Colombia 2.1 (Feb 12-17)

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Date: 2019-02-12 - 2019-02-17
Race class: 2.1
Race category: Men Elite
UCI-Tour: America Tour


Field

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/colombia-oro-y-paz/2019/startlist

Sky: Froome, Bernal, Sosa, Narvaez
Movistar: Quintana, Anacona, Carapaz, Soler
UAE: Gaviria, Henao, Muñoz
EF Education First: Martinez, Uran, Phinney
Astana: Lopez, Villella
QS: Alaphilippe, Jungels, Hodeg


The field is deep. First pro race for talents Einer Rubio and Karel Vacek. First pro season for Vacek and Cristian Muñoz.


Stage 1 TTT

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Stage 5

Stage 6

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Sevilla should be able to take the GC win here.

 

[Kazistuta]

Not with the starting TTT..this has Bernal written all over it.

 

[Robert5091]

and all above 1500m above sea level - puff wheeze!

 

[WKA311]

Re:

Sevilla should be able to take the GC win here.

Don't think so. Competition is stronger then in San Luis and as mentioned the TTT will give especially Sky an advantage.

 

[Koronin]

Deep field, but who knows what level many of the riders are at.

 

[Escarabajo]

Altitude, altitude, altitude. Even for the flat stages. LOL.

Bernal looks to be the favorite. I am interested in seeing how David Martinez will perform. He might be progressing some more this year.

BTW, thanks for creating the thread 18-Valve.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Altitude, altitude, altitude. Even for the flat stages. LOL.

Bernal looks to be the favorite. I am interested in seeing how David Martinez will perform. He might be progressing some more this year.

BTW, thanks for creating the thread 18-Valve.

Daniel Martínez?

 

[hayneplane]

Probably too deep a field of pure climbers for Alaphillipe to podium even with the boost of a ttt. The Movistar riders all have solid racing this year already which could count for a lot but no reason not to believe that Bernal backed by such a strong climbing squad that can also turn in a solid ttt won't have every chance of repeating last years win.

 

[Akuryo]

Re:

Probably too deep a field of pure climbers for Alaphillipe to podium even with the boost of a ttt. The Movistar riders all have solid racing this year already which could count for a lot but no reason not to believe that Bernal backed by such a strong climbing squad that can also turn in a solid ttt won't have every chance of repeating last years win.

Wouldnt they ride for Jungels? And he has something to prove with Mas on the rise. Who is THE guy when it comes to GC at Deceuninck going forward? Jungels has 2 very solid rides in Italy wile Mas even got a podium in Spain last year...

 

[Escarabajo]

Re: Re:

Altitude, altitude, altitude. Even for the flat stages. LOL.

Bernal looks to be the favorite. I am interested in seeing how David Martinez will perform. He might be progressing some more this year.

BTW, thanks for creating the thread 18-Valve.

Daniel Martínez?

LOL. I am working with David right now!
I see now why I made the mistake.

 

[RedheadDane]

Why isn't this on Eurosport? Even on the Player?
I'm expecting you - completely ordinary people on an internet forum - to provide me with an explanation.

 

[sir fly]

Re:

Why isn't this on Eurosport? Even on the Player?
I'm expecting you - completely ordinary people on an internet forum - to provide me with an explanation.

It's a conspiracy, Ginger.
Should've there been broadcast, the worldwide audience would have insight into the agricultural wealth of Colombia.
Now, you might ask why they're not hiding it from the cyclists, team personnel and race officials. Well, it's simple - omerta.
Pay per view's possible practice.

 

[Robert5091]

Re:

Why isn't this on Eurosport? Even on the Player?
I'm expecting you - completely ordinary people on an internet forum - to provide me with an explanation.

According to -
https://www.eurosport.com/cycling/colombia-oro-y-paz/2019/medellin-medellin_mtc1098969/live.shtml

Tour Colombia 2.1 – Follow this cycling race live with Eurosport. The action starts at 17:30 on 12 February 2019. Our live coverage lets you follow all the key moments as they happen.

Ok, it's UK Eurosport but is it not on the Player? I see it's not on Sweden's 2 Eurosport channels either. I think you'll have to rely on the Internet.

EDIT - see also http://www.steephill.tv/tour-colombia/#live

 

[DNP-Old]

Señal Colombia doesn't have the rights anymore. It's on ESPN.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

Señal Colombia doesn't have the rights anymore. It's on ESPN.

That explains it. Señal Colombia also had a non geo locked internet feed. ESPN's is geo locked and having ESPN in the US doesn't help.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Circuit in La Ceja

Força Chape

 

[hfer07]

not quite happy with the parcours, but logistics and the presence of high profile riders the likes of Froome might have played a factor. I hope & pray the Organizers get to display some of the real mountains (i.e Letras, la Linea, etc) in future editions.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Curious for Vacek. I would assume him to have a bit more difficulties adapting to the volume of a pro stage race, more so than his nemesis, but on the other hand, i trust him to ride a smarter race as well.

Also interested to see Sosa & Narvaez.

 

[SafeBet]

EF winning the TTT would make me happy.

 

[repre]

My favourite race last year, great atmosphere. Hoping for the same this year with even stronger field.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Re:

Curious for Vacek. I would assume him to have a bit more difficulties adapting to the volume of a pro stage race, more so than his nemesis, but on the other hand, i trust him to ride a smarter race as well.

Also interested to see Sosa & Narvaez.

Yeah, or more than a bit. It's not like Vacek was the 2nd best stage racer in his category, either. He was pretty inconsistent in short stage races with soft courses. This is something else entirely.

He will probably be allowed to ride a smarter race, though, depending on Almeida's level.

I have high hopes for Rubio in this race. A breakout performance is not impossible, given his age (20).

 

[Max Rockatansky]

not quite happy with the parcours, but logistics and the presence of high profile riders the likes of Froome might have played a factor. I hope & pray the Organizers get to display some of the real mountains (i.e Letras, la Linea, etc) in future editions.

It's about attracting World Tour riders to come to Colombia and start the season there. It's mostly about the show, as we could see yesterday at the presentation, which was great. No stars from Europe or Colombia will be there with Letras. It's just way too hard.

 

[slosada]

I don't like the circuits.
While I fully understand they don't climb all the hard climbs around Medellín (Escobero, Limonar, Santa Elena, Minas, Boquerón, La China, Matasanos) or a bit further, like 1 or 2 hours away (Concordia, Jericó, Marsella, etc..), there was terrain to do things more interesting, and not necessarily to destroy the legs of foreigners.
I mean they could have visited SantaFe de Antioquia, leaving From the south of Medellín via Bolombolo (around 140 Kms, with a little climb to start and probably a punchy finish on cobble roads in a colonial town).
They could have visited the San Pedro, Entrerrios and returning via Don Matias area from Medellín (another ~140Kms but this time it does start with a climb of 18Km climb@5.3%, which they would have tried to neutralize just to give the real start a little higher).
They can also have tried to go to Guatapé, which is also a beautiful area.

Just not do stupid circuits in just the same 2 areas

 

[memyselfandI]

Mick Jagger FTW folks!