wildcard here who could end up winning the gc with a really small advantage.

 

[BR2]

There are lots of very good time trialers in the top 10 now only 32 seconds apart, tomorrow should be very interesting.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Can Van Wilder defend a 25sec lead to Ganna in such an ITT? Imo he's the actual wildcard here who could end up winning the gc with a really small advantage.

Yes, i think he can. I actually think it's going to be between the two of them. The problem is that he hasn't done a TT of that length all out for 2 years now. But he is a superb TT'er and he is in great shape.

 

[BR2]

Can Van Wilder defend a 25sec lead to Ganna in such an ITT? Imo he's the actual wildcard here who could end up winning the gc with a really small advantage.

The biggest challenge for van Wilder is probably not to crash. Apart from that the parcours seems a bit better for him than for Ganna?

I would guess those riders are all so close together in ability that the form of the day will decide.

 

[kenjude]

Am I right there have only been 7 days World Tour racing so far this season? Just wondering where Rob Hatch was going with his ”INEOS yet to take a world tour win” comment.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

The biggest challenge for van Wilder is probably not to crash. Apart from that the parcours seems a bit better for him than for Ganna?

I would guess those riders are all so close together in ability that the form of the day will decide.

As long as the signal guy doesn't send him the wrong way like in Suisse, he should be fairly comfortable on a TT bike. He's not going to beat Ganna (even though he has beaten him in Romandie), but he might be able to stay close enough to take GC.

 

[Netserk]

Can Van Wilder defend a 25sec lead to Ganna in such an ITT? Imo he's the actual wildcard here who could end up winning the gc with a really small advantage.

Thanks to Pidcock. It made sense when he attacked and kept an uneven pace in the start of the climb, but I have no idea why he kept riding with Van Wilder in his wheel. Nor why Martinez rode his own race today instead of pacing Ganna.

 

[postmanhat]

Because Foss is clearly not in his best ever shape, and he is not as good a TT'er as his WC title would have you believe. He's very good, but he could also not reach top 5 tomorrow.

Yes I'd forgotten that this is Foss's first race of the season and my instinct is that Ganna is a better TT'er still. But maybe last year's WC was just Foss reaching his potential after a tricky year? Am just trying generate some personal interest tbh, as it's the final stage of a race on a Sunday, but it's a TT

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Can Van Wilder defend a 25sec lead to Ganna in such an ITT? Imo he's the actual wildcard here who could end up winning the gc with a really small advantage.

He's done the kind of TT he needs tomorrow before (Romandie 2021), but this one is less hilly. I have this feeling he's going to lose the GC to Ganna by 1-3 seconds, in which case him sitting up too early on Foia will have cost him the race.

 

[Netserk]

He's done the kind of TT he needs tomorrow before (Romandie 2021), but this one is less hilly. I have this feeling he's going to lose the GC to Ganna by 1-3 seconds, in which case him sitting up too early on Foia will have cost him the race.

That would be sweet.

 

[Danskebjerge]

I don't know if Cort will be interested in fighting for a 3rd or 4th place on Sunday. My guess is that he isn't, also taking into account that he's tired.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He's done the kind of TT he needs tomorrow before (Romandie 2021), but this one is less hilly. I have this feeling he's going to lose the GC to Ganna by 1-3 seconds, in which case him sitting up too early on Foia will have cost him the race.

That would be the most likely outcome, but some things to consider. He was only 20 years old back then. And i have never seen him THIS good, and i have been tracking him since the juniors.

Edit: Forgot to mention, his TT equipment is far superior to what he had at DSM. I heard from a former trainer of Van Wilder personally, that he said it was a huge difference from the TT bike at DSM.