Rigoberto Uran discussion thread.

[carton]

Re:

Uran looked much better and the TT is critical for him but I still get the impression that he could lose further time on the MTFs. Of course his team has not offered much. I am starting to think that as strong as Astana is, Aru will have trouble putting time into Porte and Contador in the mountains and will lose big in the TT but that could set up an entertaining third week if Aru has to go on the attack which he will.

I'm getting a different feeling. I'm thinking he won't lose much time in the mountains but I'm not seeing how he'll gain more than a few seconds back in the TT (unless Aru and Contador are still not quite 100%). He surprised me in Barolo, maybe he'll do so again.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Uran looked much better and the TT is critical for him but I still get the impression that he could lose further time on the MTFs. Of course his team has not offered much. I am starting to think that as strong as Astana is, Aru will have trouble putting time into Porte and Contador in the mountains and will lose big in the TT but that could set up an entertaining third week if Aru has to go on the attack which he will.

I'm getting a different feeling. I'm thinking he won't lose much time in the mountains but I'm not seeing how he'll gain more than a few seconds back in the TT (unless Aru and Contador are still not quite 100%). He surprised me in Barolo, maybe he'll do so again.

It's a long flat TT I can't see Aru not losing a decent chunk of time. if Uran rides as well as he did in the TT last year it could be very interesting. I think Porte and Contador won't be too far apart. Uran has to hold it together in the mountains now to make the podium which is still possible if Porte has a bad day or if Aru does a mediocre TT. Long way to go yet.

 

[Taxus4a]

Better today, I hope he is again ok.

 

[SergeDeM]

Re:

Damn, you guys take everything so literally. What I meant was that, as a racer, driver, whatever, all that matters is being the first. It is to win. I don't give a **** about being second, third or whatever. I'd rather kill my ass off trying to be first, and risking ending up at 4th place, than riding rationally to be 2nd.
This should be the mentality of any guy who's competing for something, especially to one that has already achieved podiums.

Yes, we agree that the whole point is to win, but we don't agree that being second is then forgotten, that's all.
In Uran's case he's already been second twice so it's worthless for him to ride conservatively for 2nd. Unfortunately he doesn't look like he can do much more than top 5 ATM.

 

[Escarabajo]

Not sure where this is going. Really. Did not try to follow. Did not try to chase. No team to help. Not even sure what in the world he is thinking. I know that he has always been fragile and not sure about the cold story. Maybe he needs a few more days to recuperate the strength. But today he did not try to do anything at all. When you do that you either are sick or don't care anymore. Something is not right that we are not seeing.

 

[Arnout]

Re:

Not sure where this is going. Really. Did not try to follow. Did not try to chase. No team to help. Not even sure what in the world he is thinking. I know that he has always been fragile and not sure about the cold story. Maybe he needs a few more days to recuperate the strength. But today he did not try to do anything at all. When you do that you either are sick or don't care anymore. Something is not right that we are not seeing.

He might've figured it wasn't worth the effort helping since Movistar et al were pulling quite consistently. Maybe he was also making a point to his team, which is non-existent. In any case, disappointing stuff after yesterday.

 

[DBotero]

Re:

Not sure where this is going. Really. Did not try to follow. Did not try to chase. No team to help. Not even sure what in the world he is thinking. I know that he has always been fragile and not sure about the cold story. Maybe he needs a few more days to recuperate the strength. But today he did not try to do anything at all. When you do that you either are sick or don't care anymore. Something is not right that we are not seeing.

I thought he was above his health problems,strange really.His contract is off this year might be something here or he doesn't care anymore.Well,i can't blame him,without a team is hard.Still he's in a decent position at the moment.

 

[NairoQ]

I hope Etixx is trying to find a couple of reinforcements for next year, or else he needs to leave. You don't need the strongest team to win a GT or end up high, but you really do need at least someone who can stay with you/help you until the real racing starts. Not good for the moral to have to do it yourself, not good for the legs too.

Maybe some can do it without a team, but Uran is not the strongest, so 1-2 guys able to keep up until the big guys go are kind of necessary. I hope he can keep it together and aim for 4th, which means he can end up on the podium after all. (No he shouldn't really aim for 4th, he should of course aim for better, but you know what I mean. He should try and get the best out of this Giro, by trying to get as high up in the GC as possible. Last week kan still do a lot)

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

Not sure where this is going. Really. Did not try to follow. Did not try to chase. No team to help. Not even sure what in the world he is thinking. I know that he has always been fragile and not sure about the cold story. Maybe he needs a few more days to recuperate the strength. But today he did not try to do anything at all. When you do that you either are sick or don't care anymore. Something is not right that we are not seeing.

He just can follow that group, he hasnt a good day.

