75ª Volta a Portugal 7-18 August 2013 (2.1)

[trevim]

Portuguese team directors are such a joke, what the hell was Marcio Barbosa (LA Antarte) doing in the break if he didn't want to pull. And then sprinted for the KOM. The low level of the Volta goes from the riders to their old fashioned and stupid managers who always seem to want to settle debts from the old days on the Volta. And least the route is still OK, it's almost the only good thing about this race nowadays.

PS.: It's good to be back to the forum for the first time after the Tour. No, I wasn't riding belgian criteriums, just crying for the Great One

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Délio you might remember from his Xacobeo days. Marque's spent his whole career in Portugal, so he's quite easy to forget isn't Portuguese. Délio's certainly on his best season to date so far, but we should remember he was 11th in the Volta in 2011 - however he does look like he's developed some kind of sprint because he never showed that kind of sprinting power before.

actually he's always bene very fast. but all the other improvements I find more noticable

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Seeing another dysfunctional move at the finish today and bearing in mind the Efapel issue yesterday, I am wondering about team orders. I don't want to argue that pre-arranged or fixed team orders are always the key to success (like Guerra who worked for Barbosa a few years ago, which was really odd). But still.

According to the start list Rui Sousa is supposed to lead the team, but Broco and Duran and maybe even Sergio Sousa come close concerning taking leadership for GC. And what about OFM: Delio Fernandez, Marques as well as Eduard Prades can pull it off. Although Radio Popular isn't as strong as Efapel and OFM, at least it is clear who is in charge for GC.

sergio sousa has no chnace,. he's hilly rider more, same for duran, eduard prades no way. ofm may be lucky to have 1 guy in top 5, probably delio. broco and sousa are probably leaders in efapel but broco has always sucked in recuperation. onda have virgio santos but moslty daniel silva that is relaly great but unregular rider

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Don't forget Nuno Ribeiro for Efapel too, his name is looking ominous in the upper echelons of GC too. Sérgio Sousa could have a case to make for having some kind of GC ambitions, but he was on the front of the bunch in the closing stages today so that makes me think he's out. I really hope they aren't working for Rui Sousa, because I don't know what would be more depressing, a team as strong as that working for what I don't think is a winning strategy, or if banking everything on Rui Sousa really WAS a winning strategy. The road will decide, and it will probably decide on tomorrow's stage.

You do get super powerful teams at the Volta sometimes, depending on where the money's gone in the domestic scene. Palmeiras Resort around 2009-10 with Barbosa bossing sprints and Mestre, Cardoso and Nelson Vitorino leading Blanco up the hills spring to mind, as does their follow-up, the 2011 Tavira team. Liberty Seguros having the hydraheaded team in 2008 and 2009 with Nuno Ribeiro, Rui Sousa, Rubén Plaza, Héctor Guerra, Koldo Gil and the Nozal brothers (plus Manuel Cardoso winning sprints) is also memorable as it meant that they could get away with two or even three top names not getting form correctly. And of course LA-MSS from 2007-8 with Tondó, Cabreira, Ángel Vicioso, Tino Zaballa and Pedro Cardoso. Efapel just happen to be the stacked ones at present, but with the Carmim team ailing but getting a big cash injection courtesy of Banco BIC mid-season I wouldn't be surprised if they get a better side together for next year.

the angolan riders btw, especially igor silva that I know is their best rider are doing surprisingly well considering none of them ever rode outside of angola and porte tome ever before this year. not even in other african countries of african championships. very secluded cycling area

 

[DanSilan]

sergio sousa has no chnace,. he's hilly rider more, same for duran, eduard prades no way. ofm may be lucky to have 1 guy in top 5, probably delio. broco and sousa are probably leaders in efapel but broco has always sucked in recuperation. onda have virgio santos but moslty daniel silva that is relaly great but unregular rider

Finishing 16th in the Dauphiné Liberé (2010) seems to me that Duran is more than a hilly rider.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Also Sérgio Sousa podiumed the Vuelta a Asturias in 2011 thanks to some very strong mountain climbing performances, especially on Acebo. In general though I think the Volta is a bridge too far, his best on Torre is 12th. Durán I think is capable in the mountains but like Hernâni I think he is lacking a little in recuperation over the duration of the event. Luckily for him there aren't any mega-long stages to suffer in.

 

[jens_attacks]

today is nuno's day!

