Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2023, March 20-26

[Red Rick]

Has anyone ever gone from not having a sprint at all to being one of the fastest GC riders as rapidly as Evenepoel has? 2019-20 Evenepoel could have started this one in Roglic' wheel and still wouldn't have made the top-5, now he coasts past everyone bar Roglic (who, tbf, was forced to go pretty early) on a hill that probably isn't even half as difficult as the Cauberg. Extraordinary development.

Very fast, technical run in, all the guys with pure sprinters cred were nowhere, freshness definitely played a role here. Foss led out the sprint way too fast, and Roglic had to lead it out himself but he probably slowed down a bit at the start too which enables guys from behind to catch up.

 

[tobydawq]

Storer not too happy with the guy behind him forgetting where his brake levers were.

 

[Lequack]

Yates was in the crash and is injured

Well this sucks. I hope he is not too badly hurt.

 

[Escarabajo]

Did Geraint Thomas stopped at the local bar entering the city because I am not seeing him in the results?
(hoping he was not involved in the crash)

 

[Lequack]

Sprint replay

https://twitter.com/x/status/1637849005760585728

View: https://twitter.com/eurosport/status/1637849005760585728?s=20

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Did Geraint Thomas stopped at the local bar entering the city because I am not seeing him in the results?

He was working at the front, so I doubt he was meant to go for GC anyway.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

You are always ready to give excuses for remco.

Stating the obvious is an excuse now, lol. Keep trying.

 

[DNP-Old]

Did Geraint Thomas stopped at the local bar entering the city because I am not seeing him in the results?
(hoping he was not involved in the crash)

+1:07

 

[Blanco]

You are always ready to give excuses for remco.

He's right though...

 

[noob]

Landa, Hindley, Almeida, O Connor, Chavez all on the same time

Did Geraint Thomas stopped at the local bar entering the city because I am not seeing him in the results?

probably in the crash then?

 

[Andy schleck]

He's right though...

Roglic fans also can say that he started the sprint to soon.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Very fast, technical run in, all the guys with pure sprinters cred were nowhere, freshness definitely played a role here. Foss led out the sprint way too fast, and Roglic had to lead it out himself but he probably slowed down a bit at the start too which enables guys from behind to catch up.

None of that changes the fact that Evenepoel doing what he did would have been unthinkable not so long ago.

 

[theyoungest]

Has anyone ever gone from not having a sprint at all to being one of the fastest GC riders as rapidly as Evenepoel has? 2019-20 Evenepoel could have started this one in Roglic' wheel and still wouldn't have made the top-5, now he coasts past everyone bar Roglic (who, tbf, was forced to go pretty early) on a hill that probably isn't even half as difficult as the Cauberg. Extraordinary development.

It's not the Cauberg, but it's still a pretty long drag uphill. On such a finish the strongest riders always come to the fore. Also, look at the competition, apart from Roglic, it's pretty poor.

 

[repre]

A slightly better starting position and Remco had Roglic in his bag. Damn.

Or not

 

[peterfin]

I had the impression that Remco's goal was initially to keep contact with the front and don't lose extra seconds. I think he surprised himself with that sprint.

 

[CyclistAbi]

That's our sprinter.

 

[Riek s]

Sprint replay

https://twitter.com/x/status/1637849005760585728

View: https://twitter.com/eurosport/status/1637849005760585728?s=20

Wow i hadn't seen the sprint yet. Remco was really far away. But clearly he had the benifit of the drag for a long time while Roglic was already dropping in speed. (or so it seemed).
But Remco taking on the others is rather impressive for him. It looks like he might not be completely out of chances when he arrives together with Roglic/Pog on a MTF. (given his weight is lower, he should do better the steeper it is) (depending on how many times he can do such an acceleration, because that was/is also a limit for him)

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Roglic fans also can say that he started the sprint to soon.

They could and they surely would have had he lost. But how does that make my point any less true?

 

[Red Rick]

None of that changes the fact that Evenepoel doing what he did would have been unthinkable not so long ago.

He won a small group sprint in Norway no and cleaned Mas hard in Vuelta no?

I think this data point isn't that reliable, it reminds me a lot of when Gesink beat Sagan in Canada.

 

[JRanton]

Landa, Hindley, Almeida, O Connor, Chavez all on the same time


probably in the crash then?

Wasn’t he pulling for Hayter? Think Plapp was supposed to be the Ineos GC guy here but he was DNS’d due to illness.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Yates did finish the stage. I hope Cataldo is ok, but it didn't look great at all.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1637850746216407053

View: https://twitter.com/TeamEmiratesUAE/status/1637850746216407053

 

[Didinho]

Sprinter Remco needs to work on positioning. He was boxed in a bit, but started sprinting at the right time. He wanted a win is his rainbow jersey, so close. Maybe he could practice his Cancellara/Ganna sprint in the sadle. But he looks mighty strong. He better denies the white(?) jersey tomorrow lol.

Like I said during Tirreno, Remco could've had a hattrick

 

[theyoungest]

He won a small group sprint in Norway no and cleaned Mas hard in Vuelta no?

I think this data point isn't that reliable, it reminds me a lot of when Gesink beat Sagan in Canada.

True, this finish is actually pretty similar to the one in Quebec, but I think it's also pretty clear that Evenepoel should be able to sprint. He's not the skinny climber type like Gesink.

 

[Samamba]

Updated now so everyone from 26th to 77th lost only 10 seconds it seems.

Lol that's ridiculous. Gap between 25th and 26th didn't seem bigger than some of the gaps behind that.

 

[BR2]

Evenepoel's sprint has definitely improved A LOT, that was visible in other races like San Juan already. However Roglic's timing, or that of his team, really wasn't perfect, he went, then slowed down, then went again and held on.