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

[Broth3r]

Yes, seems to be a lot of support for Rui Sousa going on, you'd have thought Portuguese cycling would have learnt its lessons on following aging dopers by now, but clearly not.

Eh, it's normal, most people wouldn't know. Plus there's the ones that don't judge without positives, a group in which I include myself.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

GC now confirmed, and Pardilla takes the camisola amarela by virtue of having a stage win. They keep calling Gustavo César Gustavo Veloso thanks to a mess-up on his surnames...

1) Sergio Pardilla ESP (MTN-Qhubeka) 20'25.53
2) Rui Sousa POR (Efapel-Glassdrive) +m.t.
3) Gustavo César Veloso ESP (OFM-Valongo) +7"
4) Hernâni Brôco POR (Efapel-Glassdrive) +17"
5) Vladislav Gorbunov KAZ (Astana Continental) +20"
6) Alejandro Marque ESP (OFM-Valongo) +24"
7) Délio Fernández ESP (OFM-Valongo) +30"
8) César Fonte POR (Efapel-Glassdrive) +39"
9) Daniel Silva POR (Radio Popular-Onda) +46"
10) Edgar Pinto POR (LA Aluminios-Antarte) +47"

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Eh, it's normal, most people wouldn't know. Plus there's the ones that don't judge without positives, a group in which I include myself.

the man rode in milaneza 2004, when he top 15 the vuelta even. as good as a conviction almost

 

[Parrulo]

Eh, it's normal, most people wouldn't know. Plus there's the ones that don't judge without positives, a group in which I include myself.

Right Candido Barbosa was the peoples champ in your opinion as well

This guys are gigantic jokes and are the main reason why young talented riders are leaving the sport every year. To think a guy like Vitor Rodrigues retired at 25 when frauds like Nuno Ribeiro, Rui Sousa and up to recently Sergio Ribeiro are still riding makes me sick.

Also teams like OFM investing all their money on puerto renegades is absolutely pathetic.

I would rather see Pardilla dominate this volta against guys like Daniel Silva, Vilela, Brandão, Fonte and to a certain extent Broco then see Rui Sousa up there on GC.

 

[trevim]

Right Candido Barbosa was the peoples champ in your opinion as well

This guys are gigantic jokes and are the main reason why young talented riders are leaving the sport every year. To think a guy like Vitor Rodrigues retired at 25 when frauds like Nuno Ribeiro, Rui Sousa and up to recently Sergio Ribeiro are still riding makes me sick.

Also teams like OFM investing all their money on puerto renegades is absolutely pathetic.

I would rather see Pardilla dominate this volta against guys like Daniel Silva, Vilela, Brandão, Fonte and to a certain extent Broco then see Rui Sousa up there on GC.

It was a shame to see Rodrigues end his career. To get a spot on a portuguese team is much more about politics than value. Just see how the hell Nuno Ribeiro gets a team with his past and not adding anything to the team (Vilela attacked on Alvao and did a lot of job on Senhora da Graca too while Riibeiro is nowhere).

I like Rui Sousa though, when I started watching cycling he won solo through the mist on Serra da Estrela. That was nice to see and I wasn't even aware of doping back then so I would like to see him win and retire.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

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.

 

[DanSilan]

It was a shame to see Rodrigues end his career.

This guys are gigantic jokes and are the main reason why young talented riders are leaving the sport every year. To think a guy like Vitor Rodrigues retired at 25.

But Vitor Rodrigues switched to concentrate on his mountainbike career, so I guess he'll be facing the same problems as he would in road cycling. But did he really quit road cycling due to "old school" riders who are still riding these days?

 

[DanSilan]

Also teams like OFM investing all their money on puerto renegades is absolutely pathetic.

Célio Fernandez, Marque and Prader are not related to Puerto, right? I thought all the dark horses from Puerto were retired.

 

[Parrulo]

He rides MTB as an amateur but has a normal job iirc.

He had signed a contract with Liberty who was supposed to return in 2011 but at the last hour the heads at the liberty headquarters in the US decided it was a bad move to sponsor cycling again in Portugal/Spain due to the scandals caused by some of those riders, particularly Ribeiro.

Since he couldn't find a place in any other team he decided to retire. OFC those other teams were filled with Puerto renegades and former Maias and what not and didn't open the door to one of the most talented young guys i portugal.

 

[Broth3r]

Right Candido Barbosa was the peoples champ in your opinion as well

You're confusing me for someone else, I never said anything of the sort.

I do agree the previous gen is tainted and that taking in Puerto convicts by the shiploads was a bad call. At the same time, I cringe at statements like Ryo's. Guy rode there, was in year X, did Y time up mount Z, and that's proof enough. Ugh.

 

[Parrulo]

You're confusing me for someone else, I never said anything of the sort.

I do agree the previous gen is tainted and that taking in Puerto convicts by the shiploads was a bad call. At the same time, I cringe at statements like Ryo's. Guy rode there, was in year X, did Y time up mount Z, and that's proof enough. Ugh.

But it pretty much is. . . or you believe in Rui Sousa?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The 5 Spaniards on OFM-Quinta da Lixa are:

Gustavo César Veloso - former winner of Catalunya and a Vuelta stage. Started his career in Portugal, then spent a couple of years at Relax and Kaiku, then four years with Xacobeo-Galicía. Came back with Andalucía last year. On paper, easily the strongest of the five.

Délio Fernández - 3 years with Xacobeo, followed by 2 with Onda-Boavista before moving to OFM this year.

