Esteban Chaves Discussion Thread

[yaco]

Re:

I believe he had some problems in the first climb. For a guy who has been so attentive the first two weeks there is no way that, being in second, he would have let them go. He started slow. In the TT he lost 40 seconds in the first 4 km according to the charts. He starts slow. Hopefully it should be OK on the last 2 mountain stages.

Misread the race - Was the fastest up the last climb - This doesn't happen if you have bad legs.

 

[Brullnux]

Don't buy the tactical mistake, reckon it's bs. I think he didn't have the legs so decided not to chase and with his team limited the gaps well, and was much fresher than Kruijswijk, Zaka and Bala by Fai della Paganella time so got back 20 secs, not even that much. Then dropped in the finale by Ulissi, who had been dropped at least 7 times on that climb. If it was a tactical mistake then he doesn't deserve to win this race, that was really amateur, especially when it's almost all of the favourites.

 

[Popchu]

Re:

Don't buy the tactical mistake, reckon it's bs. I think he didn't have the legs so decided not to chase and with his team limited the gaps well, and was much fresher than Kruijswijk, Zaka and Bala by Fai della Paganella time so got back 20 secs, not even that much. Then dropped in the finale by Ulissi, who had been dropped at least 7 times on that climb. If it was a tactical mistake then he doesn't deserve to win this race, that was really amateur, especially when it's almost all of the favourites.

Of course he was dropped by Ulissi when he started sprinting, Chaves was pulling almost alone for a lot of kilometres and only thinking about limiting his losses.

 

[Mr.White]

I think he's fading a little, which is not surprise, he's young and not so much experienced as others. He said he had the legs on the first climb, but I doubt it. Nibali, Valverde and Zakarin were attacking left and right and he didn't follow not a single move. He was clearly bad there. We'll see tomorrow on Pramartino how is he going. I'm expecting gaps there. If he's not with the very best tomorrow, his podium is in danger

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Tomorrow is actually a stage where he and Valverde might actually gain time. It's only 4km and explosive. Not Kruijswijks specialism

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Re:

I think he's fading a little, which is not surprise, he's young and not so much experienced as others. He said he had the legs on the first climb, but I doubt it. Nibali, Valverde and Zakarin were attacking left and right and he didn't follow not a single move. He was clearly bad there. We'll see tomorrow on Pramartino how is he going. I'm expecting gaps there. If he's not with the very best tomorrow, his podium is in danger

he rode the fastest final climb yesterday, how is that fading?

 

[Mr.White]

Re: Re:

I think he's fading a little, which is not surprise, he's young and not so much experienced as others. He said he had the legs on the first climb, but I doubt it. Nibali, Valverde and Zakarin were attacking left and right and he didn't follow not a single move. He was clearly bad there. We'll see tomorrow on Pramartino how is he going. I'm expecting gaps there. If he's not with the very best tomorrow, his podium is in danger

he rode the fastest final climb yesterday, how is that fading?

He lost time, didn't he?

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

I think he's fading a little, which is not surprise, he's young and not so much experienced as others. He said he had the legs on the first climb, but I doubt it. Nibali, Valverde and Zakarin were attacking left and right and he didn't follow not a single move. He was clearly bad there. We'll see tomorrow on Pramartino how is he going. I'm expecting gaps there. If he's not with the very best tomorrow, his podium is in danger

he rode the fastest final climb yesterday, how is that fading?

He lost time, didn't he?

Losing time doesn't mean he's fading.

 

[Mr.White]

Well he certainly wasn't among the strongest on that first climb. The result was that he lost time

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Re: Re:

I think he's fading a little, which is not surprise, he's young and not so much experienced as others. He said he had the legs on the first climb, but I doubt it. Nibali, Valverde and Zakarin were attacking left and right and he didn't follow not a single move. He was clearly bad there. We'll see tomorrow on Pramartino how is he going. I'm expecting gaps there. If he's not with the very best tomorrow, his podium is in danger

he rode the fastest final climb yesterday, how is that fading?

He lost time, didn't he?

did you even see the race?

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Tomorrow is actually a stage where he and Valverde might actually gain time. It's only 4km and explosive. Not Kruijswijks specialism

I think he will be fine, unless he's starting to feel worse.

So far he's had no problems in the shorter climbs. Aslong as the climbs ain't 1-2km he will be fine.

 

[Mr.White]

Re: Re:

I think he's fading a little, which is not surprise, he's young and not so much experienced as others. He said he had the legs on the first climb, but I doubt it. Nibali, Valverde and Zakarin were attacking left and right and he didn't follow not a single move. He was clearly bad there. We'll see tomorrow on Pramartino how is he going. I'm expecting gaps there. If he's not with the very best tomorrow, his podium is in danger

he rode the fastest final climb yesterday, how is that fading?

He lost time, didn't he?

did you even see the race?

Did you?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

yes he was fastest on the final major climb

 

[hrotha]

Re:

yes he was fastest on the final major climb

He hadn't had to pull before that, unlike every other contender who had worked in the break.

Not that I think he's fading, though. Explosive stage beginnings often have people in good form not quite performing at first.

 

[Mr.White]

Re:

yes he was fastest on the final major climb

But he was bad on the first climb, so he lost time

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

yes he was fastest on the final major climb

But he was bad on the first climb, so he lost time

The argument is whether he lost time because he was bad or because of a tactical error. There are valid arguments for both, imo.

 

[Escarabajo]

He said it was a tactical error. I don't buy it. And some of the fans in the comments section don't but it either but everyone is happy that he was brilliant towards the end:

http://www.revistamundociclistico.com/ruta/21112-giro-de-italia-qprobablemente-cometi-un-error-estas-etapas-explosivas-son-siempre-peligrosas-esteban-chaves.html

Split opinions here.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

No chance it was a tactical error. You don't sit in the back of the front group and watch while the other top 5 contenders continuously attack if you're riding well.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well... according to Plaza he was sleeping.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NWXO87U7i0

 

[DNP-Old]

Siguiendo los pasos del màs grande..

 

[Guybrush]

Epic! just one more step

 

[AlexNYC]

Unreal... I really hope he's feeling well enough to face what's coming tomorrow!

 

[sir fly]

Regardless of Kruijswijk's (miss)fortune, Chaves deserved the jersey. Always good to see a nice guy leading a race.

 

[RedheadDane]

Is it just me, or does that jersey look somewhat baggy on him?

 

[ice&fire]

Today he lost 53" + bonus to Nibali. He can't afford that tomorrow or he might end regretting his nap in Mendola.