Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2018

[Netserk]

Re:

Yes, with Vallter 2000.. he would likely gain even more time on his rivals. He has won that stage before.

This gives McCarthy, Visconti and the rest of the puncheurs a better shot at.. at least the podium.

No.

 

[Escarabajo]

The route was well balanced IMHO. There is not much we can do about the weather. That's a pity. I was looking forward to this stage.

 

[perico]

Re: Re:

@Robert5091, Valverde is 37, he'll be 38 in late April right after the Ardennes.

@Tonton, I tend to agree with you. Not really finding a problem with a race/race organizer tilting a race to favor a rider or riders who actually care about the race and history of the race. (Or a local hero in smaller races)

Yes, but it shouldn't be a WT race anymore.
Riders really don't have to "care about the race and history of the race", they should just compete on the balanced route.

If those two early season races in Australia are WT then this one certainly should be also.

Exactly. Tougher route than Australia and still a better field than quite a few races. Hell when was the last time the Tour de Suisse had a field even this strong? Or the Amgen Tour?

 

[Laplaz]

De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), Mas (Caja Rural), Chevrier (AG2R), Torres (Burgos), Bizkarra (Euskadi) in the break

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re: Re:

@Robert5091, Valverde is 37, he'll be 38 in late April right after the Ardennes.

@Tonton, I tend to agree with you. Not really finding a problem with a race/race organizer tilting a race to favor a rider or riders who actually care about the race and history of the race. (Or a local hero in smaller races)

Yes, but it shouldn't be a WT race anymore.
Riders really don't have to "care about the race and history of the race", they should just compete on the balanced route.

If those two early season races in Australia are WT then this one certainly should be also.

Right, but those two shouldn't be.

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

@Robert5091, Valverde is 37, he'll be 38 in late April right after the Ardennes.

@Tonton, I tend to agree with you. Not really finding a problem with a race/race organizer tilting a race to favor a rider or riders who actually care about the race and history of the race. (Or a local hero in smaller races)

Yes, but it shouldn't be a WT race anymore.
Riders really don't have to "care about the race and history of the race", they should just compete on the balanced route.

If those two early season races in Australia are WT then this one certainly should be also.

Right, but those two shouldn't be.

Would you like a more minimalistic World Tour with some of the WT races going back to their respective continental calenders?

Not that I disagree, just curious. Personally, I don't like those two bland Canadian hilly races on the World Tour. :lol:

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re: Re:

@Robert5091, Valverde is 37, he'll be 38 in late April right after the Ardennes.

@Tonton, I tend to agree with you. Not really finding a problem with a race/race organizer tilting a race to favor a rider or riders who actually care about the race and history of the race. (Or a local hero in smaller races)

Yes, but it shouldn't be a WT race anymore.
Riders really don't have to "care about the race and history of the race", they should just compete on the balanced route.

If those two early season races in Australia are WT then this one certainly should be also.

Right, but those two shouldn't be.

Would you like a more minimalistic World Tour with some of the WT races going back to their respective continental calenders?

Not that I disagree, just curious. Personally, I don't like those two bland Canadian hilly races on the World Tour. :lol:

Yes, and one of the best examples is Tour of Poland.. :razz:

 

[DFA123]

Re:

I personally find the route very well-balanced like Paris-Nice. Lots of medium-mountain and hilly stages. Plenty of room for aggressive riding and attacks. And without the MTF, a greater number of riders should be able to fight for the GC.

It's not the organizers fault that Valverde is so good. xD

Agreed, it's a good balanced route. I'm not really sure what the organisers could do to design a route where Valverde wouldn't be the favourite. Maybe put in a 50km flat TT - but nobody wants that in March.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

I personally find the route very well-balanced like Paris-Nice. Lots of medium-mountain and hilly stages. Plenty of room for aggressive riding and attacks. And without the MTF, a greater number of riders should be able to fight for the GC.

It's not the organizers fault that Valverde is so good. xD

Agreed, it's a good balanced route. I'm not really sure what the organisers could do to design a route where Valverde wouldn't be the favourite. Maybe put in a 50km flat TT - but nobody wants that in March.

Seven pancake flat stages?

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

I personally find the route very well-balanced like Paris-Nice. Lots of medium-mountain and hilly stages. Plenty of room for aggressive riding and attacks. And without the MTF, a greater number of riders should be able to fight for the GC.

It's not the organizers fault that Valverde is so good. xD

Agreed, it's a good balanced route. I'm not really sure what the organisers could do to design a route where Valverde wouldn't be the favourite. Maybe put in a 50km flat TT - but nobody wants that in March.

Seven pancake flat stages?

Maybe that as well Although I'd like to see the logisitcs of how that would work in Cataluña. Perhaps if they just did 10 circuits a day around Deltebre.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

So was there any stage today??

 

[jaylew]

It's on now. De Gendt in the break. Shocking.

 

[Gigs_98]

Looking at these pictures one wouldn't really believe this stage was shortened due to the weather conditions. Was there really absolutely no chance at least use the first part of the final climb? I kinda doubt it

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

I personally find the route very well-balanced like Paris-Nice. Lots of medium-mountain and hilly stages. Plenty of room for aggressive riding and attacks. And without the MTF, a greater number of riders should be able to fight for the GC.

It's not the organizers fault that Valverde is so good. xD

Agreed, it's a good balanced route. I'm not really sure what the organisers could do to design a route where Valverde wouldn't be the favourite. Maybe put in a 50km flat TT - but nobody wants that in March.

I wonder if they have some cobbled roads in Spain? :razz:

 

[Laplaz]

De Gendt to win this stage and the GC!

 

[Alexandre B.]

Movistar are not interested in winning this race?

 

[Velolover2]

De Gendt gaining at least a minute would open up the race.

But it's still unlikely.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

De Gendt to win this stage and the GC!

That would serve the organizers right. I'd like to see some "smaller" name rider win this whole thing.

 

[Netserk]

Is this 2012?

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

This new Movistar kit looks exactly the same as Mitchelton-Scott...

 

[Velolover2]

Simon is sacrificing himself for his brother. Interesting.

Is it a controversial thing to say that Adam is a slightly better rider than his brother?

 

[Laplaz]

Simon Yates working for brother Adam and Impey it seems.

 

[Velolover2]

Horrible camera work. Just when the attack happened!

 

[Laplaz]

Soler, Pinot, D. Martin attack, Valverde follows

 

[Velolover2]

What on earth are the camera people doing?

Wouldn't show us any action. :lol: