Esteban Chaves Discussion Thread

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Chaves has proven in the past that he can race a little and still show in top form to a race. So hopefully it will be OK. The only problem with this type of training is the lack of depth for the third week of a GT. Like it happened last year. And don't tell me is because of illness because that is part of the equation as well.

He went into last year's Vuelta very "light-on" racing post Giro having only raced the Olympic RR. He started a little rusty but finished very strongly.

Methinks SY may be ORS's prime GC man at TDF but it will be interesting to see how Chaves progresses through the race.

That's true, but in the Giro he also came in pretty light (16 race days, no racing for over a month) and then faded quite badly in the last couple of days. I think his real time to shine might come in the Vuelta. If he takes the Tour fairly lightly (assuming he isn't in top shape by then), then he will be excellent at the Vuelta I think.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

I still think he is. Lets see.

So do I. He has never needed much racing to be in good condition.

I guarantee you there was much lots of behind the scenes wrangling to get S.Yates to switch from the Giro - It's worked fine for now with Yates winning a stage and finishing 2nd on GC at Romandie - Chaves will ultimately go into the TDF with 7 race days in the five months before the TDF and 19 race days for 2017.

 

[DNP-Old]

He's back.

 

[dolophonic]

Re:

He's back.

Yes indeed.. lets hope he can go !

 

[HelloDolly]

Surprised when I saw Chaves being interviewed by Daniel Friebe on ITV 4...he is so chubby in the face (for him)

Also seemed unsure about the Tour ....wants to ride it but not had much racing or indeed training with his knee problems

 

[yaco]

Chaves was off the bike for 7 weeks, though he was doing other fitness training - From around mid February to the second week in April - Only got into full cycle training in May - He has looked very decent in the first three stages and is showing no problems keeping up with the peleton.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Probably the rider Im most intrigued to see where is at in the last 3 stages, I really hope he already is at a very decent level now.

 

[dirkprovin]

His lack of miles on the bike was always going to be shown up most here in his weakest discpline, ITT, where he would not have spent nearly the time that he usually would've done normally.

At around 40th on GC, and 2min41sec back, whilst he may still not be allowed to infiltrate any breaks; IF his legs are otherwise OK he may look to have a dash off the front of the group on one of the upcoming stages .... and may be allowed at least some leeway by the main GC contenders.

 

[yaco]

A Chaves on form should be a bit better than S.Yates and yet he lost 1m and 10s - Hanging on for most of the climbs will be the aim - Reckon Yates can win one of the last three stages.

 

[dirkprovin]

Re:

A Chaves on form should be a bit better than S.Yates and yet he lost 1m and 10s - Hanging on for most of the climbs will be the aim - Reckon Yates can win one of the last three stages.

We'll have to wait and see what happens with Yates and whether he can/will actually be a "player" in this race or simply surviving/reacting to others. The form of the rest of his team indicates that they appear in the shape that they CAN potentially play roles in a team manouevre but whether that can/will eventuate is another matter entirely.

Chaves was basically where I thought he'd be given his lack of race miles and clear lack of time on the TT bike. You are gauging off peak Chaves of last year, esp Vuelta where he was still top 20 in final TT; he's clearly nowhere near that shape at this point. It could easily have been exponentially worse.

 

[Squirbos_19]

Nice to see Chaves putting in a good effort on the climb, testing his legs from a long way out.

 

[yaco]

Chaves looked OK on the climb - Will be cherry ripe for the Vuelta.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Very good performance IMO. He won't be a major threat in TdF tho, but he must have felt great as he even had the audacity to attack. Pretty impressive to come back like this without any racing what so ever (I don't really consider the Aussie races here).

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Very good performance IMO. He won't be a major threat in TdF tho, but he must have felt great as he even had the audacity to attack. Pretty impressive to come back like this without any racing what so ever (I don't really consider the Aussie races here).

Why would you consider the Aussie races as they are so early in the season ? Some people think Porte has been at his peak since January ! Lot of work to do for Chaves.

 

[yaco]

Was a little better today - Continue this rate of improvement and he could sneak a stage at the TDF.

 

[dirkprovin]

Re:

Was a little better today - Continue this rate of improvement and he could sneak a stage at the TDF.

Yep, he certainly looked 1000% better than SY. Again, he tested his legs when discretion may've advised not burning that energy but another side of me says, at least he's giving himself these little test-runs no matter than they haven't succeeded.

One strongly suspects that if he can stay healthy, our little Colombian friend may have some fun late in the Tour even if high GC proves impracticable due to early time losses.

