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I wonder why Ulissi does not win more often. At times He looks like Valverde and sometimes like Sagan.
Maybe he is an "in-between-er".

That is often the problem these days with not specialized riders. They can get good results in different scenarios but are often outclassed by the ones who prepare for exactly that (kind of) race. The days are gone were a Sean Kelly could win the Vuelta and still finish 3 different monuments in the top 5 in one year. Take a look at Gilbert. He started out as an outstanding rider in the Ardennes, and later shifted his focus to the cobbles. But he was never able to combine both at the same time.
 
Porte races like Alaphilippe at the Tour Down under with this accelerations. Pretty good and crazy. Unfortunately he isn't with the best on long strady climbs anymore.
I have noted another pattern with Porte's acceleration when I watched him in Romandie 2017. The riders are often able to sit on his wheel for about a minute or even more when he accelerates.

He is not as explosive as a typical puncheur-climber who will get a gap almost immediately. (Think Purito, Valverde, Alaphilippe or peak Froome) and he doesn't do a lot of grueling, continuous mini-attacks like Contador, Nibali or Quintana. I wouldn't call him a diesel climber either.

His style is quite unique. The impressive thing about him is that he can keep a monstrous pace for minutes. It's like he is attacking while pacing himself at the same time.
 
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Porte crossed the top of Kerby Hill exactly 40 seconds before Ewan. That's a huge gap on such a short hill.

I might be wrong but Kerby Hill isn't that much harder than Challambra Crescent? Never understood why the climbers haven't been able to cheat the sprinters in that race.
 
Porte crossed the top of Kerby Hill exactly 40 seconds before Ewan. That's a huge gap on such a short hill.

I might be wrong but Kerby Hill isn't that much harder than Challambra Crescent? Never understood why the climbers haven't been able to cheat the sprinters in that race.

Yeah, it's annoying. It's just too long from the top of the final ascent to the finish for a climber to stay away. (Short) history says: a sprinter will get back on and win. I think a parcours change is in order.
 
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