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

[DanSilan]

uh no. boogerd is as popular as ever after his confections. and vino got cheered the most in his whole career in giro 2010 prologue he said in amsterdam

Boogerd has been asked multiple times to tell the truth and he denied for long time. Finally, when he was running out of excuses and after the Rabobank confessions, the increasing pressure by the media made him confess. Consequently he is perceived as a coward liar and it would have been different if he confessed way earlier. But maybe his image is recovering, since Boogerd became commentator on behalf of Eurosport before the Tour.

But I couldn't care less about Dutch or Belgian cycling, so maybe I have the wrong impression.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yea, BancoBIC are putting a lot of money into it in particular now and having seen the Angolan national team in Algarve as well it could be interesting. Clearly they're not there yet, but developing to be able to compete in the races in Portugal (also perhaps Brazil might be a good stepping stone, plenty of decent races, albeit mostly flat-to-rolling, and distances not as large as often found in Europe?) is a good development direction, especially given the cultural ties between the countries. Hopefully Tavira (BancoBIC-Carmim) will strengthen in the offseason; I assume they'll take another Angolan or two, but maybe a stronger Portuguese or two to lead the team, as right now they're lacking in that department, shocking when you think in 2011 they dominated A Volta.

Also, Dan, what's with "Netherlands/Belgium" as location? Are you from Baarle-Hertog or something?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Boogerd has been asked multiple times to tell the truth and he denied for long time. Finally, when he was running out of excuses and after the Rabobank confessions, the increasing pressure by the media made him confess. Consequently he is perceived as a coward liar and it would have been different if he confessed way earlier. But maybe his image is recovering, since Boogerd became commentator on behalf of Eurosport before the Tour.

But I couldn't care less about Dutch or Belgian cycling, so maybe I have the wrong impression.

you have completely the wrong impression. the dutch media is nothing like the dutch people. he's still as mucha hero as he was a a cyclist, probably more now as they seem him as treated unfairly by media

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Yea, BancoBIC are putting a lot of money into it in particular now and having seen the Angolan national team in Algarve as well it could be interesting. Clearly they're not there yet, but developing to be able to compete in the races in Portugal (also perhaps Brazil might be a good stepping stone, plenty of decent races, albeit mostly flat-to-rolling, and distances not as large as often found in Europe?) is a good development direction, especially given the cultural ties between the countries. Hopefully Tavira (BancoBIC-Carmim) will strengthen in the offseason; I assume they'll take another Angolan or two, but maybe a stronger Portuguese or two to lead the team, as right now they're lacking in that department, shocking when you think in 2011 they dominated A Volta.

Also, Dan, what's with "Netherlands/Belgium" as location? Are you from Baarle-Hertog or something?

well brazil is very different. brazilean teams would never be interested to come to portugal to perform or send riders there to develop. the racing is also very different there, 90% sprinting and itt riders and they have more races and way more money than in portugese cycling

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I was meaning for Angolan riders to go to Brazil, rather than Brazilian riders to go to Portugal. Besides, Funvic did the Volta last year.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I was meaning for Angolan riders to go to Brazil, rather than Brazilian riders to go to Portugal. Besides, Funvic did the Volta last year.

yes that would be correct yes, but have different timezones I think. funvic did volta with less than half their good riders and all out of shape preparing for volta sao paolo, which magno prado won. they didn't care about it at all and it showed. really ashame imo. bit same now in utah. only like san luis they care, they have 1 rider focussing it like last year magno and this year was diniz. they only care for local cycling

 

[DanSilan]

Yea, BancoBIC are putting a lot of money into it in particular now and having seen the Angolan national team in Algarve as well it could be interesting. Clearly they're not there yet, but developing to be able to compete in the races in Portugal (also perhaps Brazil might be a good stepping stone, plenty of decent races, albeit mostly flat-to-rolling, and distances not as large as often found in Europe?) is a good development direction, especially given the cultural ties between the countries. Hopefully Tavira (BancoBIC-Carmim) will strengthen in the offseason; I assume they'll take another Angolan or two, but maybe a stronger Portuguese or two to lead the team, as right now they're lacking in that department, shocking when you think in 2011 they dominated A Volta.

Really needed indeed after Livramento was dropped early on. But there are not many Portuguese riders with an added value which are feasible to sign by Banco Bic I assume.

Also, Dan, what's with "Netherlands/Belgium" as location? Are you from Baarle-Hertog or something?

I live in Belgium, while attending university in the Netherlands (not because Belgian universities suck).

 

[trevim]

Ah, was that 2008 from the break? That was spectacular. He was like minutes off the front, then David Blanco started killing everybody behind, with Liberty Seguros eventually taking the whole top 5 except for him, with Héctor Guerra, Koldo Gil and Nuno Ribeiro. The rest of the top 10 was Rubén Plaza (who signed for Liberty shortly after), Paco Mancebo, Santi Pérez, Vitor Rodrigues (who was also riding for Liberty) and Juanjo Cobo. Enormous time gaps that year.

Then Cândido Barbosa came in 11th ahead of Dan Martin, lol.

Rui then led the race until Senhora da Graça where he lost 4 minutes to the winner (Cobo) and 3 to Blanco and teammate Guerra. Cândido was 7th.

Yep that was 2008, great stage.
http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=8262

 

[Rui Quinta]

btw whatever happened to hector guerra? not interested in returning?

