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Hugh Carthy discussion thread

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I'll look out for Hugh in the Vuelta, but he's not a rider that's going to enjoy having his arms in the air much during his career.
He's one -paced and lacks the finishing kick on a climb like Roglic, for instance to shoot clear of the select group.
He is a diesel and is more suited to the long hard grind, which we saw when he won at the top of the mighty Angliru last year in a slow-motion crawl to the crest.
There are not going to be too many Angliru's for Carthy to take advantage of going forward when he can take the opportunity to put in a snail-paced attack at a 15% gradient.
I guess it also has to do with his climbing style, he always seems to grind a huge gear while standing on the pedals.
 
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Surely TdF since ITT km is high in Giro.
How would that be a problem exactly? Carthy has finished ITTs in the top10 during GTs before.

I think his best chance to do anything in a GT is lose buckets of time early in the Vuelta and try to win a stage from a break.
That would be a pretty unambitious way to go with the season for a rider like him.
 
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How would that be a problem exactly? Carthy has finished ITTs in the top10 during GTs before.


That would be a pretty unambitious way to go with the season for a rider like him.
I think you may value his capabilities more than I do. For what it’s worth, I hope you are right and I am wrong, but I do not think we will ever see him close to a GT podium again. Maybe top ten in a weak GT field, but I value a stage win more.
 
I don't value breakaway stage wins all that much (probably the most overrated sporting achievement of all the sports I follow if you ask me, though it's not my opinion that decides how prestigeous they're) but surely a rider like Carthy would at least target a stage win during the Giro or Tour if he didn't want to ride for GC. Targetting stage wins in the Vuelta is a good season goal for a neo-pro but not a rider who's had a GT podium before. It could be a valid secondary goal after peaking for Giro/TdF, or if you want your main peak during the Vuelta, then it only makes sense if you go for the overall win. Otherwise it's a waste of a climber like Carthy.

Maybe top ten in a weak GT field
I don't really think Carthy needs a weak GT field to finish in the top10. He's even managed a top10 while clearly in sub-optimal form in the past (Giro 2022).
 
I don't know but he's looked in good form in the races I've seen him in (Early Spain races and Tirreno). He could've top 5ed that Tirreno if he rode more conservatively, was off the front quite a lot and just got a bit unlucky that it was always Roglic lurking. There are a few super difficult stages in the Giro I think he would thrive on (13, 16, 19). I would also bank on him getting a good result in that mountain TT right at the end, as he seems to peak in week 4 of GTs a bit like Steven Kruijswijk used to, although that flat 35km is a bit troublesome.

Looking at the GC startlist I can't really see 10 riders in GC better than him, even a top 5 would be possible I think but would likely require some luck with riders crashing out or getting sick, which always happens in the Giro anyway.

Tour of the Alps is his next race.
 
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