Showing posts with label Quintana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quintana. Show all posts
Wednesday, 3 July 2019
Monday, 24 July 2017
Tour de France 2017 Finale
One of the most boring Tour de France I can remember, due also to the tracery of the organizers, finally came to an end.
The jurors tried to do everything to provide as much French victories as possible, disqualifying and penalizing foreign riders, but, in the end, as always, Froome won.
There is not a big winner of this Tour, Froome appeared to be more vulnerable than the previous editions but none of his opponents has been able to beat him, due also to his incredible team that controlled every single stage.
From this Tour de France comes out a big martyr, the strongest rider on the road, a man that could have easily won this edition of the Tour de France but he was in the wrong team. All our thoughts are for you Mikel Landa.
Here you can find my grades to the teams, from 1 (very bad) to 10 (very good), you, dear Impressionists, will choose the rider of the Tour de France in the upcoming survey.
Team Sky - 9
They have won their 5th Tour in the last six years this says all. Nevertheless they are a dictatorial regime, there is no space left for unplanned exploits by other members of the team.
AG2R La Mondiale - 8
They tried in any way to win this Tour de France but, unfortunately, for Bardet, even a single kilometer against the clock is too much.
Movistar Team - 5
They lost Valverde during the first stage, the alternative to a Quintana still recovering from a really hard Giro.
Trek-Segafredo - 6
Contador has the heart of a lion but not the legs. They go home with a stage win, at the beginning of the Tour de France they had bigger plans.
BMC Racing Team - 5
They lost their best rider, they didn't have a second plan, they failed.
Astana Pro Team - 1
Is this a team? The strategy was to leave Aru alone as soon as possible? Still wondering...
UAE Team Emirates - 5
A top ten could not be enough for the team.
FDJ - 5.5
They sacrified half of the team with a rider. They won a stage.
Orica-Scott - 7
The white jersey was the main goal, they did it. They could have won a stage.
Dimension Data - 6.5
They lost their main sprinter, they had a second plan, they won a stage.
Quick-Step Floors - 8
They dominated every single sprint they took part. They were helped by a Tour de France with tons of flat stages.
Bora-Hansgrohe - 7.5
They lost their most representative rider after a questionable decision by the jurors. They won another stage.
Team Katusha-Alpecin - 5
They failed all their objectives.
Lotto Soudal - 5
They failed all their objectives.
Team Sunweb - 10
They won, they amused the crowd, they deserved two fantastic jerseys. Team of the year.
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits - 3.5
I discover they were at the Tour when Bouhanni punched another rider. They disappeared again after that episode.
Team LottoNL-Jumbo - 8
Two great stage win, one of them on le Champs Elysdées, what else do you need?
Direct Energie - 7.5
A memorable stage win.
Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team - 9
Stage win and an unexpected second place in the general classification! What a Tour de France!!
Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team - 4
They failed all their mysterious objectives.
Wanty-Groupe Gobert - 5
Big breakaways but that's all.
Fortuneo - Oscaro - 5
Breakaways, that's all. I expected more.
Monday, 10 July 2017
How Many Riders Will Arrive In Paris?
This is the question murmured on the roads of le Tour de France.
One of the most boring Tour de France I can remember is being sadly animated just by bad crashes.
Nevertheless, they are part of cycling, as mechanical problems.
That's why I think that the weeping Froome should not have complained with Aru about his attack.
Following the policy of Froome I don't understand why the Tour is continuing on Tuesday with another stage. We should suspend the Tour and wait 30 days 'til Porte is fully recovered and ready to battle again. Ridiculous.
I don't even understand why the other contenders did not help Aru in the only true attack of the day at the yellow jersey. They preferred to wait for Froome and to be humiliated by him.
Condator is a former champion that is facing his natural decline and Quintana is still recovering from one of the hardest Giro of all time.
They had a chance, they missed it.
Monday, 3 July 2017
Tour de France 2017 Pt. 1
The same old Tour is on and nothing seems to have changed.
Froome is again the big favourite and the other teams are already complaining about Team Sky's tactics and materials.
This time under investigation are the skinsuits used by the team during the opening Time Trial that, with their "vortex generator", seem to have provided the riders a notable time gain.
The saddest event is the crash of Valverde in the first stage, the Tour looses one of the most spectacular riders of the peloton. I really hope this won't be the end of the career of one of the last legend of this sport.
One of the most interesting riders to watch out during the first part of this Tour is Phinney, the American seems finally healed and in a good shape. No doubt about his talent, now I'm curious to see what he can do.
Until the stage arrival at la Planche des Belles Filles we can just enjoy watching Sagan that tries to win every stage.
Welcome back to the same old Tour de France.
Tuesday, 30 May 2017
Monday, 29 May 2017
Giro 100 Big Finale
In the end Dumoulin won and I can't remember a Giro so uncertain and so deserved.
The level of the Giro 100 has been extremely high and Dumoulin won because he was the most complete rider of the Peloton.
