Miguel Ángel Lopez Discussion Thread

[Zinoviev Letter]

Very impressive. Movistar have to be pleased with their investment so far

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Lopez is a rider I have a difficult time figuring out. There were times when I thought of him as the best climber in the world or at least as the most feared one, when he was on a good day. But those good days aren't as frequent as I'm expecting them to be. Even in a single GT, he can be a world-beater one day and not even among the 5 best climbers the next day. It's also true that he's had a lot of bad luck in GTs. But still, I was positive he'll win a GT someday, now I'm not too sure anymore.

Yup, on some days Lopez can be almost unbeatable in the mountains but keeping it for 3 weeks is another story. Yates is similar in this regard - he's capable of delivering world-beating w/kg on some climbs but you don't know what his next day will look like.

 

[Blanco]

This was not just a victory, he literally demolished the field! I know that field was rather weak, but 2.30 min to 2nd is stratospheric!
He'll be a force in the Tour, a genuine podium contender.

 

[Red Rick]

This was not just a victory, he literally demolished the field! I know that field was rather weak, but 2.30 min to 2nd is stratospheric!
He'll be a force in the Tour, a genuine podium contender.

2 ITTs though.

The problem for Lopez isn't the world class days, it's the bad days.

 

[tobydawq]

2 ITTs though.

The problem for Lopez isn't the world class days, it's the bad days.

Yup but if he can get it together on both TT days, things look good. But winning the Tour is asking too much, I think.

On the other hand, he might be fresher than the other contenders due to his late season start. If such a thing actually plays a role. Maybe it's just something "experts" pull out of their arse every time they don't really know what to say.

 

[Red Rick]

Yup but if he can get it together on both TT days, things look good. But winning the Tour is asking too much, I think.

On the other hand, he might be fresher than the other contenders due to his late season start. If such a thing actually plays a role. Maybe it's just something "experts" pull out of their arse every time they don't really know what to say.

Well 2 bad TTs probably still lose less time than the disaster that was the PDBF ITT. 1st ITT comes early too so I think he might have a better chance of having a good ITT there.

 

[Billie]

The Canyon TT bike instead of the Willier soapbox he was riding last year will help a lot.

 

[tobydawq]

The Canyon TT bike instead of the Willier soapbox he was riding last year will help a lot.

What did he ride on in Algarve? The Wilier. Do you think he would have been on Remco's level on a Canyon? Right, didn't think so.

 

[jaylew]

Obviously he'll lose time to the best tters among GC men but all of his tts this year have been very solid.

 

[Valv.Piti]

He annihilated ppl yesterday

What a performance! Very exciting, seems to be peaking at the exact right moment.

 

[Cookster15]

This was not just a victory, he literally demolished the field! I know that field was rather weak, but 2.30 min to 2nd is stratospheric!
He'll be a force in the Tour, a genuine podium contender.

I agree with you, very impressive. A Carlos Sastra-esque performance. I note Lopez attacked 12.7km from the top of Ventoux to put 2.30 on 2nd but 3.30 on Ben O'Connor who was with him at that point. Then there was the rest of the field miles behind.

But the challenge for Lopez in Grand Tours is holding it together in the following days. In the TdF he collapsed in the TT three days after winning like this on Col de la Loze ahead of Rog and Pog.

 

[Red Rick]

He annihilated ppl yesterday

What a performance! Very exciting, seems to be peaking at the exact right moment.

Looked like he could go down and do a sub 1hour Ventoux again immediately lol.

 

[ice&fire]

Looks ready to set a new record in Col de Portet in a few weeks.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

I think the only thing stopping him from doing well in the Tour apart from his ITT would be the tactics of his superior team. He is looking good and a change of scenery from Astana may do him well.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Just personally assign Pablo Lastras to look after him, his racecraft is about eight levels above any of the other DSes at Movistar.

 

[zepecat]

Too bad for Superman ,Porte, Buchmann , Kruijswijk, Poels, Yates, Valverde, Dan Martin, Woods and Froome, among others, losing minutes on the first stage.

 

[Escarabajo]

For Lopez is business as usual!!

 

[Mayomaniac]

For Lopez is business as usual!!

Yeah, that's the reason why it took Astana so long to bring him to the Tour. They had little faith in him survovimg the first week.

 

[Koronin]

Lost more time today.

 

[SafeBet]

That was the kind of finish where he often loses time wasn't it?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Lost more time today.

This bump was too easy for him, Ventoux will suit him more.

 

[Koronin]

This bump was too easy for him, Ventoux will suit him more.

Unfortunately for him Pogacar and Roglic should be just fine on that climb and a few of the riders we have no idea how good they'll be on Ventoux. That's where the problem is for him. Plus unfortunately he also has a TT.

 

[Steoroc]

Any sign of this lad, I heard he was in France but he's nowhere to be seen?

 

[Cookster15]

This bump was too easy for him, Ventoux will suit him more.

Care to reassess? Finished behind Porte who seems crook and sacrificed himself. Who did MAL pull today?

 

[Escarabajo]

We will know what happened to him one day. This is obviously not his normal level!