Tour de Romandie, April 29th - May 4th

[YavorD]

But, to paraphrase Rio Ferdinand, instead of making comparisons between Visma '23 and UAE '24/'25, of who is worse, let's just hate them both, we are so unlucky to be fans at this time.

That's a bit of a negative point of view. I'd prefer to be happy that both teams (and Pogacar and Vingegaard in particular) are dominating in the same time span.
Imagine it was only Visma? Vingegaard would have 4 TdF wins already.
Imagine it was only UAE? Jeez.

I prefer to see things in a similar way for the cobbled classics. Imagine no Pogacar for the spring? Alpecin would suffocate "the best part of the season" for 3 years in a row.

 

[Netserk]

That was way harder than I would have expected from the profile.

You also know something has gone wrong when Vine is the smartest rider in the finale.

“When you are at 1 km from the finish, you decide to go away alone. In this moment you can feel that you are gonna win?”

“Ah, no, not yet at all. I thought yesterday that I'd get a gap and be able to stay away, but uh, yeah there was a pause in the group, and I mean there must have been maybe--I mean I'm not very bright, so I was like "is that 1 km to the top of the climb or 1 km to finish or?"--but yeah that was probably my bullet or my moment to go and I took it and once I rounded the corner I knew that it's [such a final to go downhill again??], so I was pretty safe by then.”

 

[Sciatic]

“When you are at 1 km from the finish, you decide to go away alone. In this moment you can feel that you are gonna win?”

“Ah, no, not yet at all. I thought yesterday that I'd get a gap and be able to stay away, but uh, yeah there was a pause in the group, and I mean there must have been maybe--I mean I'm not very bright, so I was like "is that 1 km to the top of the climb or 1 km to finish or?"--but yeah that was probably my bullet or my moment to go and I took it and once I rounded the corner I knew that it's [such a final to go downhill again??], so I was pretty safe by then.”

I was watching the interview and got a good laugh out of that comment

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

The power of the porn 'stache propelled Vine to victory.

 

[postmanhat]

In addition to WT and .Pro level races UAE also hogs together wins in all kinds of smaller .1 and .2 races of which neither Jumbo nor Sky in their heyday cared about. That makes their dominance feel much more suffocating.

The comparisons with Sky are ridiculous. They only cared about 12-15 WT races at most, and were very effective for a few years until Froome and Bernal crashed, then Ratcliffe finished them off.

UAE want everything, everywhere. The only thing limiting them is squad size.

 

[Red Rick]

The comparisons with Sky are ridiculous. They only cared about 12-15 WT races at most, and were very effective for a few years until Froome and Bernal crashed, then Ratcliffe finished them off.

UAE want everything, everywhere. The only thing limiting them is squad size.

TdS going 1-2 on 4 consecutive mountain stages

 

[Mayomaniac]

I don’t think Evenepoel is able to drill downhill

Neither is Mr. Hands on the hoods Almeida...

 

[Cycling111]

If UAE riders were spread out on different teams of course cycling would be more fun to watch.

I agree with this. It's like SD Works. Demi and Lotte were teammates and won everything together with Lorena and other teammates.

Ayuso might be leaving. This year he has the Giro, but will he miss TDFanother year?
I think he'll be the first to leave, like Roglic when he left Jumbo .

Almeida seems to have resigned himself to a domestique in GT and being able to lead one-week races.

The problem is also that they don't have many domestiques, they are great riders as a domestique, and that's why they take up more of the calendar, because those riders need their own races to compete in.

UAE signed Vine after winning three mountain stages in the Vuelta with Alpecin. They didn't sign a simple domestique rider from Alpecin who was dedicated to pulling the peloton. They signed him with victories. For him to agree to sign for another team, they have to promise him the ability to compete in stages.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Vine crashed in half the stage races he's doing, he's absurdly hit or miss.

 

[Netserk]

I don’t think Evenepoel is able to drill downhill

Neither is Mr. Hands on the hoods Almeida...

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Vine crashed in half the stage races he's doing, he's absurdly hit or miss.

He either breaks away or breaks a bone.

 

[Peyroteo94]

If UAE riders were spread out on different teams of course cycling would be more fun to watch.

I agree. Last year, they won 38 wins after the Giro. Now they will probably hit in this TdR 38 wins!

 

[Gratemans]

Didn't win a single monument, and many of the other factors were due to X factors, such as a certain rider being injured.

