The 2019 UAE Tour (24/02 - 02/03)

[Red Rick]

Damnit, I forgot all about this

 

[Robert5091]

Chapeau to ol' man Valverde - still hanging in there with the youngsters. I see LRP had a nice relaxing day coming in nearly 8 minutes after Valverde.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Valverde vs. Ewan tomorrow?

Is it even possible to drop the sprinters before the Hatta Dam in such a stage?

No sprinter should drop. And if a sprinter drop they weren't gonna be close on the dam anyway

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

Valverde vs. Ewan tomorrow?

Is it even possible to drop the sprinters before the Hatta Dam in such a stage?

No sprinter should drop. And if a sprinter drop they weren't gonna be close on the dam anyway

Kittel once got dropped on the small climbs leading up to the Dam, but he came back. It's properly possible to drop Kittel, Cavendish, Walscheid and Bauhaus but clearly not Ewan or Gaviria.

I'm not even sure Valverde is able to get bonus seconds. It's not long enough to eliminate the sprinters.

 

[DNP-Old]

Re: Re:

Valverde vs. Ewan tomorrow?

Is it even possible to drop the sprinters before the Hatta Dam in such a stage?

No sprinter should drop. And if a sprinter drop they weren't gonna be close on the dam anyway

Kittel once got dropped on the small climbs leading up to the Dam, but he came back. It's properly possible to drop Kittel, Cavendish, Walscheid and Bauhaus but clearly not Ewan or Gaviria.

I'm not even sure Valverde is able to get bonus seconds. It's not long enough to eliminate the sprinters.

Valverde was 2nd once on Hatta Dam, behind Degenkolb. It’s possbile.

 

[Anderis]

Damn, I'm so bored of these Valverde victories. For how many more years is he going to do this?

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Should be a great finish tomorrow, I’m sure Valverde will be in contention.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Will have to watch the highlights later today, seems Gaudu was super impressive

 

[LaFlorecita]

That looked suspiciously like Roglic gave that win to the wheelsucker.

LOL
I wonder how Koronin feels about it

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

Will have to watch the highlights later today, seems Gaudu was super impressive

Yep, 3rd most impressive of the day

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Re:

Damn, I'm so bored of these Valverde victories. For how many more years is he going to do this?

THIS.

Unfortunately, I was thinking the same already five years ago. It is beyond me how anyone can cheer for this guy.

 

[Lequack]

That looked suspiciously like Roglic gave that win to the wheelsucker.

It did look like at first, but I think it was more of him seeing the line was too close after the corner to do anything so he sat up. Also here are their watts comparison (for the flatter last 3km):

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

That looked suspiciously like Roglic gave that win to the wheelsucker.

It did look like at first, but I think it was more of him seeing the line was too close after the corner to do anything so he sat up. Also here are their watts comparison (for the flatter last 3km):

Haha, the final 2.8km. Did by any chance, that marker favor one of both rider's statistics? Who even makes a comparison like that.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Will have to watch the highlights later today, seems Gaudu was super impressive

Yep, 3rd most impressive of the day

To be honest, what is more impressive, rider you expected 1st or 2nd finishing 1st or 2nd, or rider you expected in the lower top-10 at best finishing 3rd in the same time as the winner?

 

[Lequack]

Interesting that Valverde still caries extra weight with all the bling around his neck, but it doesn't seem to bother him.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

So, if that comparison isn't made by a Valverde fanboy, then i don't know. Roglic average speed is 28.88 and Valverde's average speed is 30.73, yet Roglic's speed is rounded down, (from 8!) and Valverde's speed is rounded up (from 3!). Haha.

 

[Carols]

I just watched the last 15KM. Some great racing. Roglic looking like he wants to win this race . Bala wins in the Rainbow--Nice!!! Big Tom and Vincenzo have some work to do, but plenty of time until May. Hopefully Primoz doesn't peak to soon, he could be a big Giro Contender!

 

[Lequack]

MTF Jebel Hafeet (10.75 km) #UAETour
Alejandro Valverde
| 2018: 26:40, 396 W ||| 2019: 26:55, 389 W |

Also, 30 Big Photos from Stage 3 (more photos added) — rcs/corvos
http://www.steephill.tv/2019/uae-tour/photos/stage-03/

 

[repre]

Re:

MTF Jebel Hafeet (10.75 km) #UAETour
Alejandro Valverde
| 2018: 26:40, 396 W ||| 2019: 26:55, 389 W |

Also, 30 Big Photos from Stage 3 (more photos added) — rcs/corvos
http://www.steephill.tv/2019/uae-tour/photos/stage-03/

Looks like he is declining after all :razz:

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

Will have to watch the highlights later today, seems Gaudu was super impressive

Yep, 3rd most impressive of the day

To be honest, what is more impressive, rider you expected 1st or 2nd finishing 1st or 2nd, or rider you expected in the lower top-10 at best finishing 3rd in the same time as the winner?

You're right of course, super impressive by Gaudu indeed, but as a huge Bala fan, and Rogla fan in the making, I couldn't resist

 

[Koronin]

Re:

Damn, I'm so bored of these Valverde victories. For how many more years is he going to do this?

According to a recent interview it sounds appears he's negotiating another 2 year contract with his team. So at this point it's looking more and more like he'll be racing at least through the 2021 season.

 

[Koronin]

Nice win today. Now that he's got that first win in the rainbow jersey out of the way more shouldn't be an issue to come. He did it in his typical style. Once he caught the lead group it was his as there was no way the others in that group were going to out sprint him.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Lotto Soudal not making any excuses for using illegal streams to watch the race, lol

https://twitter.com/Lotto_Soudal/status/1100373380568674304
https://twitter.com/Lotto_Soudal/status/1100381198021468160

 

[jaylew]

Masterclass from Bala.

Let the early attack with Roglic, Martin, Gaudu, and Buchmann go. Solo bridge to Martin then rest. Solo bridge to the front then rest. Lead out the sprint and win. Surgical performance.

 

[Velolover2]

UAE have four cards today: Gaviria, Kristoff, Ulissi and Costa.

Especially Ulissi should be strong on such a climb if he gets his own chance. He looked good yesterday.