To many attacks for his liking. The climbs that suit him better are the long and constant climbs where he does feel comfortable. So no surprises for me with this type of parcour and chaos on the front.
- Nov 6, 2020
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I thought the same last year before the 3rd week where he did finally show the step up from 2020. There is still hope he can do that again.
- Jul 10, 2014
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I think his climbing was great, but his descending not so much. He lost so much energy just catching up always that it cost him in the end.
I still have doubts about it. He may be better at high mountain stages just for what we saw from him in the last years 3rd week. I’m starting to see a trend in Almeida, he just lacks the positioning at the crucial moments of the stages who causes him to waste energy that otherwise he could save, the other trend i’m seeing , the lack of descending ability, not sure it’s fear or bike handling. He surely needs to improve both otherwise he will never get a chance of winning a GT. Maybe he could go with Remco to a descend training camp next season.
- Feb 20, 2012
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I actually think Almeida already overperforms a little on some climbs because he paces himself more efficiently. But he's nearly always at the short end of the stick on the big climbs. Sega di Ala is literally the one time he looked like a GT winning climber.
Sega di Ala and Alpe di Mera (stage 19) in both stages he was climbing with the best if not the best of them all. Let’s see if he can replicate those at this final week.
- Feb 20, 2012
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Could be.
I do think he's better at unipuerto stages than chaotic ones. But if he gets close I think he'll get targeted on a descent and taken to the cleaners.
- Jul 10, 2014
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Interview:
"He can be dropped, I can be dropped, everyone can be dropped" - Joao Almeida
View: https://twitter.com/giroditalia/status/1528045915235356673?s=20&t=6EDRUOy3z-VRoIpUuOcPLA
"He can be dropped, I can be dropped, everyone can be dropped" - Joao Almeida
View: https://twitter.com/giroditalia/status/1528045915235356673?s=20&t=6EDRUOy3z-VRoIpUuOcPLA
Agree, because he lacks the descending skills until he can improve descending he will be better at unipuerto stages. A guy like Bilbao will put him against the ropes easily
- Aug 9, 2021
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If positioning and descending is the problems and he hardly ever get any injuries I would say he's riding safer than his competition through and through?
I really am not fully convinced about the risk benefits here.
Is there anyone that has won a GT without having nasty crashes other days? I mean there should be possible to do crash statistics on riders, no?
I really am not fully convinced about the risk benefits here.
Is there anyone that has won a GT without having nasty crashes other days? I mean there should be possible to do crash statistics on riders, no?
- Feb 20, 2012
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- Aug 9, 2021
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Yes exactly. He's the only one I can think of. All the others I have seen wining GC or classics goes down on an almost regular basis. I have seen Pog bleeding in a smaller race (or was it Tirreno?), but never Almeida.
Historically has anyone as good as Pog been as good as Pog with avoiding crasches? I am really curious about these things
- Jul 7, 2013
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Historically has anyone as good as Pog been as good as Pog with avoiding crasches? I am really curious about these things
Pog is only 23 yo so probability has favoured him so far compared to older guys.
- Apr 3, 2009
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Armstrong had a remarkable run without illness or real injury.Yes exactly. He's the only one I can think of. All the others I have seen wining GC or classics goes down on an almost regular basis. I have seen Pog bleeding in a smaller race (or was it Tirreno?), but never Almeida.
Historically has anyone as good as Pog been as good as Pog with avoiding crasches? I am really curious about these things
- Aug 9, 2021
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Here's a question that probably doesn't interest anyone more than myself; what's with the lighting in so many post race interviews making riders look as if they were filmed with a skin finish filter? Or is it that they actually have a skin finish filter? I have wondered about this in race after race why on earth every rider looks like they have gorgeous skin when I know very well they don't.
- Aug 9, 2021
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This makes me want to continue in the clinic. It gives me really weird thoughts
- Apr 3, 2009
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There’s nothing clinic about it. We’re talking about crashing.This makes me want to continue in the clinic. It gives me really weird thoughts
- Jun 7, 2011
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- Aug 9, 2021
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Lots of talk about Almeida, UAE and his descending. Questioning if him changing to UAE bikes might factor in.
Last edited:
- Sep 29, 2013
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I knew his descending wasn't great, but I didn't think it was this bad. Absolutely terrible.
He showed he is really strong, but for the worst reasons possible. Always trying to catch the others because he lacks basic descending skills. Can't follow the line from the guy in front of him and can't use the drops. Unbelievable.
He showed he is really strong, but for the worst reasons possible. Always trying to catch the others because he lacks basic descending skills. Can't follow the line from the guy in front of him and can't use the drops. Unbelievable.
- Apr 10, 2019
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I think steep gradients kinda help him in a way. Once it's steep enough/slow enough that drafting doesn't really matter his way of pacing himself becomes a lot more efficient that following every acceleration and buring yourself out that way. He did ride a pretty good Giau ascent (anothr steep climb) last year after being in the breakaway.
- Apr 10, 2019
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With Basso it was mainly that he wasn't willing to take any risks, he never really made the technical mistakes that Joao is making.
The really should work on it with him during the next few training camps and during the off-season.
- Sep 2, 2011
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His positioning and descending are truly awful. UAE will need to always have somebody in the break to assist him in case anything goes wrong.
Even if he performs at 2021 level in the third week he could lose a chance to win the Giro on a techcnical, wet descent.
Even if he performs at 2021 level in the third week he could lose a chance to win the Giro on a techcnical, wet descent.
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