Giro d'Italia Giro d'Italia 2021 stage 11: Perugia – Montalcino 162 km

[tobydawq]

Really? If this stage had been on asphalt, then Gaviria might have won it.

Huh?

 

[groogster]

thin
A perfect analysis. Everything went wrong. Clearly a bad day, maby due to the rest day. But his technique downhill on gravel ? Never seen a pro showing that lack of technique. Even worse than Thomas De Gendt. And the team tactics. Bad communication (not functioning earbuds ?). Almeida clearly rebelling and refusing to do his job. When Evenepoel was still in the group. Not let him follow in his wheel. And later on, refusing to wait when Evenepoel was dropped. I think the poore Portuguese will be send without supper to bed this evening..... Lefevere can't bear such a behaviour. I don't think Almeida will race a lot after this Giro....

Are you part of Deceunick Quickstep team for this Giro? You made all this conclusions based in what you heard in the radio comunications between Deceunick's race director and João Almeida or between Deceunick's race director and Remco? Or based in what you saw from the TV broadcast?
So you think that João clearly refused to wait for Remco but finally agreed to do so and waited for him after all.
Let's wait for Lefevere words to know what really happened before we start to make assumptions!

 

[cellardoor]

While Remco caused his own issues, Almeida's insolence was embarrassing.

Whilst I don't agree with this post, it still gets a like for use of the word insolence.

 

[limak_]

Let's wait for Lefevere words to know what really happened before we start to make assumptions!

And you really belive Lefevere will tell all the truth, even if it'd be inconvinient for them as a team?

 

[cellardoor]

I think even outside of Almeida (imo he didn't do a great job) but where were the rest of the team. I know it's probably harsh to compare them to Ineos but talent level, that DQS team is stacked and they've not shown up at all imo. Outside of the TT, what has Cavagna done this Giro, or what has Honore or Knox done? To me, those 3 in particular have been very missing considering their talent anyway

I think it's possible they deliberately decided to let Knox and Masnada rest on days like this so that they'll be fresh on the big mountain stages. I think a couple of their guys, including Honore, were dropped after working to bring back Evenepoel's group after the first gravel sector. Cavagna has been disappointing though as a team player and I can't help thinking he's just saving himself for later stage winning attempts.

 

[Poursuivant]

What’s “the bag” meme? I am not in the know

 

[titan31]

I think it's possible they deliberately decided to let Knox and Masnada rest on days like this so that they'll be fresh on the big mountain stages. I think a couple of their guys, including Honore, were dropped after working to bring back Evenepoel's group after the first gravel sector. Cavagna has been disappointing though as a team player and I can't help thinking he's just saving himself for later stage winning attempts.

I'd get that on Masnada as he has been helpful before but Knox seems to disappear every stage so far. Maybe he'll come good and being saved but he's been as useful as Sivakov for Ineos so far imo

 

[Riek s]

Didn't Evenepoel mention on the rest-day that he wanted to explore this ride but couldn't because the mechanics didn't want to?

 

[AlfaLum]

I think it's possible they deliberately decided to let Knox and Masnada rest on days like this so that they'll be fresh on the big mountain stages. I think a couple of their guys, including Honore, were dropped after working to bring back Evenepoel's group after the first gravel sector. Cavagna has been disappointing though as a team player and I can't help thinking he's just saving himself for later stage winning attempts.

Seems unlikely that you deliberately let any of your domestiques rest on a stage that is by far the most dangerous for your captain. They could have chosen to deliberately rest Masnada and Knox on a number of stages in the first 10 days. But this stage.. nah.

 

[limak_]

I’d be interested to hear the DCQ party line on why Almeida didn’t stay with Remco when he was first suffering.

And also the tire choices and pressure. Running a 28 at 80 psi vs, a 25 at 90 would make a huge difference on gravel.

I suppose all of them riding at least 28s on the stage like this (Vincenzo even opted for 30s), but that's just my prediction. Do you have any more confirmed info about that? Apart from that one from Trek saying Nibs riding 30s and 28s for all the rest.

 

[johnymax]

I think even outside of Almeida (imo he didn't do a great job) but where were the rest of the team. I know it's probably harsh to compare them to Ineos but talent level, that DQS team is stacked and they've not shown up at all imo. Outside of the TT, what has Cavagna done this Giro, or what has Honore or Knox done? To me, those 3 in particular have been very missing considering their talent anyway

The team was disappointing for sure. But it didn't help they had to chase after the first meters of the first sterrato sector already. Was that a team mistake or was simply Remco simply not comfortable on the gravel roads at all? Probably both.

But this is the stage where it shows why I was very sceptical to have Remco as a top favourite for the Giro before the race. He is fantastic, but he has his limitations still. And his far from perfect approach to the Giro isn't helping at all. He's still in a very good position all things considered. Now he also has some incentive to attack and will be important to see how he reacts to a setback during the race.