Very impressive ride by young Haig. Barring a major brain fart by Orica failing to re-sign him for another couple of years, this young man WILL be in their "A team" for their peak GT campaigns next year ..... and should they lose at least one of the Yates post 2018, he could be the AUS rider they look to develop for GC

 

[dirkprovin]

http://www.greenedgecycling.com/news/chaves-animates-young-climbers-step-up-on-penultimate-stage-of-dauphinechaves-animates-young-climbers-step-up-on-penultimate-stage-of-dauphine

Have to say that I really like the little guy's attitude and I think these lines tend to illustrate how he's been able to galvanise a team around him.

“Today was a good sign for everybody,” Chaves said on the finish line. “We have grown up as a team together and we are seeing that now.”

“Personally, I was really happy to pass the long climb with the main group. I attacked early on the last climb, I thought I would have a little bit of freedom today because I had four-minutes on GC but I was wrong.

"But more than that it was unbelievable to see these young guys there. In the final Jack asked me what he could do to help but I said to him there’s no point waiting for me, do a great ride for yourself."

 

[yaco]

Haig is having a crack at GC in the Tour of Slovenie - He was second last year to Taaramae - Majka will be hard to beat.

 

[Escarabajo]

He is riding into form. Looking good IMO.

 

[Galic Ho]

Why did Haig and Howson not ride to the line with their respective GC team mate (Chaves and Yates respectively)?

They were close, but didn't cross with them, but were several seconds in front.

What is the deal with that?

Chaves looked really good BTW for someone coming back from an injury. Yates on the other hand dropping time is not good. They are separated by a single second on GC.

This kind of confirms my thoughts on Orica...it's a waste of time banking on anyone other than Chaves. They all have to ride for him...or stage hunt at the Tour and go for the GC at the Vuelta.

We'll see how they go.

 

[dirkprovin]

Re:

Why did Haig and Howson not ride to the line with their respective GC team mate (Chaves and Yates respectively)?

They were close, but didn't cross with them, but were several seconds in front.

What is the deal with that?

Chaves looked really good BTW for someone coming back from an injury. Yates on the other hand dropping time is not good. They are separated by a single second on GC.

This kind of confirms my thoughts on Orica...it's a waste of time banking on anyone other than Chaves. They all have to ride for him...or stage hunt at the Tour and go for the GC at the Vuelta.

We'll see how they go.

Firstly SY was dropped quite some way from the finish of Surenne; I believe Kreuziger stayed with him whilst Howson & Haig stayed with Chaves and were with him at least until the junction onto Alpe D'Huez where Chaves decided to chance his arm. Not sure if Howson was spent by that time but Chaves stated that Haig asked "anything I can do for you" but he essentially stated "I'll be OK, go ride ahead if you feel up to it". Howson finished half way between Chaves & SY who was 1.10 behind Chaves so SY clearly was able to manage his losses rather than imploded

In many ways, I'm coming around to the view that Chaves WILL end up being their primo GC man but we'll probably have a far fuller picture re AY/SY at the end of this year. Are there some signs that Haig has the potential to develop into a GC rider ?

As for Tour, I think the GC focus will remain for at least the first half or some significant time loss but its quite likely they will allow some guys a run at some selective finishes should they be feeling up for it, If Chaves is starting to come really good later in the Tour, he may have some fun.

 

[lenric]

So Chaves won't target the GC, AY will ride the Vuelta, SY was crappy... Kreuziger again (obviously not, but would be fun)?

 

[dirkprovin]

Re:

So Chaves won't target the GC, AY will ride the Vuelta, SY was crappy... Kreuziger again (obviously not, but would be fun)?

Chaves clearly decided to clock off today once it was clear he wasn't going to get back to the business end of things .... and that was a fair enough call seeing where he's currently at. Tend to think he WON'T be the GC man for the Tour but rather play it "day by day" and little fuss if he drops some earlier time. IF he's really starting to come good late in the Tour then its all systems go for Vuelta.

SY hasn't been as good as he/the team would've hoped at Dauphine yet neither has he completely fallen apart. He's been dropped on the last 3 stages but he's probably controlled his losses reasonably well rather than completely bonking. He will be the GC man for the Tour but again, what happens out there on the road will determine whether they change focus to stages if he really starts falling away. In any case, they will most likely allow 1-2 of their opportunists a chance to take a run at certain selective finishes if they feel up to it given that it won't mean a major reallocation of resources

AY was given his run as "the man" at the Giro. If he's riding well in Spain, we may see a repeat of the Chaves/SY dual prong approach we saw at last year's Vuelta although as yet we don't know whether the Chaves/AY relationship is as healthy as with SY.

Krueziger..... may be interesting to see how he may be used. Personally, I would like to see him used a little more imaginatively than just riding every day as a right hand man for the GC guy(s). He would be an ideal candidate for an up the road set piece manouevre or, if the move is looking likely to stay away, let him have a run at it

 

[Escarabajo]

They are in preparing mode. I wouldn't worry about it that much. We'll see.

 

[sir fly]

He'll scatter the opposition in bunches and bundles when they get to the hills.