Teams & Riders Team Movistar-thread

[lenric]

What young prospects does Spain have for GTs over the next few years apart from Mas?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Óscar Rodríguez
Fernando Barceló
Alejandro Ropero
Jokin Murguialday

Obviously not all going to turn into potential GT winners or anything probably all that close, but still good prospects coming through if they land the right way.

 

[perico]

What young prospects does Spain have for GTs over the next few years apart from Mas?

Juan Ayuso- 17 year old phenom but signed with UAE for next 5 years.

 

[Koronin]

Juan Ayuso- 17 year old phenom but signed with UAE for next 5 years.

So UAE is going to have Ayuso AND Pogacar? That could be an insane duo.

 

[perico]

So UAE is going to have Ayuso AND Pogacar? That could be an insane duo.

Yep.

 

[Moviestar]

I think we all (or at least Movistar and Mas fans) could be happy with another Delgado. I don't think anyone expects him or really anyone else to be another Valverde, including the team. I remember about 5 years ago now the team was asked how they replace Valverde when he retires. Their answer was you can't replace him, you have to hope to find 3 or 4 riders who can come close to doing well a few of the things he does well. He does appear to be possibly the best all round of the newest generation of Spanish riders coming into the pro peloton currently. I suspect he learned a lot about positioning while at DQS.

In this area he could improve further. There were some moments in this Tour where he was bad positioned and lost unneccessary time. Stage 4 where he was too far from behind at the start of the final climb and lost 9/10 seconds. Stage 9 also, but then he got himself dropped to the second group Lopez/Yates.

 

[perico]

In this area he could improve further. There were some moments in this Tour where he was bad positioned and lost unneccessary time. Stage 4 where he was too far from behind at the start of the final climb and lost 9/10 seconds. Stage 9 also, but then he got himself dropped to the second group Lopez/Yates.

I agree. I was referring to splits in the wind. He’s horrible positioning himself on climbs. He wastes energy.

 

[Koronin]

In this area he could improve further. There were some moments in this Tour where he was bad positioned and lost unneccessary time. Stage 4 where he was too far from behind at the start of the final climb and lost 9/10 seconds. Stage 9 also, but then he got himself dropped to the second group Lopez/Yates.

He lost a lot of time quickly on stage 9. However, he also said that Valverde gave him a lesson on how to limit time losses on that stage as well. So yes he still has room to improve and some of that is just learning things he hasn't yet. Stage 4, at least for now, I'm going with he lost time there because he can't sprint and may be the worst sprinter in the entire peloton.

 

[perico]

He lost a lot of time quickly on stage 9. However, he also said that Valverde gave him a lesson on how to limit time losses on that stage as well. So yes he still has room to improve and some of that is just learning things he hasn't yet. Stage 4, at least for now, I'm going with he lost time there because he can't sprint and may be the worst sprinter in the entire peloton.

Heh Contador did name Mas as his successor and I guess he wasn’t wrong there.

 

[lenric]

Apart from the hairline I guess

 

[Koronin]

And sprinting isn't something that can really be taught.

 

[Moviestar]

He did beat Miguel Lopez in a sprint a deux on La Gallina in the Vuelta 2018, so his sprint is not that bad

Off: E. Mas doesn't have a own topic yet?

 

[ice&fire]

He did beat Miguel Lopez in a sprint a deux on La Gallina in the Vuelta 2018, so his sprint is not that bad

Off: E. Mas doesn't have a own topic yet?

Enric Mas Rising Star

21 years ago was born Enric Mas in a small village of Mallorca called Artà where people know each other, in the little mountains of the 'Sierra de Levante' It was 2006 when a very young Enric took the bicycle for the first time persuaded by a dear friend, in this way the enthusiastic guy began...

forum.cyclingnews.com

 

[Koronin]

He did beat Miguel Lopez in a sprint a deux on La Gallina in the Vuelta 2018, so his sprint is not that bad

Then many he just needs more instruction on using it? Maybe needs to spend a week in Murcia training with Valverde and the grupetto.

 

[perico]

He did beat Miguel Lopez in a sprint a deux on La Gallina in the Vuelta 2018, so his sprint is not that bad

Off: E. Mas doesn't have a own topic yet?

