Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2023, March 20-26

[SHAD0W93]

But Almeida is kind of also only on team Almeida just as Soler is on team Soler. Ayuso is on team Ayuso etc.

Almeida also had the team start helping him and is going to be the protected rider in the Giro. If Soler passed him all we were going to here is how Almeida couldn’t even beat Soler and he should be a leader too. Leading us to Astana at Giro 2012 with Kreuziger and Tiralongo. The whole team is Lampre on steroids and need to start supporting their leaders that are showing to be in good form besides Pog.

 

[jmdirt]

Both of the the guys on the top steps showed that they "ARE" the ones (from this race) to beat moving forward.

I like that the big names are showing big this spring!

 

[noob]

Almeida also had the team start helping him and is going to be the protected rider in the Giro. If Soler passed him all we were going to here is how Almeida couldn’t even beat Soler and he should be a leader too. Leading us to Astana at Giro 2012 with Kreuziger and Tiralongo. The whole team is Lampre on steroids and need to start supporting their leaders that are showing to be in good form besides Pog.

I think that sounds theoretically good. However I also think the way they did it they just made Almeida again appear weaker. (Plus learning to ride for Almeida won't be easy )

 

[SHAD0W93]

I think that sounds theoretically good. However I also think the way they did it they just made Almeida again appear weaker. (Plus learning to ride for Almeida won't be easy )

They can plan ahead to have riders behind pick him up and carry him back. But yes, he needs to work on the accelerations. Right now he’s a far worse Zubeldia.

 

[Oldermanish]

Good boy.

The point was if he would get a small gap, that nobody, not even Roglic would be able to close it. And Jumbo well knew that as well or Roglic wouldn't have been on his wheel all day and all week. As you could see, on just the short time after dropping Soler, they (primarily Evenepoel) opened up a gap of over 50s. If he had been able to go solo even sooner, he would have gone even harder and could well have won by over a minute. I don't understand why he didn't attack at the moment the break was caught at the top of the climb, as he could have used that chaos to perhaps get a somewhat bigger gap, which he needed to get Roglic in trouble.

I gotta say you underestimate Roglic. I think on today's closing circuit he could close a gap. He also provided some assistance once Soler was ejected and didn't contest the sprint, which may have been the assurance granted to Remco after Soler was gone and the gap to the line intact. Roglic definitely proved he's back from the Dead today. He and Remco share that ressurection.

 

[Lequack]

I really love this circuit, it's always very fun racing, and we usually get some action. I like that Remco fought and kept trying till the end, kudos to him, and he deserved this stage today, contested or not. And Roglic wrapping up the GC, with a small margin.

I was really rooting for Soler in the end to get a podium, but UAE will be UAE. I guess Soler brought some of the Movistar magic with him when he switched.

 

[Lequack]

What did he say?

João Almeida at the end of the last stage of @VoltaCatalunya:
"Marc [Soler] was ahead, I could have saved myself a little more, but there was no reason to. in the end, everything turned out to be normal, I would say "

I think this sums up Soler today

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I gotta say you underestimate Roglic. I think on today's closing circuit he could close a gap. He also provided some assistance once Soler was ejected and didn't contest the sprint, which may have been the assurance granted to Remco after Soler was gone and the gap to the line intact. Roglic definitely proved he's back from the Dead today. He and Remco share that ressurection.

I don't think i underestimate Roglic. Evenepoel is simply a (far) superior rouleur and once he were to have a gap of maybe 50 meters, that'd have been the end of it. People like to point out to that one time over a year ago or 4 years ago when Roglic did some amazing solo effort or whatnot. The fact of the matter is, for Evenepoel those efforts are all in a week's work.

 

[search]

@Logic-is-your-friend, you mentioned the DS situation the other day. Any idea yet what's the plan for the Giro?

Because, although this was a very entertaining race, for his own good, Evenepoel may be better off with someone who keeps him a bit more on a short leash. Bramati managed to last year. With Lodewyck, he went back to long forgotten tactical brain farts this week.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

@Logic-is-your-friend, you mentioned the DS situation the other day. Any idea yet what's the plan for the Giro?

Because, although this was a very entertaining race, for his own good, Evenepoel may be better off with someone who keeps him a bit more on a short leash. Bramati managed to last year. With Lodewyck, he went back to long forgotten tactical brain farts this week.

The problem is, that QS has been linking Lodewyck to Evenepoel. And he is imho by far the weakest tactical DS they have. I think Steels is the best DS they have at the moment. The thing is, when Evenepoel did his initial Vuelta winning move on Picon Jano, that Lodewyck was out due to Covid. But he came back the 2nd part of the Vuelta.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

The problem is, that QS has been linking Lodewyck to Evenepoel. And he is imho by far the weakest tactical DS they have. I think Steels is the best DS they have at the moment. The thing is, when Evenepoel did his initial Vuelta winning move on Picon Jano, that Lodewyck was out due to Covid. But he came back the 2nd part of the Vuelta.

