João Almeida - The portuguese wolf

[Krzysztof_O]

I was worried early on the climb, but in the end it should be his rivals who should be worried. They could have dropped him but didn't. They might rue the day next week.

It's not like Carapaz, Bardet and Landa didn't want to gap the rest. They just couldn't get enough time on them cause they weren't much stronger than Almeida (they only had better accelerations). Sure, a gap of 10-20 seconds was possible but it's not like they could kill Almeida today, they weren't strong enough.

 

[groogster]

If they can’t put something around 50 seconds in front of Almeida he might close it at the final itt. I also expect that Almeida is building form for the final week so more and more despite him saying that he isn’t a contender for winning but only for the podium, I think that he is a true contender for winning this Giro with Carapaz, Bardet and Landa. May also Hindley after today’s performance.

 

[Extinction]

That was a hell of a ride, because I didn't think he would have stayed with the top climbers today. The ascent of Blockhause is a beast, as I rode it last year in a gran fondo. I only wish they had gone all the way to the top about another 7 k up the road.

 

[noob]

Well played by the whole team today! Formolo, Covi, Costa.

Meanwhile Almeida himself wasn't happy at all after this stage and said he didn't have the legs. Even in the start interview today he said he didn't feel good.

So far the finish interview is only on Eurosport not on YouTube. So here's the starting interview.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2c4FMoc1_Fg

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

It's not like Carapaz, Bardet and Landa didn't want to gap the rest. They just couldn't get enough time on them cause they weren't much stronger than Almeida (they only had better accelerations). Sure, a gap of 10-20 seconds was possible but it's not like they could kill Almeida today, they weren't strong enough.

I don't think that's what i was implying. It were the final kilometers of the climb, i know they weren't going to take minutes out of him. Yes, anywhere between 10-30 seconds, had they all committed 100%, might have been possible. It's quite possible that he will be better in week 3 and take time in the ITT as well. If they don't take advantage of days like these, when he's showing some signs or weakness, then chances are they won't be dropping him down the line either.

 

[ExperienPT]

I don't think that's what i was implying. It were the final kilometers of the climb, i know they weren't going to take minutes out of him. Yes, anywhere between 10-30 seconds, had they all committed 100%, might have been possible. It's quite possible that he will be better in week 3 and take time in the ITT as well. If they don't take advantage of days like these, when he's showing some signs or weakness, then chances are they won't be dropping him down the line either.

I think you are right, I think Joao was on a kind of bad day today, he was not feeling it (even he said it), and he lost contact in a big group with arguably a lot of worst climbers than him still there soon in the climb (today Formolo was there and rapidly minimized that bad moment, permitting Joao to find his steady rhythm again and come back to the pack fast enough). If today was indeed a bad day, and Joao's recovery is really good (as we think it is by the looks of Giro 2020/2021), making him a stronger 3rd-week rider I think they (Bardet, Landa, and Carapaz) lost perhaps one of the few opportunities to put some time between them and him.

 

[rm2021]

I was worried early on the climb, but in the end it should be his rivals who should be worried. They could have dropped him but didn't. They might rue the day next week.

Joao almeida had a bad day today. He said before the stage that he wasnt feeling good. He had gastric problems and didnt sleep very well. So like he said in the end of stage, he managed very well the situation to not lose time.
So yeah, they lose a chance to gain time to almeida, he will be better in the last week, he`s the main favourite with carapaz to win the giro.

 

[noob]

My guess is Almeida isn't as perfectly consistent as his reputation. 2020 he wasn't the best in third week, but instead 14 other days. 2021 he was worse at stage 4, but great third week. In Catalunia he lost the jersey because of bad positioning etc.

The pattern imo is that he has days when he's down. Oftentimes when cold or rainy.

But the fact that he was disappointed today still baffles me. Because if this was bad legs his good legs must be very very good

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Good stuff yesterday! Almeida did what Almeida does best and didn't lose any time which is very promising for his prospects this Giro. I believe he's a serious contender - perhaps even the favorite - for the title now.

 

[Bolder]

Ooh! This! Subconsciously this is exactly what goes on in my brain. I expect subconsciously every domestique to be Kuss, Maijka and Martinez! No wonder I am disappointed!

Thanks for putting words on my thoughts. (I am ruined by too much Horner podcasts! )

Can I just say that Horner is an idiot? I think he's dyslexic, too. It's embarrassing the way he mangles proper nouns (DroneHarper? WTF), and his annoying shouty voice and habit of repeating everyone's full name as well as the name of the race and the stage every 30 seconds is incredibly off-putting.

I think he MIGHT have something useful to say once in a while but he would need some serious elocution training before I'll tune in again.

Edit: I'm not making fun of dyslexia, but if you are going to comment on an international sport you need to practice unfamiliar names and words.

 

[Extinction]

Can I just say that Horner is an idiot? I think he's dyslexic, too. It's embarrassing the way he mangles proper nouns (DroneHarper? WTF), and his annoying shouty voice and habit of repeating everyone's full name as well as the name of the race and the stage every 30 seconds is incredibly off-putting.

I think he MIGHT have something useful to say once in a while but he would need some serious elocution training before I'll tune in again.

