Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2023, March 20-26

[Rackham]

What can even be controversial about the 2021 Olympics? IIRC Pogacar didn't even want to do the time trial

Hauptman left the team afterwards (for reasons I don't know) but he always defended Rog & had a very good relationship with him. I think the calls to drop Roglič for the ITT were mostly coming from armchair Slovenian fans desperate for a gold medal (Pog was seen as a safer bet). After the Olympics I think there was some sort of behind the scenes power tussle & Bahrain's Slovenians took over. Beyond that, I don't know.

We need a book about this stuff.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Longer as you noted, also with the finish 400 m higher. He also attacked with 7.2 km to go (out of 9.55 km).

And absolutely destroyed the rest as it was a superb performance. While here you have a few guys (not one) beating this and small gaps between them. If there's really no mistake in elevation assessment this is the biggest outlier I've ever seen (three guys went 5% above the performance level that would already be regarded as superb and others weren't that far behind). On medium length climbs 1800+ is great while 1900+ is alien.

 

[Rackham]

Image from the Intermediate sprint which gave Rog an extra 1 second over Evenepoel in GC:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1639620214860967937

View: https://twitter.com/VoltaCatalunya/status/1639620214860967937

 

[Netserk]

Looks like Evenepoel only narrowly beat Bouwman.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

It's Nibali who does Voodoo...

It was in the trophy cabinet, near the back.

 

[Red Rick]

Hauptman left the team afterwards (for reasons I don't know) but he always defended Rog & had a very good relationship with him. I think the calls to drop Roglič for the ITT were mostly coming from armchair Slovenian fans desperate for a gold medal (Pog was seen as a safer bet). After the Olympics I think there was some sort of behind the scenes power tussle & Bahrain's Slovenians took over. Beyond that, I don't know.

We need a book about this stuff.

Was that takeover before or after the 2021 Worlds?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Masnada in the break :O

Edit: Now Urans attacked and Bernals crashed, shame theres no footage.

 

[Rackham]

Was that takeover before or after the 2021 Worlds?

Before. They went into the Belgian Worlds with a multi coach setup: Trio of coaches for Slovenian Team at European and World Championships | Cyclingnews

'I'm also very curious actually about the decision' says Primož Roglič

 

[Faserr]

It seems like there is some proper bike racing going on.

 

[DoYouEvenRideBruh]

Bernals crashed

Again?!

 

[Netserk]

Final climb today with 28 km to go:

 

[Red Rick]

Final climb today with 28 km to go:

Looks to be very suited for Roglic suckwheeling.

 

[Faserr]

Jumbo is pacing for Roglic.
Bernal abadons.

 

[zigzag wanderer]

Again?!

And abandoned according to PCS

 

[Taxus4a]

I seriously doubt that Pogacar can "change the race and win" this one, no matter how small the fifferenced.

I would say him and Evenepoel are the only ones Who could do It. And Evenepoel is in this race, so he can. If Pogacar would be on the race in a similar situation than Evenepoel would be more interesting.

 

[Samamba]

Coquard wants a sprint, but Cofidis can't climb faster than that first group. And if the gap is to small before climb better climbers will try to make the jump.

 

[search]

yeah, has been a super fast day as well so far. Would be surprised if this ends up in a sprint (with the sprinters)

 

[topcat]

Masnada would have to be fancied to add to his trophy cabinet here. Surely he won’t be disrespected into working for Remco.

 

[johnymax]

Masnada would have to be fancied to add to his trophy cabinet here. Surely he won’t be disrespected into working for Remco.

Masnada is a very nice guy. He finds joy working for other riders, especially Almida a couple of years back. People really like Fausto.

 

[Samamba]

I really wonder if there's going to be attacks now. 20 seconds, pretty easy to bridge that.

 

[KZD]

Jumbo is pacing for Roglic.
Bernal abadons.

This is just so sad, I hope that Bernal can bounce back if not this season, then somewhere around the future.

In the meantime, the breakaway is almost caught, Roglič might get more bonus seconds if enough sprinters are dropped.

 

[Netserk]

Soler!

 

[Netserk]

Will Trek (EDIT: I should have written Bahrain, of course) chase, or will Soler take the podium from Almeida today?

 

[Samamba]

Very Strong from Israel

Will they finally get their first win?
Groves apparently still there so...

 

[Elos Anjos]

Soler!

It sounds like excitment but is actually disappointment.