Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2023, March 20-26

[Bonimenier]

To me, it looked like Roglic didn't go all in on that final finish. Just my observation and no doubt the rest of the forum will say I''m taking $h!t. Good win Rem. Great team effort by QS.

You''re taking $h!t.

 

[JosefK]

Roglic finishes first, second, and second so far. Not too bad.

 

[theyoungest]

Very true . Amazing promise Cian is . Belgian cycling is heading into another golden era

Not that long ago Belgian fans were frustrated by the lack of Belgian GC riders. The Dutch had all the lowland climbing talent. Now it's the other way around, no Dutch talents at all and a seemingly endless supply of Belgian climbers.

 

[Escarabajo]

Remco is going to need a strong team to capitalize on his strengths in GTs.

Not necessarily. At the Giro the mountains are very hard. If he is the better climber he will have ample terrain to drop everyone, IMHO. Having said that He still needs a good team to defend your position. Especially in the easier stages.

 

[Oldermanish]

altitude?
Or maybe he did to much in the final km in terms of explosive attacks that his legs were empty to explode again when they were on the line. He did attack at 500m, 300m, 150m that day. While today he eased of a bit before his final acceleration.

Stage 2 was a weird, technical ending. 2 meters longer and Primoz's momentum would have him first. Hard to define that or today's win as indicative of who will prevail in this slugfest.

 

[Jungle Cycle]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1638564580069703680

View: https://twitter.com/OutOfCycling/status/1638564580069703680

 

[Akuryo]

No. And i expect next year that Van Wilder will want to start riding his own GC's. So they need more riders who have come to terms with the fact that they are not GC/leader material but good enough to support a leader far into the race.

And that is the hardest part about building a strong gt squad. You need like 3-4 guys who could be borderline top 10 candidates on their own yet sacrifice it all for someone else.

 

[Oldermanish]

Vamos , Remco ! This is a mental victory that counts for two .

I was so annoyed by the wheelsucking of Primoz ... most annoying type of cycling that is . On the limit or not ...

Sounds like you speak from deep experience in stage racing at altitude. Or just that you're easily annoyed by actual racing?

 

[Nick2413]

Nice to see Remco put just the right amount of hay on his fork today.

 

[nightowl]

If the rider who’s “wheelsucking” is on their absolute limit, and if they also have no incentive to pull the group further up the road, then it’s not wheelsucking - it’s just not riding like an absolute idiot

 

[theyoungest]

Sounds like you speak from deep experience in stage racing at altitude. Or just that you're easily annoyed by actual racing?

See the "Bel" in his name? That should tell you enough.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Remco did an interview. He couldn't stop talking about how strong was his teams, saying his teammate were exceptional. They really are building well for the Giro. Van Welder, Hirt, Masnada, Vervaecke , Serry, Cattaneo, Ballerini as a team excite me more than what Jumbo will do .

 

[HelloDolly]

Young Van Wilder is the best asset , for now , in the mountains . Hirt as well adds a lot of value . But there is still someone missing .... Cian would be a great domestique for Remco in the future . Can he be convinced to move to Soudal ?

Wont be long till Cian is contending against Remco
Why would want to give that possibility up at 20 ?
Why its almost impossible to listen to Remco fans ....so off the scale on everything Remco will do and every race he will or could have won esp in a peloton with the young talent we have now

I dont know what he will do and maybe he doesnt know himself but the 'he will win everything and beat everyoen by a mile' is so over the top

 

[Didinho]

Remco did an interview. He couldn't stop talking about how strong was his teams, saying his teammate were exceptional. They really are building well for the Giro. Van Welder, Hirt, Masnada, Vervaecke , Serry, Cattaneo, Ballerini as a team excite me more than what Jumbo will do .

Also the first time here he says he felt strong the whole day. He can wheelsuck-back the other one in May when he's in the lead.

 

[houtdffan]

Remco is going to need a strong team to capitalize on his strengths in GTs.

team would be a lot stronger if Alap were here. Would give Remco far more mountain help

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Wont be long till Cian is contending against Remco
Why would want to give that possibility up at 20 ?
Why its almost impossible to listen to Remco fans ....so off the scale on everything Remco will do and every race he will or could have won esp in a peloton with the young talent we have now

I dont know what he will do and maybe he doesnt know himself but the 'he will win everything and beat everyoen by a mile' is so over the top

Ujtebroches might be Dutch and be very strong but he's not the talent of Remco, he is clinging for top 10s. Remco won at 19 San Sebastian and at 20 dominating Poland, Burgos, Algarve.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

If the rider who’s “wheelsucking” is on their absolute limit, and if they also have no incentive to pull the group further up the road, then it’s not wheelsucking - it’s just not riding like an absolute idiot

And yet there was an incentive. Putting all other contenders further back. Now 10 guys are still within 1 minute and a lot can happen, especially since Jumbo seem weak. I'll just assume Roglic was on the limit. If he wasn't he was very much an absolute idiot.

 

[Didier_Bel]

Wont be long till Cian is contending against Remco
Why would want to give that possibility up at 20 ?
Why its almost impossible to listen to Remco fans ....so off the scale on everything Remco will do and every race he will or could have won esp in a peloton with the young talent we have now

I dont know what he will do and maybe he doesnt know himself but the 'he will win everything and beat everyoen by a mile' is so over the top

As good as Cian already is in the mountains , he lacks what Remco already had as a junior .... huge time trial capability . But the guy is only 20 so he can develop in that field much as Remco has honed his sprinting skills .

 

[nightowl]

Sounds like you speak from deep experience in stage racing at altitude. Or just that you're easily annoyed by actual racing?

Remco fans get annoyed when other riders have the audacity to actually try and beat him, rather than play perfectly to his strengths so he has the best chance of beating them

 

[Didier_Bel]

If the rider who’s “wheelsucking” is on their absolute limit, and if they also have no incentive to pull the group further up the road, then it’s not wheelsucking - it’s just not riding like an absolute idiot

Twist and turn as much as you will . That was still wheelsucking ...

 

[HelloDolly]

Thymen Arensman another Dutch talent

 

[KZD]

It’s quite clear Roglic is surviving at this form. He’s not the most attacking rider ever but he dropped Remco in the Veulta after an injury lol.

He was also dropped by Remco more often than not.

 

[CyclistAbi]

No special need to discuss Roglič and Evenepoel today.

 

[Scarponi]

He was also dropped by Remco more often than not.

Swap the preps for that race and Remco wouldn’t be within 10 minutes

 

[nightowl]

And yet there was an incentive. Putting all other contenders further back. Now 10 guys are still within 1 minute and a lot can happen, especially since Jumbo seem weak. I'll just assume Roglic was on the limit. If he wasn't he was very much an absolute idiot.

He couldn’t even raise a sprint at the end so it’s pretty safe to say he was on the limit. And no there isn’t a real incentive - those other riders have been dropped on both mountain stages so far they’re clearly not as much a threat for GC compared to the guy who’s attacked two days in a row and is at that moment trying to ride you off the wheel. Gaining a few extra seconds on those behind isn’t worth giving a pull to your main rival trying to drop you