Esteban Chaves Discussion Thread

[sir fly]

As White said, finishing the Tour with all misfortune Chaves experienced so far this year is praiseworthy.
And Chavito, himself, is handling the situation good.

Once again he's put to the test and I'm sure he can get stronger out of it. Even more so in such supporting and responsible environment of Orica.
Strong Vuelta would be fantastic in every sense, but first to get trough this completely. He's still in the crisis time frame, and a change in surrounding, daily routines etc., can reflect on recovery... In both ways.
I'm sure the professionals in the team are aware of every aspect of this textbook situation.

The smile is the most important.

 

[Strawberry_Jams]

I put an each way bet on him at 40-1, seemed too good to turn down. What I should have done was look at the route first. When was the last time the vuelta had a time trial over 40km? It's like they want Froome to win.

 

[DNP-Old]

Re:

I put an each way bet on him at 40-1, seemed too good to turn down. What I should have done was look at the route first. When was the last time the vuelta had a time trial over 40km? It's like they want Froome to win.

2016.

 

[hrotha]

Jesus, are we so far gone that 40 km of ITT registers as "a lot"?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re:

I put an each way bet on him at 40-1, seemed too good to turn down. What I should have done was look at the route first. When was the last time the vuelta had a time trial over 40km? It's like they want Froome to win.

The 47km Salamanca TT in 2011. But it's not like the TT length for the one long ITT is uncharacteristic though, it was 37km last year, 39km in 2015, 37km in 2014, 39km in 2013, and 39km in 2012. This year's TTT is significantly shorter than 2013 and 2016, longer than 2015 but on a par with 2012 and 2014 roughly. Although 2014 had that additional epilogue TT on the final day in Santiago de Compostela.

If they "wanted Froome to win" they'd probably have two decent length TTs, like they did in the days when guys like Ángel Casero and THE AITORMINATOR© were winning the race. If he came around now José María Jiménez would be a favourite every year.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Re:

Jesus, are we so far gone that 40 km of ITT registers as "a lot"?

And there's only 17 uphill finishes this year! How are climbers supposed to compete?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Jesus, are we so far gone that 40 km of ITT registers as "a lot"?

Contador said that as well after the route was announced.. Given just out many opportunities climbers (and opportunists) have to make a difference on this route, 42 km of time trial seems more than fair. Given that they are completely flat Chaves would probably lose 3-4 minutes on Froome under normal circumstances.

 

[Escarabajo]

Very impressive by Chaves today. Hope he can keep this form for 3 weeks!

 

[portugal11]

Chaves, this is your time to shine!! I'm just hoping he is in better shape than last year to make froome's vuelta not a walk in the park

 

[yaco]

Chaves showed good signs after stage 2 - He did say after yesterday's stage he is in form - But of course he had to do it in today's stage.

 

[Blanco]

Chavito looks very good...

 

[Strawberry_Jams]

Got him at 40-1 e/w at the end of the tour. The bookies had no idea.

 

[Jspear]

Yes, he looks good! Really excited to see what he's able to do. Climbing as good as Froome right now and he shouldn't tire as easily because his season has been easier.

 

[sir fly]

Looking prepared and motivated. Great to see.

 

[hfer07]

I'm so glad to see my man Chavito back in the action, after a rather "forgettable" Tour debut. La Vuelta seems to bring always the best of him, as he appears to be a late calendar type of rider.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Its great to see him back. Froome's acceleration was probably more vicious than anything he did in the Tour, but he stayed with him. Thats class, but he will need AT LEAST 3 minutes on Froomey. Im tempted to say around 4 minutes, it will be carnage. But then its great the Vuelta actually has a lot of terrain to make that happen!

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Its great to see him back. Froome's acceleration was probably more vicious than anything he did in the Tour, but he stayed with him. Thats class, but he will need AT LEAST 3 minutes on Froomey. Im tempted to say around 4 minutes, it will be carnage. But then its great the Vuelta actually has a lot of terrain to make that happen!

I'm absolutely not thinking about 4 minutes. He lost 3'13 in last years TT, which was notoriously windy, and he was getting brutalised uphill by Froome and Quintana too. If Chaves is actuallly the better climber, which he needs to be to take all that time, he also should need less time in that TT.

 

[Valv.Piti]

But this TT almost is pan-flat no?

Anyways he prob wont win unless Froome fades heavily, but he and Nibz should fight to the very end in this race.

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

But this TT almost is pan-flat no?

Anyways he prob wont win unless Froome fades heavily, but he and Nibz should fight to the very end in this race.

So was last year's basically - he won't lose anymore than 4 minutes, he showed yesterday that he isn't all that bad anymore in flat and windy situations, which favour a lot of strength

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

But this TT almost is pan-flat no?

Anyways he prob wont win unless Froome fades heavily, but he and Nibz should fight to the very end in this race.

So was last year's basically - he won't lose anymore than 4 minutes, he showed yesterday that he isn't all that bad anymore in flat and windy situations, which favour a lot of strength

Nah it wasnt panflat in 2016, its certainly flatter and a bit longer. Still 4 minutes might be a stretch, lets see.

 

[Red Rick]

If Chaves climbs with Froome it says a lot about form.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re:

Its great to see him back. Froome's acceleration was probably more vicious than anything he did in the Tour, but he stayed with him. Thats class, but he will need AT LEAST 3 minutes on Froomey. Im tempted to say around 4 minutes, it will be carnage. But then its great the Vuelta actually has a lot of terrain to make that happen!

Froome's acceleration was Ventoux like, he almost missed a corner, that's how fast he was going. Chaves was outstanding. I say between 2 and 3 minutes loss in TT.

 

[axl]

And I think Chaves's team is way better than Froome's, it could serve him big time !
Poels didn't look very good today, but he may have soft-pedaled. Nieve, Rosa and Moscon were very decent but they aren't top10 quality and won't hold the whole vuelta. The yate brothers and Haig could isolate Froome and then, with a good tactic, Chaves could gain minutes.
I just fear Chaves will ride like Uran did in the Tour ...

 

[Jspear]

Re:

And I think Chaves's team is way better than Froome's, it could serve him big time !
Poels didn't look very good today, but he may have soft-pedaled. Nieve, Rosa and Moscon were very decent but they aren't top10 quality and won't hold the whole vuelta. The yate brothers and Haig could isolate Froome and then, with a good tactic, Chaves could gain minutes.
I just fear Chaves will ride like Uran did in the Tour ...

Nah, he doesn't race conservatively. Most of the time he goes for stage wins as well (or at least tries).

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

And I think Chaves's team is way better than Froome's, it could serve him big time !
Poels didn't look very good today, but he may have soft-pedaled. Nieve, Rosa and Moscon were very decent but they aren't top10 quality and won't hold the whole vuelta. The yate brothers and Haig could isolate Froome and then, with a good tactic, Chaves could gain minutes.
I just fear Chaves will ride like Uran did in the Tour ...

Nah, he doesn't race conservatively. Most of the time he goes for stage wins as well (or at least tries).

Adam Yates will probably be the more conservative one, similar to Simon Yates last year. Chaves will be there to try and win overall, with Haig, Simon Yates and Bewley there for the grunt work.