Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2023, March 20-26

[Divergence]

You got it in the wrong order.

He knew what was coming.

 

[houtdffan]

Evenepoel again thinking he has to play stop and go. Like he has become senile and forgot what he is actually good at.

yep. He did not ride smart. Played into Rog's hands today

Should have just kept up a devastating tempo at the front, like he did 2 days ago. By slowing down, he let Rog recover. Rog is still the better mountain sprinter

 

[Põhja Konn]

Rog far from his best, still.

Has he ever needed that much time to find his top form though? He was clearly somewhat behind at Tirreno, but by now I'm not sure he has that much more room for improvement compared to Remco going towards the Giro.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Love them or hate them. There go two champions.

Chapeau!

 

[Extinction]

So a classic Roglstomp at the end, cograts! Remco's legs ended up 50 meters before the line while Primoz had something for the very end. The race is not over yet but this stage could've been decisive and maybe this slim advantage is enough.

Here Remco erred in opening up the sprint from too far out, against one who is a mountain sprinter specialist. Poor tactic. He still likely would have lost, but on the wheel and not at 6 secs.

 

[Red Rick]

Has he ever needed that much time to find his top form though? He was clearly somewhat behind at Tirreno, but by now I'm not sure he has that much more room for improvement compared to Remco going towards the Giro.

Tbh I think a climb like today, which is a fairly fresh 25 minute climb, probably comes back a lot quicker than the endurance required to peak for a 3 week GT.

 

[Oldermanish]

Could only access live, printed progress reports but sounded like there were enough attacks to satisfy everyone that nothing was left in this stage. Yesterday's stage probably provided rest for Roglic that helped today.
Again, it's way early to project the Giro but it seems like we're in for another good battle with more serious players included!

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Stage

GC

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Let's hope by the time the Giro rolls around, somebody at Quickstep reminds Evenepoel he isn't a Contador type climber, but an Indurain type climber. Mindnumbingly idiotic.

 

[Andy schleck]

Evenepoel again thinking he has to play stop and go. Like he has become senile and forgot what he is actually good at.

He also stopped 50 m from the finish line.

 

[dercuforever]

What a great time to be a cycling fan. E3 and Volta, any of those 6 riders I would have love to take the win.

 

[HelloDolly]

Roglic is the best climber no doubt
Remco looked very tired when Soler came back ( who hadnt actually left it all on the road for Almeida)

But final stage in Barcelona suits Remco better imo

 

[Ilmaestro99]

So Landa managed to drop his main rival for the podium but still found a way to lost the podium .. landismo still alive

 

[houtdffan]

Not sure Rog has enough time for Sunday.

That type of circuit is Remco's personal playground. He often wins by minutes on routes like that one.

Which is why Remco didn't need to play the stop start game. Give Rog the 4 seconds and deal with him Sunday

 

[theyoungest]

Has he ever needed that much time to find his top form though? He was clearly somewhat behind at Tirreno, but by now I'm not sure he has that much more room for improvement compared to Remco going towards the Giro.

He hasn't trained for the longer climbs yet. Let that sink in. He's already equal to Remco on these efforts, and next month he should only improve. In January it was even the question whether he would make it to the Giro in a competitive shape, now he's here already.

Of course Remco will improve as well, but if I'm Roglic I'm coming away from this week with a lot of positives.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

He hasn't trained for the longer climbs yet. Let that sink in.

It's cool that Roglic's coach posts here in the forum

 

[theyoungest]

Not sure Rog has enough time for Sunday.

That type of circuit is Remco's personal playground. He often wins by minutes on routes like that one.

Which is why Remco didn't need to play the stop start game. Give Rog the 4 seconds and deal with him Sunday

When he wins on such a course, it's from a breakaway. Roglic is not simply going to let him ride, of course. That's a different dynamic to the wins you're talking about.

 

[GuntherL1]

Rog far from his best, still.

Really? Five WT stage wins in two weeks, but far from his best. Sure.

 

[Extinction]

Roglic is the best climber no doubt
Remco looked very tired when Soler came back ( who hadnt actually left it all on the road for Almeida)

But final stage in Barcelona suits Remco better imo

Roglic is a wheelsucking negative rider. Remco was controlling when Soler came back, then totally misjudged the finish.

 

[theyoungest]

It's cool that Roglic's coach posts here in the forum

This is what Roglic' coach said prior to Tirreno. He expected Roglic to suffer on the long climb because he hadn't prepared for that yet.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Not sure Rog has enough time for Sunday.

That type of circuit is Remco's personal playground. He often wins by minutes on routes like that one.

Which is why Remco didn't need to play the stop start game. Give Rog the 4 seconds and deal with him Sunday

Lol. I will eat crow if I am wrong on this one, but this seems delusional. I will not be surprised if Remco wins the stage and overall, but I will be stunned if he wins by "minutes."

 

[IndurainsTdF1994]

Roglic is a wheelsucking negative rider. Remco was controlling when Soler came back, then totally misjudged the finish.

If he were indeed that, it would still better than to be a knucklehead rider, or a pleasure-sucking negative poster.

 

[bNator]

Roglic is a wheelsucking negative rider. Remco was controlling when Soler came back, then totally misjudged the finish.

What was he supposed to do - spare Remco from paying for his stupid tactics and potentially lose the race to make Remco look better? If Rogla changed wheel in this situation where he is clearly the defending rider with a stronger sprint finish - well he would be knucklehead indeed.

 

[Oldermanish]

When he wins on such a course, it's from a breakaway. Roglic is not simply going to let him ride, of course. That's a different dynamic to the wins you're talking about.

Roglic has managed to get this far and perform well in constantly hilly stages. He's recovering so much better, too.
My opinion months ago was that he may not recover from shoulder surgery in time to be competitive, yet he's found his form gradually. That bodes well for refining what's missing in time for the Giro.
Remco, too. He shouldn't take the outcomes up to today and tomorrow as the definitive Giro forecast. IMO they are both on a training cycle no matter what fans say.

 

[Andy schleck]

Today was an answer to why remco don't go to the tour. If even for him is difficult to beat roglic, imagine beat pogacar and the super monster of july called Vingegaard.

 

[Pinot's goat]

So Landa managed to drop his main rival for the podium but still found a way to lost the podium .. landismo still alive

Landa has not improved since Tirreno like expected. I was expecting a lot more and I think he was too.