General News Thread

[Libertine Seguros]

Arroyo got a podium from a big breakaway. All the other things really aren't that impressive to be honest.
We can also count on Soler doing the exact same as last year.

Oh well, Bala Verde will return soon.

It doesn't matter how impressive you found them; those results count for the points. Fabio Duarte's herculean climb up the Alto del Acebo counts for nothing more than Sobrino's ambling across the line after half the sprinters in a barely-existent sprinter's field crashed the previous day.

These results could have been lucky, it doesn't matter. They got those results, and whether or not you liked it doesn't matter in the eyes of the UCI (or the riders in question). Óscar Pereiro has a yellow jersey at home he'd like to show you if you feel that luck should be discounted from results.

 

[El Pistolero]

It doesn't matter how impressive you found them; those results count for the points. Fabio Duarte's herculean climb up the Alto del Acebo counts for nothing more than Sobrino's ambling across the line after half the sprinters in a barely-existent sprinter's field crashed the previous day.

These results could have been lucky, it doesn't matter. They got those results, and whether or not you liked it doesn't matter in the eyes of the UCI (or the riders in question). Óscar Pereiro has a yellow jersey at home he'd like to show you if you feel that luck should be discounted from results.

I just think it's a little bit too obvious that they're waiting for someone to return...

Seriously green helmets? Can you make it even more obvious

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Well, of course they are waiting for the green bullet to come back. But they have plenty of guys who've put up results in his absence, if not enough to be a genuine force in the World Tour then definitely enough to be in the top 18. You don't podium a monument and a Grand Tour for nothing.

 

[ak-zaaf]

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/7882/Robert-Gesink-targets-wins-at-Amstel-Gold-and-Liege-Bastogne-Liege.aspx

So he is targeting Amstel which doesn't suit his style and Liege. I don't see why he wouldn't be targeting Fleche as the steep ramp really suits him, way more than Amstel of which it's finish is more of a power finish and Liege.

Amstel can be decided in his favour, he's stronger now than in Ivanov's year.
Schumacher went solo with 1km to go, Schleck went from way further, Vino came in on a long attack.

I'm not saying Gesink can win this thing, but it's not a no-brainer Cauberg sprint every year.

 

[theyoungest]

Well, of course they are waiting for the green bullet to come back. But they have plenty of guys who've put up results in his absence, if not enough to be a genuine force in the World Tour then definitely enough to be in the top 18. You don't podium a monument and a Grand Tour for nothing.

Wait one or two seasons and they'll see Lulu return as well

 

[ingsve]

Tondó got a P-N stage and a Vuelta top 10; Arroyo got on the podium of the Giro; Intxausti was 3rd (now 2nd) at País Vasco; Erviti and López won Vuelta stages; Guti won the Spanish nationals; Pardilla won the Vuelta a Madrid and podiumed a lot of .HC and .1 races; Lastras podiumed Lombardia; Rubén Plaza was top 15 at two GTs; José Joaquín Rojas was 5th at Plouay and a number of placings throughout the season; Kiryienka was 2nd in a Tour stage.

They're actually pretty deep in terms of talent and results... but they just don't have a leader. We can also bear in mind that Bruseghin and Soler lost most of their season's aims to injury.

Not to mention that the WT counts two years back so even the results of 2009 account for their WT place.

 

[craig1985]

Word I've heard on the grapevine is that he's likely to be crawling back to Unzué at Movistar. The falling out was that Rui felt like he was a bit shackled and unable to race for himself; right now he just wants to be able to race full stop - and with no Valverde and no Luís León Sánchez, a mostly leaderless Movistar will probably hand a lot of riders free roles.

Other Portuguese news: the Volta a Portugal will start in Fafe this year and finish in Lisbon. It seems that once more we will have the ceremonial flat stage into Lisbon; the race-settling contra-relógio will be in Guarda, a city at an altitude of over 1000m (and with some rather mountainous area around it). This location suggests that it would directly follow an Alto da Torre stage.

Starting in Fafe would make the Alto da Sra da Graça a very early spot to visit on the route unless they're doing a complicated S-shape. Heading down the coast before finishing off with Torre and Guarda keeps my hopes alive for a climb to the Alto de São Macário (9,2km @ 9,1%) but burns some of my hope for a return to the cobbled climb of Gouveia.

Sounds like something the Giro would have!

 

[auscyclefan94]

Amstel can be decided in his favour, he's stronger now than in Ivanov's year.
Schumacher went solo with 1km to go, Schleck went from way further, Vino came in on a long attack.

I'm not saying Gesink can win this thing, but it's not a no-brainer Cauberg sprint every year.

