Carlos Betancur discussion thread

[Popchu]

Re:

Lets see how he copes with two days as a work horse. Actually his result so far is approved all things considered,but as only fifth placed Movistar rider,he's likely in for a big work load now.

Sarthe is done and dusted, and indeed, the 4th stage he had to work all day so he arrived in a group at 14 minutes. The last day he was again in the bunch (a group of 52 riders). Don't think we can say much about his condition, of course he's still overweight but this should disappear with more race days.

Tomorrow Klasika Primavera de Amorebieta, then the Ardennes? Anyway, I hope he gets a decent race program after the Ardennes, then maybe some rest followed by a nice build up towards the Vuelta. But if he goes back to Colombia, and comes back one week before the Vuelta with 5 to 10 kilograms too much (the story of the last years), then it's once again a lost cause.

 

[Mr.White]

Re: Re:

Lets see how he copes with two days as a work horse. Actually his result so far is approved all things considered,but as only fifth placed Movistar rider,he's likely in for a big work load now.

Sarthe is done and dusted, and indeed, the 4th stage he had to work all day so he arrived in a group at 14 minutes. The last day he was again in the bunch (a group of 52 riders). Don't think we can say much about his condition, of course he's still overweight but this should disappear with more race days.

Tomorrow Klasika Primavera de Amorebieta, then the Ardennes? Anyway, I hope he gets a decent race program after the Ardennes, then maybe some rest followed by a nice build up towards the Vuelta. But if he goes back to Colombia, and comes back one week before the Vuelta with 5 to 10 kilograms too much (the story of the last years), then it's once again a lost cause.

I don't think it will be Adrennes for him this year. Last year Valverde wanted him to ride and persuaded Unzue, and did the same for Il Giro. This year I don't think so, he wasn't anywhere near Valverde and I don't think that he convinced Unzue that he has the form. I see guys like Erviti and Sutherland there, and also Soler, Fernandez, Dani and Gorka

 

[Moviestar]

The field of Amorebieta is pretty dramatic, even Caja sent a horrible compo. It's almost sure Movistar will add another victory to its list. Time for Betancur to shine?

 

[Irondan]

Re:

The field of Amorebieta is pretty dramatic, even Caja sent a horrible compo. It's almost sure Movistar will add another victory to its list. Time for Betancur to shine?

Wishful thinking...

 

[Escarabajo]

Re: Re:

Lets see how he copes with two days as a work horse. Actually his result so far is approved all things considered,but as only fifth placed Movistar rider,he's likely in for a big work load now.

Sarthe is done and dusted, and indeed, the 4th stage he had to work all day so he arrived in a group at 14 minutes. The last day he was again in the bunch (a group of 52 riders). Don't think we can say much about his condition, of course he's still overweight but this should disappear with more race days.

Tomorrow Klasika Primavera de Amorebieta, then the Ardennes? Anyway, I hope he gets a decent race program after the Ardennes, then maybe some rest followed by a nice build up towards the Vuelta. But if he goes back to Colombia, and comes back one week before the Vuelta with 5 to 10 kilograms too much (the story of the last years), then it's once again a lost cause.

He is doing the same crab as last year. He should have been leaner at the beginning of the year so to not to repeat the same thing this year and failed. Movistar can't just put a guy on their roster all year just to lose weight so he can be fit at the end of the year and then go back to Colombia and eat like the old roman emperors!

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Lets see how he copes with two days as a work horse. Actually his result so far is approved all things considered,but as only fifth placed Movistar rider,he's likely in for a big work load now.

Sarthe is done and dusted, and indeed, the 4th stage he had to work all day so he arrived in a group at 14 minutes. The last day he was again in the bunch (a group of 52 riders). Don't think we can say much about his condition, of course he's still overweight but this should disappear with more race days.

Tomorrow Klasika Primavera de Amorebieta, then the Ardennes? Anyway, I hope he gets a decent race program after the Ardennes, then maybe some rest followed by a nice build up towards the Vuelta. But if he goes back to Colombia, and comes back one week before the Vuelta with 5 to 10 kilograms too much (the story of the last years), then it's once again a lost cause.

He is doing the same crab as last year. He should have been leaner at the beginning of the year so to not to repeat the same thing this year and failed. Movistar can't just put a guy on their roster all year just to lose weight so he can be fit at the end of the year and then go back to Colombia and eat like the old roman emperors!

The most expensive weight loss program I have ever seen !

 

[gospina]

Who is that strong, skinny guy wearing Betancur's number at Movistar? Can it be? Could it be? no...it is the commentators that are wrong

 

[Popchu]

Good performance today. Not a lost cause after all?

 

[Valv.Piti]

What the ***. Betancur, stop it!

 

[DBotero]

Betancur finally showing good signs.Maybe this year will get him back for good.

 

[Saint Unix]

He was in the group working for Bala going into Huy at the end. Clearly sat up going up the Mur, but just getting to the finish is a promising sign nowadays.

 

[movingtarget]

He also finished the Amstel. Someone has maybe mentioned his contract ?

