UAE-Team Emirates thread

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Joao Almeida, whom I like very much, as a rider and person, on this photo, looks a bit like… hmmm… to be honest… like he‘s pregnant…

(It just looks like that. I know he‘s not pregnant - he‘s male, at least… )

 

[Sciatic]

Joao Almeida, whom I like very much, as a rider and person, on this photo, looks a bit like… hmmm… to be honest… like he‘s pregnant…

(It just looks like that. I know he‘s not pregnant - he‘s male, at least… )

Maybe he’s practicing the belly-breathing thing

 

[Miss Violet Smith]

I know that media interactions aren't representative of what any person is Really Like, but Adam Yates sounds so nice and decent in interviews.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1745760549172871385

View: https://twitter.com/Cyclingnewsfeed/status/1745760549172871385?t=rKiIBiWCQAY5vJKmf6OWxw&s=19

 

[Miss Violet Smith]

Joao Almeida, whom I like very much, as a rider and person, on this photo, looks a bit like… hmmm… to be honest… like he‘s pregnant…

(It just looks like that. I know he‘s not pregnant - he‘s male, at least… )

It's a bit of optical illusion maybe with the pattern middle to bottom (for people who are not national champions), but my first thought was: teletubbies.

 

[joseph89]

I see a problem brewing at UAE with all these super talents with similar skill sets and can't wait to watch it unfold.

 

[Rob5091]

I see a problem brewing at UAE with all these super talents with similar skill sets and can't wait to watch it unfold.

Could well be the best show in town this year. All we'll need is a Remco tantrum to top it off.

 

[Miss Violet Smith]

Looks like Rui Oliviera is replacing Jan Christen in Clàssica Comunitat Valenciana, due to illness.

 

[SHAD0W93]

A nice 1, 2, and 3 today.

 

[Offline]

A nice 1, 2, and 3 today.

Best TT equipment in the peloton.

 

[Offline]

UAE have spent a lot of money on new riders and equipment past years and with success.
But you got to ask yourself if it isn't time to upgrade their sports directors.
To me they often look very weak tactical! And this UAE tour was just straight up embarrassing.

 

[KZD]

UAE have spent a lot of money on new riders and equipment past years and with success.
But you got to ask yourself if it isn't time to upgrade their sports director.
To me they often look very weak tactical! And this UAE tour was just straight up embarrassing.

They are missing Allan Peiper that didn't reach an agreement to return to the team last year.

 

[Offline]

They are missing Allan Peiper that didn't reach an agreement to return to the team last year.

Forsure! But with the money they have the most be able to get good directors from the other big teams. Peiper on a apart-time wasn't the answer anyway.

 

[skippo12]

Apparently it isn't a GC team anymore. Dominated in France. Best of the rest on the opening weekend in Belgium. Epic collapse in the UAE Tour.

 

[Rob5091]

Jay Vine's explaination of why he went pop at UAE Tour -
https://www.facebook.com/JayVineCycling
"Obviously I’m pretty disappointed not to come away with the overall win for the team, especially at our home race. I went into the tour with only 3 weeks of proper training under my belt, and my role was to be purely a support rider for Adam and Brandon. And to be completely honest, I came into this tour questioning if I’d even be able to support the boys on these major climbs, knowing that I don’t have the training in the legs. So the fact that I was able come away with two second places, and lead the race for as long as I did, I’m pretty proud of the team and myself.
When I saw there was strong, crosswinds scheduled for today’s stage, I knew I would have to spend crucial energy making the front spilts, and I might not have enough on the climb. Fast forward to the final climb, and as expected I ran out of legs then promptly got dropped from the front group. And it quickly became 1800 pedal strokes of “Ow, Ow Ow” (one ow for each pedal stroke going up the climb). Maybe if we don’t have a crosswinds I could have held on to the GC, but shoulda-woulda-coulda-didn’t."

3 weeks of proper training? ! Well, that explains Vine, but McNulty too?