Also, you're comparing four results to a whole season so its not even relevant, where UAE totally transcends it x3 and is about to make history. It's not even relevant what you're mentioning. UAE is completely making a fool out of everyone just like the so-called 'Big 6' in cycling, which is just nonsense and not the reality. The same goes for many 'super teams'— just BS, there is one true super team and several good ones.

And if you think that's a good thing, you're just a fan of a team and not of the sport imo.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Ayuso might be leaving. This year he has the Giro, but will he miss TDFanother year?
I think he'll be the first to leave, like Roglic when he left Jumbo .

Almeida seems to have resigned himself to a domestique in GT and being able to lead one-week races.

The problem is also that they don't have many domestiques, they are great riders as a domestique, and that's why they take up more of the calendar, because those riders need their own races to compete in.

Yup, Ayuso may be temped to leave after this season (he's slowly realizing he will not be #1 in the team for years to come) but Matxin will try to convince him to stay OFC. Almeida will be a loyal super-domestique for Tadej at the Tour as long as they give him leadership in other races. There's still Yates (very reliable super-dom) and with Vine it's hit and miss actually (more of the latter but it might get better soon).

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

You're forgetting that Jumbo won three GTs with three different riders, in the last one they took the podium with three riders.
And the ITT World Championship with the fourth or fith domestique.

Nothing has ever matched that.

*Yet

 

[Cookster15]

Congrats to Jay Vine. The CN report says he launched a perfectly-timed attack - and watching the replay I'd agree. Smart

 

[KZD]

Great day for UAE with Vine winning and Almeida also taking bonus second. Lenny looked good but the TT will always be a problem for him.

 

[James M]

And if you think that's a good thing, you're just a fan of a team and not of the sport imo.

I didn't say it was a good thing I literally called it what it is: a fact. Besides Del Torro, Pog, Morgado, and Christen, Im not intrigued about anyone personally on UAE, doesn’t change the fact that their next lvl and cleaning house.

 

[Cookster15]

Vine crashed in half the stage races he's doing, he's absurdly hit or miss.

Logically he should improve as he races on the road more. He obviously has enough watts. I assume his crash rate was related to him coming from the Zwift academy program. Hopefully he can stay upright long enough to avoid further setbacks to his road career.

 

[Sciatic]

The power of the porn 'stache propelled Vine to victory.

gross

 

[Cookster15]

Ayuso may be temped to leave after this season (he's slowly realizing he will not be #1 in the team for years to come)

A few up thread mocked Jay Vine for not being very smart. I think Ayuso is more worthy of that tag thinking he could ever be #1 in Pogacar's team. The problem is UAE pay big money. He will have to sacrifice money for his ambition to lead a team.

 

[postmanhat]

A few up thread mocked Jay Vine for not being very smart. I think Ayuso is more worthy of that tag thinking he could ever be #1 in Pogacar's team. The problem is UAE pay big money. He will have to sacrifice money for his ambition to lead a team.

What makes you think Ayuso ever thought he would be above Pogacar at UAE? He signed to develop at the best team in the world, and will probably have his pick of teams (Redbull) when he wants to.

Vine's just fortunate to be there. He isn't going to get any better at another WT team, except maybe Jayco with an Aussie/Middle-Eastern calendar.

 

[Cycling111]

What makes you think Ayuso ever thought he would be above Pogacar at UAE? He signed to develop at the best team in the world, and will probably have his pick of teams (Redbull) when he wants to.

Vine's just fortunate to be there. He isn't going to get any better at another WT team, except maybe Jayco with an Aussie/Middle-Eastern calendar.

Vine won three mountain stages in the Vuelta with Alpecin. He hasn't had any more important victories than than those.

Alpecin isn't a team that wins in mountain stages, and he did it there. I don't think it would be different in other team.

 

[Cookster15]

What makes you think Ayuso ever thought he would be above Pogacar at UAE?

Its just an impression I had from last season. He's younger than Pogacar and ambitious. I don't think I am alone?

 

[HashRouge]

Its just an impression I had from last season. He's younger than Pogacar and ambitious. I don't think I am alone?

I don't know if he ever thought he would be above Pogacar at UAE, but he is definitely ambitious and will want to lead at the TdF before long I think. I hope so, I find UAE's talent hoarding quite depressing.

I really miss the days when UAE used to rock up to the Tour with Bjerg, McNulty, Majka and Stake Laengen to support Pog. I didn't even mind the addition of Yates in 2023, but it's over the top now.