Alejandro Marque - a decade of riding, all with Portuguese teams. Bounces mostly between Loulé, Tavira and Boavista.

Eduard Prades - rode with Andorra in 2009, has been on the amateur scene until being picked up by OFM this year.

Jesús Rosendo - famously accused of biopassport violations then cleared due to haemorrhoids, Rosendo has spent his whole career riding for Andalucía - including the first half of this season, when he rode for their amateur team, before OFM signed him in July.

I'd say we're mostly clear of the days of Puerto rejects being in Portugal - of the Spaniards on Portuguese teams only Antonio Olmo has the likely stench of that on him (he was riding for Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme from 2004-6, then has been mostly amateur save for a random squad spot at the Colombian Boyacá es Para Vivirla team in 2009). However, we are not clear of aging dopers, as the likes of Nuno Ribeiro still being around attest (and of course Sérgio Ribeiro would have been here if he hadn't been busted again). With regards to the Spanish presence in Portugal, it seems that it has gone back to how it was pre-Puerto, i.e. riders, mostly those from Galicia and, to a lesser extent Andalucía (primarily in the southern teams, Tavira and Loulé), looking for a contract. Only while before they were looking for better salaries, now they're looking for the presence of a team, since Spanish cycling is suffering so badly in terms of number of squads. I will say it's disappointing to see a team like OFM, which is effectively a brand new team this year even if in reality it isn't quite, entering the Volta with more Spanish riders than Portuguese, however we should also note that the seemingly most successful Portuguese team - Efapel - comprises only Portuguese riders, save for one (Arkaitz Durán).

 

[Broth3r]

But it pretty much is. . . or you believe in Rui Sousa?

I don't know his track record well enough to believe him or not. But when in doubt, I don't raise fingers.

You're seeing it from the wrong perspective. Do I his gen is tainted? Yes, absolutely. I just don't feel entitled to pointing fingers at individuals without concrete, not circumstantial, evidence.

Either way, there's a reason why I stay away from the filth the Clinic is and so I won't turn this thread into exactly that.

 

[DanSilan]

To get a spot on a portuguese team is much more about politics than value. Just see how the hell Nuno Ribeiro gets a team with his past.

And what about the other Ribeiro, who is even worse then Nuno but apparently can get away with it: "Ribeiro was also named as Portugal’s rider of the year for 2011 and 2012".

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ribeiro-handed-12-year-ban-by-portuguese-federation

Is this for real or is this supposed to be a joke?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Sérgio's not any worse than Nuno. Both of them have been busted twice (Nuno for over 50%hct in 2005 and EPO (likely CERA) in 2009, and Sérgio for EPO in 2007 and for biopassport violations in 2013).

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

You're confusing me for someone else, I never said anything of the sort.

I do agree the previous gen is tainted and that taking in Puerto convicts by the shiploads was a bad call. At the same time, I cringe at statements like Ryo's. Guy rode there, was in year X, did Y time up mount Z, and that's proof enough. Ugh.

well the truth hurts I gues sbut shall we count the guys just from 2004 milaneza alone who were tearing down european top level races out of nowhere?

francisco perez, fabian jeker, claus moller, rui lavarinhas, txema del olmo, angel edo...



btw I would gladly be proven wrong but in this case I convict him more than I believe in his innocense.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

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

 

[DanSilan]

Sérgio's not any worse than Nuno. Both of them have been busted twice (Nuno for over 50%hct in 2005 and EPO (likely CERA) in 2009, and Sérgio for EPO in 2007 and for biopassport violations in 2013).

Well, Nuno never got a 12 year ban like Sérgio. Anyway, I am simply astonished that a rider with a dirty past still seems to be popular. This would be unimaginable in for instance the Netherlands (bearing in mind the reactions of Dutch society on the Rabobank / Boogerd confessions).

 

[classicomano]

Oh yeah Milaneza thanks for reminding of that team, awesome kit.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

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

Unfortunately not. I'd have liked to have seen him back. He was great back in the day (even if we now know why). Badass.

Now he does cross-country triathlons and the like.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Well, Nuno never got a 12 year ban like Sérgio. Anyway, I am simply astonished that a rider with a dirty past still seems to be popular. This would be unimaginable in for instance the Netherlands (bearing in mind the reactions of Dutch society on the Rabobank / Boogerd confessions).

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

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Unfortunately not. I'd have liked to have seen him back. He was great back in the day (even if we now know why). Badass.

Now he does cross-country triathlons and the like.

as doped as he was i always was a fan of him

 

[Lupetto]

Walter da Silva almost 50 minutes down today. Igor Silva is doing better.

Nine riders left the race today, among them also Adrian Palomares and Alexander Serov, the winner of the first stage.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Walter da Silva almost 50 minutes down today. Igor Silva is doing better.

Nine riders left the race today, among them also Adrian Palomares and Alexander Serov, the winner of the first stage.

it is interesting though that angola seems to be pumping a lot of money into portugese cycling. although their riders aren't top level 9yet) it is very good for portugal I think.

 

[ciranda]

well the truth hurts I gues sbut shall we count the guys just from 2004 milaneza alone who were tearing down european top level races out of nowhere?

francisco perez, fabian jeker, claus moller, rui lavarinhas, txema del olmo, angel edo...



btw I would gladly be proven wrong but in this case I convict him more than I believe in his innocense.

Two points: Møller was not with Milaneza in 2004, and he was definitely not out of nowhere. Not to say he was not using but he was a very talented stage race cyclist who had great results in Spanish races from 1994 and was with the best in the mountains of the Vuelta for the first time in 1997.