 

[Berniece]

Jay Vine's explaination of why he went pop at UAE Tour -
https://www.facebook.com/JayVineCycling
"Obviously I’m pretty disappointed not to come away with the overall win for the team, especially at our home race. I went into the tour with only 3 weeks of proper training under my belt, and my role was to be purely a support rider for Adam and Brandon. And to be completely honest, I came into this tour questioning if I’d even be able to support the boys on these major climbs, knowing that I don’t have the training in the legs. So the fact that I was able come away with two second places, and lead the race for as long as I did, I’m pretty proud of the team and myself.
When I saw there was strong, crosswinds scheduled for today’s stage, I knew I would have to spend crucial energy making the front spilts, and I might not have enough on the climb. Fast forward to the final climb, and as expected I ran out of legs then promptly got dropped from the front group. And it quickly became 1800 pedal strokes of “Ow, Ow Ow” (one ow for each pedal stroke going up the climb). Maybe if we don’t have a crosswinds I could have held on to the GC, but shoulda-woulda-coulda-didn’t."

3 weeks of proper training? ! Well, that explains Vine, but McNulty too?

I'm mostly wondering why he has only trained properly for 3 weeks? We're February already...

 

[theyoungest]

I'm mostly wondering why he has only trained properly for 3 weeks? We're February already...

I'm sure it wasn't by choice.

On a positive note, they have some excellent time trial equipment But yeah, in their home race, with three GC leaders, and all three of them falter, that's not good enough for the richest team in the peloton. Next week Pogi will come to save the day again and everything will be forgotten.

 

[Rob5091]

I'm mostly wondering why he has only trained properly for 3 weeks? We're February already...

Does seem strange as he's doing the Giro and did not do the Tour down Under so he could concentrate on European races. McNulty has been racing in Spain so I await his explaination.

Edit - add- Vine has been injured - tendonitis, and McNulty "we knew from the beginning that he was not good because the day before he was not feeling super super,” team principal Gianetti told GCN."
https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.co...the-peloton-how-the-uae-tour-was-won-and-lost

"super super" ?! A new medical term? A touch of the "Tom Dumoulins" maybe?

 

[shadowrider]

Jay Vine's explaination of why he went pop at UAE Tour -
https://www.facebook.com/JayVineCycling
"Obviously I’m pretty disappointed not to come away with the overall win for the team, especially at our home race. I went into the tour with only 3 weeks of proper training under my belt, and my role was to be purely a support rider for Adam and Brandon. And to be completely honest, I came into this tour questioning if I’d even be able to support the boys on these major climbs, knowing that I don’t have the training in the legs. So the fact that I was able come away with two second places, and lead the race for as long as I did, I’m pretty proud of the team and myself.
When I saw there was strong, crosswinds scheduled for today’s stage, I knew I would have to spend crucial energy making the front spilts, and I might not have enough on the climb. Fast forward to the final climb, and as expected I ran out of legs then promptly got dropped from the front group. And it quickly became 1800 pedal strokes of “Ow, Ow Ow” (one ow for each pedal stroke going up the climb). Maybe if we don’t have a crosswinds I could have held on to the GC, but shoulda-woulda-coulda-didn’t."

3 weeks of proper training? ! Well, that explains Vine, but McNulty too?

Implausible reactions of course.
McNulty was strong and first in the TT. Not top, but not bad either in the first mountain stage. Vine, strong and second in the TT. Strong and second in the first mountain stage. This is not a GT. And certainly not the Tour de France. Even not at their toplevel (just like all opponents) they should certainly have been able to hold their ground on that one climb. Lose a few seconds at most.
The excuse about the echelons and the extra calories consumed is too crazy for words. All classification riders had the same problem. Anticipate, eat a little more before the start. Extra food between and after the echelons...
So there was definitely something else going on. Special treatment/medical preparation has gone wrong for sure.

Finally. Bjerg already increased the pace for AG2R did. Later again, when things calmed down again, he took a strong (too fast) lead again.

