Volta a Catalunya, 23-29 March 2026

[tobydawq]

What's going on with Lidl-Trek this year?

Ciccone, Geoghegan Hart and Gee all lost 1:45 and it almost looked like it was on purpose (at least for the Ciccone and Geoghegan Hart (whom I admittedly would not have expected anything from)).

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Gee was destined to stop performing as soon as I picked him as my cq team leader

 

[Devil's Elbow]

What's going on with Lidl-Trek this year?

Ciccone, Geoghegan Hart and Gee all lost 1:45 and it almost looked like it was on purpose (at least for the Ciccone and Geoghegan Hart (whom I admittedly would not have expected anything from)).

Didn't Ciccone say that he doesn't want to do GCs anymore or was that only in GTs?

 

[tobydawq]

Didn't Ciccone say that he doesn't want to do GCs anymore or was that only in GTs?

I think it was only GTs (and I suspect that it's just something he said to take the pressure off).

With those initials, it would be a strange choice to completely stop going for GC.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Settling in to watch this prime valverde level performance from monagasque superstar Victor langelotti

7 minutes down, I think current-day valverde would do better than that

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Maybe Godon can go 2 for 2. Good win today after tough effort.

 

[Red Rick]

7 minutes down, I think current-day valverde would do better than that

Now you're giving me an idea.

Next time they do this Andorra cycling Masters, I want them to roll out the Legends from the past as well. It would be hilarious to see Contador, Valverde, Purito not work together like old times.

They'd still all beat recently retired Froome.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

He's the spitting image of the Marlboro man (just needs the cowboy hat)

And needs more deep wrinkles and leathered skin like a true, hardcore Marlboro man!

 

[Tim Cahill]

Current day Valverde would legitimately top 10 here, he's still in extremely good shape.

Tbf Chumil hasn't done altitude yet so is a bit further behind in his form curve than Evenepoel, otherwise he might beat him.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

They'd still all beat recently retired Froome.

Chris hasn't officially retired yet. Rumour has it he's preparing for the legendary battle for #5 vs Pogi this July and is involved in secret team negotiations.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Chris hasn't officially retired yet. Rumour has it he's preparing for the battle for #5 vs Pogi this July and is involved in secret team negotiations.

They are so secret that no teams have heard of them yet.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

If we use cyclist abi's famous 'gap to piddock' method for gauging form, then is should be a good race, as there are 70 riders here who are absolutely flying.

 

[Didinho]

Young Italian Gualdi in 5th today for Lotto. Raccagni 7, L'Hote 10. Good to see some new names in the mix. And that Uruguayan Silva 4th, never heard of him before.

 

[KZD]

Another win for Godon, he has been a very good transfer for Ineos.

Impressed with Remco's sprint and getting 6 bonus seconds is a plus but the real differences will be made in the mountains, hopefully he is up to the challenge.

 

[jotafap]

It’s hard to believe he could make such a jump in climbing form within a few weeks, even with altitude training. But hopefully he did, he really needs some positive results here to build confidence and prove that he can be among the very best in the GC.
Impossible to have any conclusions after today.

 

[Berniece]

It’s hard to believe he could make such a jump in climbing form within a few weeks, even with altitude training. But hopefully he did, he really needs some positive results here to build confidence and prove that he can be among the very best in the GC.
Impossible to have any conclusions after today.

They believe he was just tired at UAE Tour. Too much racing, too intense training. As if he was at the end of 3 week GT and new riders that were fresh as a daisy started again. That combined with weighing 3kg’s less, altitude and training on longer climbs should show he improved a lot compared to UAE Tour

 

[CyclistAbi]

If we use cyclist abi's famous 'gap to piddock' method for gauging form, then is should be a good race, as there are 70 riders here who are absolutely flying.

You can't really directly apply it like that as Remco & Co. rather doesn't win if the difference is not measured in minutes on where Rogla is fine with a second give or take.

 

[canina82]

They believe he was just tired at UAE Tour. Too much racing, too intense training. As if he was at the end of 3 week GT and new riders that were fresh as a daisy started again. That combined with weighing 3kg’s less, altitude and training on longer climbs should show he improved a lot compared to UAE Tour

Bora don't have a clue why he was so bad in UAE Tour. It's very easy to acknowledge this in their post race interview (after stage 3).
Please, too much racing is probably one of the worst excuses I read this year. UAE Tour is in February, not in September.

Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe search for answers after Evenepoel implodes — ‘Not cramp’

Remco Evenepoel endured a remarkable off-day on the third day of the UAE Tour, but according to Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe it had nothing to do with cramp. The Belgian leader of the race was repeatedly s...

www.idlprocycling.com

 

[houtdffan]

cautiously optimistic regarding Remco's form

When he is contesting sprints like this, he usually goes really well. It's when he cannot compete in these uphill sprints, like at UAE or last year's TDF that his climbing form is subpar

 

[Devil's Elbow]

It’s hard to believe he could make such a jump in climbing form within a few weeks, even with altitude training.

I'm old enough to remember the Dauphiné and the Tour in 2024. Or San Juan and the UAE Tour in 2023, for that matter.

 

[ingsve]

A fair few surprising names losing time. Lecerf, Gaudu, Svestad-Bårdseng, Tuckwell, Novak, Langelotti, Rubio, JSM, Gee-West etc.

Not sure if anything happened to anyone or if they just don't have any goals in the race.

 

[jotafap]

I'm old enough to remember the Dauphiné and the Tour in 2024. Or San Juan and the UAE Tour in 2023, for that matter.

Yeah, me too, doesn't mean it will happen, let's just wait and see.

 

[memyselfandI]

And needs more deep wrinkles and leathered skin like a true, hardcore Marlboro man!

I think his leather is skinny enough in any scale as I remember him being 'zero fat' veins popping already in his junior years..

 

[memyselfandI]

Need to see if Remco starts slapping his thighs early in coming days or is it real deal this week, because then it's fun to watch (there are others here too)

 

[fenns]

Gordon looks like Robert Redford as the Sundance Kid