 

[ExperienPT]

“Unfortunately, I lost two minutes. It wasn’t the best day for me. I was suffering a lot on the second sector, then on the third one, when they started sprinting, I felt the legs were pretty empty, that’s why I was in the last position and couldn’t follow. It’s the way my body reacted after eleven days of racing that came after so much time with no racing. I’m thankful to the team and João for the job they did for me today, from the start until the finish. It’s not a good result for me, but I’m still seventh in my first Grand Tour and remain confident, as there’s still a long way to go until Milano”, said Remco after Wednesday’s stage."

By REMCO in DQS website
So no "out with his head" for Almeida today, at least in a public way!!!

 

[titan31]

The team was disappointing for sure. But it didn't help they had to chase after the first meters of the first sterrato sector already. Was that a team mistake or was simply Remco simply not comfortable on the gravel roads at all? Probably both.

But this is the stage where it shows why I was very sceptical to have Remco as a top favourite for the Giro before the race. He is fantastic, but he has his limitations still. And his far from perfect approach to the Giro isn't helping at all. He's still in a very good position all things considered. Now he also has some incentive to attack and will be important to see how he reacts to a setback during the race.

I think it's grand to be disappointing on one stage so if this was that for Masnada, fair enough but the 3 I had mentioned have had multiple bad stages and considering that they're all very talented guys, you'd expect better.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

“Unfortunately, I lost two minutes. It wasn’t the best day for me. I was suffering a lot on the second sector, then on the third one, when they started sprinting, I felt the legs were pretty empty, that’s why I was in the last position and couldn’t follow. It’s the way my body reacted after eleven days of racing that came after so much time with no racing. I’m thankful to the team and João for the job they did for me today, from the start until the finish. It’s not a good result for me, but I’m still seventh in my first Grand Tour and remain confident, as there’s still a long way to go until Milano”, said Remco after Wednesday’s stage."

By REMCO in DQS website

So that’s the team line. Whether that’s what Evenepoel really thinks or not, it’s a pretty clear indication that Almeida is not in the doghouse with management.

 

[groogster]

And you really belive Lefevere will tell all the truth, even if it'd be inconvinient for them as a team?

Are you kidding? He always do that so why would it be different this time? Lefevere always talks too much without much worries about timing or impact... Was in the convenience of the team to say that João Almeida won't stay with deceunick in 2022? Wouldn't be more convenient for the team to give that information after the Giro?

 

[Poursuivant]

Shades of Wiggins descending in the rain in 2013 Giro from Remco

 

[limak_]

Are you kidding? He always do that so why would it be different this time? Lefevere always talks too much without much worries about timing or impact... Was in the convenience of the team to say that João Almeida won't stay with deceunick in 2022? Wouldn't be more convenient for the team to give that information after the Giro?

As much as I agree with what you wrote about Lefevere, I can't imagine him saying outright "João didn't follow DS's instructions" or something like that if that was really the case.
Saying he leaves the team next season is quite a different thing.

 

[jmdirt]

I love it when the break pays off!

EB looking like a boss.

 

[Bardamu]

It's funny, but not even completely wrong.

btw. love the nickname, Journey to the End of the Night is one of my favourite books.

signature as well

 

[Velolover2]

They need a stage like this every year in the Giro.

Stage of the year so far.

 

[LesDiablesRouges]

Was it really? Almeida's mistake was not riding near Remco when they were in the group and he spent too much time before he dropped to Remco. But after that he was pacing the young Belgian from that point till the finish line. I don't think it was perfect domestique work, but it was far from embarassing. What I call embarassing is what Sebastian Henao did at Algarve for Hayter for example.

There were several (10,12,14?) cut shots to the group and I can only two where Almeida was riding in proximity to Evenepoel. Everyone else seemed to be riding near their GC contender., whereas it almost looked like Almeida was doing everything to ride away from him.

 

[Velolover2]

Horner has not uploaded yet. I guess there is so much material for the next episode of the Butterfly Effect.

 

[limak_]

Worth mentioning, today's winner Mauro Schmid obviously has a solid cyclocross background - he rode many World Cups in juniors and u23, was v-ce national champion in juniors.

Making Remco do a full season of CX races in the winter seems like a very reasonable idea imho.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Didn't Evenepoel mention on the rest-day that he wanted to explore this ride but couldn't because the mechanics didn't want to?

Yes.

 

[carolina]

I have a hard time believing Almeida would rebell like this. He never had problems following team orders, why would he start now? To show his new team how shitty teammate he is? It makes no sense.

Remco and Almeida exchanged some words the first time Almeida waited. After that he left Remco. A few minutes later we see Remco taking the radio off.

My take on this is that Remco didn't feel good and told Almeida not to wait. Almeida was eventually told by radio to wait and he did. When he found Remco, Remco told him to go without him, because he had no legs. After a while the car tells Remco to not give up (he's probaly frustrated and takes the radio off) and they also tell Almeida to wait again and help.