Itzulia Basque Country 2022 April 4-9

[Sciatic]

What a brutal time by Roglić is these hilly TTs he is almost unbeatable

There was that one a few years ago . . .

 

[Ilmaestro99]

The only real threat to Roglic on this type of route would be Fausto, unfortunatley he is still training for his peak of form in the Tour of Oman 2023.

Fausto did 2022 tour of Oman in 40% level of his peak form and still won a stage . He always starts the seasons slow and build towards his goals. He will be coming back stronger from this illness .

You are right that he would be a threat though

 

[Aimar16]

Because he is like 3% faster here then any other contender with the exception of another guy that rode extremely well here today.

Just because Roglic is the big favorite because of previous superhuman performances doesn’t make this less of a super human performance. The Slovenians are there the whole year, every race, never failing. It is unseen for me since I started watching cycling. So hence another super human performance. It’s admirable, but I enjoy it less and less.

Idk. For me, Roglic was the big favourite because it was a perfect route for him. And Remco always struggles in the technical sections. On Paris-Nice Roglic couldn't even deliver a super human performance for a whole week, let alone a whole year.

 

[Escarabajo]

I didn't know Thomas was still riding!
Good time.

 

[Extinction]

Because he is like 3% faster here then any other contender with the exception of another guy that rode extremely well here today.

Just because Roglic is the big favorite because of previous superhuman performances doesn’t make this less of a super human performance. The Slovenians are there the whole year, every race, never failing. It is unseen for me since I started watching cycling. So hence another super human performance. It’s admirable, but I enjoy it less and less.

Hey, well, at least Remco showed he can be a threat to his dominance on such courses. Roglic had to really did deep to one-up the Belgian.

 

[Escarabajo]

Stages 3-6 looks promising, but does anybody have the ability to put Roglic under real pressure? I say no.

Roglic, yes. The team, No.

 

[Extinction]

Stages 3-6 looks promising, but does anybody have the ability to put Roglic under real pressure? I say no.

With his tt performance today and his searing finishes on these types of climbs, I dare say it's impossible to hammer him.

 

[search]

Another disappointing performance from Leknessund, a former worldtalent TT'er.

DSM ruins young talents unfortunately.

already in Paris Nice he was getting dropped on basically every descent. I guess this lack of technical skills may have played the main part here, as he did alright until the split, but lost chunks of time afterwards

 

[johnymax]

Because he is like 3% faster here then any other contender with the exception of another guy that rode extremely well here today.

Just because Roglic is the big favorite because of previous superhuman performances doesn’t make this less of a super human performance. The Slovenians are there the whole year, every race, never failing. It is unseen for me since I started watching cycling. So hence another super human performance. It’s admirable, but I enjoy it less and less.

I wish Roglic never failed...

 

[saunaking]

In every race... with peaks of form lasting 3 months... At least in the past you could enjoy preparation races and flemish classics without the July freaks. Not possible anymore.

Looked pretty human in P-N
And there is still plenty of racing this week

 

[Oldermanish]

Hey, well, at least Remco showed he can be a threat to his dominance on such courses. Roglic had to really did deep to one-up the Belgian.

It'll be interesting to see how Remco handles multiple days and if there has been improvement since PN. He, hopefully, is progressing on his injury recovery.

 

[Extinction]

It'll be interesting to see how Remco handles multiple days and if there has been improvement since PN. He, hopefully, is progressing on his injury recovery.

You mean TA, of course. Yea, as I put it in another post, it will be interesting to see if the numbers he achieved on Strava recently, will translate into faster climbing. I believe he was just as fast as Primoz uphill today. It's true, however, that climbing in rr stages is a different beast. But if he can focus on his own performance, without getting psyched out about Roglic, as I believe he did with Pogacar at TA, then he could yet surprise himself. He needs to not be stressed, quitely confident and determined and it should go better than in Italy.

 

[kingjr]

Roglic gained about 3-4 seconds on the descent and 1-2 seconds on the final uphill, by my reckoning, using a stopwatch. Very rough estimates.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Great ride by Evenepoel but Roglic still beat him by 5 seconds! Amazing performance, almost everyone stomped today on barely 7.5 km.

 

[red_flanders]

Great ride by Evenepoel but Roglic still beat him by 5 seconds! Amazing performance, almost everyone stomped today on barely 7.5 km.

Not too surprised, he's a stud and bike handling was at a premium in this one.

 

[Oldermanish]

You mean TA, of course. Yea, as I put it in another post, it will be interesting to see if the numbers he achieved on Strava recently, will translate into faster climbing. I believe he was just as fast as Primoz uphill today. It's true, however, that climbing in rr stages is a different beast. But if he can focus on his own performance, without getting psyched out about Roglic, as I believe he did with Pogacar at TA, then he could yet surprise himself. He needs to not be stressed, quitely confident and determined and it should go better than in Italy.

Exactly. Trying to go with Pogi or Primoz' accelerations when you're fundamentally a diesel-climber by comparison is something he'll learn about. His confidence should tell him to maintain his pace and retrieve those attacks at his own pace. Leaves you something to finish with when the real sh*t comes down.
That discipline should also increase his reserves over the length of a week+ race. It's also deeply, psychologically fatiguing to retrieve those attacks and then blowup and lose big time. That'll play on your mind....

 

[Carols]

In every race... with peaks of form lasting 3 months... At least in the past you could enjoy preparation races .... without the July freaks. Not possible anymore.

And just when was that? You'll need to go back to the 1990s and make sure you leave out Merckx and Hinuault.
Yes training camps, different, refined training methods and nutrition have changed things but the cream has always risen.

 

[Lequack]

Some pics

 

[Extinction]

In every race... with peaks of form lasting 3 months... At least in the past you could enjoy preparation races and flemish classics without the July freaks. Not possible anymore.

I'm actually enjoying seeing what real Bigs can do. The US Postal/Sky program of getting their "champion" ready for the Tour, at the expense of the classics and everything else that wasn't predicated upon reaching that goal was stale and ultimately false.

It's great to see a Pogacar show up to MVDP's and WVA's playground and dare to challenge them on their own turf, as if to say hey boys, there's a new sheriff in town. It's great for the sport, like Hinault was great for the sport.

 

[Salvarani]

The only real threat to Roglic on this type of route would be Fausto, unfortunatley he is still training for his peak of form in the Tour of Oman 2023.

Him and Remco! Early season kings!

 

[Carols]

Some pics

Love me some Lev, What a card he is

 

[Lequack]

Evenepoel: I couldn't do anything more against 'idol' Roglic in Itzulia TT
'You needed a lot of balls to take risks' on technical course, says Belgian

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/evenepoel-i-couldnt-do-anything-more-against-idol-roglic-in-itzulia-tt/

 

[Carols]

Evenepoel: I couldn't do anything more against 'idol' Roglic in Itzulia TT
'You needed a lot of balls to take risks' on technical course, says Belgian

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/evenepoel-i-couldnt-do-anything-more-against-idol-roglic-in-itzulia-tt/

Yeah Nibali taught him all about balls on descents!

 

[Velolover2]

They are less of a threat than Gaudu or Huguita or Remco. They are tactically useless. Thomas won't like these roads. Yates won't attack. Too technical for Martinez. Goeghean Hart is not quite at that level

I remember one of the Yates brothers dropping an in-shape Roglic on a murito in Tirreno. I think it was Adam.

It was one of those rare occasions where Roglic actually got dropped. Basque climbs are Yates Bros climbs so I wouldn't rule him out completely.

 

[KZD]

There was that one a few years ago . . .

That's why I said almost