"The greatest race of the year": 2014 Tour de San Luis, January 19th-26th

[Flamin]

ask the clinic about ibarguren

Yeh, I'm sure he was the reason why Vanendert could keep up with the peloton on a flat stage

 

[De Snelle Duif]

ask the clinic about ibarguren

So he crashed because he's not doping anymore?

Anyway, I don't think any of the WT GC guys will go really hard on this stage already

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

This climb pitches up at the end, think Contador has won on it a few times before.

Should be a good climb for Betancur alright. Not sure what the non-Pro Tour South Americans are like and whether they're in form or not.

It will be interesting to see how Betancur rides; he really rode poorly in some races at the back end of last year, and it made me think he wanted out of AG2R.

betancurt hadn't trained at all between giro and vuelta. his laziness came back again that haunted him for years. let's hope he did train this winter

 

[manafana]

interested see how break does on todays stage, what is road surface like for this race, was it always good or has money been put in to make it suitable for cycling?

 

[Guybrush]

This climb pitches up at the end, think Contador has won on it a few times before.

Should be a good climb for Betancur alright. Not sure what the non-Pro Tour South Americans are like and whether they're in form or not.

It will be interesting to see how Betancur rides; he really rode poorly in some races at the back end of last year, and it made me think he wanted out of AG2R.

nop, that's the Mirador del Sol, Mirador del Potrero is about 6% all the way

 

[barmaher]

Thanks, I didn't realise that.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Messineo will not start today.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Messineo will not start today.

I feared this. VERY bad news. I hope it's not as bad an injury as 2 years ago. this man has so much talent but is now 34 and most of his career badly injured.

 

[jens_attacks]

very sad news i was looking forward to what he could achieve. ok maybe podium would have been hard if aggresive riding was unleashed but at least for the itt...

is the stage already started?

 

[Arredondo]

No, 17.45 they will.

I will go for Atapuma, he looked sharp at stage 1!

 

[theyoungest]

I feared this. VERY bad news. I hope it's not as bad an injury as 2 years ago. this man has so much talent but is now 34 and most of his career badly injured.

Too bad we're deprived of the epic Messineo-De Maar showdown.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

No, 17.45 they will.

I will go for Atapuma, he looked sharp at stage 1!

atapuma needs longer climb

 

[jens_attacks]

i go with serpa and diaz

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

i go with serpa and diaz

I fear diaz is not in good form. he hasn't done any race in recent months, unlike his teammates. giacinti for instance is in killer form

 

[Ruudz0r]

I fear diaz is not in good form. he hasn't done any race in recent months, unlike his teammates. giacinti for instance is in killer form

Giacinti is in the break: Hondo (TFR), Tolosa (BAP), Trillini (ARG), Martínez and Giacinti (SLS). they have a 3.30 lead after 20 km.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Giacinti is in the break: Hondo (TFR), Tolosa (BAP), Trillini (ARG), Martínez and Giacinti (SLS). they have a 3.30 lead after 20 km.

san luis play out great again their tactics. they also send giacinti up front last year. this must mean diaz feels pretty good or maybe godoy and if the break stays giacinti will win. others must chase now. also martinez is there who is in great form

 

[Popchu]

I fear diaz is not in good form. he hasn't done any race in recent months, unlike his teammates. giacinti for instance is in killer form

Diaz had a 2 week training camp at altitude, so I suppose Diaz will have a shot at repeating his GC victory of last year.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Diaz had a 2 week training camp at altitude, so I suppose Diaz will have a shot at repeating his GC victory of last year.

ah. thank you for your information. I was already afraid he was injured. he wenr back to his home region salta? diaz is from altitude and therefore he was so strong in bolivia as well

 

[Ruudz0r]

Not Hondo in the break but Guzman.

 

[Popchu]

ah. thank you for your information. I was already afraid he was injured. he wenr back to his home region salta? diaz is from altitude and therefore he was so strong in bolivia as well

It was in Chile according to an article on Pezcyclingnews.

Diaz is the reigning champion and retaining his title, is his number 1 goal for the year. He has just finished a 2 week training camp, at altitude, in Chile. He already has a lot of recent, competitive riding in his legs, a big difference from the European riders.

 

[Beech Mtn]

betancurt hadn't trained at all between giro and vuelta. his laziness came back again that haunted him for years. let's hope he did train this winter

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

lol he looks really fat again. he could lose 4 kg in his face alone

 

[Guybrush]

I fear diaz is not in good form. he hasn't done any race in recent months, unlike his teammates. giacinti for instance is in killer form

don't forget Moyano, a pretty decent climber

 

[slosada]

ah. thank you for your information. I was already afraid he was injured. he wenr back to his home region salta? diaz is from altitude and therefore he was so strong in bolivia as well

Yes, he was so strong that he only lost 35:40 minutes to Salvador Moreno and 37:11 to Oscar Soliz in the last 4 days (those stages in the Bolivian Plateau at ~4000m)
At the end of 7th stage in Cochabamba Diaz was 2nd at 3:20, while Moreno was at 4:48 and Soliz at 12:29
The final GC had Moreno 1st, Soliz 2nd at 6:08 and Diaz 9th at 34:10

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Yes, he was so strong that he only lost 35:40 minutes to Salvador Moreno and 37:11 to Oscar Soliz in the last 4 days (those stages in the Bolivian Plateau at ~4000m)
At the end of 7th stage in Cochabamba Diaz was 2nd at 3:20, while Moreno was at 4:48 and Soliz at 12:29
The final GC had Moreno 1st, Soliz 2nd at 6:08 and Diaz 9th at 34:10

ugh triple facepalm here. diaz is not a climber. hes a puncher and a sprinter. type gerrans, so yes in high mountains he loses a lot of time but he won so many races in bolivia, more than any foreigner ever did.