João Almeida - Bota Lume

[arquipelagoGulag]

He will be the best Portuguese ever!

 

[DoYouEvenRideBruh]

I think Almeida being so good forces us tor reconsider last year's Giro field. Sure, lots of contenders were missing, but the level was still high enough for a guy like Almeida (one of the very best GC contenders in this year's stacked field) to 'only' end up fourth. It's shame that Hindley was ill and far from his best shape, and that Hart is not here (although he would have been just a domestique), they would have allowed a better comparison.

 

[Bolder]

Another takeaway is that even if many people like to bag on Patrick Lefevere, the man can find and develop talent like no one else. Almeida may well find, as others have, that the grass is always greener on the other side once he's out of QS.

 

[Red Rick]

I think Almeida being so good forces us tor reconsider last year's Giro field. Sure, lots of contenders were missing, but the level was still high enough for a guy like Almeida (one of the very best GC contenders in this year's stacked field) to 'only' end up fourth. It's shame that Hindley was ill and far from his best shape, and that Hart is not here (although he would have been just a domestique), they would have allowed a better comparison.

Almeida dropped 4 minutes + in the first week, then was forced to babysit.

His third week is better than anything he did last year but I don't think it warrants rewriting 2020.

 

[Blanco]

Another takeaway is that even if many people like to bag on Patrick Lefevere, the man can find and develop talent like no one else. Almeida may well find, as others have, that the grass is always greener on the other side once he's out of QS.

So that begs for the question, is Lefevere really such a "genius", or is it something else, which isn't allowed to talk here?

 

[tobydawq]

Another takeaway is that even if many people like to bag on Patrick Lefevere, the man can find and develop talent like no one else. Almeida may well find, as others have, that the grass is always greener on the other side once he's out of QS.

Like Schachmann?

 

[perico]

So that begs for the question, is Lefevere really such a "genius", or is it something else, which isn't allowed to talk here?

I think he’s great at finding talents, but bad at developing them into GC contenders. Plus, were they one of the Ketone squads? I can’t remember other than Jumbo who were the ones using it.

 

[roundabout]

Another takeaway is that even if many people like to bag on Patrick Lefevere, the man can find and develop talent like no one else. Almeida may well find, as others have, that the grass is always greener on the other side once he's out of QS.

Almeida is doing better than i thought he would as a pro, but he was hardly a reach based on the U23 results.

 

[pvieira91]

I'm so proud of this guy. As a portuguese you can't imagine how happy I am. We never had such a strong cyclist. He can win this year Vuelta. Cycling is growing a lot in Portugal! João Almeida is our new star and we all stop to watch him. So proud. So happy. Thank you Almeida

 

[PhiLiz]

I'm so proud of this guy. As a portuguese you can't imagine how happy I am. We never had such a strong cyclist. He can win this year Vuelta. Cycling is growing a lot in Portugal! João Almeida is our new star and we all stop to watch him. So proud. So happy. Thank you Almeida

I heard that guy who won Alpe d'Huez, has two podiums at the Tour and got robbed of a win at the Vuelta was pretty strong...

 

[Bonimenier]

I heard that guy who won Alpe d'Huez, has two podiums at the Tour and got robbed of a win at the Vuelta was pretty strong...

If I'm not wrong it was pvieira who said a couple of days ago that he started watching cycling during last year's Giro. To then make such a statement is quite funny.

 

[BlueRoads]

Can somebody tell me whether he really is a star in Portugal now? Because I can't imagine a cyclist being a star in Germany today unless he fights at least for the Tour win?

 

[PhiLiz]

Can somebody tell me whether he really is a star in Portugal now? Because I can't imagine a cyclist being a star in Germany today unless he fights at least for the Tour win?

Kind of, yes. The main sports newspaper highlight his performances, statements and so on. Tugão is mainly a football country so he gets as much press as any other sport outside that can get. Surely more than based Azevedo did when he was doing quite well in his ONCE and Postal years.

 

[johnymax]

Can somebody tell me whether he really is a star in Portugal now? Because I can't imagine a cyclist being a star in Germany today unless he fights at least for the Tour win?

I'm not Portuguese, but if I have to guess, I'd say he has definitely become a star in Portugal.

Edit:
Also if I remember correctly (and I do because I've just checked) Rui Costa at his peak won multiple sportsman of the year awards despite not being even close to a Tour win. Becoming World Champion certainly helped for one season.

