S*** small races February 2020

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  • specialgueststar
    specialgueststar Posts: 3,418
    edited February 2020
    Another cracker coming up next week. The now three day Haut Var and another good start list. One stage finish on Col d Eze .one on mt Faron. Cue dramatic photos.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    RichN95. said:

    A pretty chunky startlist https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-cycliste-international-la-provence/2020/gc/startlist

    A stage to Chalet reynard.

    Four good days of racing coming up


    Pozzovivo on the startlist is a surprise. I didn't expect him back already

    August 2019: Broken tibia and fibia. Fractures of the clavicle, humerus and ulna. Punctured lung.

    February 2020: 14th on GC. Chapeau Pozzo
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    They don't like losing, woof!
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    edited February 2020
    This week sees a number of stars kick off their season in Iberia, where we have the now traditional brace of stage races.

    66th Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol (2.Pro)



    At one time the only game in town, this traditional warm up race of the stars now faces stiff opposition from it's local neighbours, and the warmer climate countries. As a consequence, this year's startlist looks somewhat thin of big names.
    Another factor that may be effecting attendance is the severity of the parcour, which contains over twelve and a half thousand metres of climbing and has an opening stage that comprises almost a third of that total.








    46th Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta (2.Pro)

    Pretty much follows the tried and tested race formula again this year. A dozen world teams turning up here, so it has a much stronger looking field.



    Maybe what tips the balance in terms of the startlist is the fact that this race has much more of a balance in parcour. i.e. that of a traditional week stage race.








    Both Andalucia and Algarve will be televised live, back-to-back on Eurosport, although things may get a bit compressed over the weekend.
    Best bet could well be the player.

    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249

    This week sees a number of stars kick off their season in Iberia, where we have the now traditional brace of stage races.

    66th Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol (2.Pro)



    At one time the only game in town, this traditional warm up race of the stars now faces stiff opposition from it's local neighbours, and the warmer climate countries. As a consequence, this year's startlist looks somewhat thin of big names.
    Another factor that may be effecting attendance is the severity of the parcour, which contains over twelve and a half thousand metres of climbing and has an opening stage that comprises almost a third of that total.









    46th Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta (2.Pro)

    Pretty much follows the tried and tested race formula again this year. A dozen world teams turning up here, so it has a much stronger looking field.



    Maybe what tips the balance in terms of the startlist is the fact that this race has much more of a balance in parcour. i.e. that of a traditional week stage race.








    Both Andalucia and Algarve will be televised live, back-to-back on Eurosport, although things may get a bit compressed over the weekend.
    Best bet could well be the player.

    Thanks. Algarve looks like it could be well worth a watch.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    edited February 2020
    52nd Tour Cycliste International du Var et des Alpes Maritimes (2.1)

    The third European stage race of the week takes place in France, once again in Provence. With an increase from two to three days, Var looks to have cracking, not to mention iconic parcour.



    It brought a smile to my face to think that the first stage is possibly the easiest of the extended weekend.






    No less than eight world teams are turning up with support from the heavy hitters at pro level.
    Over this short of terrain, it's hard to not view the recent Ventoux record breaker, Nairo Quintana, as the odds on favourite.
    Yet he will not be short of some stellar opposition, including Richie Porte making his euro debut.

    Now the bad news: As yet I have been unable to find any sort of coverage of this race.
    Watch this space, I guess.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,183
    Algarve highlights were worth watching on ES player. Great cobbled hill finish.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    edited February 2020
    Mad_Malx said:

    Algarve highlights were worth watching on ES player. Great cobbled hill finish.

    Andalucia. 4 minutes worth.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIhUN0kUfZI


    Or the whole coverage with Kirby and Stephens.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeKRA7xNOe8
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,183
    edited February 2020
    Yes, Andalucia. Soz.
    Algarve was an ok flat sprint.
  • Evenepoel the boss in Algrave, while Ineos have a shocker.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    Remco shows once more that he's the real deal. Tactically astute as well as ridiculously strong for his age.

    Who was the UAE guy who put in that ludicrous effort? I was watching in my local bar on a Spanish stream with the volume turned down.
  • twotoebenny
    twotoebenny Posts: 1,542
    DeadCalm said:

    Remco shows once more that he's the real deal. Tactically astute as well as ridiculously strong for his age.

    Who was the UAE guy who put in that ludicrous effort? I was watching in my local bar on a Spanish stream with the volume turned down.

    Dombrowski followed by Polanc
  • m.r.m.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,486
    Riding for Rui Costa must feel like riding for TJ Lady Garden.
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,183

    Evenepoel the boss in Algrave, while Ineos have a shocker.

    Enjoyed that.

  • What's taking the piss in Portuguese?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262

    What's taking the piss in Portuguese?


    Cristiano Ronaldo
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RichN95. said:

    What's taking the piss in Portuguese?


    Cristiano Ronaldo
    I'll give you that one !

  • specialgueststar
    specialgueststar Posts: 3,418
    edited February 2020
    Haut Var: Perez took stage one from Anthony Turgis who were in the original break. Short video , nice drone shot on the hairpin
    https://video.eurosport.fr/cyclisme/tour-du-haut-var/2020/tour-des-alpes-maritimes-et-du-var-perez-vainqueur-pinot-et-bardet-places-le-resume-du-jour_vid1298908/video.shtml
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,620
    Where is everyone?

    Quintana won stage 2 of Haut Var on Col d'eze.

    Lopez won the state in Algarve

    Jack Haig won the state in Andalusia
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • gsk82 said:

    Where is everyone?

    Quintana won stage 2 of Haut Var on Col d'eze.

    Lopez won the state in Algarve

    Jack Haig won the state in Andalusia

    Everyone was busy yesterday and finding coverage of Haut Var is a case of the proverbial needle in a haystack.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-cvNYc7dzc&t=3s

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdCCsi4siSU&t=4s
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    Nairo hasn’t been able to drop the likes of Pinot, Bardet and Porte on a climb for yonks...Now he’s doing it every race. I know it’s only February, etc, etc... but T-A and P-N are shaping up nicely. Especially with Ineos looking a bit pony...
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,620

    Nairo hasn’t been able to drop the likes of Pinot, Bardet and Porte on a climb for yonks...Now he’s doing it every race. I know it’s only February, etc, etc... but T-A and P-N are shaping up nicely. Especially with Ineos looking a bit pony...

    On ventoux I thought his upper body looked slimmer and his legs looked ripped. It made the old quintana look a bit dumpy.

    I think Ineos are going to struggle this year. Froome is that teams leader on and off the bike. If they're put under pressure I think they'll crumble... Unless he's back fit and bossing things.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • Nairo hasn’t been able to drop the likes of Pinot, Bardet and Porte on a climb for yonks...Now he’s doing it every race. I know it’s only February, etc, etc... but T-A and P-N are shaping up nicely. Especially with Ineos looking a bit pony...

    40 seconds faster than some of the world's best up Col d'Eze?

    Thank God he's riding for a clean french team, not Ineos, or else twitter would melt.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • The weight off the shoulders has lightened him.
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,183
    He’S doomed as soon as I pick him for PTP
  • Pinot not going too well atm. Lost 24 seconds to Bardet and Porte, who managed to stay on Nairo's wheel today.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • amrushton
    amrushton Posts: 1,313
    Be nice to see Nairo back in form. Good news for him and Arkea.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    edited February 2020
    Wrong thread
    Twitter: @RichN95