Tirreno - Adriatico 2021, March 10 - March 16

[Samu Cuenca]

But we all love you! That's why we are teasing you. Otherwise we would just ignore you.
(Yeah, I know, I used to love Samu, but that was before he said he stuck needles into a Hodeg doll.)

So you continued to love me in secret after the RhD shot putting incident?

I have thrown the Hodeg doll out. Now I use a 1:12 scale model of Greipel to make sure I won't go bankrupt after Flanders.

 

[hayneplane]

Often bonus seconds end up being a major factor in the GC and Wout will have to get the most out of them to mount a GC challenge.

Looking forward to it, this is always one of the greatest weeks of the season with two high class world tour stage races to savour live on tv on the same day for several days.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I'll just open my own forum where nobody will tease me.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ElXHubKXUAUqwPA.jpg

 

[topcat]

Didn't stop you from creating monsters before.

Did toby create MVP?

 

[topcat]

I wouldn't call it legally. But peer pressure is a thing.

Beer pressure

 

[RedheadDane]

Meanwhile; Fuglsang (and Astana) may have husbands, but TDE have fiancés!
(The French word "engagés")

 

[Escarabajo]

I wonder why Chaves is not riding here. He is not in Paris-Nice either. So I am not sure what the issue is.

 

[BlueRoads]

You have a thing for those Danish boys?

Hm, toby seems a bit young for me, Samu's age I don't know. Must admit, I never met a Dane personally in my entire life! (No wonder, they are obviously all out on their bikes or here in the forum.) But you will know more about whether they can be recommended...

 

[RedheadDane]

I wonder why Chaves is not riding here. He is not in Paris-Nice either. So I am not sure what the issue is.

Might simply be a case of wanting to have him start his season a little later.

 

[BlueRoads]

So you continued to love me in secret after the RhD shot putting incident?

I have thrown the Hodeg doll out. Now I use a 1:12 scale model of Greipel to make sure I won't go bankrupt after Flanders.

Take the Hodeg doll in again! Put it in a bath with essential oils and make sure all stitches are sutured! Then put it on a velvet cushion in your living room and leave it be!

(And also leave Greipel alone, he's a nice guy, too.)

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Might simply be a case of wanting to have him start his season a little later.

Can't speak for Chaves, but i know there are other teams keeping riders out of competition, to give some opportunities to other riders, considering a lot of races have been cancelled. So in order to give everybody some races, those aiming for Vuelta/Worlds are being kept out of the team early season.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Take the Hodeg doll in again! Put it in a bath with essential oils and make sure all stitches are sutured! Then put it on a velvet cushion in your living room and leave it be!

(And also leave Greipel alone, he's a nice guy, too.)

I have met you halfway. He is now a soft cushion (I will leave Greipel alone, when I'm sure I won't have to buy you any drinks)

 

[yaco]

Surprisingly Chaves stayed in Europe in the off-season - Did the TBE pre-season training camp in Mid-January and then returned to Colombia for further training - Should be back in Europe in the next week and kick his season off at Catalunya - His focus this year will be Ardennes and Italian Fall Classics - he is no certainty to ride a GT in 2021.

 

[tobydawq]

Surprisingly Chaves stayed in Europe in the off-season - Did the TBE pre-season training camp in Mid-January and then returned to Colombia for further training - Should be back in Europe in the next week and kick his season off at Catalunya - His focus this year will be Ardennes and Italian Fall Classics - he is no certainty to ride a GT in 2021.

Hmm, that would be a bit strange. But okay, his recovery has been horrific the past few years so I guess it makes sense.

 

[BlueRoads]

What do you expect from Pogacar vs. Bernal?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

What do you expect from Pogacar vs. Bernal?

get beaten by a shock performance from Van Aert.

 

[johnymax]

What do you expect from Pogacar vs. Bernal?

I'm expecting the most epicest battle ever. For real. Both are in great form, both are also great on hilly terrain. The route is very good. I can't wait, especially for stage 5. Slight advantage for Pogi because of the ITT.

 

[johnymax]

get beaten by a shock performance from Van Aert.

I'm not writing off this possibility either. But there are also other strong contenders: Alaphilippe, S.Yates, Thomas,... and at least 15 other strong GC contenders who can all top3. Crazy, the GC field is stacked

 

[KZD]

get beaten by a shock performance from Van Aert.

I very much doubt that Van Aert will be able to do that, even top10 seems difficult taking into account that he only raced once this season, I would say that Alaphilippe has a clearly better chance of beating the two Tour winners and the rest of the GC field.

However I expect a great battle in the hilly stages between Van Aert, Alaphilippe and Van der Poel.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I very much doubt that Van Aert will be able to do that, even top10 seems difficult taking into account that he only raced once this season, I would say that Alaphilippe has a clearly better chance of beating the two Tour winners and the rest of the GC field.

However I expect a great battle in the hilly stages between Van Aert, Alaphilippe and Van der Poel.

I also doubt van Aert is going home with the win, but i do think it's really not far fetched for him to end up in the top 10. I would actually put a pretty penny on him doing so. Keep in mind this isn't the TDF and quite a few of those guys aren't in prime shape nor motivated, while van Aert, getting ready for the classics and coming off the Teide, is likely closer to prime shape than the likes of Majka or Nibali. Add to that the ITT where he can take 30s and more on all GC favorites except Pogacar, Almeida and Alaphilippe. Add some boni seconds as well, and the fact that half of the GC climbers could get caught out in the hilly stages if raced hard, and Majka, Landa, Pinot, Bardet... could very well have to finish more than 2 minutes ahead of him on the MTF in order to finish ahead of him in GC.

No, i can't imagine him going home the winner, but i can certainly see him in the top 10 maybe even higher than one would think.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I'm surprised that Thomas hasn't been mentioned. He has a better chance of winning than all but Pogacar, Bernal and Alaphilippe in my opinion. He's also more likely to not finish in the top 10 than most other contenders, though.

 

[RedheadDane]

Just looking forward to see who GCN picks as their race experts.
I mean, I'msure they can find someone who once went for a swim in the Adriatic Sea!

 

[pink_jersey]

That Ineos line-up. Still, don't understand why Adam Yates isn't riding this. He's usually one of the best riders in the world from February to April and I thought that it makes sense to let him all of Tirreno, Catalunya and Itzulia.

I think Landa will surprise a few here. He seems in nice shape and I expect him to go toe to toe with Pogi and Benal on Prati di Tivo.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Just looking forward to see who GCN picks as their race experts.
I mean, I'msure they can find someone who once went for a swim in the Adriatic Sea!

Please not Adam Blyat...

 

[RedheadDane]

Please not Adam Blyat...

I think trying to commentate two races at the same time would be... somewhat complicated.