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Is Quintana's 3rd week that impressive?

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Miburo

Miburo

Jul 29, 2012
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Maybe he does but we don't have enough info to claim that at this point. People overrate this guy his 3rd week.

In the vuelta 2012 he was dog**** in the first week, he was decent at the end but still below the big 3 in the vuelta.

In the tour 2013, he wasn't really the best in the 3rd week. Purito was at his level and iirc purito had a better hilly ITT than quintana in that tour. Froome just got pretty bad in the last days or maybe he let it go. Keep in mind that Froome had lack of food on the alpe too.

In the Giro 2014, his competition was so bad that not much value can be attached to this. He was underwhelming in the first 2 weeks and then finished it off in MTF and the MTT.

Does all this mean he always has an amazing last week cause of his recuperation? Not at all.

I rather would say that he's always underwhelming in the first weeks of a GT and then gets a very good level at the end but that doesn't mean he'll always be the best in the 3rd week which is what a lot of people seem to think.

He needs to be more consistent in the first week of a GT, if he wants to keep winning GT's.
 
Angliru

Angliru

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Miburo said:
Maybe he does but we don't have enough info to claim that at this point. People overrate this guy his 3rd week.

In the vuelta 2012 he was dog**** in the first week, he was decent at the end but still below the big 3 in the vuelta.

In the tour 2013, he wasn't really the best in the 3rd week. Purito was at his level and iirc purito had a better hilly ITT than quintana in that tour. Froome just got pretty bad in the last days or maybe he let it go. Keep in mind that Froome had lack of food on the alpe too.

In the Giro 2014, his competition was so bad that not much value can be attached to this. He was underwhelming in the first 2 weeks and then finished it off in MTF and the MTT.

Does all this mean he always has an amazing last week cause of his recuperation? Not at all.

I rather would say that he's always underwhelming in the first weeks of a GT and then gets a very good level at the end but that doesn't mean he'll always be the best in the 3rd week which is what a lot of people seem to think.

He needs to be more consistent in the first week of a GT, if he wants to keep winning GT's.
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I doubt anyone is saying that he is the best in the 3rd week of a grand tour but on the limited history that we have on Quintana, he has shown that his performances improve in the 3rd week of grand tours. I dont' think that he is overrated in that respect, it is just the proof is there to support the belief that his form improves as the grand tours progress. I suspect that they (Movistar and Quintana) will, to use a Depeche Mode track, Get The Balance Right, in the future. At the same time the formula they have been using hasn't really hurt him. He has a Tour podium and a Giro win under his belt at such a young age with years to gain experience and potentially improve.
 
Maaaaaaaarten

Maaaaaaaarten

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Miburo said:
In the vuelta 2012 he was dog**** in the first week, he was decent at the end but still below the big 3 in the vuelta.
Click to expand...

Wait wait, in 2012 Vuelta Quintana was:
- 22 years old
- a neo pro
- riding his 1st GT
- in the 3rd week
- on domestique duty

The fact that his performance even prompts you to draw a comparison with 'the big 3' - even though nobody would argue other than that he was below them - should tell you enough.

But hey, this year I wasn't so impressed by him. The Stelvio stage was fun, but the rest was kind of boring. He didn't race much and outside of the Stelvio stage I don't really remember any rides by him that impressed me very much. Probably would've been different without the Vuelta crash though.
 
ILovecycling

ILovecycling

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Miburo said:
Maybe he does but we don't have enough info to claim that at this point. People overrate this guy his 3rd week.

In the vuelta 2012 he was dog**** in the first week, he was decent at the end but still below the big 3 in the vuelta.

In the tour 2013, he wasn't really the best in the 3rd week. Purito was at his level and iirc purito had a better hilly ITT than quintana in that tour. Froome just got pretty bad in the last days or maybe he let it go. Keep in mind that Froome had lack of food on the alpe too.

In the Giro 2014, his competition was so bad that not much value can be attached to this. He was underwhelming in the first 2 weeks and then finished it off in MTF and the MTT.

Does all this mean he always has an amazing last week cause of his recuperation? Not at all.

I rather would say that he's always underwhelming in the first weeks of a GT and then gets a very good level at the end but that doesn't mean he'll always be the best in the 3rd week which is what a lot of people seem to think.

He needs to be more consistent in the first week of a GT, if he wants to keep winning GT's.
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Your post is full of mistakes.Thats not good as its OP.
1st bolded: We have 3 GT's thats enough,and with the same result.Always a lot better in 3rd week.

2nd: duhh,you serious?:eek: , he was on a domestique duty, and was 4th best in final week (better than tour-vuelta Froome, fresh Moreno etc) despite playing a dom for Piti.

3rd: thats the biggest lie of your post. Purito was dropped 2 times in 2 hardest stages, so how he was at his level?:rolleyes:
I won't react on Froome 'hungerknock', its ridiculous

4th Clearly yes.

5th Nobody could claim this, its a bs, depends on the race,fitness etc. Of course he will be better at Tour than AC, but because he will be fresh.
 
Afrank

Afrank

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Miburo said:
In the vuelta 2012 he was dog**** in the first week, he was decent at the end but still below the big 3 in the vuelta.
Click to expand...

As others already alluded to, first GT and domestique for Piti. The fact that he as able to hang with and lead the big 3 just was confirmation at the time of how big a talent he was.

In the tour 2013, he wasn't really the best in the 3rd week. Purito was at his level and iirc purito had a better hilly ITT than quintana in that tour. Froome just got pretty bad in the last days or maybe he let it go. Keep in mind that Froome had lack of food on the alpe too.
Click to expand...