Yeah a few pages back I think

 

[Koronin]

Here's the link to Ernic's topic thread:

Enric Mas Rising Star

21 years ago was born Enric Mas in a small village of Mallorca called Artà where people know each other, in the little mountains of the 'Sierra de Levante' It was 2006 when a very young Enric took the bicycle for the first time persuaded by a dear friend, in this way the enthusiastic guy began...

forum.cyclingnews.com

Last posted earlier this year with a discussion about his 2019 Tour.

 

[perico]

Mas delivered the highest GC placing for a Movistar rider in 5 years, when Nairo and Valverde finished on the podium.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

It was a weird tour for them in that they were very low profile, won no stages, were not really prominent GC protagonists, but were also quietly successful. Mas finishing top 5 is a valuable learning experience for him and a valuable indication to the team that he is worth backing in the longer term. Team GC, well, not many cycling fans care, but their sponsor clearly does.

 

[ice&fire]

Mas delivered the highest GC placing for a Movistar rider in 5 years, when Nairo and Valverde finished on the podium.

Nairo was on podium 4 years ago.

 

[perico]

Nairo was on podium 4 years ago.

Well 4 years ago then

 

[Moviestar]

A surprising signing with Muhlberger.

A good climber who should also excel in the more hilly races. And also a great aid for Mas in the mountains. Last year very good in the third week of the Tour as last man for Buchmann. I'd expect that they would have gone after a Grosschartner ( Unzue likes strong rouleurs like him) or even a Konrad.

On Twitter there is also a photo of Lutsenko with a Movistar tenue ( from an Instagram Story of Lutsenko himself).

 

[perico]

A surprising signing with Muhlberger.

A good climber who should also excel in the more hilly races. And also a great aid for Mas in the mountains. Last year very good in the third week of the Tour as last man for Buchmann. I'd expect that they would have gone after a Grosschartner ( Unzue likes strong rouleurs like him) or even a Konrad.

On Twitter there is also a photo of Lutsenko with a Movistar tenue ( from an Instagram Story of Lutsenko himself).

Well even with him continuing at least one more year, as Valverde has said himself, he’s getting old. This year was wonderful in so much as Valverde was able to stay with Mas usually until the last KMs and saved him on the Peyresourde; as well as sharing his understanding of reading the race; all invaluable contributions.

There’s no guarantee he’ll be able to sustain that next year. He has surprised us before, but he may choose to focus on his own goals before he hangs up the wheels, and his has more than earned that opportunity. Soler will want his own opportunities like a clean shot at a GT. Verona is the only one left who can be counted on to be strong enough in the mountains to hang with the front group late in the race, but pacing the group could be beyond his abilities. So great signing.

 

[Koronin]

Well even with him continuing at least one more year, as Valverde has said himself, he’s getting old. This year was wonderful in so much as Valverde was able to stay with Mas usually until the last KMs and saved him on the Peyresourde; as well as sharing his understanding of reading the race; all invaluable contributions.

There’s no guarantee he’ll be able to sustain that next year. He has surprised us before, but he may choose to focus on his own goals before he hangs up the wheels, and his has more than earned that opportunity. Soler will want his own opportunities like a clean shot at a GT. Verona is the only one left who can be counted on to be strong enough in the mountains to hang with the front group late in the race, but pacing the group could be beyond his abilities. So great signing.

Valverde has more or less indicated this year was his final Tour regardless of anything else. The only GT I can see him wanting to ride next year is la Vuelta. Yes, he was invaluable to Mas this year as a teacher. Movistar really needs to sign at least one more good climbing help for the Grand Tours.

 

[movingtarget]

I still think Valverde rode a good race and will be a danger at the Worlds. Mas was also good without threatening the podium. Contador is a big believer in his talent. Whether Mas can get the results of Bernal or Pogacar remains to be seen. Pogacar already has two podiums !

 

[perico]

I still think Valverde rode a good race and will be a danger at the Worlds. Mas was also good without threatening the podium. Contador is a big believer in his talent. Whether Mas can get the results of Bernal or Pogacar remains to be seen. Pogacar already has two podiums !

Mas is supposed to have insane physical numbers close to Contador’s level. I think the slow buildup to the Tour shook his confidence a bit. Even when he tried to go on the last Mtn stage he sat up pretty quickly, like he wasn’t sure of himself, maybe due to his mediocre showing in the Pyrenees. I don’t know what Pogacar’s ceiling is, but I think he will be a much bigger threat for GC dominance over the next few years than Bernal. Bernal could win another Tour no doubt, but last year he was in the right place at the right time. He’s a great rider, but bearable. I don’t know how beatable Pogacar will be.