Miguel Ángel Lopez Discussion Thread

[Red Rick]

Yeah, if smeone in the teamcar really made that call hes beyond saving...
If Rolic was back there with MAL I could totally understand why they would sacrifice his podium spot for winning the whole race, but those tactics make zero sense.

Roglic closing a gap he didn't strictly need to close was the whole reason anything happened there in the first place.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

According to new information Movistar forbid Lopez to close the gap (probably when Mas and others got away). Of course it's part of tactics to do the 1-2 attacks and let others chase, they probably didn't count on him and others losing so many minutes.

Surely that's rubbish or someone was making that call based on wrong information. Who did they count on to do the chase with only Bernal - who had repeatedly said that he doesn't care if he finishes 5th or 10th and has Yates up the road - domestiques like Kuss or guys even further down in the GC to do the chasing while the guy in 4th on GC is ahead of you with multiple teammates?

 

[BigCoward]

Even if true that movi tactics are horrendous and he was sabotaged in his bid for a podium, he still disgraced himself and should never be allowed to race again.

 

[Shelk]

I don't like sitting on my sofa watching these guys on TV & then lecturing or moralizing them when they have a meltdown or whatnot.

It's not like he punched anyone or disgraced himself publicly. This is between him & his team & we have no idea what the dynamic is there between them (nor can we speculate about potential repercussions until they actually happen).

You don't like, leave it for who likes it then

One could argue he did disgraced himself publicly and that he sure did disrespected the sport, one could... Not you sitting on the sofa or on your fake high horse, but the rest of us can

 

[tobydawq]

Even if true that movi tactics are horrendous and he was sabotaged in his bid for a podium, he still disgraced himself and should never be allowed to race again.

Okay, champ.

 

[BlueRoads]

Even if true that movi tactics are horrendous and he was sabotaged in his bid for a podium, he still disgraced himself and should never be allowed to race again.

Nonsense, if it's true Movistar need to have a very, very good look at themselves and Lopez hasn't acted in the best way but understandable. If it's not true they could try to end his contract and he could go to another team, probably for a lot less money... but who on earth should "forbid him to race ever again"??

 

[ice&fire]

I migth be innaccurate, but the way I recall it is that Bernal attacks, Lopez follows and when the rest of the group gets up to them Yates counterattacks and neither Bernal nor Lopez can follow. Then Bahrain pulls in the front group and only Lopez chases but he's unable to reduce the gap. In the flat before the penultimate climb the group of Lopez/Bernal is joined by a group coming from behind and Rojas starts pulling. The gap at that time was around 4 minutes, so podium was clearly lost.

I have a hard time believing he was asked to stop chasing unless it was that late and just meaning it's lost, it's no longer worth the effort of going full gas.

 

[Colombianfan]

All for the most boring rider ever in Enric Mas i mean Haimer Mas

 

[Colombianfan]

All for the most boring rider ever in Enric Mas i mean Haimer Mas

 

[BigCoward]

Okay, champ.

Well that added a lot the discussion.

Nonsense, if it's true Movistar need to have a very, very good look at themselves and Lopez hasn't acted in the best way but understandable. If it's not true they could try to end his contract and he could go to another team, probably for a lot less money... but who on earth should "forbid him to race ever again"??

Forbid was the wrong word. Nobody should ever give him a contract. He is completely unemployable, who would want to ride for him or rely on him to work for them?

 

[perico]

All for the most boring rider ever in Enric Mas i mean Haimer Mas

Welcome back Ryu

 

[BlueRoads]

Well that added a lot the discussion.


Forbid was the wrong word. Nobody should ever give him a contract. He is completely unemployable, who would want to ride for him or rely on him to work for them?

Okay, I disagree a bit, I think his value went down but he will still find a job, just like Rohan Dennis did, but I can understand you better now.

 

[Colombianfan]

Welcome back Ryu

Don't know what you mean but Mas is a boring rider he is a rich mans Haimer Zubleidia

 

[Gigs_98]

There is just no way he was actually forbidden to chase. I refuse to believe someone who has any clue about cycling would make that call.

 

[Rackham]

You don't like, leave it for who likes it then

One could argue he did disgraced himself publicly and that he sure did disrespected the sport, one could... Not you sitting on the sofa or on your fake high horse, but the rest of us can

Actually, I'd say it's the people calling for Lopez to be sanctioned who're actually on their "high horse".

I take this sport for what it is: a bike race.

