Teams & Riders Everybody needs a little bit of Roglstomp in their lives

[bajbar]

He looked really strong not only on the climb but also over the top and on the descent. Good signs.

Hope the TT is better than last week.

In theory, the relative gap (per km) should at least be a bit smaller, due to race fatigue also playing a role, not just pure flat TT ability. Though on the other hand, Roglič never liked these completely flat courses with a lot of straight roads. He needs his gradients, up and down, pace changes, accelerations... in top form he is the best in the world in those TTs. Flat ones.... not so much. Plus, whole Jumbo team has been rather underwhelming in TTs this year - for the past two years they have dominated TTs with multiple riders in top 5 in many WT TTs. But this year, with the exception of that Vinge TT in Andalucia, everything else is pretty bad. Did competition step up (especially equipement wise) so much, that compared to Quickstep, Ineos, UAE and Bora they seem like amateurs? Or did they just skip the TT prep and upgrades this year because the Tour basically has no TTs and they really only care about that race...

 

[Miha81]

So les Praeres is not proof that he can do steep gradients, but yesterday was proof that he can't.

Ok. See you later.

Yesterday was example how he can't mesh with best if things are not going his way (tempo, leadout,...). And yes, he can not do steper climbs on regular basis and where he is under pressure and attacks or let's say he is yet to prove otherwise.

See ya...

 

[Carols]

17 seconds LOL. Dare I say someone bring him the bag?

 

[bNator]

I’m more worried about the Ineos guys now to be honest. They will be there to exploit any weakness Roglic shows not to mention - there’s two of them.

 

[Eeslliw]

Is this guy maybe trolling us? I was preparing myself he will lose 1:30 or more after first time check, only to then finish 17s behind the winner. I guess as his fans we regulary have stress tested our heart, thanks to Roglic.

 

[Miha81]

Rogla looks in top form also. If he peaks in third week he can take the glory.

Last climbing ITT will be "hell on earth" and riders not pacing themselves or not in top shape could take large losses.

Exiting Giro incoming

 

[Carols]

I’m more worried about the Ineos guys now to be honest. They will be there to exploit any weakness Roglic shows not to mention - there’s two of them.

Tao maybe. G will fall or do something stupid. Remco will need to cover them too .

 

[zlev11]

perfect result. Primoz will win this race more with his head than with his legs.

 

[Rackham]

perfect result. Primoz will win this race more with his head than with his legs.

It'll be with his legs... & head. But his legs as well.

Unless Superman Lopez, Vinge or Tadej Pogacar suddenly appear out of nowhere, I'll throw my hat in the ring & say Rog will be the strongest on the hardest cols in this Giro.

It's looking so, so promising right now. I was especially impressed with his pacing in the ITT, i.e. he destroyed the final part. That to me says he had really good legs.

 

[IndurainsTdF1994]

It's Rogla's Giro to lose now. Remco & Geraint & Tao are riding for the second.

 

[Lorzenz08]

perfect result. Primoz will win this race more with his head than with his legs.

Honestly both.
I think he has the potential to absolutely destroy Remco even " mano a mano ".

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Very good situation for Primoz regarding Evenepoel. However, he has to watch Ineos guys. IMO Hart is in his lifetime form and can produce some spectacular stuff in the mountains and may end up as Primoz's biggest rival. Together with Thomas then can create a difficult tactical situation for their rivals.

 

[zlev11]

Honestly both.
I think he has the potential to absolutely destroy Remco even " mano a mano ".

agreed. but today was more his head. paced himself perfectly while Remco rode like an idiot.

 

[Jumbot]

Tao scares me...
Jumbo should definitely switch their focus more to Ineos now, not to repeat 2020 mistake

 

[bNator]

Tao scares me...
Jumbo should definitely switch their focus more to Ineos now, not to repeat 2020 mistake

I’m sure they will. I mean the writing is on the wall: Remco is out, Ineos boys are the more obvious threat now. They would have to be quite dull to ignore them now…

I think Rogla is in a very good shape though and if he doesn’t have a setback, he should still take this in the end. But it is far from over.

 

[Oldermanish]

I’m more worried about the Ineos guys now to be honest. They will be there to exploit any weakness Roglic shows not to mention - there’s two of them.

