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Vuelta a San Juan 2023 (January 22-29)

Page 20 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
I just read that Bernal retired.

Hope is not bad. Strange after yesterday's performance. Maybe they don't want to risk it and they already proved that his power is OK.
Maybe the long hard climbing effort put some strain on the knee that was already hurt from the recent crash, it swell up over night and they didn't want to risk anything? Just me guessing.
 
Precisely. As much as Remco wants to win, the competition, even in a "meaningless race in January," is going to try and make it as difficult for him as possible. Take Ineos, for example, they put three guys ahead of him on Alto de Colorado. Bernal surely gains morale and confidence, because he should still have a big margin to improve before July. Ganna and Higiuta also gain something.

Clearly it's too early to draw conclusions and we'll doubtless know more come spring. But the level is going to be too high for walks in the park. Plus he has the Rainbow Jersey, which makes him even more of a marked man in every race he's in.
I think you are reading too much in all of this. Remco might just have his typical early season which has never been his best period of the year. If there was a TT to consolidate a lead over his competitors he is a safe bet, even in January, but this not the case. His work as a lead out shows that he has also other goals for this race. I don't doubt he is on schedule to be top by the end of April. Of course, others will mark him but that is not new.
 
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I think you are reading too much in all of this. Remco might just have his typical early season which has never been his best period of the year. If there was a TT to consolidate a lead over his competitors he is a safe bet, even in January, but this not the case. His work as a lead out shows that he has also other goals for this race. I don't doubt he is on schedule to be top by the end of April. Of course, others will mark him but that is not new.
Evidently he thought he had the legs or else he would not have gone for it on Alto de Colorado. Granted, he recognized that he made a "stupid move," but I bet he will have asked himself "why were the legs not good enough?" And this and the data gained will doubtless be on his mind in the next phase of his preparation. I don't think that's reading too much into it.
 
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Welsford is an interesting rider with a strong track background - When he turned pro, I thought he would definitely be a shot with a Pro Conti team and was surprised he got a WT contract - He performed well last year with some good results, however he was quite inconsistent - On his day he is strong and could spring a surprise in semi-classics - Gotta say that I was surprised with his win today.
 
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Welsford is an interesting rider with a strong track background - When he turned pro, I thought he would definitely be a shot with a Pro Conti team and was surprised he got a WT contract - He performed well last year with some good results, however he was quite inconsistent - On his day he is strong and could spring a surprise in semi-classics - Gotta say that I was surprised with his win today.

He's also not the nicest guy in the peloton