Euskal Herriko Itzulia 2018 - April 2-7

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re: Re:

Roglic as expected. Will be hard to beat him now for Alaphilippe.

Mollema almost Zubeldia-esque. Haven't really noticed him all week and now he's 3rd?

Impressive TT but he'll slip back in the remaining two stages as others behind him have shown better climbing form.

They did, but he managed to finish with that group anyway. Tomorrow I think finish is too far off, and Arrate often not very selective. Might still survive

 

[jonan92]

Re: Re:

Roglic as expected. Will be hard to beat him now for Alaphilippe.

Mollema almost Zubeldia-esque. Haven't really noticed him all week and now he's 3rd?

Impressive TT but he'll slip back in the remaining two stages as others behind him have shown better climbing form.

They did, but he managed to finish with that group anyway. Tomorrow I think finish is too far off, and Arrate often not very selective. Might still survive

Remember that this time Arrate ends with Matsaria side

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Roglic as expected. Will be hard to beat him now for Alaphilippe.

Mollema almost Zubeldia-esque. Haven't really noticed him all week and now he's 3rd?

Impressive TT but he'll slip back in the remaining two stages as others behind him have shown better climbing form.

They did, but he managed to finish with that group anyway. Tomorrow I think finish is too far off, and Arrate often not very selective. Might still survive

Remember that this time Arrate ends with Matsaria side

If I'm not mistaken, last time this side was used was in 2016.
This was the result back then:
http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=29466
Ignoring Rosa, we see Henao and Contador s.t., Rodriguez and Pinot 2s behind, and then Sanchez and Quintana a further 25s behind. Only 7 guys within a minute of each other.

 

[Red Rick]

I'm so done with the Arrate MTF.

I want a flat stage 1 ITT, MTF on day 2 and 4 all out medium mountain stages in the next 4 days next year.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Roglic as expected. Will be hard to beat him now for Alaphilippe.

Mollema almost Zubeldia-esque. Haven't really noticed him all week and now he's 3rd?

Impressive TT but he'll slip back in the remaining two stages as others behind him have shown better climbing form.

They did, but he managed to finish with that group anyway. Tomorrow I think finish is too far off, and Arrate often not very selective. Might still survive

Remember that this time Arrate ends with Matsaria side

If I'm not mistaken, last time this side was used was in 2016.
This was the result back then:
http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=29466
Ignoring Rosa, we see Henao and Contador s.t., Rodriguez and Pinot 2s behind, and then Sanchez and Quintana a further 25s behind. Only 7 guys within a minute of each other.

They used the regular side as the MTF in 2016. The used a steeper side earlier during the stage and this one was used during that ITT I think.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

They used the regular side as the MTF in 2016. The used a steeper side earlier during the stage and this one was used during that ITT I think.

I've had a wee look online and I'm finding contradicting information, but it does look like you're right and they climbed Matsaria side earlier in the stage. The side that was used in the TT was another side still, from Azitain.
I do recall Matsaria being used as a MTF at some point though? 2017?

 

[Forever The Best]

Re: Re:

They used the regular side as the MTF in 2016. The used a steeper side earlier during the stage and this one was used during that ITT I think.

I've had a wee look online and I'm finding contradicting information, but it does look like you're right and they climbed Matsaria side earlier in the stage. The side that was used in the TT was another side still, from Azitain.
I do recall Matsaria being used as a MTF at some point though? 2017?

Indeed.

 

[Sestriere]

Re: Re:

Roglic is def in the discussion for future GT winner. Good enough on the climbs, world class on TT. A true Tommy D type of rider.

Honestly I want to see Roglic do something of significance vs other GT riders on climbs over 10 minutes first.

Like dropping Contador on the Galibier?

Completely different circumstances.

Of course I'm aware that Roglic's performance that day isn't comparable to dropping world class GC riders out of the peloton. My comment was intentionally vague in that regard. Regardless, I think he showed on that particular stage that he is able to climb very well in the high mountains. And in contrast to most other riders who don't ride for GC (yet) but focus on winning GT mountain stages (Barguil, Atapuma, Pantano, ...) he has an exceptional TT. Hence I believe he is a future Grand Tour winner.

 

[Blanco]

Re:

I was quoting Allaphillipe when he said in his ineview after the stage that he was NOT going for GC. I believe him as he has no reason to lie

Do you still believe him?