If Roglic has learned anything it might be to avoid taking on too many contenders. Let the inner politics of Ineos present the best situation; Tao and Geraint both know how rare it is to win a GT and I doubt they'll miss a chance to take time pursuing a separation from each other.
Let them fight it out and capitalize when they've reduced the competition. Ineos will have the jersey fairly soon and SQS should give it to them and rest up.

 

[Rackham]

Very good situation for Primoz regarding Evenepoel. However, he has to watch Ineos guys. IMO Hart is in his lifetime form and can produce some spectacular stuff in the mountains and may end up as Primoz's biggest rival. Together with Thomas then can create a difficult tactical situation for their rivals.

Perfect set-up for fans watching on TV.

It should be an epic Giro.

 

[bNator]

If Roglic has learned anything it might be to avoid taking on too many contenders. Let the inner politics of Ineos present the best situation; Tao and Geraint both know how rare it is to win a GT and I doubt they'll miss a chance to take time pursuing a separation from each other.
Let them fight it out and capitalize when they've reduced the competition. Ineos will have the jersey fairly soon and SQS should give it to them and rest up.

Why would they do that? They’re never getting it back from them so there’s no point in resting…

 

[HelloDolly]

l agree his main rivals are INEOS
But he has ice in his veins

Also its clear he has come into this Giro under his peak in preparation for the final week...smart . He learned from the Giro he lost to Carapaz

 

[Oldermanish]

Why would they do that? They’re never getting it back from them so there’s no point in resting…

Because their Giro could be over in a day if they miscue. Remco's recovery will tell but the initial strategy of giving up the jersey worked....as long as he buried everyone in this TT. He didn't so Plan B would be getting the best out of the rest of the field and see what his upside can be. The "never getting it back" isn't necessarily the final outcome and Remco needs to learn the ebb and flow of 3 week racing if he hopes to fulfill the Belgian expectations.

 

[Rackham]

l agree his main rivals are INEOS
But he has ice in his veins

Also its clear he has come into this Giro under his peak in preparation for the final week...smart . He learned from the Giro he lost to Carapaz

And the TdF versus Pog (although there are some mitigating circumstances in that one, like the Dauphiné crash).

It's also how Rog won the Vuelta in 2021: calm week one, more adventurous week two (no risk no glory!) & then finally smashed week 3 (not just the Covadonga stage but the final ITT was a massacre).

 

[Oldermanish]

l agree his main rivals are INEOS
But he has ice in his veins

Also its clear he has come into this Giro under his peak in preparation for the final week...smart . He learned from the Giro he lost to Carapaz

And the TdF versus Pog (although there are some mitigating circumstances in that one, like the Dauphiné crash).

It's also how Rog won the Vuelta in 2021: calm week one, more adventurous week two (no risk no glory!) & then finally smashed week 3 (not just the Covadonga stage but the final ITT was a massacre).

And the proof, as with almost all current day GTs, the Tour even more so: you win with the jersey on your back on the Champs. Everything else is setup and minor glory.

 

[JosefK]

I love that Rog made my earlier pessimism (after stage 1) look silly, but the Ineos guys are performing much better than I expected. Tao has never been this good, including in 2020 when he won the Giro. Still, for Primoz to lose only 17 seconds to Remco on this long ITT, that is great.

 

[Riek s]

I love that Rog made my earlier pessimism (after stage 1) look silly, but the Ineos guys are performing much better than I expected. Tao has never been this good, including in 2020 when he won the Giro. Still, for Primoz to lose only 17 seconds to Remco on this long ITT, that is great.

Wasn't Roglic performance in line with stage 1?
6th on stage 1
6th now

stage 1 lost (3seconds on Hart )(same time as kung)
now lost (15s on Hart)(13s on Kung)

Desregarding the outlier (Remco). Performance of Roglic seems about even.

 

[Oldermanish]

If Roglic has learned anything it might be to avoid taking on too many contenders. Let the inner politics of Ineos present the best situation; Tao and Geraint both know how rare it is to win a GT and I doubt they'll miss a chance to take time pursuing a separation from each other.
Let them fight it out and capitalize when they've reduced the competition. Ineos will have the jersey fairly soon and SQS should give it to them and rest up.

When I though Ineos would have the jersey soon I didn't think it'd be given to them by Remco's retirement. Sh*tty outcome for Remco, fans and his opponents as it looked to be a great race. Ineos is now in the spotlight.
Primoz has what it takes to contest this.