Edit: I'm not making fun of dyslexia, but if you are going to comment on an international sport you need to practice unfamiliar names and words.

It's as if you'd expect someone knows how to speak with elegance or at least properly to conduct a public discorse, but these are formalities that our mass culture no longer esteems or even desires. Rather such formalities are so often considered elitest and barriers to common understanding, like throwing pearls before swine. Moreover, social media platforms like Twitter have encouraged a bare bones form of communication with impoverished language that merely reflects the poverty of contemporary though; generated as it is by the made for easy consumption culture of the entertainment industry. It's mostly junk, like fast food, but everybody finds it quite savory.

 

[Extinction]

Back to Almeida, as I previously posted I was surprised he did not get dropped by the top climbers on such a brutal ascent. That he did so with stomach problems and a bad night's sleep could indicate he has otherwise stellar form. It will definitely be interesting how he goes in week 3. If healthy, he may yet win this...

 

[noob]

Here's finally that stage 9 interview at the finish.

 

[noob]

Portuguese people; please tell me how to pronounce his name. Once in a QS presentation video he said his own name and it sounded like only one syllable, while most others seems to use two?

 

[carolina]

João will be difficult to pronounce for english speaking countries, because the ~ is a nasal sound. For instance, the words "mão" and "mau" have different pronounciations in portuguese, but an english person will say them exactly the same way (mau).

Almeida is usually pronounced correctly, but sometimes people put the 'i' in the wrong place and say Almedia.

João Almeida pronunciation in Portuguese

How to say João Almeida in Portuguese? Pronunciation of João Almeida with 1 audio pronunciation, 1 meaning and more for João Almeida.

www.howtopronounce.com

 

[noob]

João will be difficult to pronounce for english speaking countries, because the ~ is a nasal sound. For instance, the words "mão" and "mau" have different pronounciations in portuguese, but an english person will say them exactly the same way (mau).

Almeida is usually pronounced correctly, but sometimes people put the 'i' in the wrong place and say Almedia.

João Almeida pronunciation in Portuguese

How to say João Almeida in Portuguese? Pronunciation of João Almeida with 1 audio pronunciation, 1 meaning and more for João Almeida.

www.howtopronounce.com

Thank you!

 

[memyselfandI]

I think he's canny young man and just keeping his lips quite tight, cards close to himself. Of course very hard stages about always expose everybody, but at the moment I think he's doing well. Not taking the pressure, the load just too much on him , what is really wise as it's still early.

But not an easy task, as Carapaz and Landa and Hindley are looking very strong, are more explosive I guess.. so it's waiting game sorta.

 

[noob]

I think he's canny young man and just keeping his lips quite tight, cards close to himself. Of course very hard stages about always expose everybody, but at the moment I think he's doing well. Not taking the pressure, the load just too much on him , what is really wise as it's still early.

But not an easy task, as Carapaz and Landa and Hindley are looking very strong, are more explosive I guess.. so it's waiting game sorta.

Song quote lol

(I had to google the meaning of the word "canny" as I wasn't sure of it and turns out there was a song about it )

 

[memyselfandI]

The one and only song for João right now is:

View: https://youtu.be/PU2kVCC-fKw


"Well, Mousy João got the master plan.
He got a hat full of sugar; folks said, "You a lucky man."
One night he just disappeared
And all we found was his hat in a clearing
Down by the Seven Eleven.
Folks cried, someone had died.
But I know João didn't go to heaven, no.

He went looking for trouble,
It was in his eyes."

 

[noob]

The one and only song for João right now is:

View: https://youtu.be/PU2kVCC-fKw


"Well, Mousy João got the master plan.
He got a hat full of sugar; folks said, "You a lucky man."
One night he just disappeared
And all we found was his hat in a clearing
Down by the Seven Eleven.
Folks cried, someone had died.
But I know João didn't go to heaven, no.

He went looking for trouble,
It was in his eyes."

"kinda quiet dude"

 

[Barnacle Bill]

I hadn't realised his descending was as weak as it appeared to be today, perhaps not the next Zakarin but definitely something to work on as he was constantly having to close gaps and couldn't hang with Pozzo at the end - cost him a chunk of time in a close race.

 

[roundabout]

I kind of expected him to be a bit better uphill, but I guess the chase before the 1st Superga might have had an effect

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Almeida before stage 14: "Giro boring"
Almeida after the stage: ...

 

[skippo12]

He was bored and decided to yo-yo the entire stage.

 

[groogster]

Almeida DNA all over the place at this stage.

The bads:

• positioning (as soon as Bora took the lead he was nowhere near where he should have).
• descending (as always very cautious on descents creating gaps that he needed to close afterwards spending precious and unnecessary energy)

The goods:

• amazing setting his own pace (never goes after the change of pace setting is own pace so never really on the red line)
• out of this world capabilities to close gaps in a way that still amazes me.

Conclusion:
Doesn’t seem the strongest of the bunch but with a real possibility of winning it despite of that.
UAE and Almeida already said that his preparation focused on the Dolomites and the final week so I guess that next Tuesday we will see if he has what it takes or not. He needs to be less than 40 seconds behind Carapaz and Hindley to be able to close it in the final iTT.