 

[DanSilan]

Also Sérgio Sousa podiumed the Vuelta a Asturias in 2011 thanks to some very strong mountain climbing performances, especially on Acebo. In general though I think the Volta is a bridge too far, his best on Torre is 12th. Durán I think is capable in the mountains but like Hernâni I think he is lacking a little in recuperation over the duration of the event. Luckily for him there aren't any mega-long stages to suffer in.

At least he managed to finish both the Tour and Vuelta, so the Volta should not be a problem, although I admit he is indeed to weak to consider him a serious GC contender. I totally forgot about Sergio Pardilla as a possibility for GC, since he is the only one in this Volta's field who obtained decent results at some high-level races.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Such as the podium of the Volta a Portugal the last time he rode it!

 

[DanSilan]

Such as the podium of the Volta a Portugal the last time he rode it!

Or the stage of Prati di Tivo in the Tirreno - Adriatico were he achieved a 13th spot, surrounded by nothing but world class riders. Also his performances at the Tour of Austria, Langkawi etc. tend me to say that he could win this Volta. But maybe I underestimate the others, who knows.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Best Senhora da Graça stage in a while. Hopefully the gaps are a bit more like 2008-9 than 2011-12.

 

[trevim]

Best Senhora da Graça stage in a while. Hopefully the gaps are a bit more like 2008-9 than 2011-12.

Certainly a very good stage with lots of heat. Also a very beautiful climb/descent to Alvão.

 

[Parrulo]

Hopefully some second tier guys will go early this year

 

[DanSilan]

Fifty kilometres to go and what is striking again is that Efapel (with Brandão as domestique for Sergio Sousa) is leading the breakaway, but at the same time the Efapel guys are pulling at front of the peloton. Maybe the commentators clarified this tactic, but I am not able to understand everything they say.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I've missed seeing the Alvão descent to Mondim de Basto. Beautiful vistas.

I've missed seeing any kind of descent into Mondim de Basto given the 2011-12 routes.

 

[Parrulo]

I am really liking the way Brandão is riding. A shame he hasn't been more protected by efapel.

He is still very young (23) and next year Sousa and maybe even Broco will be out of it so he could lead efapel at the volta.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Nuno Ribeiro right at the back of the group there, to give jensattacks a coronary. Wyss was apparently dropped en route to O Barragem do Alvão, but has made his way back on the descent.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

brandao is not good in long climbs. he will never be a contender here.

 

[Parrulo]

brandao is not good in long climbs. he will never be a contender here.

He is still young and could improve. The field at the Volta hasn't exactly been getting stronger over the years so you don't need to be a Quintana to contend for the win

But ya, Brandão and most of the young portuguese riders coming up at the moment seem to be more tailed for the hills than for the high mountains.

Also seems like Brandão is having some physical problems and is going to the medical car according to the commentators.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I absolutely love seeing the crowds in Mondim de Basto. No matter how far the race falls, it will always be a big deal in that town.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

He is still young and could improve. The field at the Volta hasn't exactly been getting stronger over the years so you don't need to be a Quintana to contend for the win

But ya, Brandão and most of the young portuguese riders coming up at the moment seem to be more tailed for the hills than for the high mountains.

Also seems like Brandão is having some physical problems and is going to the medical car according to the commentators.

Amaro Antunes says hi.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

He is still young and could improve. The field at the Volta hasn't exactly been getting stronger over the years so you don't need to be a Quintana to contend for the win

But ya, Brandão and most of the young portuguese riders coming up at the moment seem to be more tailed for the hills than for the high mountains.

Also seems like Brandão is having some physical problems and is going to the medical car according to the commentators.

they are more hilly riders now yes. but kepe in mind real long distance climbers are rare in general, anywhere basiclaly except very few countries

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Efapel massing ranks behind the front couple of riders, looking ominous.

 

[Parrulo]

Amaro Antunes says hi.

Yes but Amaro Antunes hasn't really delivered a good result in a while now and he doesn't seem to be all that strong healthy wise. He caught a virus during the winter which was only detected after Trentino and it took him 2 months to be able to star training again

I highly doubt he will manage to show himself at all during this volta.

 

[Parrulo]

they are more hilly riders now yes. but kepe in mind real long distance climbers are rare in general, anywhere basiclaly except very few countries

True. To be honest if you told me 3 years ago Costa would improve as much as he has improved i would say you were insane