João Almeida - Bota Lume

[Zoef-Lightning]

You have no point whatsoever. A rider showing GT capabilities is enough to keep him signed until as a GT leader until he delivers. It does not push him to domestique roles. I can give you a list of GT riders that don't have a GT win but you hopefully get the idea.

Kwiatkowsky, Porte, Yates and a whole list of GT riders.... with GT and/or climbing qualities, but not able to win a GT. They all became domestiques quite early. The same is gonna happen with Almeida in his actual team. Unless he makes it to the podium at least in the next two years. Which is still possible. Maybe at the end of this Giro. But then he still has to confirm in the Tour de France next year.

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

Is that why Landa is a domestique for Buitrago?

In the Bahrain team there is no rider able to win a grand tour. So, Landa is "the best of the bad riders". But if his level drops, he too will become a domestique.

 

[Netserk]

Kwiatkowsky, Porte, Yates and a whole list of GT riders.... with GT and/or climbing qualities, but not able to win a GT. They all became domestiques quite early. The same is gonna happen with Almeida in his actual team. Unless he makes it to the podium at least in the next two years. Which is still possible. Maybe at the end of this Giro. But then he still has to confirm in the Tour de France next year.

Whom has Yates dommed for?

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

Absolute nonsense! How many riders do you want me to give you that after years haven’t won a GT and still are team leaders at GT?
And if you don’t know I can also tell you that in the 5 year contract with UAE was stated that Almeida will have leadership in 1 GT per year so… it was one of the conditions required by Almeida to sign and one of the main reasons why he picked UAE over other teams that tried to sign him

Still team leaders at GT ? Because in those teams there's no rider able to win a GT. For instance Bahrain. And concerning Almeida. He'll be a domestique in the Tour de France. And "teamleader" without a chance to win a Giro or Vuelta. An other example. The (strong) team Intermarché Wanty Gobert will participate GT's. With a team leader in every GT (and a sprint leader). But of course this does not mean that the team leader has any chance of a final victory. Neither the teamleaders in many other teams.

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

Whom has Yates dommed for?

Both Simon and Adam Yates have been domestiques in the past. Strong riders for one or two mountainstages (even able to win), but not able to perform for 3 weaks at top level in a GT. So, the other days, they were and are just domestiques.

 

[greyclouds]

Are we actually saying that only Pogacar, Roglic, Bernal and Carapaz are capable GT leaders and that all youngsters also have until they are say 24 years old to try and win a GT, before they turn into domestiques or doomed "team leaders"?

 

[Netserk]

Both Simon and Adam Yates have been domestiques in the past. Strong riders for one or two mountainstages (even able to win), but not able to perform for 3 weaks at top level in a GT. So, the other days, they were and are just domestiques.

Have they ever had a year where they didn't lead their team in a GT? If so, which year?

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

Are we actually saying that only Pogacar, Roglic, Bernal and Carapaz are capable GT leaders and that all youngsters also have until they are say 24 years old to try and win a GT, before they turn into domestiques or doomed "team leaders"?

Yes, that's what almost always happens. With a few exceptions, with riders who did not break through until later in life due to circumstances.

 

[yaco]

Both Simon and Adam Yates have been domestiques in the past. Strong riders for one or two mountainstages (even able to win), but not able to perform for 3 weaks at top level in a GT. So, the other days, they were and are just domestiques.

Adam was a domestique for Simon in the 2018 Vuelta - Simon has never been a domestique at a GT.

 

[KZD]

I know that this is a controversial opinion but I think that this year's Giro might be one of the biggest chances in Almeida's career. Its true that there is a lack of TT that harms him but on the other hand out of the 5 best Grand Tour GC riders in the world only Carapaz is there.

 

[greyclouds]

Adam was a domestique for Simon in the 2018 Vuelta - Simon has never been a domestique at a GT.

Adam had already ridden the Tour that year as team leader

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

Have they ever had a year where they didn't lead their team in a GT? If so, which year?

No, the question is : which year they were leader of the team while there was a teammate (in that GT) able to win the GT. As I wrote before. Several (all) teams have team leaders. But most of those team leaders have no chance to win a GT. Simon and Adam Yates will never be transferred to a (new) team to become team leaders "able to" win a GT. Just because they don't have the abilities to win a GT. Of course, they occasionally could be a team leader in a GT, when there is no better teammate or no teammate able to win that GT.

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

Adam was a domestique for Simon in the 2018 Vuelta - Simon has never been a domestique at a GT.

Then you don't know anything about cycling. The times Simon was team leader, but each time failed, after that, he did serve his teammates who were looking for a stage win.

 

[groogster]

Still team leaders at GT ? Because in those teams there's no rider able to win a GT. For instance Bahrain. And concerning Almeida. He'll be a domestique in the Tour de France. And "teamleader" without a chance to win a Giro or Vuelta. An other example. The (strong) team Intermarché Wanty Gobert will participate GT's. With a team leader in every GT (and a sprint leader). But of course this does not mean that the team leader has any chance of a final victory. Neither the teamleaders in many other teams.

