Rafal Majka discussion thread

[elfed68]

Chapeau on the the podium most unbefitting a rider, a case of, oh, all the others have dropped out and suddenly I'm 3rd!! Stick to being a 3 week super domestique!!!

 

[damian13ster]

Re:

Chapeau on the the podium most unbefitting a rider, a case of, oh, all the others have dropped out and suddenly I'm 3rd!! Stick to being a 3 week super domestique!!!

Nah, it is more like that: damn, I rode hard Tour, won a stage there, worked my ass off for a team, am exhausted, but I still am 3rd strongest in the race! Where were the other riders who worked hard in the Tour???

Mark my words. Once he actually gets sole leadership in the team (by that I mean he won't have to slave in the GT right before the one he rides as a leader) he will be on Aru's level.

 

[Sciocco]

Re: Re:

Chapeau on the the podium most unbefitting a rider, a case of, oh, all the others have dropped out and suddenly I'm 3rd!! Stick to being a 3 week super domestique!!!

Nah, it is more like that: damn, I rode hard Tour, won a stage there, worked my ass off for a team, am exhausted, but I still am 3rd strongest in the race! Where were the other riders who worked hard in the Tour???

Mark my words. Once he actually gets sole leadership in the team (by that I mean he won't have to slave in the GT right before the one he rides as a leader) he will be on Aru's level.

Yea, I think riding the entire Tour cost him being able to ride at max for this Vuelta. I'm not sure what level he will be on in comparison to Aru, but he can definitely ride for the win as he has shown. I know it is retrospect, but if Tinkoff had pulled him from the TdF on the second rest day he might have been quite a bit better this Vuelta.

 

[damian13ster]

Agreed. I was telling already at the end of first week that Majka should not be domestique anymore because Contador is too weak to do anything. Unfortunately Tinkoff didn't realize that until it was too late.

Well, hopefully Alberto retires at the end of next year and it won't be an issue anymore

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I'm disappointed by his mindset. He's a very good rider, that's for sure, but his performance this Vuelta was simply embarassing.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Agreed. I was telling already at the end of first week that Majka should not be domestique anymore because Contador is too weak to do anything. Unfortunately Tinkoff didn't realize that until it was too late.

Well, hopefully Alberto retires at the end of next year and it won't be an issue anymore

So that's what your gripe about Alberto is all about. Pretty pathetic if I am honest.
Young riders have to work for more experienced riders at times, deal with it. Majka gets more than enough opportunities for himself.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Oh, and FYI, if Majka is so bothered by having to work for Contador, he could switch teams, you know. No need to wait for Contador to retire. And believe me, when he does retire, the team will attract a better and more proven GC rider. Perhaps Majka would get more freedom when Contador retires, but he'll never take his place in the rankings.

 

[SafeBet]

Or he could ride the Giro. But hey it's too cold.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Congratulations to Rafał Majka for his podium place! Today in Madrid he may even attack Rodriguez on some viaduct I think he will aim Giro next year - remember that his first GT success happened there (7th and 6th overall in 2013 and 2014 respectively).

 

[Red Rick]

I'm thinking he still has a step to make if he wants to win GT's. I hope he can do it though, but I think Tinkoff will be in the market for another GC leader when Contador decides to retire.

 

[hrotha]

Re:

What a pathetic race with the legs he had.

Or he could ride the Giro. But hey it's too cold.

He already did. Twice. He wasn't that good.

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

I'm disappointed by his mindset. He's a very good rider, that's for sure, but his performance this Vuelta was simply embarassing.

What's wrong with this forum sometimes?

The guy riding to his first podium place ffs! Nothing embarassing at all!

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

I'm disappointed by his mindset. He's a very good rider, that's for sure, but his performance this Vuelta was simply embarassing.

What's wrong with this forum sometimes?

The guy riding to his first podium place ffs! Nothing embarassing at all!

I think we all know that was a great achievement, but many of us missed some initiative from him in one way or another before the last stage in the race. That goes for me as well

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

I'm disappointed by his mindset. He's a very good rider, that's for sure, but his performance this Vuelta was simply embarassing.

What's wrong with this forum sometimes?

The guy riding to his first podium place ffs! Nothing embarassing at all!

