Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 08/19/2022 12:26 PM |
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Final GT of the season....it will be a two-horse race after the opening TT, IMO. Ineos and JV are gonna create enough gaps to all but eliminate everyone else.
QS may stay clsoe enough to keep Evenepoel in the mix for a bit. Bold prediciton - Alaphillipe goes for the GC. There is only 1 HC climb in the race this year, so it suits his capabilities. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 08/19/2022 12:33 PM |
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Interesting prediction but IMO JA comes into this a bit short on training and form for that to happen. I do think it is perfect prep to get ready for Worlds.
Curious whether Remco can stay competitive the entire three weeks. He is a much matured rider compared to a year ago and is ready for the challenge, both mentally and physically. Other than that perhaps Roglic versus Carapaz as the established quantities, let's see if Hindley can reload following Giro win or if he's a one trick poney, and fingers crossed for Ayoyo as the lone Spanish hope. Movistar come into with buckled knees at risk of relegation and with their GC leader having a mental block descending.
Per Sporza: the Vuelta starts with a TTT, an almost forgotten cult discipline. Yes, they described it as a cult discipline. And in the town where I spent many years as a student (Utrecht). |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 08/19/2022 01:03 PM |
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Sot of ROglic warming up on his road bike wearing his TT helmet on the trainer....but with a cooling vest.
LOL...PICK ONE! |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 08/19/2022 01:04 PM |
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| TTT doesn't look like it will open huge gaps. Ineos have only 5 seconds on Bora at halfway mark. QS are doing slightly better (3 seconds). JV are 14 sec faster than QS. Roglic has indicated he'd like Gesink (who's never worn a leader's jersey) in red; that's who Roglic is. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 08/19/2022 01:25 PM |
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| Ha, and they made it happen. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 08/19/2022 01:40 PM |
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Very cool....chuffed for Gesink. Gets to wear a leader's jersey in his home country.
While the gaps were smaller than I thought they might be overall, I thought Ineos and QS would be closer to JV and further away form the rest of the field. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 08/19/2022 02:18 PM |
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And here I was, thinking the Vuelta started next week and enduring the long siesta between the TdF Femme finish and the final week or August. I should have known. Finishing week is the week of Cycle Oregon. When I am out of touch with the rest of the world.
Is there a final TT or is the last Sunday the processional march? Saturday will be the final 50? 70? miles back to our start/finish, wrapping up with friends I didn't see for three years and the drive back to Portland. Maybe someone there will know what's happening in Spain and maybe I meet that person but those are long shots.
All three of the GT's organizers need to do a better job of looking at Ben's schedule and planning accordingly. Oh well. I guess I can dream. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 08/19/2022 02:20 PM |
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OC, JV solved their lack of time training by simply spending less time out on the course.  |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 08/19/2022 04:18 PM |
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Posted By Cosmic Kid on 08/19/2022 01:40 PM
Very cool....chuffed for Gesink. Gets to wear a leader's jersey in his home country.
Beyond that this offsets the first ever TdF non-selection which was a tough moment for him. He took some personal time after that. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 08/19/2022 08:23 PM |
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Great crowds today. Starting a GT out of country in a cycling mad country really turns out the fans. Nice to see Gesink in red, well deserved including in an overall career sort of way.
Curiosity questions about Sepp Kuss: how much work did he do today? I ask because 1. he's not a flat road full gas speed merchant, and if he was in the mix, he must be really fit; 2. if he is a plan B for JV if Roglic isn't there, was he protected? |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 08/21/2022 07:18 PM |
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| alejandro when asked about the opening stages erupted in an uncharacteristic string of cursing. Riding (driving) Dutch roads is an art, things are so much more serene pretty much everywhere else 😂. |
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huckleberry
Posts:824
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| 08/23/2022 09:41 AM |
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| Gosh, I love Bob Roll.
What a professional! |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 08/25/2022 10:15 AM |
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| Roglic is not going to win a 4th Vuelta. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 08/25/2022 12:26 PM |
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Posted By Orange Crush on 08/25/2022 10:15 AM
Roglic is not going to win a 4th Vuelta.
I'm not going there just yet, but he definitely took a big hit vs. Remco today. BUt to the other GC favorites, he is still right there.
Still lots of question marks re: Remco and a GT, so we'll see...I'm just glad that we have a race for now. It was looking like a JV procession until today. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 08/25/2022 12:28 PM |
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| Glad to see Sivakov have a good ride...and both he and Tao are ahead of Carapaz. Wonder how EF feels about their big signing right now. *shrug* |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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