Volta ao Algarve 2022 (February 16-20)

[Escarabajo]

Quite unfortunate, but my first impression was that the fault is mostly on Higuita.

I saw the replay twice now and Tobias' bike kicked to the left. That was very weird what his bike did there. After that Higuita lost control and took him down after.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Pretty sharp dodge from Mcnulty actually as the bike landed right in front of him

 

[Red Rick]

Disagree...

He'll ship a decent bit of time on Malhao, which is very steep.

 

[Salvarani]

Was he really trying to insinuate that crash was the reason he was born without a sprint?

I dont know about that... just that when things doesnt go his way he lashes out, it has become a standard.

 

[Netserk]

Well the jury will have a hard time with that one. Evenepoel went for a gap that was already disappearing because the rider to McNulty's right was also moving left, and then the bend makes it hard to accuse both Higuita and Foss of changing their line. Still, with the stringent punishments for Meeus and Richeze lately, there might be relegations regardless and then there's also the matter of time gaps.

I expect no relegations and time gaps to stand as they were on the line (I assume no 3-km rule).

 

[DaLong]

I dont know about that... just that when things doesnt go his way he lashes out, it has become a standard.

Agreed. I do see what what the other posters are saying now is that he lost all his momentum after going for a gap that closed on him. Either way, you're right - standard behavior for him.

 

[sir fly]

Hopefully the climbers are waiting the tt to pass in order to get loose.

 

[Netserk]

He'll ship a decent bit of time on Malhao, which is very steep.

Remember Stybar winning there a few years ago, it's possible to attack from further out.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Was he really trying to insinuate that crash was the reason he was born without a sprint?

He has to brake hard due to McNulty's swerve just as he is going to accelerate and loses quite a few places. This is 300m from the finish and 200m before the crash.
You can clearly see it on the helicopter shot.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I expect no relegations and time gaps to stand as they were on the line (I assume no 3-km rule).

The Ventoux incident and the more lenient application of the 3k rule since makes it so hard to predict what they'll do. Rules really need reworking as a) their application hasn't always been consistent and b) they don't really factor in the possibility of crashes in an uphill sprint.

 

[dicanio_michael]

Was he really trying to insinuate that crash was the reason he was born without a sprint?

He was referring to Mcnulty suppectedly blocking him. It was not about the crash since he has already given up on sprinting.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

I chose not to watch this, guess it was right decision

 

[DaLong]

He has to brake hard due to McNulty's swerve just as he is going to accelerate and loses quite a few places. This is 300m from the finish and 200m before the crash.
You can clearly see it on the helicopter shot.

Yeah I see that now. I am not sure if McNulty swerved or the whole peloton was moving to the left in preperation for the right hander but yeah that overhead view showed it all.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Lolololol just seen the finish clip, Belgian Simon Spilak protesting as he crossed the line as if he was costed the victory. Hahahahaha

 

[TomBonnen2005]

Remco throwing his arm up in the air as he finishes. Typical behavior at this point. Shame, such a good rider.

Saying hello to his fanclub on the right of the road...

 

[Hugo Koblet]

What a farce. But at least we got some action on the last 50 metres. I wonder what happened to Pidcock? He was looking good but dropped down and lost some time in the end. Perhaps he didn't really care as the team decided to give Hayter the chance.

 

[Red Rick]

I had expected Evenepoel to not wait until the very end to sprint tbh.

 

[BlueRoads]

Trek, Arkea and Intermarché continue to be surprisingly strong. I wonder whether they just decided to get some points early and are already in super form, or if they will continue this through the season.

 

[TomBonnen2005]

I had expected Evenepoel to not wait until the very end to sprint tbh.

He was maybe confident on his 30/40" efforts based on what he did yesterday. But his positioning was not good so it was a bad decision in the end.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I had expected Evenepoel to not wait until the very end to sprint tbh.

He was isolated and Ineos was still nearly complete. Also he didn't have to take initiative today with a 32k ITT coming, i assume that's why. And maybe he wanted to test them punching legs.

 

[Samamba]

Trek, Arkea and Intermarché continue to be surprisingly strong. I wonder whether they just decided to get some points early and are already in super form, or if they will continue this through the season.

Arkea and Intermarché also the only teams that don't get hit by sickness/covid for some reason.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He was maybe confident on his 30/40" efforts based on what he did yesterday. But his positioning was not good so it was a bad decision in the end.

Bad grades for QAV overall. They only had Vervaeke left (who for some strange reason already had to start working earlier in the stage, Declerq DNF is no excuse imho), while the bunch was still 50 guys. Then they put Vervaeke in front, way too soon. They should have kept him to keep Evenepoel out of the chaos and raise the pace in the final kms (like Almeida did in 2020). With Vervaeke done with 4k to go, Evenepoel was isolated. Either he should have attacked himself and battle it out with the few that would be able to follow, or he should have moved up earlier for the sprint. Now he started moving up with 300m to go, would have been rammed into the barriers had he not braked, and that was that. Race over for him.

Lolololol just seen the finish clip, Belgian Simon Spilak protesting as he crossed the line as if he was costed the victory. Hahahahaha

Imagine having your favorite rider being the assigned personal maid of the Belgian Spilak.

 

[Big Doopie]

Hmm.

Sure. Remco looked easy.

And, yes, he got boxed in. (Same happened in 2020 as well but he emerged nonetheless)

But I am frankly yet to see him climb at 2020 levels. And wondering if I ever will…

Just like after Lombardy last year, I am beginning to question his GT future. I hope I am wrong. But I also hope he does not waste his career when some of his most exciting rides have been on tough one-day races.

We’ll see. Maybe stage 5 will yet prove my fledgling doubts wrong…

 

[Netserk]

Bad grades for QAV overall. They only had Vervaeke left (who for some strange reason already had to start working earlier in the stage, Declerq DNF is no excuse imho), while the bunch was still 50 guys. Then they put Vervaeke in front, way too soon. They should have kept him to keep Evenepoel out of the chaos and raise the pace in the final kms (like Almeida did in 2020). With Vervaeke done with 4k to go, Evenepoel was isolated. Either he should have attacked himself and battle it out with the few that would be able to follow, or he should have moved up earlier for the sprint. Now he started moving up with 300m to go, would have been rammed into the barriers had he not braked, and that was that. Race over for him.


Imagine having your favorite rider being the assigned personal maid of the Belgian Spilak.

With the wind, I don't think it was on the cards to attack before the last km. With the length of the ITT, the overall won't be a matter of seconds, so the stakes were quite limited today.

 

[Netserk]

Hmm.

Sure. Remco looked easy.

And, yes, he got boxed in. (Same happened in 2020 as well but he emerged nonetheless)

But I am frankly yet to see him climb at 2020 levels. And wondering if I ever will…

Just like after Lombardy last year, I am beginning to question his GT future. I hope I am wrong. But I also hope he does not waste his career when some of his most exciting rides have been on tough one day races.

We’ll see. Maybe stage 5 will yet prove my fledgling doubts wrong…

His climbing times were not impressive in 2020; his solo in Pologne and his ITT in Algarve were.