It should probably be remembered that some injuries lead Purito to not being up towards the top until the 3rd week, while Quintana was up there the whole time IIRC. Compared to Froome and Contador who were the other guys that spent the most time at the top of the standings early, he did much better then them in the third week. But I would agree a number of factors came together help him have a great 3rd week.

In the Giro 2014, his competition was so bad that not much value can be attached to this. He was underwhelming in the first 2 weeks and then finished it off in MTF and the MTT.
Click to expand...

The first 2 weeks he was dealing with sickness (which is impressive in and of itself). By the third week he had finally gotten over it and returned to his normal level, and soundly crushed it.

Does all this mean he always has an amazing last week cause of his recuperation? Not at all.

I rather would say that he's always underwhelming in the first weeks of a GT and then gets a very good level at the end but that doesn't mean he'll always be the best in the 3rd week which is what a lot of people seem to think.

He needs to be more consistent in the first week of a GT, if he wants to keep winning GT's.
Click to expand...

We're only going by 3 GT's here, so it's a big reach to say he's always underwhelming in the first weeks. 2013 Tour I will agree a lot went his way to contribute to his great third week with Froomes hunger knock, and Purito pulling a ton to get on the podium on the final stage. 2012 Vuelta and 2014 Giro though don't tell us much if anything though IMO.

If looking at these 3 GT's tells me anything, it's that Quintana can handle the fatigue that comes in the third week of racing very well. Even as a neo domestique he managed to confirm some talent and hang out with the big 3, even with being a contender and main attackers the whole race he managed to win big on the final stage, and even when sick for the first half he managed to win the overall.
 
Pentacycle

Pentacycle

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Quintana's first two weeks in a grand tour are being underrated. I remember that he was the last on Froome's wheel to Ax-3 in 2013, and that he handled the explosive finals of the Vuelta this year quite well. The Giro was an exception as he got ill.

Still he's too young to be judged like this. Lot of posts here talking like we've already seen the best of him.
 
O

offbyone

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I was blown out of the water by Quintana's performance in the third week of the Giro this year. Considering how sick he was, I just don't understand how someone can not only recover from being that sick while riding a grand tour, but also get stronger. It is an unbelievable story of the recuperative powers of the human body.
 
Cance > TheRest

Cance > TheRest

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offbyone said:
I was blown out of the water by Quintana's performance in the third week of the Giro this year. Considering how sick he was, I just don't understand how someone can not only recover from being that sick while riding a grand tour, but also get stronger. It is an unbelievable story of the recuperative powers of the human body.
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Question is, would he have been that "strong" if he was up against the best GT riders in the world? Facts are: He faced the ever-struggling "not quite there"-climber Uran, a young and inexperienced Aru, the inconsistent P. Rolland, an ageing Evans and an ill Pozzovivo.
He has yet to show any weakness in a 3rd week of a GT, but he hasn't displayed any great extra strength either at any time. To me it just seems like he is very constant throughout the GT's - don't forget he was flying in the first part of the 2013 Tour as well, just for the wrong initial reasons. ;)
 
Escarabajo

Escarabajo

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Red Rick said:
Plz add a poll Miburo, we know it's your favourite thing;)

Anyway I think Quintana is a bit overrated, including his 3rd week
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I wish Froome had shown the same performances at Quintana's age. Even Contador during his first Tour. LOL.

If I judge by their progression Quintana is about to explode!!!!

But times have changed.

It has been a long time since a saw a youngster performed like Quintana has done at his age. it is still early to establish comparison with other riders. You can only compare him with what the others did at the same age.
 
D

del1962

Oct 16, 2012
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Escarabajo said:
I wish Froome had shown the same performances at Quintana's age. Even Contador during his first Tour. LOL.

If I judge by their progression Quintana is about to explode!!!!

But times have changed.

It has been a long time since a saw a youngster performed like Quintana has done at his age.
Click to expand...

Andy Schleck?
 
D

del1962

Oct 16, 2012
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ILovecycling said:
No win in a GT.
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The record books say otherwise,

while not wanting to get into that debate you cannot say that his performances in GTs at Quintana's age weren't every bit as impressive.

2nd in the Giro just prior to turning 22
2nd in the tour at 24.
Winning it at 25;)

The point is Schleck was great when young, but where is he now, Quintana may push on, level out or fade, only time will tell.
 
ILovecycling

ILovecycling

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del1962 said:
The record books say otherwise,

while not wanting to get into that debate you cannot say that his performances in GTs at Quintana's age weren't every bit as impressive.

2nd in the Giro just prior to turning 22
2nd in the tour at 24.
Winning it at 25;)

The point is Schleck was great when young, but where is he now, Quintana may push on, level out or fade, only time will tell.
Click to expand...
Yes but Quintana won a GT in 24,so your point is invalid :p
 
D

del1962

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ILovecycling said:
Yes but Quintana won a GT in 24,so your point is invalid :p
Click to expand...

I dont think the main point is that at a young age Schleck show GT talent is invalid though, on a level not to dissimilar to Quintana's talent. I think Quintana will last longer at the top though, but whether he is going to improve massively is another question.
 
O

offbyone

May 3, 2010
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Cance > TheRest said:
Question is, would he have been that "strong" if he was up against the best GT riders in the world? Facts are: He faced the ever-struggling "not quite there"-climber Uran, a young and inexperienced Aru, the inconsistent P. Rolland, an ageing Evans and an ill Pozzovivo.
He has yet to show any weakness in a 3rd week of a GT, but he hasn't displayed any great extra strength either at any time. To me it just seems like he is very constant throughout the GT's - don't forget he was flying in the first part of the 2013 Tour as well, just for the wrong initial reasons. ;)
Click to expand...

Hard to ever know. Best control group I can come up with is Aru. Aru finished nearly the same time behind Quintana in the Giro as he did Contador in the Vuelta.
 
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