Sometimes beneath the corporatism & hyper controlled performances + scientific data + earpieces, we get some real human drama at the end of a 3 week GT raced in conditions ranging from scorching hot to wet & everything in between.

For me (aka as a spectator) what happened is no big deal. Not my problem. Movistar & Lopez can sort this stuff out between them.

 

[roundabout]

I migth be innaccurate, but the way I recall it is that Bernal attacks, Lopez follows and when the rest of the group gets up to them Yates counterattacks and neither Bernal nor Lopez can follow. Then Bahrain pulls in the front group and only Lopez chases but he's unable to reduce the gap. In the flat before the penultimate climb the group of Lopez/Bernal is joined by a group coming from behind and Rojas starts pulling. The gap at that time was around 4 minutes, so podium was clearly lost.

I have a hard time believing he was asked to stop chasing unless it was that late and just meaning it's lost, it's no longer worth the effort of going full gas.

First Yates attack is here

View: https://youtu.be/cb1g6_rqDmg?t=77


It's a highlights video so it misses some sequences, but here

View: https://youtu.be/cb1g6_rqDmg?t=111


MAL was in the decent position to follow, but did not.

Why it happened will probably remain a mistery.

 

[hrotha]

On the one hand it sounds implausible, on the other hand this is Movistar we're talking about. I'm torn.

But anyway, even if that's what happened, if the team gives you a clearly absurd order you just don't obey and go get that podium instead. What are they going to do, physically pull you off your bike?

 

[Escarabajo]

...


MAL was in the decent position to follow, but did not.

Why it happened will probably remain a mistery.

I am confused about that too. He looked just fine a few minutes back. That was one of the weirdest moments that I have seen in a long time.

 

[perico]

First Yates attack is here

View: https://youtu.be/cb1g6_rqDmg?t=77


It's a highlights video so it misses some sequences, but here

View: https://youtu.be/cb1g6_rqDmg?t=111


MAL was in the decent position to follow, but did not.

Why it happened will probably remain a mistery.

He was pulling there in the video. He pulled for a good part of the climb. No one else would work with him until his teammate came back and worked for him. Where was he told to sit up?

 

[BlueRoads]

On the one hand it sounds implausible, on the other hand this is Movistar we're talking about. I'm torn.

Let's face it: this Vuelta wasn't bursting from suspense. They needed something spectacular for their third season and one has to wonder what they paid López to act this.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Actually, I'd say it's the people calling for Lopez to be sanctioned who're actually on their "high horse".

I take this sport for what it is: a bike race.

Sometimes beneath the corporatism & hyper controlled performances + scientific data + earpieces, we get some real human drama at the end of a 3 week GT raced in conditions ranging from scorching hot to wet & everything in between.

For me (aka as a spectator) what happened is no big deal. Not my problem. Movistar & Lopez can sort this stuff out between them.

I'm gutted that there is to be no season 3 of The Least Expected Day.

 

[roundabout]

He was pulling there in the video. He pulled for a good part of the climb. No one else would work with him until his teammate came back and worked for him. Where was he told to sit up?

I presume (and I can be easily wrong) that the main point of contention was the moment when the move happened. Not any point after.

 

[ice&fire]

First Yates attack is here

It's a highlights video so it misses some sequences, but here

View: https://youtu.be/cb1g6_rqDmg?t=111


MAL was in the decent position to follow, but did not.

Why it happened will probably remain a mistery.

Thanks

It's all there. With 57.7km to go Bernal attacks and is followed by Haig and Lopez. With 57.5km to go all are regrouped and Yates attacks. If Lopez didn't follow either for lack of legs or bad choice, he can't blame nobody but himself.

 

[Escarabajo]

He was pulling there in the video. He pulled for a good part of the climb. No one else would work with him until his teammate came back and worked for him. Where was he told to sit up?

I don't believe that Movistar told him that either. However He did slow down for a few minutes. IMHO.

 

[Cookster15]

Lopez has another shocker after winning a tough MTF in the 3rd week of a grand tour. Not the first time. I was interested to see how MAL would back up his win on the Gamoniteiru after his capitulation in the 2020 TdF after winning on stage 17 atop Col de la Loze. I thought Lopez might have a bad TT. But the disappointment came earlier.

His behavior and reaction only came because he got himself into a grand tour podium position again but his body couldn't hold that level to the end. Is anyone questioning his recovery,, I think that is the issue again today?

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