Volta ao Algarve 2024 - 2.Pro (February 14-18)

[shadowrider]

He has a bright future. I expect more from him than from Joao almeida in the future.

Exactly. Almeida is a good and regular rider. But limited.

 

[Bolder]

Maybe. Martinez is the better sprinter of the two. But one can not compare the first finish at the end of a not difficult climb and the finish yesterday after a short but steep climb. It was obvious that Evenepoel made the difference after he jumped, but that his legs exploded after doing the whole climb on a heavy gear.

Moreover, Evenepoel has not yet trained for explosiveness. He will do it for the first time next week. In preparation for Paris-Nice. I'm convinced Evenepoel, if in topshape, is as strong in a uphillsprint than Roglic (he already proved he could beat Roglic uphill), Pogacar and Martinez.

Agree.

In general, though, I don't see what the point of comparing Martinez and Remco at this stage of their careers and this time of year.

Martinez is a very talented rider with inconsistent results, while Remco is a world champion, monument and GT winner.

Whatever Remco is doing in February at Algarve has zero bearing on whether he has a successful season, but it could easily be a high point for Martinez. Happy to be proved wrong as I loved what he did in the 2020 Giro but let's be realistic.

 

[shadowrider]

I think Martinez showed pretty clearly he's quicker right now. If Remco really wanted to win he needed to have attacked earlier. I can see the chainring issue being a reason he didn't do THAT. The idea that it interfered with his sprint seems less convincing to me. Certainly not ideal either way, but Martinez out-sprinted everyone pretty easily.

Gutsy ride by Healy after getting caught. Kinda pointless but I admire the effort and desire.

The gear problem was not the most important issue during the sprint itself. One could see Evenepoel even made the difference after he attacked direction the finish. But climbing (and it was steep) more than 2km with that gear soured his legs. He had to sit down quickly.
Martinez is the better sprinter of the two on a flat or slightly ascending finish. I'm convinced Evenepoel, in topshape and without issues, is the better of the two after a longer climb with a fairly steep finish. As strong as Roglic and Pogacar when it comes to a sprint.

 

[shadowrider]

Agree.

In general, though, I don't see what the point of comparing Martinez and Remco at this stage of their careers and this time of year.

Martinez is a very talented rider with inconsistent results, while Remco is a world champion, monument and GT winner.

Whatever Remco is doing in February at Algarve has zero bearing on whether he has a successful season, but it could easily be a high point for Martinez. Happy to be proved wrong as I loved what he did in the 2020 Giro but let's be realistic.

That's the sad thing with Martinez. Talented, explosive, a good climber and a descent time trialist (considering his a climber). But with more periods or even seasons when he does not perform. Adversity, injurys will play a role, but it is certainly not the full explanation. Too little content and too little professional seriousness ? You tell me.

 

[shadowrider]

What about the ones on the outside?

They look younger, but they didn't have a difficult four-day ride in their legs. Just going up the stairs of the podium every day and look nice.

 

[Extinction]

Morgado looks like he's a 35
Evenepoel looks like he's 50
Thijssen looks like he's 60
And Martinez looks like he's a 70 year old wino.

And the two on the ends?

 

[saunaking]

Every year prior, I had a lot of hope for Wout, but this year, I think will be a major disappointment. When Wout rides a race and is there and at the front because he's one of the most gifted riders in the world, he will have more of a chance. I think last year's P-R really hurt his mental game, and I also think that when he decides to concentrate on something (WC's, Ronde, etc}, he beats himself mentally, because he seems to make major mental mistakes (2023 CX WC's where he just forgot to f**king sprint form the turn, as an example). He questions what he should do, chases and chases and then lets a break go when it's clear he shouldn't. And this year, he is all eggs in the basket for Ronde and P-R. It is the perfect set-up for an epic tragedy you could write a play about. I think his best chance for one of those races (P-R to be specific) is in 3 or 4 years, when he is no longer consdered a real threat, and he has good legs, and is able to get away when the others aren't completely focused on racing against him. I think the pressure of where he is, is going to be too much...especially when you combine that with the legs of Pog and MVP.

I hope this is not true. I kinda respect Wout and his mental strength to keep his head up no matter the result and keep going up against mvdp when he has no chance. It was kinda sad watching his cX season as MVDP would ride away from him every time they faced each other. And even though he is totally changing his approach this season, there he was head to head with an alien MVDP throughout the cross season.
MVDP is a killer and better rider, but I would love to see Wout win Flanders or Roubaix this year

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I hope this is not true. I kinda respect Wout and his mental strength to keep his head up no matter the result and keep going up against mvdp when he has no chance. It was kinda sad watching his cX season as MVDP would ride away from him every time they faced each other. And even though he is totally changing his approach this season, there he was head to head with an alien MVDP throughout the cross season.
MVDP is a killer and better rider, but I would love to see Wout win Flanders or Roubaix this year

MvdP is first and foremost a different rider, just a pitty WvA has not figured that out yet. RVV simply suits MvdP much better as it is basically a 270km CX race, twisting turning, technical, short all out efforts, short technical climbs... I think if Van Aert with his usual TDF form would have focussed on Liège and Lombardia since 2020 instead of RVV and PR, he would have won them by now. And even though "ik moet just niks" he keeps setting himself up for failure.

But i'm sure Laporte will throw him a bone. Oh, wait, no he won't.