Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2025, Spain, February 5-9

[Didinho]

This would be a brutal start of the season for some riders.

UAE not good. Better for the race.

 

[Coffeeplanter]

I hereby declare this TTT to be a successful hate watch.

 

[yaco]

As I predicted, these longish TTT's that are a bit hilly can produce surprise results. For me it was never a given that UAE would dominate the TTT.

 

[Berniece]

Bora 39s behind Lidl-Trek at T1. Battle for GC is completely open like this, luckily

 

[search]

As I predicted, these longish TTT's that are a bit hilly can produce surprise results. For me it was never a given that UAE would dominate the TTT.

to me it actually looked like the hills were less of a factor than expected. Trek has big guys only, Jayco 3/4 (from those at the finish first)

 

[nightowl]

The Brunei flag for Bahrain-Victorious is a rogue one

 

[RedheadDane]

The Brunei flag for Bahrain-Victorious is a rogue one

They also had the British for Movistar for a while...

 

[nightowl]

As I predicted, these longish TTT's that are a bit hilly can produce surprise results. For me it was never a given that UAE would dominate the TTT.

Being right at the start of the season I wouldn’t be surprised if some riders are a bit undercooked too in terms of form

 

[yaco]

to me it actually looked like the hills were less of a factor than expected. Trek has big guys only, Jayco 3/4 (from those at the finish first)

Take out the Lidl out of the box performance, then the gaps from 2nd to 6th, have fairly much followed the format of previous TTT's. Anway the results make for an exciting GC battle.

 

[Monsi]

O'Connor on top so far out of the GC favorites. 4 secs ahead of Almeida and McNulty. Then Rodriguez and Arensman a second further behind. Don't expect that there'll be any GC contenders on Lidl-Trek. For a 34 km TTT, those are pretty small gaps.

Honestly, glad there aren't that much gaps out of the GC contenders.

 

[Rob5091]

Well done Trek. Now they can take it easy until stage 5!

 

[search]

from the potential GC contenders, only Zana did not finish with his team, as far as I can see

 

[Earns1985]

O'Connor on top so far out of the GC favorites. 4 secs ahead of Almeida and McNulty. Then Rodriguez and Arensman a second further behind. Don't expect that there'll be any GC contenders on Lidl-Trek. For a 34 km TTT, those are pretty small gaps.

Honestly, glad there aren't that much gaps out of the GC contenders.

Hindley and Vlasov are also at the same time with Almeida and MCnulty..

 

[Rou]

What are some people talking about? First of all the route is nice and the TTT is the best discipline in cycling. Second, UAE will not be the favourites for the TTT IMO. And third, the startlist looks quite good. LIDL should send Skjelmose. He has a good chance to win this.

Where are all the people who were chanting: "UAE will destroy everyone in the TTT", "It will be a boring race" bla bla bla... It appears that I know what I'm talking about and you guys should pay attention when I write something.

 

[rollingstoner]

Actually, and surprisingly, the TTT has had no impact for the GC. Lidl has no riders for the GC, and the other main teams have actually the same time (the gap is minimum)

 

[Devil's Elbow]

That was one of the worst performances by a team with seven good time-trialists in a team time trial I can remember.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

That was great! I say we boycott all races that don't have a TTT now.

 

[James M]

What UAE didnt win. Okei the sport is ruined now, im done with this sport not watching anymore races.

Yet here we are in feb.. Those who knows, knows.

Suprising results did the headwind pick up or something(ineos and others aswell) or just pure underperforming by a few teams? Regardless this was the best outcome for the race and GC. Maybe O Connor win now.

Its wide open, tomorrow should be a banger.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Lidl might be kicking themselves now they didn't even bring a semi-decent token climber, Bauke might be really in the mix with that 50 second advantage.

Who even is their best climber, GC Jonathan Milan?

Edit: Ghebreigzabhier probably

 

[YavorD]

That was one of the worst performances by a team with seven good time-trialists in a team time trial I can remember.

Judging by the first 2 teams that TTT was friendly for the heavier riders. So probably relatively light UAE climbers struggled in these conditions.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Lidl might be kicking themselves now they didn't even bring a semi-decent token climber, Bauke might be really in the mix with that 50 second advantage.

Who even is their best climber, GC Jonathan Milan?

Edit: Ghebreigzabhier probably

Vacek, probably. Ghebreigzabhier was dropped before the line.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

If gerbregzabhier win the GC I will retract all my previous statements about TTTs

 

[YavorD]

If gerbregzabhier win the GC I will retract all my previous statements about TTTs

He'll need to drop McNulty and Almeida for that so you'll probably still hate TTTs

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

That can't be right: how does Donovan have a faster time than the rest of his team?

42	CONSONNI Simone	Lidl - Trek			1:42
43	DONOVAN Mark	Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team			1:50
44	OLIVEIRA Ivo	UAE Team Emirates - XRG			1:51
45	BRAMBILLA Gianluca	Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team			,,
46	CALZONI Walter	Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team			,,
47	VADER Milan	Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team			,,
48	TOWNSEND Rory	Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team			1:55

and even more confusion a bit farther down the listings

66	MOLENAAR Alex	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA			2:43
67	GUARDEÑO Jaume	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA			,,
68	PONOMAR Andrii	Petrolike			,,
69	CADENA Edgar David	Petrolike			,,
70	OTRUBA Jakub	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA			,,
71	BERWICK Sebastian	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA			2:44
72	PRIETO Jose Juan	Petrolike			,,
73	CAICEDO Jonathan Klever	Petrolike			2:45
74	GARCIA Carlos Alfonso	Petrolike			,,
75	LEITÃO Iúri	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA			2:46
76	ARTZ Huub	Intermarché - Wanty			,,
77	MACIAS Cesar	Petrolike			2:47
78	VAN HOECKE Gijs	Intermarché - Wanty			2:46
79	MEINTJES Louis	Intermarché - Wanty			2:47
80	COLLEONI Kevin	Intermarché - Wanty			,,
81	BOU Joan	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA			2:49

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

It appears that I know what I'm talking about and you guys should pay attention when I write something.

But you were wrong: they were the favourites:

Most picked riders​

Most picked statistic is available when the race starts.

#	Rider	Total stars
1	UAE Team Emirates - XRG	7175
2	INEOS Grenadiers	2398
3	Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe	2024
4	Lidl - Trek	1836
5	Team Jayco AlUla	1088
6	Movistar Team	684
7	Bahrain - Victorious	582
8	Alpecin - Deceuninck	172
9	Israel - Premier Tech	79
10	Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	44
11	Intermarché - Wanty	25
12	Euskaltel - Euskadi	11

You predicted nothing about the stage result.