 

[Netserk]

Keep the 'old' (since '09) format of Arrate on stage 4, though with a design like that of '16, but reverse the order of stage 5 and 6. Unfortunately, I think the loop would be too short if you took the Matsaria side first and then descended the Azitain side before finishing off with the regular one.

 

[yaco]

Roglic is in the prime position, though he doesn't have the strongest team - Fear teams will soften him up in stage 5 and pounce on stage 6 - Podium is up for grabs.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Actually in the previous stages TLJ did quite well placing him very deep in the final. They are unknown riders but not actually bad

 

[alexix7]

Guys, what do you think ? Can Alaphilippe survive the last stage ? From my point of view, there is just too much of climbing for him.

 

[Blanco]

Re:

Guys, what do you think ? Can Alaphilippe survive the last stage ? From my point of view, there is just too much of climbing for him.

He needs to survive tomorrow's stage first, Movistar will drop the hammer on Elosua, they want to launch Quintana or Landa as soon as possible.

 

[telencefalus]

Re: Re:

Guys, what do you think ? Can Alaphilippe survive the last stage ? From my point of view, there is just too much of climbing for him.

He needs to survive tomorrow's stage first, Movistar will drop the hammer on Elosua, they want to launch Quintana or Landa as soon as possible.

Movistar will do nothing this race they are pretty weak,Landa will arrive at best second overall

 

[Koronin]

Landa is almost 2 minutes down and Quintana is over 2 minutes down. If they want to do anything they'll have to go from distance. Landa is more likely to try that than Quintana is. They both lost over 1 minute on today's ITT. It looks to me like Alaphilippe is riding for GC with the ITT he put in today. The question is will he be able to do that to finish out this race, then be ready for the Ardennes?

 

[armchairclimber]

I don't think Alaphilippe ill fight too hard. He will save himself for the Ardennes. He might try to hang on to a podium spot, but I suspect he'll favour trying to win at least one race next week. He may gamble on the fact that Roglic may be forced to bury himself to defend against movistar and crack ... it's what I would do.

 

[jflemaire]

Re:

Also, wtf happened to Cavagna?

The official explanation is that he had a problem with his helmet that made him loose focus. Which sounds like a bad excuse to me.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Landa is almost 2 minutes down and Quintana is over 2 minutes down. If they want to do anything they'll have to go from distance. Landa is more likely to try that than Quintana is. They both lost over 1 minute on today's ITT. It looks to me like Alaphilippe is riding for GC with the ITT he put in today. The question is will he be able to do that to finish out this race, then be ready for the Ardennes?

I don't know.

If he could win PV it's worth trying I think, hanging on for 2nd or 3rd is not. I just have trouble seeing him climb better than Roglic.

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

Roglic is def in the discussion for future GT winner. Good enough on the climbs, world class on TT. A true Tommy D type of rider.

Honestly I want to see Roglic do something of significance vs other GT riders on climbs over 10 minutes first.

Recovery and consistency is still a big question mark when it comes to him, he could be the next Spilak and not really a threat in Gts.

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

Nibali finished 103rd.
Last time he was outside the top100 in an ITT? Tour of Poland... 2007.

Also, wtf happened to Cavagna?

Nibali already said that he would take it easy in the ITT, so no surprise.
Konrad already 4th on gc, just 3 seconds behind Mollema, a podium would be great and he seems to be in great shape for the Ardennes.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Roglic is def in the discussion for future GT winner. Good enough on the climbs, world class on TT. A true Tommy D type of rider.

Honestly I want to see Roglic do something of significance vs other GT riders on climbs over 10 minutes first.

Recovery and consistency is still a big question mark when it comes to him, he could be the next Spilak and not really a threat in Gts.

Long climbs are too, though I don't know the time he posted on the Galibier last year.

 

[Lexman]

So what's Landa's position in the GC actually?

PCS has him on 10th place be he raode faster than Quintana and was before Quintana in GC ?

Sporza has him on 7th place...

thanks in advance

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

So what's Landa's position in the GC actually?

PCS has him on 10th place be he raode faster than Quintana and was before Quintana in GC ?

Sporza has him on 7th place...

thanks in advance

I think it's 7th at 1.51?

 

[Koronin]

Landa is 7th right now in GC.

With Alaphilippe, I guess we'll see tomorrow rather he's going to try to go for GC or if he's going to try to save something for the Ardennes.