The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to
In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.
Thanks!
A Zubeldia sighting.Meintjes attacking, Movistar leaders executing perfect teamwork... what’s the third impossible thing that will happen today?
Late Answer to this but yes, they are indeed on talking terms again. There was a special episode of the Cycling Podcast during the Giro about Acquadro and they mentioned it. Probably not great friends but at least on terms of doing business again.I wonder if there is a improvement in the relation Unzue- Acquadro. They are interested in signing Sosa and according to Gazzetta Aranburu is in talks with Movistar ( both clients of Acquadro )
I view this as being essentially like, it isn't water under the bridge, but the shots have been fired across the bow and everybody has had their time to point the blame and yell at each other and now they're willing to talk it over. The way Movistar chased down Carapaz and ensured Roglič's Vuelta win was probably enough to say to Acquadro that they weren't happy beyond just a simple issue with doing deals, but not doing anything too outré that would cause any real wounds. It's rather like in baseball if there's an issue, you have the pitcher plunk somebody, but they aim low or between the numbers, nothing too dangerous, just enough to send a message and get it out of the sytem. Do the two teams then like each other and forget all about it? Of course not. But do they then get a warning from the umpires and then get on with playing the game? More often than not, yes. Unzué running his mouth was essentially the same as the jaw-jacking, and then chasing Carapaz down was the plunking.Late Answer to this but yes, they are indeed on talking terms again. There was a special episode of the Cycling Podcast during the Giro about Acquadro and they mentioned it. Probably not great friends but at least on terms of doing business again.
I'm surprised that Soler is riding, since he crashed out of the Giro and (apart from the time trial) was not really good in the Tour de Suisse.
Arcas is a roleur, powerhouse on the flat, like Erviti, much better for that role than those 3 you mentioned.Arcas is a big surprise to me, I would expect Rojas, Carretero or Serrano instead.
Arcas is a roleur, powerhouse on the flat, like Erviti, much better for that role than those 3 you mentioned.
What?This TDF i think they are going to be realistic. They realise that with 2 TTs and Pogacar and Roglic, its difficult to challenge. In the high mountains they will not chase unless MAL is feeling superb. Going for stage wins would be priority, team classification after that and top 5 for Mas and/or Lopez. Basically letting the chips fall where they may and not dictating the result.
Arcas is kind of surprising but he's been a loyal rouleur helper of late and the team has been short on rouleur help. Rojas is getting older and doesn't sprint anymore, Arcas is better for péloton-pulling duties, and García Cortina makes the rest of what Rojas brings less necessary. Carretero has really come on in the last couple of years but in this team line-up he's essentially lost a straight head to head battle with Verona for the spot as the lower slopes climbing helper/ATV, and Verona being more experienced and having worked well with Valverde and Mas last year (as well as climbing well enough to make the top 20 of the Tour in his own right) gave him the nod.Line-up for TdF:
Alejandro Valverde, Carlos Verona, Enric Mas, Imanol Erviti, Iván García Cortina, Jorge Arcas, Marc Soler and Miguel Ángel López.
Interesting, I had expected a different team with Rojas and possibly also Carretero. I'm surprised that Soler is riding, since he crashed out of the Giro and (apart from the time trial) was not really good in the Tour de Suisse.
Ah, but they're taking all the leaders, so López is 4th in line for leadership in this team, 3rd at best equal with Soler...What?
You have Lopez flying at his best. You got to at least try for the podium. If you fail you have a team that can always chase stages.
How? Look at stage 20. Its a colossal gap. 3 week Gts can be easily won with that margin. He lost that in a single TTWhat?
You have Lopez flying at his best. You got to at least try for the podium. If you fail you have a team that can always chase stages.
POGAČAR Tadej | 00:55:55 |
PORTE Richie | 01:21 |
ROGLIČ Primož | 01:56 |
LÓPEZ Miguel Ángel | 06:17 |
On the other hand, Telefónica also fosters different cycling-for-all projects, such as the ‘Women in Bike’ program by the Royal Spanish Cycling Federation, with more than 50,000 riders involved.
"Women in bike"?