Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta 2020, Portugal, February 19 - February 23

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Yellow he could lose, but seems pretty hard to lose the white one. Almeida is 2nd in youth classification right now.

yeah, forgot.

 

[DNP-Old]

Remco now the favorite for the Giro.

What?

 

[RunningRouleur]

How long until you guys realize he is the favorite for the Giro? After he wins Tirreno?

 

[Red Rick]

How long until you guys realize he is the favorite for the Giro? After he wins Tirreno?

Nah man I'll use the superpower of hindsight this time.

 

[red_flanders]

How long until you guys realize he is the favorite for the Giro? After he wins Tirreno?

I think most people think he's "a" favorite. "The" favorite is harder, because we've never seen him race 3 weeks and he's really young. But you could certainly be right, and who would bet against him at this point?

 

[kiszol]

I only said that this TT route is slightly less favourable for him than the one at San Juan. I didn't imply that it's bad for him. Every TT is good for Remco. He will crush the TT nonetheless but the San Juan one was even better for him. A steady climb is good for him (most TT specialists will lose a lot of time there) and the long straight as well (look at last year's EC course).

He is starting to become a very Dumoulinesque rider.

 

[Joelsim]

He's not going to win the Giro, but a top 5 wouldn't surprise me.

He's probably got a future in cycling tho'!

 

[Red Rick]

Consider most bets are off. Still wanna see him on a long, steeper climb.

 

[rick james]

Remco now the favorite for the Giro.

Calm the f*ck down

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Remco now the favorite for the Giro.

For the bookies and success fans perhaps.

 

[jaylew]

I think most people think he's "a" favorite. "The" favorite is harder, because we've never seen him race 3 weeks and he's really young. But you could certainly be right, and who would bet against him at this point?

To win? I would absolutely take that bet.

 

[Lequack]

For the bookies and success fans perhaps.

He has no competition, everyone's gone to the Tour.

 

[Joelsim]

He has no competition, everyone's gone to the Tour.

Apart from:

Bardet
Fuglsang
TJVG
Nibali
S Yates
Schachmann
Zakarin
Bennett
Kelderman

So far.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He has no competition, everyone's gone to the Tour.

Carapaz
Majka
Nibali
Bardet
Bennett
Yates
Kelderman
Carthy
Fuglsang

Imho a lot more competition than there was in last year's Vuelta.

 

[Big Doopie]

Surely nibali has to offer to show him his trophy case first before remco can truly be called the giro favorite.

 

[red_flanders]

Carapaz
Majka
Nibali
Bardet
Bennett
Yates
Kelderman
Carthy
Fuglsang

Imho a lot more competition than there was in last year's Vuelta.

Really looking forward to the Giro this year. I mean...I always look forward to the Giro, but...

 

[tobydawq]

He's probably got a future in cycling tho'!

Don't put too much pressure on him...

 

[jaylew]

Really looking forward to the Giro this year. I mean...I always look forward to the Giro, but...

I'm looking forward to it as well but just because it's the first GT of the year. With everyone going to the Tour the field is incredibly underwhelming to me.

 

[Red Rick]

Don't put too much pressure on him...

What is one CN forum poster vs the entirety of Belgium media.

 

[tobydawq]

What is one CN forum poster vs the entirety of Belgium media.

It may have been a bit sarcastic. I think that "he might have a future in cycling" might be the safest thing I have ever seen written.

 

[JosephK]

Wow, great performance by Remco! (stage 2) -- Expecting a podium at the Giro might be a bit extreme. But I thought the same thing about Pogacar going into last year's Vuelta. I think it's fair to still have questions about how Remco will perform across a 3-week grand tour and in the high mountains. He's clearly an elite-level time-trialer and can climb. Might his strengths be more tuned to spring classics and one-week stage races? That's not a knock on him. It's just that 3 weeks is different from one day or one week.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

What is one CN forum poster vs the entirety of Belgium media.

To be fair, the Belgian media is not "expecting" him to do anything, but after decades of drought (in this department), they (and Belgians in general) are simply ecstatic and enthusiastic. They hope he will be a new GT winner, but he wouldn't be ostracized if he would fail (like last year in Romandie).

It's the same story with "Belgian media is already calling him the next Merckx"... i have yet to see the first Belgian newspaper call him the next Merckx, but the foreign media all claim 11 million Belgians are saying this.

 

[RunningRouleur]

Carapaz and maybe Nibali and Yates are his only challengers in my opinion

 

[Red Rick]

Carapaz and maybe Nibali and Yates are his only challengers in my opinion

Him not winning simply depends on him failing in the mountains or pure recovery, in which case it's quite likely more riders could beat him.

 

[Lequack]