João Almeida - The portuguese wolf

[Extinction]

That’s quite an assumption when he literally got dropped on every significant final mountain so far. Really hoping the podium will be Carapaz, Hindley and Landa, who are just the best riders in this race.

He got dropped, but marginally and never collapsed thus far, for which his should be applauded. Indeed he is not the best climber in this race, but with just one long time trial his skillset would have been justly balanced against the pure climbers. And may the best complete rider win.

 

[Ripper]

Not being on podium is bad result for Joao and I agree that he will be softly pushed for domestic role with time if he doesn't improve. With such long contract he will not even be able to change to a team that supports him better. He needs to show his A game Friday and Saturday.

If this is to be true, then can you explain Landa's continued chances at team leadership?

 

[greyclouds]

In Portuguese, I wondered if he said something more.

We call it Portunhol! He basically said that it's not over

 

[Pistolas]

Uhm no, it's not a bad result considering the lack of ITT. That's been said all along that this giro doesn't suit him that well.

Problem is Giro always tries to compete with Tour by being more heavily charged with mountain stages and less TT. He will never be a leader at Tour, and the Vuelta is never the main objective for a GT contender, and this year he will probably work already for Pogacar there.

 

[Pistolas]

If this is to be true, then can you explain Landa's continued chances at team leadership?

Landismo and lack of quality in Spanish GT contenders since Contador.

 

[AlfaLum]

He got dropped, but marginally and never collapsed thus far, for which his should be applauded. Indeed he is not the best climber in this race, but with just one long time trial his skillset would have been justly balanced against the pure climbers. And may the best complete rider win.

Everybody is entitled to applaud any rider they want. His resistance is awesome and admirable. But for me Almeida is not a rider I like watching a lot.

Also I think he is still in contention because domestiques for the big contenders have been quite poorly until today. Today was the first time there was actually a domestique deep in the final. So now Carapaz, Landa and Hindley didn’t need to pretend to take decent turns while only taking half decent turns.

 

[noob]

Seriously, who is even in charge of the strategy on the road when the don't have TP in the race?

The press officier

 

[Red Rick]

Same for Dumoulin.

Dumoulin won the first GT he legit tried to win. Then he got 2nd and 2nd.

Also won MTFs straight outta the gate.

 

[noob]

Aaaaaaaah I get it!!!!!

UAE is an Italian team lead by Italian team directors in an Italian race!

There's no way they cannot give the Italians their chances without getting flogged.

 

[Netserk]

Dumoulin won the first GT he legit tried to win. Then he got 2nd and 2nd.

Also won MTFs straight outta the gate.

Almeida could just as well have won on Sega di Ala last year (and that would equalise Tom's win on Oropa), and I think Dumoulin did try to win the 2015 Vuelta (and the 2016 Giro).

 

[groogster]

Everybody is entitled to applaud any rider they want. His resistance is awesome and admirable. But for me Almeida is not a rider I like watching a lot.

Also I think he is still in contention because domestiques for the big contenders have been quite poorly until today. Today was the first time there was actually a domestique deep in the final. So now Carapaz, Landa and Hindley didn’t need to pretend to take decent turns while only taking half decent turns.

Are you seriously talking about domestiques not being that strong? Do the exercise otherwise then, what would happen if Almeida’s domestiques were as strong as Bahrein Ineos and Bora,s domestiques? Could it maybe, just maybe that in that case Almeida was still in contention? And if this Giro has not 2 itts but 3 like was used to?
Not being amongst the best 3 climbers on the race, 100% sure he haven’t been and it will never be, as a young prospect that can have a shot for a win in a future GT, imo yes

 

[Red Rick]

Almeida could just as well have won on Sega di Ala last year (and that would equalise Tom's win on Oropa), and I think Dumoulin did try to win the 2015 Vuelta.

Dumo didn't prepare to go for Vuelta GC in 2015.

Also Oropa >>>> Sega di Ala. Dropping Yates after he does most of the work vs dropping literally everyone straight off the wheel by grinding tempo.

 

[Pistolas]

Aaaaaaaah I get it!!!!!

UAE is an Italian team lead by Italian team directors in an Italian race!

There's no way they cannot give the Italians their chances without getting flogged.

UAE is exactly like those Arab owned football clubs: they contract a lot of stars, huge payments and then they suck colectivelly and tactically and everyone plays for itself.

 

[KZD]

Today was Dumoulin Piancavallo 2017 all over again, the big difference of course is that Almeida won't win the overall due to the low TT distance

 

[Netserk]

Also Oropa >>>> Sega di Ala. Dropping Yates after he does most of the work vs dropping literally everyone straight off the wheel by grinding tempo.

At least Sega di Ala qualifies as a mountain stage. Oropa only surpassed 1000 vertical meters thanks to 80 km of flat that contained 130 vertical meters.

 

[Red Rick]

At least Sega di Ala qualifies as a mountain stage. Oropa only surpassed 1000 vertical meters thanks to 80 km of flat that contained 130 vertical meters.

Had bigger gaps among the top climbers of the 2017 Giro than the top guys with less personal space that siamese twins that keep popping Almeida

Also was legit defending himself in 5 climb dolomite stages.