He is not at his level, We will see if he can recover his strengh in the rest day. But it is going to be difficult.
It is quite strange the difference of level with yesterday.

 

[SafeBet]

He's absurdly calm and smiling in the interviews.
As if he knew there's nothing to do and it's better not to worry about it. But no teammates to help him?
The lack of team is astonishing though. How many riders were in that group he came in with? 50? Even Bling and Felline were there.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

He's absurdly calm and smiling in the interviews.
As if he knew there's nothing to do and it's better not to worry about it. But no teammates to help him?
The lack of team is astonishing though. How many riders were in that group he came in with? 50? Even Bling and Felline were there.

Tha team is important, yesterday at least David was there, today anybody... with Bambrilla and Serry would have been different, but not a super team as others.

 

[Jelantik]

Uran should move to other team. Clearly Ettix isn't really serious about building team around his GC aspirations. Purito is about to go to sunset, maybe he should sign with Katusha. At least Purito and him can help each other w/ GC aspirations.

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

Not sure where this is going. Really. Did not try to follow. Did not try to chase. No team to help. Not even sure what in the world he is thinking. I know that he has always been fragile and not sure about the cold story. Maybe he needs a few more days to recuperate the strength. But today he did not try to do anything at all. When you do that you either are sick or don't care anymore. Something is not right that we are not seeing.

He needs a strong team to support him, unless he is Froome or Contador. He is not that strong to ride by himself. I think he should consider sign with other team next year. Pathetic how Ettix provides the team for him. Alan Felipe is in California. With Cav, they will win the jersey and stage. But nooo. Let's take Alan Felipe to win GC (which didn't happen). Sounded to me that they don't really believe that Uran can contest the Giro. That's just too bad for Uran.

 

[SeriousSam]

The reality is that if you're that much weaker than your opponents whenever the road goes up, you just cannot win, even if you have 2 Landas. Unless you have a truly nuclear time trial.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

The reality is that if you're that much weaker than your opponents whenever the road goes up, you just cannot win, even if you have 2 Landas. Unless you have a truly nuclear time trial.

Uran is weak yes. But if he had a team in two ocassions they could have chased. And with good possibilities of closing the gap in both ocassions.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

The reality is that if you're that much weaker than your opponents whenever the road goes up, you just cannot win, even if you have 2 Landas. Unless you have a truly nuclear time trial.

If he dont recover his level he has no option, if he recover, there is a minimun possibility still, he will be more allowed to attack than others.

 

[ILovecycling]

Re: Re:

The reality is that if you're that much weaker than your opponents whenever the road goes up, you just cannot win, even if you have 2 Landas. Unless you have a truly nuclear time trial.

Uran is weak yes. But if he had a team in two ocassions they could have chased. And with good possibilities of closing the gap in both ocassions.

Yep, but with this kind of form he doesnt stand a chance on podium either, unless he suddenly improves in mountains in 3rd week. (I expect big tt from him,but still not enough with Mortirolo and Finestre there)

 

[Escarabajo]

He is calling it bronquitis. If true he should be already weakened. He is very optimistic but he always is even when lost.

I don't know much about health, and never had bronquitis but is it OK to ride a bike up and down mountains with your shirt unzipped with no undershirt either?

http://www.revistamundociclistico.com/component/content/article/31/18729-rigoberto-uran-no-baja-los-brazos-en-el-giro-de-italia-soy-un-hombre-luchador.html

 

[movingtarget]

If he keeps leaking time then his TT won't matter except against maybe Aru. Landa is doing a great job for Aru, but Aru still can't shake off Contador and Porte. Contador looked better than Porte yesterday.

 

[cineteq]

Don't write him off just yet...

 

[Taxus4a]

He was taking antibiotics till friday, so his performance that way is amazing, I remeber when Tondo had to lef the Giro for that reason, he was maybe to win or podium, but several days with antibiotics put you in big problems and he had to left.

Luckily, rigo has no more the bronquitis nor the antibiotiv, so maybe he will be a new rider, maybe even the strong, after tomorrow. He nedeed a rest day, very important. For Contador as well to heal totally his shoulder.

 

[Escarabajo]

I agree that if he actually had bronquitis then his performance is impressive.

 

[movingtarget]

So far it has been stated as a cold, bronchitis and now the flu. I will just take their word that he has been ill ! Obviously no doctors doing PR.

 

[DBotero]

Bad luck today but since he was back in the peloton very quickly it looks like he escaped rather unscathed.Not his Giro at all,but he's still in the fight for podium.

 

[carton]

Re:

So far it has been stated as a cold, bronchitis and now the flu. I will just take their word that he has been ill ! Obviously no doctors doing PR.

I'm guessing you think the crash was also a PR move?