Rui Costa Discussion Thread

[christopherrowe]

The Tour de Suisse has been Rui's race the last two years, yes? But now he's riding with a different team, and, sigh, hasn't had a win since he took the Worlds jersey. How do we rate his chances?

Me, I think he'll win the overall and not only that, I think he'll Top 5 at Le Tour after that. At least that's my hope.

 

[GuyIncognito]

The Tour de Suisse has been Rui's race the last two years, yes? But now he's riding with a different team, and, sigh, hasn't had a win since he took the Worlds jersey

He's riding better. And in the last two years the only win he had earlier than June is an insignificant spanish one day race

Relax.

 

[Parrulo]

With the way things are going lately, he should skip the TdS and stay in Sierra Nevada until the Tour like Quintana did for the Tour last year and the Giro this year and Horner did for the Vuelta.

I think he will end on the podium again this year on the TdS. I think Valverde will be too strong for him and we will have to see how kreuziger will be doing.

As for the Tour, without any bad luck i think somewhere around 6-10th is the best he can hope for. A Fuglsang/ Mollema like performance from last year.

 

[BigMac]

He won't skip Suisse though. Ever. This year he has the chance to set an historic record of three successive overall wins. It was never achieved before. Besides, as you know, there's a strong portuguese cummunity in Suisse which always motivates him.

He obviously did not peak at Suisse last year like some were saying so I honestely hope he can take the overall again this year. However, the last two editions were not as mountainous as this year - It is going to be his ultimate climbing test.

He might be happy on Verbier again.

 

[hfer07]

So Rui is down for Suisse & Le Tour.... any idea on his team selection? Hope Lampre bothers to send him some decent help...

 

[GuyIncognito]

So Rui is down for Suisse & Le Tour.... any idea on his team selection? Hope Lampre bothers to send him some decent help...

Serpa, Durasek as climbers. Oliveira as personal domestique.
3 man sprint train. Two spots left to announce.

 

[Bexon30]

Altitude's always been his biggest issue. If he sees that to an end...

PS: the cheesy captions are his own doing.

Is that Sierra Nevada? If it is I hope he's going up Monachil way as the gradient at the Monachil climb is horrible just before the valley at the top. Plus LTD has a really good time on Strava for that climb set a few years back! Good training ground, an incredibly long climb very good to go up.

 

[hfer07]

Serpa, Durasek as climbers. Oliveira as personal domestique.
3 man sprint train. Two spots left to announce.

Thanks- I hope they don't bother with Cunego- take Anacona or Papi Horner instead to back up Rui.

As for sprints - Who?

 

[GuyIncognito]

Anacona is not a possibility
Horner will do Suisse. If his form is good enough, he'll do Tour

Sprints - Modolo supported by Richeze and Cimolai

 

[Parrulo]

Rafael Valls will also do the Tour.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Rafael Valls will also do the Tour.

Then that leaves one spot for either Horner or a replacement

 

[BigMac]

Then that leaves one spot for either Horner or a replacement

I can see them taking Horner even if he is not at his best. None of the names left can do what he can even subpar. Besides, this is likely Horner's last year on the WT peloton so I imagine he would want to do Le Tour.

 

[Ruudz0r]

I can see them taking Horner even if he is not at his best. None of the names left can do what he can even subpar. Besides, this is likely Horner's last year on the WT peloton so I imagine he would want to do Le Tour.

Horner doesnt want to stop yet, so if he gets back at a good level (which is likely) after his accident I dont think he will quit yet.

 

[Afrank]

Thanks- I hope they don't bother with Cunego- take Anacona or Papi Horner instead to back up Rui.

As for sprints - Who?

Anacona has been doing absolutely nothing for a couple years now. Plus he just finished the Giro, he'd be useless IMO.

Horner would be a very good dom for him. But he might have eyes on defending in the Vuelta.

 

[BigMac]

Horner doesnt want to stop yet, so if he gets back at a good level (which is likely) after his accident I dont think he will quit yet.

He might not want to quit - I think he wants to continue. But will he get a contract? That's my point.

 

[search]

As for sprints - Who?

Modolo, Richeze + Cimolai I guess?!

edit: too late, missed GuyIncognito's post

 

[Ruudz0r]

He might not want to quit - I think he wants to continue. But will he get a contract? That's my point.

If he gets back to a good level then why not?

 

[christopherrowe]

I'll be (pleasantly) surprised to see Horner in Switzerland. It certainly speaks well of his ability to bounce back from injury if he rides it and completes it.

As for the squad for the Tour de Suisse, I don't know whether this means anything or not, but on Saturday Rui Costa posted a picture of himself and four other riders, apparently in the Sierra Nevada, purportedly gathered around a ham supper. Two of the riders are Nelson Oliveira and Rafael Vallis, but I don't recognize the other two.

 

[BigMac]

If he gets back to a good level then why not?

That may be the trick.

 

[BigMac]

I'll be (pleasantly) surprised to see Horner in Switzerland. It certainly speaks well of his ability to bounce back from injury if he rides it and completes it.

As for the squad for the Tour de Suisse, I don't know whether this means anything or not, but on Saturday Rui Costa posted a picture of himself and four other riders, apparently in the Sierra Nevada, purportedly gathered around a ham supper. Two of the riders are Nelson Oliveira and Rafael Vallis, but I don't recognize the other two.

The other two are staff. Only Oliveira, Valls and Costa are at Sierra Nevada at the moment. In fact, those three seem to be very close since the beggining of the season. They also did the Tour pavé recon together with Matxin.

 

[Christian]

The other two are staff. Only Oliveira, Valls and Costa are at Sierra Nevada at the moment. In fact, those three seem to be very close since the beggining of the season. They also did the Tour pavé recon together with Matxin.

I will be happy for Oliveira if he rides the Tour, unfortunately he has not been able to confirm his great first year, but still solid rider and seems like a very nice dude

 

[GuyIncognito]

I will be happy for Oliveira if he rides the Tour, unfortunately he has not been able to confirm his great first year

Decided to lose 5kg to improve his climbing.
It only made his TT worse

 

[BigMac]

I will be happy for Oliveira if he rides the Tour, unfortunately he has not been able to confirm his great first year, but still solid rider and seems like a very nice dude

He will ride the Tour. That is certain, unless he gets injured meanwhile. He is doing every race Rui is. He is a very nice dude indeed and very sweet - had the chance to talk to him two years ago. He sees Costa as a role model despite only being two years younger.

Decided to lose 5kg to improve his climbing.
It only made his TT worse

He and the team will be collecting the fruits on the multi-mountain stages though. Instead of being dropped on the first slopes of the day, he might survive a few climbs and stay with Costa longer. Already happened in this year's Romandie stage 3.

 

[Broth3r]

Honestly, I have absolutely no clue who this kind of negotiations work. But I wonder, did Lampre approach Nelson with something like "look, Rui wants you, we have a WT spot for you, but it's a domestique. If you want it, you're gonna have to focus on that and drop your TT focus while you're with us" ?

I'm sure the words would have been sweeter, but if that was the case, we must have some sort of curse, because it just keeps happening to Portuguese riders...

 

[Parrulo]

He dropped the weight during the off season between 2012 and 2013.