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Agreeing with Benji; Almeida has some fear about going into red. When did he do that to the extent he should worry that much about it today? Like was he always this extreme?
I'd still say his level is better than last year at the same time. It's just the competition is much harder.
I'd still say his level is better than last year at the same time. It's just the competition is much harder.
Who do you consider a podium contender in the Giro? Roglic probably will be better in the ITTs but maybe you gifting him the second spot behind Remco and so we are only talking 3rd place.
Thomas: Could come close to Roglic on at least 2 of the 3 courses. In top form better TTer then Almeida.
Vine: Unsure where he is as a TTer. Could loose minutes to Almeida or doesn't loose much.
Vlasov: Seems to have a few problems with TTs in Grand Tours but overall not bad against the clock.
Those 3 + Almeida would be my favourites for the third podium spot and I wouldn't expect them to stink in the TT and it would be a surprise for Almeida to take minutes on all of them if you consider his TT results at UAE (maybe on Vine that guy is a real wildcard).
If we got to the 7 to 15 range of potential GC riders the picture gets of course more mixed but anyone of those guys on the podium would be a real upset.
Geoghan Hart: Maybe it's now his part to do the Hindley. Solid Ineos TT set-up. But you never know he could be out of the Lineup like with the Tour last year. Arensman and Ganna smash the TTs of course but I don't see them hanging on with those mountains.
Ciccone: Early Season success but he's the GC guy that is potentially tanked by the TT heavy course. On the other hand those crazy altitude mountain stages are also not really his cup of tea as he likes the shorter, punchier stuff better.
Kelderman: Yes he's Roglic Number 1 domestique but if something happens I think he's still good enough.
Kämna: I think his whole case for trying to go the GC route is his overall versatility. Don't know if the T-A TT was a fluke but he has all the tools to become one of the best TT GC riders.
Haig and Caruso are also ok on the TT bike. Mollema and pinot probably won't go for GC so... Pozzovivo will ship a ton of time but that's for tenth place. Don't know who else on the startlist could be considered as GC Rider. EF Probably will bring on or two as well.
For me in the end there's a relatively strong TT field in the Giro especially in the second tier GC riders as the real bad ones (Landa, hindley, Carthy, carapaz) probably miss the Giro because of the route. So I see now big advantage for Joa in the fight for the podium. In the end for the win he has to break Remco like everybody else. For the podium it's close enough that he doesn't has much room for error in the mountains if any.
That's also where my concern is with Almeida. The way he rides in the mountains at UAE is not very suitable to go on the attack and start a mountain raid. I also think that UAE is missing key domestiques if the y want to contest the race.
If I look in my crystal ball I could see a fith place but I must say I'm not very convinced when it comes to his development (when we are talking Top GC riders - Almeida is of course a great rider).
Does San Millan (favourite mythical z2 cult leader and gianetti friend) only work with Pogacar and Ajuso from UAE, or I am making that up?
Arensman isn't some 80kg gorilla who can only TT. He's a climber who is also very good at TT. Basically the same type as Almeida, except for the fact that i rate him considerably higher at TT than Almeida (since joining UAE), but a bit below him as a climber. Last year he finished 20 seconds behind Almeida in the Vuelta GC, and Arensman suffered a heatstroke during the TT then. If he would have been 100%, he could have finished ahead of Almeida in GC. You can say that Almeida did the Giro so the Vuelta was only a secondary target, but the same was true for Arensman, who also did the Giro (and finished it). He's also over a year younger than Almeida.
Arensman for sure is a guy Almeida should keep an eye on. Now, Almeida seems to be climbing better this year, and Arensman is actually climbing worse than last year so far, so for the moment i think Almeida should be able to come out on top, but in the TT's Arensman should take time back. If Arensman can keep developing and can ride his own race in the Giro, he could be a rival for Almeida.
That said, João has been very strong this week, especially his ride on stage 2 was impressive.
You´ll have Geraint Thomas, Vlasov, Arensman that will be on par with Almeida in those itt.
I have high expectations about Almeida's performance this Giro, let's see how he'll come out of the Sierra Nevada training camp this year. San Millan said that he'll be better this Giro so...
If everything goes as expected for all of the GC guys in the Giro, we'll have Evenepoel and Roglic fighting for the win and Almeida with good chances of ending top3
It's not one training camp that will put almeida better than last year. That's all bullsh*t by is coach. The new training methods are not working for almeida at UAE.
Joao almeida last week of giro 2021 is so much better than joao almeida at UAE.
Yet he was fighting sickness and Covid on a new team. He was going well before he got sick. All while the team hangs him out to dry.
Unless you have inside information, that's just cherrypicking. Let's wait and see. Of course you're entitled to boastful posts that draw more attention.
By now I'm starting to compare Almeida with Skalman with his watch and Sheldon Cooper with his pooping schedule and wondering if he's simply not flexible.
The way he didn't follow yesterday was quite remarkable.
The way he didn't follow yesterday was quite remarkable.
So we pretty much agree that Il Giro is about a podium. That will not be easy. Joao will have to be opportunistic but also have some stages well prepped with a team strategy, and execute the plan. AG2R in the stage to Saint-Gervais in '16 comes to mind, Bardet goes from 5th to 2nd with two stages to go. Joao knows, 4th, 5th, 6th, the wolf has to be hungry. At Il Giro, he needs a team and he needs to bite.
UAE are a total shamble. Just look at last year Volta a Catalunya with the Soler punk and Ayuso all over the place. Do these guys know they are broadcasted and seen by everyone?
And in 2023 they do it again. It's like they are racing against each other. There's nothing to convince me that João just depends on his legs and UAE is just a oil-money team with no tactics, no acumen, no organizational prowess.
And in 2023 they do it again. It's like they are racing against each other. There's nothing to convince me that João just depends on his legs and UAE is just a oil-money team with no tactics, no acumen, no organizational prowess.
UAE Tour last year Pog said the plan was for Almeida to attack Jebel Jais but when he didn't Pog did instead. I found that already a bit weird. It seems there was no communication between Almeida and Pog at that time so Pog just went for it, but nowadays I wonder; where was the team car in this? Why no communication from Almeida? Or the team car?
Is the team as chaotic when Almeida is not in the race? Just raising questions because how else to learn? <3
Edit: God, this phone is going all Soler on me. Now on a computer I've fixed and merged my posts a bit.
Is the team as chaotic when Almeida is not in the race? Just raising questions because how else to learn? <3
Edit: God, this phone is going all Soler on me. Now on a computer I've fixed and merged my posts a bit.
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Almeida 3e today and super strong. Become 3e gc. This can be the gc podium in the giro!
Dear friend, it's not just about the mountains. Look at the TT, he got worst.
I liked more what he did today but he also benefited from the fact that remco and roglic "stopped".
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