Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2017 (01.02. - 05.02.)

[May0maniac]

A great showing by Kudus and Senni finished on the podium, nice.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Kudos to Kudus . . . He held on well after he was dropped.

The camera work was awful though with its focus on GVA, when we were much more interested in what was going on right behind Quintana.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

 

[RedheadDane]

Re:

The camera work was awful though with its focus on GVA, when we were much more interested in what was going on right behind Quintana.

Yeah. Of course you should always show the leader's jersey proper respect, but that was ridiculous. However, the camera moto does have an excuse if there was a group ahead he simply couldn't get pass. Honestly, while I was shouting (internally) for the moto to get ahead and start filming Hermans, a small inner voice was reminding me of how I've been pointing out that we - as viewers - shouldn't complain too much if the motos aren't always able to get to the important action.

 

[BigMac]

Great, great ride by Amaro. I'm very happy for him.

 

[Escarabajo]

Quintana is always good. Early, late. You can't blame him. He can't help himself.

Good showing!!

 

[Mr.White]

Quintana is in monster form already, Giro will be spectacular! Also great ride by Kudus and especially Antunes

 

[trevim]

Cool ride by Amaro, going after Quintana and Kudus like he had done it all his life

 

[Arredondo]

Amaro! Great ride. Confirms his Algarve-legacy.

Nairo really strong. Not a surprise he wins here, but the way he looked on the final climb is really promising for the upcoming races. He's 27 now. It's the time to take that final elusive step.

 

[Red Rick]

today just 9 seconds slower than Vuelta 2016 (Contador Quintana Froome Chaves)

That seems indeed quick for early season. On the other hand tactics did slow down the climb last year. Contador was the first of the main contenders to finish, the rest was s.t. so I think Froome and Quintana may have held back a bit then.

Interesting comparison, when Froome and Contador did the Hazallanas in Ruta del Sol in 2015 they were faster than all the Vuelta riders of 2013 except for Horner. Don't think it's wrong per se to be very good early.

 

[May0maniac]

That was a great performance by Kudus, but he's always great at the start of the season, he seems to have a great base level. To me the bigger concern with him is the fact that i don't think that DD is a great team for him and the other Eritrean riders, last year they had him training at altitude with 35°C just a few days before sending him to a snowy Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Romandie with really bad weather.
If they send him to the Giro with Berhane, Debesay and Igor Anton without targeting the gc I'll give them credits.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Amaro surely to get a WT-contract next year, Movistar would be very wise to pick him up!
I was actually surprised to see Kudus finishing 2nd, very impressive to go over threshold for that amount of time and still being able to hold on. He could probably have climbed it even faster if he didn't blew himself up to some extent trying to hold Quintana's wheel which was of no aerodynamic importance.

By the way, where are the Yates?

 

[Squire]

Re:

By the way, where are the Yates?

That is an incredibly good question. Although none of them are known for being good at the start of the season, this performance is particularly anonymous. I guess this race was always going to be just a training ride for them.

 

[Escarabajo]

I just re-watched the stage again and that was impressive by Quintana. He took matters into his own hands from the start of the climb without looking back. Just the way to do it.

Impressed with Kudus. held on for a long time to Quintana. I thought he was going to blow up, but he ended up second. Great ride.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Rogla is such a weird guy. Used to be a climber, than he randomly became a TTer last year and now he gets dropped unexpectedly soon in the TTT loses 8 minutes, but shows up in the climbing stages again. I just have no clue at all what type of a rider he is supposed to be or how good he is.

 

[johnymax]

Re:

Rogla is such a weird guy. Used to be a climber, than he randomly became a TTer last year and now he gets dropped unexpectedly soon in the TTT loses 8 minutes, but shows up in the climbing stages again. I just have no clue at all what type of a rider he is supposed to be or how good he is.

I don't know what is so weird about it. Last year was basically his first pro year, a learning year. He was supposed to be a good climber and he showed a couple of nice performances (nothing exceptional). It was also his first time putting some serious work in TT training so he discovered his talent there (if I remember correctly I've mentioned in his thread that he has shown talent for TT before, but he didn't even have a TT bike in Adria back then). The time loss in the TTT came as a surprise I agree, but it was his first race of the season. I guess he just had a bad day. He still is a good climber as he has shown in the 2 hilly stages. I am optimistic about his season. I expect him to take a step forward as a climber and if he retained his TT ability, he should fight for some top placings in short stage races.

As for the type of rider he is supposed to be, well...in interviews he says he wants to be a good allrounder, good on every type of terrain. I guess, somebody forgot to tell him we are in a time of specialisation

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

He could just turn out to be like Wellens, he'll disappoint one day and than the next day he'll put down a performance you would've never expected.

 

[Ricco']

Last stage shortened because of strong winds. Only do 5 laps of the final circuit.

EWP activated because yeah, it's the middle of the winter in Europe, were they expecting sunshine and 30º all days?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

He could just turn out to be like Wellens, he'll disappoint one day and than the next day he'll put down a performance you would've never expected.

Or, perhaps, De Gendt.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re:

Last stage shortened because of strong winds. Only do 5 laps of the final circuit.

EWP activated because yeah, it's the middle of the winter in Europe, were they expecting sunshine and 30º all days?

EWP activated because, at the end of the day it's just a race.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Last stage shortened because of strong winds. Only do 5 laps of the final circuit.

EWP activated because yeah, it's the middle of the winter in Europe, were they expecting sunshine and 30º all days?

Dumb.
The precedent has been set, guess we can expect many more races and stages to be cancelled or shortened this season due to weather conditions.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Coquard appeared out of nowhere and wins stage 5.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

A great finish today. Congrats to Coquard.

 

[Valv.Piti]

You'd think it was a bunch of wussies riding around (which it is to some extend....). I don't care about this race, but its all about the precedent.

 

[Tonton]

Nice win for Bryan!