Also seems to me they don't have an old-fashioned road captain unless Serry fulfils that role now.

 

[Billie]

Also seems to me they don't have an old-fashioned road captain unless Serry fulfils that role now.

They should take Morkov as the 8th guy just to position him.

 

[Lequack]

UAE needs more loyal teammates like this small guy

 

[Red Rick]

Interesting look at the Strava KOM of the Montjuic. They broke the KoM on the steep section when Evenepoel attacked the first time with 1'45. All the other climbs before and after were between 10 and 15 seconds slower roughly.

 

[BR2]

UAE needs more loyal teammates like this small guy

I think that is an overreaction to Roglic's unshaved legs.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Interesting look at the Strava KOM of the Montjuic. They broke the KoM on the steep section when Evenepoel attacked the first time with 1'45. All the other climbs before and after were between 10 and 15 seconds slower roughly.

Makes sense. Evenepoel was the most fresh the first time, and prior to his attack, Hirt and Van Wilder had been pulling all out.

 

[rallybanana]

Heading into record thread territory for this race, can't wait for the Giro showdown

Pages per thread
2023 75 (and counting)
2022 42
2021 34
2020 2
2019 22
2018 27
2017 55
2016 52
2015 40
2014 (sum of all threads) 65
2013 (sum of all threads) 61
2012 (sum of all threads) 72
2011 33
2010 9

Biggest one-week race thread since the 2016 Dauphine which incidentally was the last one-week race that Froome ever won or podiumed.

 

[tobydawq]

Biggest one-week race thread since the 2016 Dauphine which incidentally was the last one-week race that Froome ever won or podiumed.

You talk as though you don't believe in the process and that he will soon be back to his best.

 

[rallybanana]

You talk as though you don't believe in the process and that he will soon be back to his best.

My mistake. I should have said the most recent one-week race that Froome won or podiumed

 

[Sciatic]

My mistake. I should have said the most recent one-week race that Froome won or podiumed

There’s an easier fix: the one-week race Froome last won or podiumed.

 

[bNator]

Objecting to the narrative that Roglic was the weaker of the two: As good as he was, Remco could not drop Roglic on any terrain under any circumstances. He never really came close IMO. He was getting increasingly aggravated over that fact, presumably over Roglic not cooperating. Cooperating in what - dropping himself and giving Remco the race? On the other hand, this race did not show us, that the same goes for Roglic. Roglic never really tried to drop Remco because he didn’t have to and probably because he couldn’t. However it (the race) left some doors open for a different reality … Roll on the Giro!

 

[Oldermanish]

I don't think i underestimate Roglic. Evenepoel is simply a (far) superior rouleur and once he were to have a gap of maybe 50 meters, that'd have been the end of it. People like to point out to that one time over a year ago or 4 years ago when Roglic did some amazing solo effort or whatnot. The fact of the matter is, for Evenepoel those efforts are all in a week's work.

solo effort or whatnot....We shall see how this plays out, shall we? Oh, he couldn't drop Roglic again today.

 

[Andy schleck]

Roglic is a polite guy. He gave a alms today, to a fan.

 

[Extinction]

Objecting to the narrative that Roglic was the weaker of the two: As good as he was, Remco could not drop Roglic on any terrain under any circumstances. He never really came close IMO. He was getting increasingly aggravated over that fact, presumably over Roglic not cooperating. Cooperating in what - dropping himself and giving Remco the race? On the other hand, this race did not show us, that the same goes for Roglic. Roglic never really tried to drop Remco because he didn’t have to and probably because he couldn’t. However it (the race) left some doors open for a different reality … Roll on the Giro!

You conveniently forget about stage 3, when Roglic dropped by 2 secs at the finish. Sure, Remco then dropped by 6 secs at the end of stage 5, but for all intents and purposes that was his own fault for sprinting first and too soon. Roglic did try to drop Remco with two late attacks on stage 5, but couldn't any more than Remco could shed Primoz. Yet these late digs of Roglic were mostly to not look like a total wheelsucker, which he pretty much had displayed up to that point.

So I'd say it was a dead heat, with Roglic getting the win owing to his wheelsucking modus operandi

So it's on to the Giro for the rematch. The climbs in the Giro, however, especially in the last week, are another beast altogether. On the queen stages someone will get dropped I predict, for example on the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

 

[Extinction]

This Giro 2023 is overrated. There's not so many terrible climbs or a lot of really mountainous stages to have great differences between the best.

Well then it won't be any problem for Roglic to go on the attack, despite this seeming inimical to his style.