Miguel Ángel Lopez Discussion Thread

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perico

perico

Mar 11, 2009
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roundabout said:
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.
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It looked like he was marking Bernal while Mas was marking Roglic, which they’ve done since the Vuelta started. They wouldn’t have told him to sit up now after allowing both Lopez and Mas to catch up to the attacks every single stage up until today.
 
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roundabout

roundabout

Jun 7, 2010
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ice&fire said:
Thanks

It's all there. With 57.7km to go Bernal attacks and is followed by Haig an 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.
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I mean I can sort of understand his frustration at the team if the car indeed told him not to follow at that point, but at the time he should also be able to decide for himself if the move is dangerous for him or not.

But maybe I am also completely wrong and this is not where the MAL/team incident happened.
 
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Libertine Seguros

Libertine Seguros

Feb 20, 2010
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I think the idea of sanctioning him for this is kind of comical. He's already sanctioned himself by pulling out of a race that he'd have been at least in the top 10 of even if he just sat up, and considering he just signed a contract extension, either he breaks it and signs elsewhere, likely for less than his on-bike talent should be worth after such a high profile meltdown, or he returns to the team with his tail between his legs. As for refusing to believe anybody in the team car could possibly make that call, if I'm totally honest I wouldn't put it past any of Movistar's DSes other than Pablo Lastras, who I have plenty of time for. One thing you could never accuse Supermán of is being boring, and for that we should be thankful. There are far too many riders who've only known racing to be a matter of sitting in sprint trains or holding on to mountain trains in recent years, and while things are improving, not everybody can deviate from that template by being Wout van Aert or Remco Evenepoel. Others have to add colour to the race in the way they can, and Miguel Ángel López adds fire, either on or off the bike.

I'm starting to warm to my Sastre/Jiménez comparison for him and Mas, to be totally honest.
 
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luckyboy

luckyboy

May 26, 2009
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Sounds like they told him to stop chasing after he was already riding on the front of that group, no?

It doesn't make much sense unless they are really terrified of bringing Bernal back to the front to work with Yates to take minutes on Mas, but eh that makes more sense than telling him to stop chasing immediately after the split happened.
 
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roundabout

roundabout

Jun 7, 2010
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perico said:
It looked like he was marking Bernal while Mas was marking Roglic, which they’ve done since the Vuelta started. They wouldn’t have told him to sit up now after allowing both Lopez and Mas to catch up to the attacks every single stage up until today.
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I'd be very surprised if Lopez got this upset as a result of being told to sit up when he was facing the prospect of chasing alone against Padun/Mäder and then probably Haig for 50km.
 
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luckyboy

luckyboy

May 26, 2009
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BigCoward said:
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?
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Is he? I'm sure there are some smaller teams who would love several high profile wins per year even if it means he abandons a top 10 place as a result. Winning Andalucia, Ventoux and Gamoniteiru would be better than anything the big names Arkea have done, for a start.
 
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Tricycle Rider

Tricycle Rider

Feb 9, 2013
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Bolder said:
I have to admit I didn't quite expect this sort of thing from MAL. Very curious to see how it plays out. He's been one of my favorite riders to watch on mountain stages, so I honestly hope this isn't a permanent black mark on his career.
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I would think it would take quite a bit of doing (both physical and emotional) to be willing to give up at this point.

We must stay tuned... although our TV drama may be another guy's career.
 
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Eddy Evenepoel

Eddy Evenepoel

Aug 31, 2019
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luckyboy said:
Sounds like they told him to stop chasing after he was already riding on the front of that groups, no?

It doesn't make much sense unless they are really terrified of bringing Bernal back to the front to work with Yates to take minutes on Mas, but eh that makes more sense than telling him to stop chasing immediately after the split happened.
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It would make sense If they told him its no point in chasing alone against several riders working together in the front group, wouldnt it?
 
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T-Nielsen

T-Nielsen

May 23, 2011
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BigCoward said:
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.
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All in all I would say this comment is a larger overreaction then Superman quitting the race.

After all Movistar would not a GT stagewin to their name without him.
 
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luckyboy

luckyboy

May 26, 2009
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Eddy Evenepoel said:
It would make sense If they told him its no point in chasing alone against several riders working together in the front group, wouldnt it?
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That's not the same as commanding him to stop working though is it.

If they had just said "oh you're losing time, there's no point in keeping on working" then his reaction would be bizarre.
 
perico

perico

Mar 11, 2009
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KZD said:
First ofall its not Haimer but Haimar and Mas attacked several times in this Vuelta he is not like your countryman Rigoberto Uran.
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If my theory is correct, he’s a Dutch guy with a slightly unhealthy obsession with Colombian pro cyclists.
 
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lenric

lenric

May 19, 2014
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KZD said:
First ofall its not Haimer but Haimar and Mas attacked several times in this Vuelta he is not like your countryman Rigoberto Uran.
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come on, uran already attacked this year. it was a 20 seconds attack, which is about above average for him.
 
S

Skijumper Roglic fan

Aug 28, 2021
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Lopez‘ abandon is strange, and I would really be interested what made him abandon.

If Movistar really told him not to chase, that could be the only explanation why he was frustrated.

He normally has a rather weak time trial at the end of a GT, so his podium place would have been endangered tomorrow, anyways…

I hope Movistar and Lopez himself will release statements soon, although this clearly is a lose-lose situation for both.

Let‘s wait for tomorrow, but it seems Lopez‘ victory on Thursday will remain Movistar‘s only GT stage victory in 2021. Furthermore, it looks like Mas will finish on Vuelta‘s podium, so it was a good Vuelta for the team. I think Movistar and Lopez will have time to talk after the Vuelta.

In general, Lopez was successful in 2021, and has finished Giro and Vuelta on the podium already, was sixth in the Tour, has a nice palmares, and is still not too old to improve.

I think Movistar‘s future with Lopez should look bright, but both sides should avoid the mistake/-s they did today, whatever it was.

These races, however, sometimes demand quick decisions, and mistakes cannot be avoided completely.

If it is really the case that Lopez thought, „Podium is lost, and I‘m not interested in a Top 10 final spot“, then it‘s really strange. Bernal, for example, won a TdF and a Giro, and still seems content to finish this Vuelta somewhere mid-Top 10. Maybe Lopez had other expectations, „Podium or nothing“, for example. He‘s a champion, and maybe that today was part of his mentality - who knows…
 
T

Tim Cahill

May 6, 2021
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Hazuki is right about Mas being a bit boring, every credit to the guy though, 2nd place for his team, can't argue with that at all. I'd much rather watch a race with Lopez in it, because it would be far more entertaining, but as a team director you'd manage Mas every day of the week.
 
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SHAD0W93

SHAD0W93

Aug 13, 2011
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He should ride and leave everything on the line for Rojas the next couple races only to see him abandon honestly.
 
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hrotha

hrotha

Jun 10, 2010
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Re the Carrusel Deportivo interview: he dodged every single meaty question by just saying it's all very complicated. The impression I'm getting is that he's doing some damage control but is actually pretty mad at the team.
 
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