 

[Froome]

[/QUOTE]

I'm not Portuguese, but if I have to guess, I'd say he has definitely become a star in Portugal.

Edit:
Also if I remember correctly (and I do because I've just checked) Rui Costa at his peak won multiple sportsman of the year awards despite not being even close to a Tour win. Becoming World Champion certainly helped for one season.

I'm portuguese and yes, he's becoming a star here, and cycling are growing in Portugal because of joao almeida. At this moment, joao almeida and miguel oliveira in motogp are becoming a stars here in Portugal.
Since joaquim Agostinho that Portugal didn't have a cyclist that can fight for the grand tours.

 

[lenric]

well, one can argue Jose Azevedo could fight for a GT if he was given the chance.

 

[VeloMaster]

I think he’s great at finding talents, but bad at developing them into GC contenders. Plus, were they one of the Ketone squads? I can’t remember other than Jumbo who were the ones using it.

I think it is more likely a matter of simple economics. QS is great at identifying up-and-coming talent and it developing its riders, many of whom enjoy real success in the team. This, then, raises their market value beyond what the team is prepared, to pay. Sam Bennett, anyone?

That appears to be the case here with Almeida, although his time on the squad was relatively short. It's perhaps ironic that Almeida's striking success in the third week has likely further increased his market value, putting him that much further out of Don Patrick's reach.

As for GT success, building a proper armada to shepherd a genuine contender would require rebalancing the entire team, away from Classics riders, sprinters, and roleurs and otherwise weakening the team's pack approach to racing.

Is QS really prepared to do that? I guess we will find out. However, I find it interesting that PL let Sam Bennett go but retained Morkov's services. I think that says a lot about the team's approach.

 

[lenric]

the portuguese dumoulin. astounding

 

[Big Doopie]

I think almeida has been fantastic

it is valid to wonder where he would be without having to assist Remco.

he has been the strongest and most consistent rider so far in the third week. And stronger than last year. And only 22!!

 

[Big Doopie]

I'm portuguese and yes, he's becoming a star here, and cycling are growing in Portugal because of joao almeida. At this moment, joao almeida and miguel oliveira in motogp are becoming a stars here in Portugal.
Since joaquim Agostinho that Portugal didn't have a cyclist that can fight for the grand tours.
[/QUOTE]

just fyi. I watched agostinho live on tv. Was a big fan. So happy that he he made the Tdf podium twice I believe.

 

[Froome]

I'm portuguese and yes, he's becoming a star here, and cycling are growing in Portugal because of joao almeida. At this moment, joao almeida and miguel oliveira in motogp are becoming a stars here in Portugal.
Since joaquim Agostinho that Portugal didn't have a cyclist that can fight for the grand tours.

just fyi. I watched agostinho live on tv. Was a big fan. So happy that he he made the Tdf podium twice I believe.
[/QUOTE]
You're right. Unfortunately Agostinho lost a Vuelta by just 11 seconds.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Not going to lie, my first thought went to Rui Costa…

 

[bNator]

Can somebody tell me whether he really is a star in Portugal now? Because I can't imagine a cyclist being a star in Germany today unless he fights at least for the Tour win?

Is cyling not popular in Germany any more? Wasn’t it popular with Jan? I mean you can always say that Schachmann fights for TDF victory or Buchmann before him.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Is cyling not popular in Germany any more? Wasn’t it popular with Jan? I mean you can always say that Schachmann fights for TDF victory or Buchmann before him.

It was popular with Ullrich and he caused a big boom but his doping case, T-Mobiles doping cases and admittance, and other top riders like Kessler and Klöden caused Germany to lose massive interest. This even caused Klöden to completely disown Germany. I thought interest had increased from Tony Martin, Greipel, and Kittel though.

Heck in the US I think it has barely any interest. I have met maybe 6 people that actually follow cycling with 2 being from Italy and 1 from Spain.

 

[Publiuszam]

I'm so proud of this guy. As a portuguese you can't imagine how happy I am. We never had such a strong cyclist. He can win this year Vuelta. Cycling is growing a lot in Portugal! João Almeida is our new star and we all stop to watch him. So proud. So happy. Thank you Almeida

Azevedo was/is my fav portuguese cyclist.