82nd Volta a Portugal em Bicicleta (27th of September - 5th of October)

[MikeTichondrius]

CM reporting rider Nigel Ellsay (Rally) in serious condition after a crash with a warning flag commissaire.

 

[burning]

Looks like the race is exploding in the penultimate climb, looks good for proper racing.

Edit: This may be the first time that I have ever seen a non-Portuguese team pulling on the climb, looks very interesting.

Edit: Looks like Rally is actually losing time to the break, still waiting W52 to chase down Mestre

 

[Mayomaniac]

Looks like the race is exploding in the penultimate climb, looks good for proper racing.

Edit: This may be the first time that I have ever seen a non-Portuguese team pulling on the climb, looks very interesting.

Edit: Looks like Rally is actually losing time to the break, still waiting W52 to chase down Mestre

And the breakaway i actually gaining time while they are puling.

 

[trevim]

Looks like the race is exploding in the penultimate climb, looks good for proper racing.

Edit: This may be the first time that I have ever seen a non-Portuguese team pulling on the climb, looks very interesting.

Edit: Looks like Rally is actually losing time to the break, still waiting W52 to chase down Mestre

I see that you know your portuguese cycling

 

[burning]

Antunes is firing early, is this part of the W52's plan, or is he going rogue?

 

[trevim]

Amaro Antunes attacking now, 37km out.
Now with Frederico Figueiredo and Henrique Casimiro.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Nearly all the Rally guys dropped, Frederico Figueiredo attacking with Amaro.

 

[trevim]

Boavista guys in the break will probably sprint for KOM if they haven't pulled almost all the stage.
And Mestre just drops them casually without even standing up on the pedals.

 

[trevim]

Frederico Figueiredo drops Amaro and goes for it alone

 

[Mayomaniac]

Federico dropped Amaro!

 

[burning]

I guess Antunes lost some of his mojo while being away from Portugal, I'd expect him to drop everyone here in his 2017-2018 form.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Efapel train at the front of the main bunch now.

 

[burning]

I cannot understand the fact that W52's tactics do make sense here. Is this race actually the Volta, or are we watching TDF?

 

[zlev11]

Antunes/Figueiredo group has a minute gap to the field now

 

[trevim]

I cannot understand the fact that W52's tactics do make sense here. Is this race actually the Volta, or are we watching TDF?

It is puzzling indeed

 

[carolina]

It's a special edition afterall.

Mestre is pulling for how many kms?! Jesus...

 

[Mayomaniac]

It's a special edition afterall.

Mestre is pulling for how many kms?! Jesus...

Yes, but what if he pulls super hard for Amaro, only for the later to get dropped by Figueiredo?

 

[burning]

Here we go, the best climb of the year.

 

[carolina]

Frederico is looking very chill. This should be interesting.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Frederico is looking very chill. This should be interesting.

His climbing style reminds me a bit of Contador, rather wide shoulders and always dancing on the pedals.
Edit: now he spins seated at a really high cadence.

 

[burning]

The climbing speed looks quite human to me, I may be wrong though.

 

[Mayomaniac]

The climbing speed looks quite human to me, I may be wrong though.

Yeah, wtf is going on?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

João Benta, lmfao

 

[burning]

Well, at least RP is trying something, unlike Epafel.

I guess Benta is one of these Portuguese guys where they show their potential at 33 years young.

Actually, he was decent in previous Voltas, still surprised that he got away from other W52 riders.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Well, at least RP is trying something, unlike Epafel.

I guess Benta is one of these Portuguese guys where they show their potential at 33 years young.

Looks like Carvalho isn't willing to bury himself for Brandao and give up on his own gc ambitions, so he sets a moderate pace.