You have an amazing perception of what will be Almeida’s growth in the future in terms of not being able to win a GT throughout his career, but I can understand what you’re saying because he is a veteran with no prospect of improving in the years to come.
Do you know the race calendar for Almeida next seasons? Will he go to Tour of France next year? Only in 2024? Please let us know?
I don’t have your amazing seeing into the future capability but as we stand atm and looking at Almeida results untill now I really see a rider that eventually can win a GT in the next few years.

 

[greyclouds]

No, the question is : which year they were leader of the team while there was a teammate (in that GT) able to win the GT. As I wrote before. Several (all) teams have team leaders. But most of those team leaders have no chance to win a GT. Simon and Adam Yates will never be transferred to a (new) team to become team leaders "able to" win a GT. Just because they don't have the abilities to win a GT. Of course, they occasionally could be a team leader in a GT, when there is no better teammate or no teammate able to win that GT.

Simon "doesn't have the ability to win a GT" Yates actually won a GT. But I guess that that one doesn't count because Pogacar wasn't there?

 

[groogster]

I know that this is a controversial opinion but I think that this year's Giro might be one of the biggest chances in Almeida's career. Its true that there is a lack of TT that harms him but on the other hand out of the 5 best Grand Tour GC riders in the world only Carapaz is there.

with a GT edition with more itt and because Pogacar won’t do all the 3 GT in a season and Roglic won’t last forever I believe that he will have his chance. Besides being only 23 it’s likely that he will grow up, experience tends to make us better in our professions

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

Simon "doesn't have the ability to win a GT" Yates actually won a GT. But I guess that that one doesn't count because Pogacar wasn't there?

Mas and Lopez as second and third.... and De Gendt as king of the mountain. Not a top edition with top riders. I'm convinced that Evenepoel, with his topform then, could have won the Giro 2020 if he hadn't plunged into the depths in Lombardia. But would have won against average GT-riders. As Hart, Hindley (now evoluating into a good GT-rider), Kelderman.... That doesn't mean Evenepoel was/is a real teamleader for a GT. He would have been then, because they were no topriders in that Giro 2020.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

with a GT edition with more itt and because Pogacar won’t do all the 3 GT in a season and Roglic won’t last forever I believe that he will have his chance. Besides being only 23 it’s likely that he will grow up, experience tends to make us better in our professions

Much will depend on UAE's hunger to keep stacking GC riders or not, like Ineos have been doing in the past. Now it's Pogacar, Almeida and Ayuso for the future. That's quite manageable, you can have two leaders or work with a protected rider. They can't all ride two, let alone 3 GT's to begin with. One of the others might get sick or injured and spots automatically open up. But if the team continues to reel in top GC riders, that situation might change quickly.

 

[StryderHells]

Adam was a domestique for Simon in the 2018 Vuelta - Simon has never been a domestique at a GT.

I remember Simon Yates working for Chaves at the 2016 Vuelta.

 

[EliseeReclus]

Kwiatkowsky, Porte, Yates and a whole list of GT riders.... with GT and/or climbing qualities, but not able to win a GT. They all became domestiques quite early. The same is gonna happen with Almeida in his actual team. Unless he makes it to the podium at least in the next two years. Which is still possible. Maybe at the end of this Giro. But then he still has to confirm in the Tour de France next year.

I think this misunderstands how being a grand tour contender works, you could easily have put Geraint Thomas into this group up until June 2018 or Richard Carapaz until May 2019. I don't think you can really classify someone as a grand tour contender only once they've won a grand tour or only if they are a young rider who has finished on the podium. Riders have pretty consistently stepped out of the shadow of bigger riders later in their career, or put things together for one grand tour only.

 

[groogster]

Much will depend on UAE's hunger to keep stacking GC riders or not, like Ineos have been doing in the past. Now it's Pogacar, Almeida and Ayuso for the future. That's quite manageable, you can have two leaders or work with a protected rider. They can't all ride two, let alone 3 GT's to begin with. One of the others might get sick or injured and spots automatically open up. But if the team continues to reel in top GC riders, that situation might change quickly.

True. Maybe UAE should concentrate on bring more 2 or 3 domestiques because they have already 3 great young riders for GC for years to come.

 

[Elos Anjos]

Then you don't know anything about cycling. The times Simon was team leader, but each time failed, after that, he did serve his teammates who were looking for a stage win.

Kwiatkowsky, Porte, Yates and a whole list of GT riders.... with GT and/or climbing qualities, but not able to win a GT. They all became domestiques quite early. The same is gonna happen with Almeida in his actual team. Unless he makes it to the podium at least in the next two years. Which is still possible. Maybe at the end of this Giro. But then he still has to confirm in the Tour de France next year.

Big mouth strikes again.
If you want to make predictions about the future, you have to at least back it up and provide solid evidence. Instead, you bully others with your "knowledge".
As for the list of GC riders that have not won a GC, here it goes: Uran, Yates, Mas, Hindley, Lopez, Kruijwik, etc...not winning a GT YET doesn't mean they are not able to win a GT.

 

[noob]

I've been prepared for this for a long, long time, but still it's sad.

 

[carolina]

Let's hope this is his bad day.

 

[Elos Anjos]

If it wasn't for the horrible coverage we could have understood what happened. Some speak of a hunger knock.