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João Almeida - Bota Lume

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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.

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To me it looks a bit like he didn't make the next step in climbing you'd hope a 22 year old would make in a year.
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.
 
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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.
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.
 
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.
 
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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?
 
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?
You mean anyone who never crashes badly?

Pogacar so far.....
 
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You mean anyone who never crashes badly?

Pogacar so far.....
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 :)
 
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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 :)
Armstrong had a remarkable run without illness or real injury.
 
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.
 
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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.
 
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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.
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.
 
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