Catalunya in the (sand)bag for Remco. All tactics for the giro, just like MVDP gifting E3 to WVA with the ronde coming up. This is the kind of insight that’s beyond most of the partisan prejudiced bickerers here.
Tbh Lo Port was basically one of the single biggest watts bazooka of the 2010sAt this point, it's more surprising when a climb record doesn't get broken. Could see the AdH or Ventoux records seriously challenged for the first time in decades next time the Tour heads there.
There's barely any flat on the circuit, and the false flats are downhill. That means Evenepoel pretty much has to make his move(s) on the climbs, where his comparative advantage over Roglic is minimal or nonexistent on paper. It's also almost completely on wide roads, which makes it harder for Roglic to be caught out by poor positioning. And everyone else is decently far down on GC, so Roglic probably won't have to waste his bullets chasing down Almeida.Final circuit:
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It is the perfect climb for huge watts, though - unipuerto by necessity and starting at close to sea level.Tbh Lo Port was basically one of the single biggest watts bazooka of the 2010s
The stage is not hard enough and Roglic only has to mark Remco. Montjuic is not hard enough for Remco to make gaps easy unless Roglic has a bad day. In classics there is usually more than one contender and recovery does not come into play. I think Remco is far more explosive when he is well-rested.As for Evenepoel flipping the GC on Sunday, here's why that's unlikely.
There's barely any flat on the circuit, and the false flats are downhill. That means Evenepoel pretty much has to make his move(s) on the climbs, where his comparative advantage over Roglic is minimal or nonexistent on paper. It's also almost completely on wide roads, which makes it harder for Roglic to be caught out by poor positioning. And everyone else is decently far down on GC, so Roglic probably won't have to waste his bullets chasing down Almeida.
In other words, there's a reason the GC lead basically never flips here. Yes, Evenepoel will have an easier time keeping a gap than pretty much anyone else, but unless Roglic is on a lesser day (when the murito stage was his best day in Tirreno), I have a hard time seeing him getting that gap.
looking at the time, it doesn't seem like 'huge' watts for an easy stage though. Maybe considering they haven't peaked yet... (= 6.6W/kg for 23minutes)It is the perfect climb for huge watts, though - unipuerto by necessity and starting at close to sea level.
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.
He's never been in the situation were he had bone graft surgery and was completely off the bike for 2 months. So I'm sure not even he knows how long it'll be to find top form. And with a chronically injured shoulder fixed even what his top form might be!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's never been in the situation were he had bone graft surgery and was completely off the bike for 2 months. So I'm sure not even he knows how long it'll be to find top form. And with a chronically injured shoulder fixed even what his top form might be!
looking at the time, it doesn't seem like 'huge' watts for an easy stage though. Maybe considering they haven't peaked yet... (= 6.6W/kg for 23minutes)
Almeida was also looking good today. Don't think the Giro will be solely between Roglic and Remco Their rivalery might give other a better chance.
Liège winner*I don’t expect Remco to ride away on Sunday just because Roglic will sit on his wheel and follow whenever he tries something. Roglic is a Liège contender so it’s not like it’s easy to drop him
So we should expect VAM 2200m/h when the Remco loses a couple of kilos and when Roglic starts doing long climbs in training.
Realistically his final repaired shoulder should allow him greater overall flexibility. That should also translate into more relaxed, prolonged efforts and greater strength in his upper body. We could be seeing the start of a new top peak for Roglic. He's not a geriatric so arguments about aging are starting to fall away. Sprinting decline is allegedly the first attribute to define an aged cyclist. That doesn't seem to be suffering at the moment.He's never been in the situation were he had bone graft surgery and was completely off the bike for 2 months. So I'm sure not even he knows how long it'll be to find top form. And with a chronically injured shoulder fixed even what his top form might be!
VAM should be pretty simple to calculate, so I guess it‘s legit.Jeez, over 1900 m/h for 24 minutes? This is thermonuclear. This was a bigger VAM fest than I expected (as indicated in my post yesterday). Those guys are close to their peaks actually or there is some mistake in calculations.
VAM should be pretty simple to calculate, so I guess it‘s legit.
Realistically his final repaired shoulder should allow him greater overall flexibility. That should also translate into more relaxed, prolonged efforts and greater strength in his upper body. We could be seeing the start of a new top peak for Roglic. He's not a geriatric so arguments about aging are starting to fall away. Sprinting decline is allegedly the first attribute to define an aged cyclist. That doesn't seem to be suffering at the moment.
lol , please link to this map, I really need it for my Italian cycling friends
Who is the biggest meme rider...Kuss, Landa or Soler?
Soler=Team Soler, Landa= free Landa, always a pretender, Kuss= well, he is just there
It's just simply the perfect VAM climb.Not necessarily. There can be various vertical profiles of a climb that could alter calculations. It can be true especially for climbs rarely used (like this one). Pogacar and Vingegaard never reached 1850 m/h for 24 minutes on sub 10% climbs (Pog's 1840 m/h on Peyresourde must be the closest). So 1925 m/h is either an ET performance (even considering low elevation and uni-puerto stage) or something is off with calculations.