 

[Beech Mtn]

I told y'all the other day Carlos was looking lean on Instagram

 

[jaylew]

It's been said before but our expectations for this guy have gone down so much it's sad. We're happy he was able to do a little work for Bala at Flèche and this is a guy that did an incredible early Mur attack just 4 years ago and hung on for the podium.

 

[Irondan]

Re:

It's been said before but our expectations for this guy have gone down so much it's sad. We're happy he was able to do a little work for Bala at Flèche and this is a guy that did an incredible early Mur attack just 4 years ago and hung on for the podium.

Yeah, what a difference four years makes!

 

[42x16ss]

Betancur finally showing good signs.Maybe this year will get him back for good.

1 year contracts with low salary and high performance incentives are what Bananito needs. That and a good DS he can relate to.

Hopefully Unzue has him figured out.

 

[Volderke]

Does he start in Liege?

Regarding Unzue figuring him out: I hope Betancur has figured himself out... He is 4 years older and maybe, he has found more inner peace and focus on racing.

 

[DBotero]

Re:

Does he start in Liege?

Regarding Unzue figuring him out: I hope Betancur has figured himself out... He is 4 years older and maybe, he has found more inner peace and focus on racing.

He ride LBL,than Romandie.Hoping to see the same determination as in La Fleche.

 

[Popchu]

Re:

Does he start in Liege?

Regarding Unzue figuring him out: I hope Betancur has figured himself out... He is 4 years older and maybe, he has found more inner peace and focus on racing.

Yes, he will start in Liège.

It's not very surprising he's building some nice form, he's incredibly talented so with enough race days he automatically reaches some good shape. With this shape he's clearly a valuable rider for Movistar, but he should aim higher and be a (co-)leader again, fighting for the win on the highest level. Tour de Romandie could be a good race to go stage hunting, with no Valverde / Quintana in the team.

The real test, however, will be the Vuelta, which he is scheduled to ride. If he's again overweight by then, he learned nothing from the past years. Some say: "Send him to the Giro, because his form is good now", but I really want to see if he has figured himself out and can start with a good condition in the Vuelta, even after he went to Colombia to 'rest'.

Having said this, I still think some people here treated him a bit unfair after his streak of DNF's in the Flemish races.

 

[Popchu]

Another interview with Carlos Betancur: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHu3SfMQJFo&feature=youtu.be

I don't have the feeling he says much, but with my limited knowledge of Spanish I think I missed some things. Is he saying something interesting? He wants to be at an ideal weight after Romandie, then he'll race Dauphiné or Suisse?

I hope we see him in the last hour of todays race!

 

[lenric]

He says his actual form is close to the one he had 1 year ago. He'll ride the Romandie and wants to be in ideal weight in Switzerland and, after the Tour of Suisse, he'll see what his next goal will be.

He also said the usual blah blah, that his team supports him immensely.

However, I had some trouble with the audio, so do not take this as 100% right.

 

[ice&fire]

Re:

Another interview with Carlos Betancur: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHu3SfMQJFo&feature=youtu.be

I don't have the feeling he says much, but with my limited knowledge of Spanish I think I missed some things. Is he saying something interesting? He wants to be at an ideal weight after Romandie, then he'll race Dauphiné or Suisse?

I hope we see him in the last hour of todays race!

You got it right, just missed the altitude training after Romandie and the many times he said he is "tranquilo"

 

[Valv.Piti]

Tranquilo is such a neat word, I love it. Tranquilo and mañana.

 

[gospina]

Re:

He says his actual form is close to the one he had 1 year ago. He'll ride the Romandie and wants to be in ideal weight in Switzerland and, after the Tour of Suisse, he'll see what his next goal will be.

He also said the usual blah blah, that his team supports him immensely.

However, I had some trouble with the audio, so do not take this as 100% right.

It's not the audio. He speaks very low, almost like he has a speech impediment. Like he either woke up or is drunk with slurred speech. All his interviews are like that. In most languages, there is an understated rhythm of ups and down with words, I'm not talking about the accents within the word, I'm talking about rhythm of words and sentences. He has a very unique way of speaking. I'm constantly rewinding and watching his interviews because of this and I'm a native Colombian. Uran speaks with a sense of familiarity with you, he is very relaxed, lots of puns and easy to understand. Nairo is VERY calculated. He speaks like a good writer, every word has a need, does not use a lot of words to explain something that can be covered with one. Very intelligent. Carlos? not at all. He says the right things, (Henao comes to mind, but Sergio projects, "pronouncates" (not sure if that word exists, but it fits)) but Carlos, you can't understand at it at first. It isn't a regional dialect issue, at least, I don't think it is.

 

[carton]

Re: Re:

He speaks very low, almost like he has a speech impediment.

IMHO he pronounces things just fine. He's just a bit of a basso profondo who tends to drift a little bit in and out of full focus while he's talking. Sure, he isn't a particularly great orator, but I have absolutely no issues understanding what he's saying.

He went out hard on the prologue. I wonder (perhaps wistfully) if he's targeting GC at Romandie. Also, to be a bit more precise, he's saying that he's going to do "a month at altitude in order to go ... [this is the in and out thing I mentioned earlier] to finish being like at the right weight and then reach Dauphine or Suisse and then see what's next in the season". I wonder if he sees whichever of those two he rides as an audition for the Vuelta.