I think we all know that was a great achievement, but many of us missed some initiative from him in one way or another before the last stage in the race. That goes for me as well

But he's not in the position to go all out. You can do it if you already have a podium. But Majka's best GC-place was 6th in the Giro.

I can imagine you just want to play it safe in order to get the podium. A first time is special. Now he's got a podium (and knows how to get it), perhaps he would be more agressive in the future.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Well, I had simply hoped he would try to be a little more aggressive. He played it super passive the whole race basically which panned out really well (and tbh, often does GC-wise in GT's) and the result was great, I just had hoped he would try to go a little longer out. But he was scared of losing what he had and suddenly, the 3rd fell right into his hands, so you cant really blame him. I just didnt like how he rode this Vuelta, thats all.

 

[Jakub]

According to his body language and also according to what he said in interviews after various stages, he was not in his 100% when riders can be more aggressive and was on his limit many times even when he wheelsucked. Also I believe he didn't believe he could win Vuelta, which is of course a problem

Anyway from his TT performace, which was pretty poor (you can't win GT when you are not capable of getting significant amount of time on Rodriguez in flat TT) it was clear that he was not in superb shape. I liked the way he followed attacks, especially the last one - Quintanas.

I hope he'll have better year in 2016.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Nope, my gripe is Puerto and doping ban if you must ask.
I just have irrational hate for such characters in peleton.

Glad you yourself realize it is irrational.

 

[damian13ster]

Nope, my gripe is Puerto and doping ban if you must ask.
I just have irrational hate for such characters in peleton.

Glad you yourself realize it is irrational.

'Irrational' as in: it completely blinds every other aspect because I believe that sport should be pure, even if the races are not always entertaining.
It is perfectly justified though.
THe day that characters like Contador are gone from cycling is a good day for the sport.

And yes, the fact that Majka will get more freedom at that point is just a cherry on the top

 

[yaco]

Laugh at posters deriding Majka's achievements - You need the strength to be around the top 5 or 10 riders in GC day in and day out - It's no coincidence that 90% of the peleton are unable to achieve this feat.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Nope, my gripe is Puerto and doping ban if you must ask.
I just have irrational hate for such characters in peleton.

Glad you yourself realize it is irrational.

'Irrational' as in: it completely blinds every other aspect because I believe that sport should be pure, even if the races are not always entertaining.
It is perfectly justified though.
THe day that characters like Contador are gone from cycling is a good day for the sport.

And yes, the fact that Majka will get more freedom at that point is just a cherry on the top

I am glad I now know why you feel so much hatred towards him, now I know I should just ignore you

 

[dpm1991]

I have nothing to say here. Just congratiulations for his first podium in his career. I hope it's not the last one and that one day he will win a GT. propably Vuelta because it seems to suit his style and weather. Just hope, that he'll maybe manage to up his game in mountains a lil' bit. Of course a podium in more than i expected from him. I though he'll end in 4th or 5th place. Chapeau.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Nice video

https://twitter.com/tinkoff_saxo/status/642751929886502912

 

[hrotha]

Re:

According to his body language and also according to what he said in interviews after various stages, he was not in his 100% when riders can be more aggressive and was on his limit many times even when he wheelsucked.

The thing is, this naturally leads to the conclusion that only the strongest rider in a given stage can possibly attack. That's not how cycling works.

Laugh at posters deriding Majka's achievements - You need the strength to be around the top 5 or 10 riders in GC day in and day out - It's no coincidence that 90% of the peleton are unable to achieve this feat.

Of course he was strong, no one's denying that. If he wasn't, people wouldn't be criticizing him.

 

[Carols]

Agreed. I was telling already at the end of first week that Majka should not be domestique anymore because Contador is too weak to do anything. Unfortunately Tinkoff didn't realize that until it was too late.

Well, hopefully Alberto retires at the end of next year and it won't be an issue anymore

So that's what your gripe about Alberto is all about. Pretty pathetic if I am honest.
Young riders have to work for more experienced riders at times, deal with it. Majka gets more than enough opportunities for himself.

Nope, my gripe is Puerto and doping ban if you must ask.
I just have irrational hate for such characters in peleton.

And why don't you keep your remarks where they belong which is Not in PRR!!!! You do this all over this sub-forum

 

[Miburo]

Contador never got banned for doping damian. Get your facts straight.