He proved also to be the smartest in several situation, winning his first Giro with strong legs but with a stronger mind.
His opponents never really tried to do something risky in the final week, they were all scared, despite their statements, to lose their position in the General Classification.
We discovered yesterday that Quintana has been sick during the last two weeks but I still think that some riders can have more than a regret.
What Team Katusha Alpecin made in the last stage would have shaken the GC many times if done by stronger teams in previous stages.
The sad truth we have learned is that it doesn't matter just to win.
In modern cycling you prefer not to loose a third or a sixth position than trying to win a Giro, considering that in the worst case you can loose badly.
Talking about the teams without a proper GC contender, I just want to underline a key point: why if such a great team as Quick-Step Floors is always attacking, even in the last stage, the teams invited, with the exception of Team Gazprom-Rusvelo, never really battled hard in order to try to win a stage?
Here you can find my grades to the teams, from 1 (very bad) to 10 (very good), you, dear Impressionists, will choose the rider of the Giro in the upcoming survey.
Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team - 6
AG2R La Mondiale - 5
Astana Pro Team - Impossible to rate
Bardiani - CSF - 4.5
BMC Racing Team - 7.5
Bora - Hansgrohe - 8
Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team - 7
CCC Sprandi Polkowice - 4.5
FDJ - 7
Gazprom-RusVelo - 6.5
Lotto Soudal - 5.5
Movistar Team - 7.5
ORICA-Scott - 6
Quick-Step Floors - 9.5
Dimension Data - 7
Team Katusha - Alpecin - 6
Team LottoNL-Jumbo - 5
Team Sky - 8
Team Sunweb - 8
Trek - Segafredo - 5
UAE Team Emirates - 5.5
Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia - 3.5
Monday, 22 May 2017
Giro 100 Pt. 3
I want to divide this brief Impression in three parts, because we've just finished an intense week.
SPRINTS & SPRINTERS
Last week has been the week of Gaviria, he claimed and obtained a place in the sprinters' elite.
He dominated the sprint, winning each time in a different way, showing the world his multiples skills.
Ewan could be the only one faster than him, but he is too small and struggle too much while fighting for position.
Sam Bennet is supported by an incredible team, but unfortunately found a sprinter stronger than him.
I'am a bit disappointed by Greipel, he could not be satisfied with just one stage win, even if it gave him the pink jersey.
If you are one of the best sprinters in the world, you have to do something more to remain in the elite, considering that, as we said, you have a new impressive opponent.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AND PINK JERSEY CANDIDATES
I've never seen Tom Dumoulin so confident and self-aware.
He demolished his opponents on his field, the TT, but what he did on the Mount Oropa climb is even better.
He won on the Pantani's climb wearing the pink jersey, what else do you need to be considered a champion?
He has learned a lot from his Vuelta's defeat and will fight 'til the end of the Giro, with a great TT waiting for him in Milan.
Quintana is the strongest climber of this Giro 100 and it seems to be the only one capable of attacking Dumoulin.
We will see, we have great week ahead.
TEAMS
What can I say about Quick-step Floors?
The Wolfpack is honoring the race and demolishing its opponents on the roads of Giro 100, winning and exciting the crowd on any terrain. What a team!!
The last consideration is about the so many teams that haven't already gotten anything from this Giro 100 and that are doing nothing in order to justify their participation.
You will understand of which teams I'm talking about once the Giro is over, reading the upcoming article in which I'll rate the teams.
Monday, 15 May 2017
Giro 100 Pt. 2
It has not been a memorable Giro, except for the Blockhaus stage, so far, but the best is yet to come.
Smaller teams are not interested in fighting for a stage win and the Peloton seems asleep, providing the same show almost everyday.
Bora - Hansgrohe and Quick-Step Floor are still the only two teams honoring the race and taking great victories and podiums.
I want to underline also the strength of Gazprom Rusvelo, the only team that everyday has a man in the breakaway.
Dillier saved the Giro of Team BMC considering that team's GC ambitions sank in the Blockhaus stage.
Talking about the Blockhaus stage, the first consideration must be on Italian police, shame on them. They eliminated 3 GC contenders with one of the silliest move you can do in a cycling race.
Talking about the "survivors", Quintana proved to be the best, supported by a great team with licence to kill, see Gorka Izagirre.
Pinot is not a surprise for me, he is riding incredibly well since the beginning of the Giro.
He has prepared this edition of the Giro very well. He is stronger than Quintana against the clock and can be considered the first rival of the new pink jersey.
Dumoulin surprised me, he made a solid performance on such a hard climb.
Considering that he is the stronger GC contender in TT stages, he can take away the pink jersey from Quintana tomorrow and try to defend it as long as possible.
Just a few words about Nibali, he is riding alone, his team is inconsistent.
My question to the Bahrain - Merida director is: if you know you have a weak team compared to your opponents, why do you spend in a breakaway, the day before a mountain stage, one of your strongest climber? I really hope Bahrain - Merida is fighting for something more than a stage win.
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