52nd Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta (18-22 February)

[Squire]

I couldn't understand much that they were saying and I was concentrating on Ivan Sosa's descending but the Colombians were raving about Rodriguez last week in the road race.

Yeah, Rodriguez was amazing in the NC road race. Great to see him do well today too. We need up and coming Colombian talents. They are rather few and far between these days.

 

[pastronef]

Mate I Have complete lost my head , what happened to actually good champjongnos in this sport. Now is just my teenage boys born into wealth extreme talent and success who spend a billion months in altitude and ride for the same teamswinning all the races.. It's barely interesting at this point. Maybe I don't even like cycling I just like Nibali and landa. There's no stories in this sport anymore or actually good champions. I have completely gone here I might stop watching for good. Thank god we have the big classics to lookforward to, oh wait nevermind he who will not be named is Gona be there and win them all. Is like watching formula one. You can't even tell what team they reside for because all the kits are the same.

wait a minute, Seixas still hasn't smashed the World Tour and the GTs. it's the way it works in 2026. month at altitude. it takes that. "good champions"? FFS Nibali rode for Liquigas and Astana. not actually "good" teams. and Decath is not winning all the races. they are a team in progress, doing a great choice if hiring riders (Riccitello, Seixas) and also being unlucky in hiring riders (Kooj and Benoot injured)

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Landa has ridden for almost all the dominant teams of the time: Sky, Movistar when they were winning a lot, best Barhain. Nibali's Astana wasn't exactly modest either.

Nibali and Landa had to build form over a series of races.
That's not what happens these days.

 

[pastronef]

Nibali and Landa had to build form over a series of races.
That's not what happens these days.

it's TEN years ago. things change in ten years

 

[Netserk]

it's TEN years ago. things change in ten years

sky quit the sport seven years ago. you will no longer bring up the sky days in three years?

 

[armchairclimber]

Fitting that Seixas announces his arrival proper at the Algarve, where Pog did the same.

 

[pastronef]

sky quit the sport seven years ago. you will no longer bring up the sky days in three years?

I'll bring up Sky, Astana, Jumbo, Sunweb etc. I just said the way athletes evolve and progress can change a lot in ten years

 

[Netserk]

I'll bring up Sky, Astana, Jumbo, Sunweb etc. I just said the way athletes evolve and progress can change a lot in ten years

it can, but can you really blame anyone for being stuck in the dynamics of a past age ?

 

[pastronef]

it can, but can you really blame anyone for being stuck in the dynamics of a past age ?

no, no blame, just noticing there are different dynamics, that sometimes change faster than we expect or wish or want

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Fitting that Seixas announces his arrival proper at the Algarve, where Pog did the same.

It's a race where future legends come to win. Cândido Barbosa who won two stages at age 20 in 1995, for example.

 

[saunaking]

Widar tried to bridge and now losing weheels...too enthousiastic

been watching too much Remco

 

[saunaking]

I mean why does the Volta a Algarve have a GT level field.

Everyone avoiding Remco

 

[James M]

McNulty crashed had to stop and go, still ended up only 37 seconds behind. Thats class.

Ayuso excels on these inconsistent, explosive climbs and coming from altitude so as you expect, but still good.

Almeida is right up there. Its not his cup of tea cant ask for much more.

Seixas: Ayuso is not easy to handle on this type of climb and finish, so pure class from the baguette. Love to see it.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

WOW! Just watched the finish, outstanding finish!

 

[hayneplane]

Well, Lipo lost 30 secs.
I rate this as a bigger stinker than Remco's from yesterday.

Not at all. I expected him to be in the mix but even in the Tour last year he was getting gapped on the shorter punchier finals and that was on his career best firm.