As a result, McNulty exploded. But than, Bjerg came back in front. Two places behind one could see an agitated Vine shouting in his mikro..... and then immediately drop to the back of the group. Bjerg stopped his effort. But too late. Once AG2R noticed that Vine was moving back, they picked up the pace once more and Vine was dropped. Poor tactics as well.

 

[theyoungest]

Implausible reactions of course.
McNulty was strong and first in the TT. Not top, but not bad either in the first mountain stage. Vine, strong and second in the TT. Strong and second in the first mountain stage. This is not a GT. And certainly not the Tour de France. Even not at their toplevel (just like all opponents) they should certainly have been able to hold their ground on that one climb. Lose a few seconds at most.
The excuse about the echelons and the extra calories consumed is too crazy for words. All classification riders had the same problem. Anticipate, eat a little more before the start. Extra food between and after the echelons...
So there was definitely something else going on. Special treatment/medical preparation has gone wrong for sure.

Finally. Bjerg already increased the pace for AG2R did. Later again, when things calmed down again, he took a strong (too fast) lead again.

As a result, McNulty exploded. But than, Bjerg came back in front. Two places behind one could see an agitated Vine shouting in his mikro..... and then immediately drop to the back of the group. Bjerg stopped his effort. But too late. Once AG2R noticed that Vine was moving back, they picked up the pace once more and Vine was dropped. Poor tactics as well.

Strange how people who complain about "special treatment/medical preparation" at the same time expect that riders are good all the time. Isn't it allowed anymore to have a bad day, or to be a little under the weather? Or is that only allowed if you're Remco Evenepoel?

Sure, it's quite the fail for UAE to have all three leaders falter, but if you look at the individual explanations, it's not that absurd. Yates crashed, Vine had an injury and only three weeks of training, and McNulty just wasn't feeling good. Add to that Vine and McNulty aren't exactly known for their stable performances in the mountains. Nothing implausible about that.

 

[Samamba]

Vines explanation seems pretty logical?

Didn't have a good winter so not ready for harder races. A short TT or just 1 mountain after 100km of 150W isn't a problem, but 60km of echelon action (where he did way too much work) into a MTF was just too much. He was probably already empty at the foot of the climb.

Obviously it looks really bad for UAE, but if Vine actually just came here as a domestic he has nothing to be ashamed of. Yates would've cleared everyone here without the crash anyways.

 

[scribers]

Uae had a great week. I’m sure the bosses in the Middle East wished a different result but they are showing strong so far. I’d be far more concerned with getting Yates back on target for the real sections of the season. His role will be crucial if they wish to upset at the tour

 

[Salvarani]

Vines explanation seems pretty logical?

Didn't have a good winter so not ready for harder races. A short TT or just 1 mountain after 100km of 150W isn't a problem, but 60km of echelon action (where he did way too much work) into a MTF was just too much. He was probably already empty at the foot of the climb.

Obviously it looks really bad for UAE, but if Vine actually just came here as a domestic he has nothing to be ashamed of. Yates would've cleared everyone here without the crash anyways.

Exactly, cant fault either McNulty or Vine. One got sick/wasnt at his best and the other one, for listed reasons couldn, perform to the best of his abilities.

Yates was the leader and he crashed. Cant fault the team either for that. Just bad luck.

Pog was not doing this race.
Ayuso was scheduled for Andalucia.
Almeida was doing Algarve, but didnt end up making it there.

Who are left with besides Yates, Vine and McNulty? Del Toro? He replaced Almeida in Algarve.

Those blaming the team are probably just joking or taking the opportunity to go at UAE.

 

[Unchained]

Joao Almeida, whom I like very much, as a rider and person, on this photo, looks a bit like… hmmm… to be honest… like he‘s pregnant…

(It just looks like that. I know he‘s not pregnant - he‘s male, at least… )

His baby is due in July!!

 

[KZD]

It seems UAE have found their future leader for the cobbled classics.

 

[noob]

His baby is due in July!!

I was just wondering if he was bigger bc he's scheduled for Amstel, Fleche and Liege :O Or it's PCS making fun of things as usual.