But tatically, Katusha and saxo had bigger threats than Kroon and Ivanov hence why they got the gap. Gesink even though I don't think Amstel suits him, is a big rider who people know they can't let him get away.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Rui costa has signed for 3 years with movistar and tour of flanders will be his first race!

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=37084

 

[Michielveedeebee]

E3prijs might stop after this year http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/110325_Harelbeke_Wevelgem_ruzie

stupid Wouter Vandenhoutte and his flanders classics

 

[craig1985]

E3prijs might stop after this year http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/110325_Harelbeke_Wevelgem_ruzie

stupid Wouter Vandenhoutte and his flanders classics

This must not be allowed to happen.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

E3prijs might stop after this year http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/110325_Harelbeke_Wevelgem_ruzie

stupid Wouter Vandenhoutte and his flanders classics

very depressing.

 

[boomcie]

very depressing.

Again, that's what she said.

Also I really think it's a damn shame that we won't get to see all the big guns on Saturday. A lot in cycling turns to shiit nowadays.

 

[Parrulo]

Rui costa has signed for 3 years with movistar and tour of flanders will be his first race!

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=37084

i just hope enzue won't make him a domestique again . . . .

E3prijs might stop after this year http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/110325_Harelbeke_Wevelgem_ruzie

stupid Wouter Vandenhoutte and his flanders classics

thats very depressing indeed. lets hope it doesn't happen

 

[Christian]

Québec withdraws bid for 2015 world championships:

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/7895/Quebec-withdraws-bid-for-the-2015-cycling-world-road-championships.aspx

So now it's either Oman or Richmond, Virginia

 

[ingsve]

Québec withdraws bid for 2015 world championships:

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/7895/Quebec-withdraws-bid-for-the-2015-cycling-world-road-championships.aspx

So now it's either Oman or Richmond, Virginia

Wasn't Colombia in the running as well or have they withdrawn as well?

 

[theyoungest]

Québec withdraws bid for 2015 world championships:

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/7895/Quebec-withdraws-bid-for-the-2015-cycling-world-road-championships.aspx

So now it's either Oman or Richmond, Virginia

Ah, too bad. It's a beautiful course. Now let's hope for Oman, with the finish on the Green Mountain

 

[Jamsque]

Québec withdraws bid for 2015 world championships:

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/7895/Quebec-withdraws-bid-for-the-2015-cycling-world-road-championships.aspx

So now it's either Oman or Richmond, Virginia

So it's either shady gangsters or Pat McQuaid's brother? Awesome.

 

[Christian]

Wasn't Colombia in the running as well or have they withdrawn as well?

I don't know ... the article only speaks of those two

 

[Parrulo]

Rui costa has signed for 3 years with movistar and tour of flanders will be his first race!

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=37084

this news has just been dismess. still no deal with any team but apperently there might be news during the weekend

 

[hrotha]

i just hope enzue won't make him a domestique again .

He was hardly a domestique. He had a free role as often as his status deserved. For example, at the Tour, where the only thing he did was Barredo's head in.

 

[Parrulo]

He was hardly a domestique. He had a free role as often as his status deserved. For example, at the Tour, where the only thing he did was Barredo's head in.

true he did nothing at the tour. i was really disapointed. if enzue wanted him to ride a GT he should have him riding the vuelta to gain experience.

but still i think rui costa is a guy for the classics so riding a GT won't make much difference

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Sounds like something the Giro would have!

I've sung the praises of this climb a couple of times before, but just for good measure, here we go:

altimetry:

route:

part of the road:

and a link to a view up to the summit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vitor107/4259782661/in/set-72057594053877460/

this news has just been dismess. still no deal with any team but apperently there might be news during the weekend

yea, Abola jumped the gun a bit there. Still think Movistar is likely. Mario's gone to Loulé, but it's now the amateur squad Concelho Loulé-Louletano or whatever they're called instead of a Continental team, which is a shame.

He was hardly a domestique. He had a free role as often as his status deserved. For example, at the Tour, where the only thing he did was Barredo's head in.

I think he felt that he wasn't given enough breathing room once Valverde was gone; and he wasn't getting to do as many of the races HE wanted to do, instead getting shunted off to do the Northern Classics a fair bit which, as we know, Caisse were there mostly to make the numbers up at (except Txente García who gets in the break of the day more often than not at either Flanders or Roubaix).

 

[El Pistolero]

Ah, too bad. It's a beautiful course. Now let's hope for Oman, with the finish on the Green Mountain

That still won't make Gesink win

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

contador won't either, he'll be too old and sucky in 2015