Isn't he going with Ayuso to the vuelta?? Goint go the tour now would be insane schedule at his age imo :O
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Fair enough.Great TT by Almeida while finally being on the podium and getting a stage win, plus showed @Red Rick he can beat Kuss in the MTT
I think it's a good Giro for Almeida. Extremely consistent throughout.
It's weird that he only finished just over 1 minute down considering in the end it feels like he just was a level below Roglic and Thomas. I still think it's hard to see him win a GT in the future.
Last year, when asked about the Tour, he said the plan was to do the Tour this year. This was talked about before Yates moving to UAE, so maybe the plan has changed.
He already did Giro + Vuelta last year, so I don't think going to the Tour will be a problem.
as a portuguese I'm happy to see him getting a podium on a GT. but also a bit sad that it's becoming clearer that, barring a huge streak of luck, he'll hardly ever win a GT.
I think he wasn't that far away from it, this year. The trajectory continues up. He won a formidable stage 16 while attacking and fighting to the end, and he earns a very solid podium place. I think he can win a GT.
If all the stars line up, he can win one day the giro or the vuelta, just like all the stars line up to like when sporting won the portuguese league in 2021. In a grand tour without the aliens like remco, Vingegaard, pogacar, with a lot of ITT, with soft mountain stages and a good team behind him, he can win a grand tour.
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I have been wondering if a harder fought Giro would have made a difference for a couple of riders. In case the pace would have been higher before the final climb, or even final part of the final climb than now often was the case. Obviously some guys in the top 10 would not have been able to gather free time in breaks, but maybe a harder stage before the final climb would also have suited Almeida. Not to mention that if Roglic was indeed suffering in week 2 due to his crash, that he was never really tested.
I’m sure you thought this about Cadel. Then 2011 happened😉. I see some parallels in Almeida with Evans.
You said early this Giro that Almeida was at a similar level to 2021. I disagree, I think he has progressed, particularly climbing wise. His age should also tell you this. He still isn’t where he needs to be to win a grand tour but I say he will improve further. I think he will get more grand tour podiums and agree he is a real shot at winning one if, as you say, the stars align.
I think his climbing skills were at the same level of the last week giro 2021, not that superior. He even said before this giro in a interview, that he was in the same shape of giro 2021.
Roglic giro level 2023 vs Bernal giro 2021 who was the best? I'd guess (apart from last mtt Roglic) Bernal 2021 was overall better? Is this wrong?!
Who can tell?
Probably Roglic if measured by watts but giving that all watt performances are increasing all the time, maybe that's not the way to go to compare levels between seasons.
Bernal got dropped on every mountain stage in the 3rd week in 2021, and his TTs were average as well. Barring a Giau collapse I don't see Roglic ever losing that one.
That was Almeida only shot and he blew it. Look, I like Almeida, but I was extremely disappointed in how he approached especially stage 19. He got dropped a bit on stage 18, and his conclusion was: I need to defend and hope for a miracle on stage 20. Guess what, the stage you proved the strongest and won was ridden hard, and thats literally the only chance you have to win the race. You have the team to make it hard, but you don't try. Everybody knows he is a diesel, so why not use that to his advantage? Everyone was relatively fresh going into Tre Cime, but that wouldnt be the case if you actually race GIau hard.
Disappointing, so its hard for me to be happy for him and his performance despite he clearly was the rider I rooted for in this race once it became clear it was one of these three who would win. This was a good-decent chance to win, and he didn't even try. Disappointing.
Maybe he should have tried at stage 19 still an overall good performance. Being 24 I think that he still has room to improve so I think that sooner or later he will end up winning a GT.
If he reached his ceiling yes but it’s not silly to think that being only 24 he can improve even further so I think that he may well end up winning a GT sooner or later.
I agree.
He will be a contender for some time and every race will be different. Great form, right circumstances/scenario and he could have more opportunities down the line.
Way too early to disregard him now, right after he has finished 3rd?! I dont get some people.
Others might improve also. As I said, in my opinion, barring a huge event, he’ll hardly ever win a GT
As long as you can consistently come in the first four or five then you are a chance to win a GT.
Even nowadays if he isn’t directly competing with Pogacar, Vingegaard, Roglic and perhaps Evenepoel depending on the profile of the race he surely can win a GT against any of the other GC guys.
But sure you are entitled to have your own opinion which I respect.
Oh, he definitely can win a GT, but unlike Pog or Vingegaard or maybe Roglic and Remco, he'll need circumstances to come together. But he's good enough to be in the right place to take advantage when they do.
I can already picture the forum if Mas and Almeida are lights ahead of everyone else at the Vuelta.
Almeida won't even be team leader at the 2023 Vuelta a Espana!
Ayuso is 2nd fiddle at UAE. Frankly, we saw why at this Giro d'Italia.
First Portuguese Grand Tour podium since Agostinho is a nice archivement. But Almeida misses the punch to attack in order to win a Grand Tour.
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