Bonimenier
BANNED
Didn't Porte openly say he doesn't mind helping other in the TDF this year? That's not something I can imagine GT or Carapaz saying.
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I remain unconvinced by Carapaz's form since moving to Ineos. He was in superb touch when he won the Giro. He just hasn't looked as sharp at Ineos. Porte on the other hand has looked very good since the move. I mentioned upthread in February his rides in Tasmania were very impressive so I am not surprised by what he has shown in the Dauphine so far. Bring on the mountains.
He literally finished second at La Vuelta, how has he not looked sharp?
Carapaz has always been like this. Once he goes to the GT he steps up a notch. He would have won the Vuelta last year had not been for Movistar. So he was sharp!!!!
If you put Porte ahead of Carapaz you will risk disaster at the Tour IMHO!
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Tbh I completely forgot about the Vuelta and was remembering the Tour which is how i based my comments.
Carapaz is younger so is no doubt the best bet. But I am still interested to see how Porte goes in the TdF. I think he’s going better than most realize. That TdF result revealed a lot of what he is actually capable of. So far this season he looks as strong.
Carapaz was training for the Giro last year and was moved to the Tour at the last minute so he was not in the form to compete so I don't understand why you would make conclusions about Carapaz from that.
Because I didn’t know Carapaz was training for the Giro. Very simple. Then in the Tour I noticed he wasn’t climbing as effortlessly as when he won the Giro. Obviously it’s a prep thing and at what point in his training cycle he was at.
Anyway if Porte can replicate 2020 TdF level Carapaz won’t be ahead of him I guarantee you that.
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Carapaz's form has been fine - He's been doing different roles in the lead-up races.
I will never understand the love affair between this forum and Richi Porte!
Richi Porte is one of those riders that when you watch him in the races before the Tour de France, you think, "This guy can win the Tour", only to be disappointed again. I was surprise by last year result but I want to attribute it to a Covid year phenomenon. Maybe this year he proves me wrong.
Richi Porte is one of those riders that when you watch him in the races before the Tour de France, you think, "This guy can win the Tour", only to be disappointed again. I was surprise by last year result but I want to attribute it to a Covid year phenomenon. Maybe this year he proves me wrong.
The reason he was unable to meet the hype was because of crashes not a lack of legs.
Disagree. If it is because of crashes how do you know how he would have performed?
This is the "Crash Sindrome". The rider that crashed is usually the best contender.
I think it's because he can both climb and TT. But his problem is he can't race. He's a poor bike handler and he's tactically nonexistent. If he avoids bad luck and can follow the best GC riders as long as possible he can do OK. Or he doesn't avoid bad luck and crashes out or misses some split in crosswinds falls from GC.
I don't know how many times I've looked at last years TDF GC and thought, "Wait? Richie Porte rode that race?"
It is time for Ineos to bring 4 leaders to the Tour, Thomas, Carapaz, Geoghegan Hart and Porte. Jumbo can't chase them all!
Bonimenier
BANNED
They should bring Bernal and A. Yates as well.
This epic Tour will conclude at Champs Elysees with G. attacking in the last km (like today) and winning it by 1 second ahead of the Slovenians.
I was surprised too, I had given up on him after his crashes in 2017 and 2018 where he couldn't blame bad luck. But are you going to attribute the result of Rog and Pog to the Covid phenomenon too? I can never understand the love affair in this forum for some other riders? We all have our focus and sometimes you don't follow other riders close enough to realize what they might be able to do. And chinks in riders amour can be fixed. Like attitude and mindset. Also, don't forget he doesn't have the pressure of being team leader now. That's on Thomas's shoulders.
The thing is 2020 TdF demolished every remaining doubt about Porte, I am not going to list the excuses here. You can't fluke a result like that after three weeks of racing and only beaten by the two best riders in the world at the time. Some of those who finished below Porte on GC seem to have a love affair on this forum - Landa, Lopez? Lopez was only better than Porte in the mountains on stage 17 to Col de la Loze - at 2,300 metres and not by much! It was a strong field Covid or not. Porte dropped Lopez on other MTFs e.g. Grand Colombier. Then of course Lopez paid for that effort in the final TT where Porte utterly demolished him on the MTF climb and took the podium spot.
Now he's getting old, but I don't see any signs Porte has slowed since 2020 Covid or not.
Landa finished only one spot below Porte and Lopez was easily winning the non-Slovenian battle after 19 stages so the hype is justified.
Landa finished below him and that's all that matters. Which mountain stage was Landa better than Porte? Landa is a good example of rider this forum has a love affair for. Porte was stronger than him after three weeks of racing. Landa is a good rider, but Porte at 35 years of age was better.
Lopez was not "easily winning the non-Slovenian battle after 19 stages". Lopez only fell into that after stage 17 then paid for that by collapsing in the TT and losing over 5 minutes.
By contrast Porte had to use huge energy chasing back after his puncture on stage 18, then still crushed the TT - including Landa and Lopez.
I think 2020 TdF answered your question. I think Porte was likely even stronger in 2017 and 2018 when he crashed.
Landa was in the front group after Marie Blanque with Pogacar, Roglic and Bernal. Lopez was 30s behind Pogacar heading into stage 20 and 90s ahead of Porte.
Anybody_but..
BANNED
Not 4 leaders: leader, co-leader, protected dom and superdom.
Don't know who is who.
You are cherry picking. Porte was easily the strongest over three weeks and especially in the stage 20 TT where he started behind Landa but picked him up just before the finish.
Edit: Strange you mentioned that Lopez was 90 seconds ahead of Porte leading into stage 20. I already explained that - stage 17 when he beat everyone. Actually the gap was 1:39. I also explained that Lopez paid for that effort on stage 20 yet Porte didn’t show any ill effects from the energy he expended on stage 18 after his puncture on dirt roads.
But Grand Tours are about the strongest over three weeks. Porte was stronger than everyone except the two Slovenians.
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If Porte was Colombian he would have more pages in his thread than Contador, Froome and Remco combined.
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