 

[groogster]

There’s no need for anyone to jump on Almeida’s fan club. Let us be dreaming that some day it might happen. This wasn’t something unexpected to be fair and still despite that I’m a little bit disappointed with todays performance by him. It could be that we had higher hopes than Almeida himself, he was clear before this Giro saying to the press that he wasn’t capable of winning this giro so…

 

[AlfaLum]

Are you seriously talking about domestiques not being that strong? Do the exercise otherwise then, what would happen if Almeida’s domestiques were as strong as Bahrein Ineos and Bora,s domestiques? Could it maybe, just maybe that in that case Almeida was still in contention? And if this Giro has not 2 itts but 3 like was used to?
Not being amongst the best 3 climbers on the race, 100% sure he haven’t been and it will never be, as a young prospect that can have a shot for a win in a future GT, imo yes

No I don’t think Almeida would have been in a better position with a good domestique. I think he hardly profits from it. Almeida is just not good enough to follow the better riders in this race. And it is starting to become a bit ridiculous how many excuses I am reading here on how he is still the best/most allround/super underrated rider in this giro.

If he improves I can see him win GTs of course. But for now he is just what he is, too weak climbing wise to play a role for an actual GT win. And I think he would have been distanced further from the leader if:
A) There would be a higher level of domestiques in this Giro
B) if there wasn’t an impasse an almost every final climb because the three best riders in the race are so equal (exception being today, because I think this was the first time they actually agreed to focus partially on distancing Almeida)

 

[roundabout]

feels like for whatever reason it does not seem like he has taken another step forward this year nor does it look like his form is improving on week 3 relative to the rest

 

[groogster]

No I don’t think Almeida would have been in a better position with a good domestique. I think he hardly profits from it. Almeida is just not good enough to follow the better riders in this race. And it is starting to become a bit ridiculous how many excuses I am reading here on how he is still the best/most allround/super underrated rider in this giro.

If he improves I can see him win GTs of course. But for now he is just what he is, too weak climbing wise to play a role for an actual GT win. And I think he would have been distanced further from the leader if:
A) There would be a higher level of domestiques in this Giro
B) if there wasn’t an impasse an almost every final climb because the three best riders in the race are so equal (exception being today, because I think this was the first time they actually agreed to focus partially on distancing Almeida)

I assume then that you haven’t watch yesterdays stage. And no one is being ridiculous here, I haven’t read anywhere someone saying he was the best climber or that he is a super underrated rider. He is just the most balanced rider but that is rather obvious and by no means puts him being the best rider which he is not.
One thing is certain, he is the best amongst the youngest riders at this Giro and that’s why he is wearing the youth jersey with a gap of almost 10 minutes to the 2nd. We can then consider that if he is the best amongst the youngest he may also be the best someday in a GT when he is older.

 

[Ripper]

I assume then that you haven’t watch yesterdays stage. And no one is being ridiculous here, I haven’t read anywhere someone saying he was the best climber or that he is a super underrated rider. He is just the most balanced rider but that is rather obvious and by no means puts him being the best rider which he is not.
One thing is certain, he is the best amongst the youngest riders at this Giro and that’s why he is wearing the youth jersey with a gap of almost 10 minutes to the 2nd. We can then consider that if he is the best amongst the youngest he may also be the best someday in a GT when he is older.

To add to your comments, I don't know how one could say that with better support (considering he has had zero to close any gaps), he would not be in a better position. He might still be in fourth spot, or perhaps not. But he would definitely have better energy reserves and would very likely be a lot closer.

 

[Ripper]

Aaaaaaaah I get it!!!!!

UAE is an Italian team lead by Italian team directors in an Italian race!

There's no way they cannot give the Italians their chances without getting flogged.

That is part of it, but consider that a) UAE tend to have pretty ubiquitously terrible strategy without their one superstar, and b) the folks they are sending into breaks are still bad choices for their overall hopes (which still matter) and also for their 'Italian' hopes. So, if they are playing a nationalistic tone, they are still sucking at it, still losing at it, all the while eroding their GC hopes. It is like watching the Movistar show on Netflix - sometimes strategy deployment in pro racing is embarrassingly bad.

Tangent - what is up with the sh*t live coverage? Is the Giro seriously financially hurting, or is there another reason for such bad coverage?

 

[noob]

That is part of it, but consider that a) UAE tend to have pretty ubiquitously terrible strategy without their one superstar, and b) the folks they are sending into breaks are still bad choices for their overall hopes (which still matter) and also for their 'Italian' hopes. So, if they are playing a nationalistic tone, they are still sucking at it, still losing at it, all the while eroding their GC hopes. It is like watching the Movistar show on Netflix - sometimes strategy deployment in pro racing is embarrassingly bad.

Tangent - what is up with the sh*t live coverage? Is the Giro seriously financially hurting, or is there another reason for such bad coverage?

I do agree UAE would make a great Netflix show about their team tactics I think they are trying with the Italians, but failing spectacularly.

 

[groogster]

To add to your comments, I don't know how one could say that with better support (considering he has had zero to close any gaps), he would not be in a better position. He might still be in fourth spot, or perhaps not. But he would definitely have better energy reserves and would very likely be a lot closer.

let him be with his opinion, I won’t even bother to continue a discussion with him. Let’s just say that he is right and let him win the debate.

 

[Extinction]

Everybody is entitled to applaud any rider they want. His resistance is awesome and admirable. But for me Almeida is not a rider I like watching a lot.

Also I think he is still in contention because domestiques for the big contenders have been quite poorly until today. Today was the first time there was actually a domestique deep in the final. So now Carapaz, Landa and Hindley didn’t need to pretend to take decent turns while only taking half decent turns.

To be sure Almeida is no Indurain, however, there were once courses that valued a decent TT at the Giro even with 25,000 meters of climbing. It would have thus been better for this race to have a 50 k tt included, because the slug fest amongst the current trio of climbers leaves something to be desired.