Now he's a X-Terra top athlete. This weekend Hector was 2nd on a World Cup race.

Libertine, I really appreciate your knowledge about portuguese cycling. Unfortunately, my poor English doesn't allow me to talk too much, but congs for that

 

[trevim]

Now he's a X-Terra top athlete. This weekend Hector was 2nd on a World Cup race.

Libertine, I really appreciate your knowledge about portuguese cycling. Unfortunately, my poor English doesn't allow me to talk too much, but congs for that

Hey in your blog you seem to know the peloton a bit from the inside, so I have a question for you: what's your general opinion about portuguese teams DS's (specially Carlos Pereira)? I mean Efapel chasing Brandao twice, Marcio Barbosa not working on a break for no reason and then sprinting for mountain points,..... Thanks and congratulations on your blog.

 

[Rui Quinta]

Hey in your blog you seem to know the peloton a bit from the inside, so I have a question for you: what's your general opinion about portuguese teams DS's (specially Carlos Pereira)? I mean Efapel chasing Brandao twice, Marcio Barbosa not working on a break for no reason and then sprinting for mountain points,..... Thanks and congratulations on your blog.

About "how to race", I think Carlos Pereira and Vidal Fitas (BIC-Carmim) are the best.
On Brandão episode, you need take into account there is not radio links between riders and DS. With 10 km to go, there have 8 or 9 riders in front but without organization and it seems they would be reached by the peloton. I think this moment was the last time DS could talk with any rider, so it's not Carlos Pereira fault.

On LA-Antarte's DS Mário Rocha, He's a man with money (Antarte's founder and CEO), sponsor a team but can't understand cycling. My opinion.

As I said, my english sucks, but if you can read portuguese, you can find a better opinion in my blog

 

[trevim]

About "how to race", I think Carlos Pereira and Vidal Fitas (BIC-Carmim) are the best.
On Brandão episode, you need take into account there is not radio links between riders and DS. With 10 km to go, there have 8 or 9 riders in front but without organization and it seems they would be reached by the peloton. I think this moment was the last time DS could talk with any rider, so it's not Carlos Pereira fault.

On LA-Antarte's DS Mário Rocha, He's a man with money (Antarte's founder and CEO), sponsor a team but can't understand cycling. My opinion.

As I said, my english sucks, but if you can read portuguese, you can find a better opinion in my blog

Your english is fine at least for a portuguese like me. I follow your blog, I just thought it was good to ask you directly. Thanks for the answer

 

[Parrulo]

flat stage today and tomorrow rest day followed by another flat stage. I really hope Silvestre manages to get a win even tho i know he is more of a fast classics rider than a pure sprinter.

 

[BigMac]

Break, cof.. cof..., away

 

[Broth3r]

Rui, trust me, your English is perfectly serviceable, we have to deal with far worse (I mean, no offense ryo, but some of your posts look like they're written in hieroglyphs).

Don't let that stop you from contributing.

 

[Jux1893]

It's probably me, but I think the Portuguese team tactics are all over the place.

 

[Parrulo]

Meh Cardoso, never really liked him to be honest. Still better than a foreign tho

Silvestre messed it up big time on that last corner

 

[BigMac]

Some interviewer from RTP asked Manuel Cardoso ''how does he plan to attack the yellow jersey form now on''.

Portuguese Cycling journalism at its best.

 

[Jux1893]

Some of the best things in the Volta are the interviews to the DS's, and the journalists trying to speak other languages. It brings a funny side to cycling that is hard to find in other races.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Some interviewer from RTP asked Manuel Cardoso ''how does he plan to attack the yellow jersey form now on''.

Portuguese Cycling journalism at its best.

Lol, I hope he said "wrong Cardoso. You're thinking of André, and he isn't even here."

Some of the best things in the Volta are the interviews to the DS's, and the journalists trying to speak other languages. It brings a funny side to cycling that is hard to find in other races.

I think last year they had an on-the-road chat on a dull flat stage with a DS from, I think it was UHC? They had a Brazilian wife so tried to conduct the interview in Portuguese, which resulted in a painfully awkward "conversation" where the differences in comprehension between an OK level of Brazilian Portuguese and fluent Portuguese Portuguese became very, very obvious.

 

[Parrulo]

To answer Ryo's question a bit better about the interest in cycling, apparently the audiences are reaching values they haven't reached in 5 years.

Over 700k people watched yesterdays stage.

Source:
http://jornalciclismo.com/?p=31713

 

[Rui Quinta]

177 km, 4 climbs and 40 km/h average speed. It's crazy see these guys fighting every day. 6-7 years ago a man like Cândido Barbosa made 10.000€/month and last years we have guys fighting for GC with 500€/month, 7-8 months/year.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

To answer Ryo's question a bit better about the interest in cycling, apparently the audiences are reaching values they haven't reached in 5 years.

Over 700k people watched yesterdays stage.

Source:
http://jornalciclismo.com/?p=31713

wow that's tremendous. like 11 million people? I think in netherlands only tour gets like 1.5 million(mayeb more this year in mountains) viewers on 16 million people

 

[Lupetto]

 

[Parrulo]

wow that's tremendous. like 11 million people? I think in netherlands only tour gets like 1.5 million(mayeb more this year in mountains) viewers on 16 million people

Yes, 700K in roughly 11 mil.

Those are very good numbers indeed for a race like the volta. I wonder what kind of numbers the last few stages of the Tour were getting after Costa's first win.