Vuelta a España 2018

[Vader]

After he lost a lot of time early in the Vuelta he stated that he was using it as preparation for the Vuelta and there was a fair bit of commentary about his team not being happy about that.

He had a fairly well publicised bout of gastro on the eve of the race. That smashed him, resulting in him losing time on stage 2 (stage 1 was the short TT), after which his GC hopes were gone.

 

[Number37]

He had a fairly well publicised bout of gastro on the eve of the race. That smashed him, resulting in him losing time on stage 2 (stage 1 was the short TT), after which his GC hopes were gone.

I get that, I was just commenting on the bemusement of his own team after he said he is just using it as preparation. Which suggests his team didn't think he was only in it from the start for prep.

BMC had a pretty good Vuelta in the end.

 

[Vader]

I get that, I was just commenting on the bemusement of his own team after he said he is just using it as preparation. Which suggests his team didn't think he was only in it from the start for prep.

BMC had a pretty good Vuelta in the end.

3 stage wins was a great outcome, and Teuns & De Marchi gave them a lot of TV exposure with their many breakaways.

 

[Number37]

3 stage wins was a great outcome, and Teuns & De Marchi gave them a lot of TV exposure with their many breakaways.

To be fair they've had a pretty good season.

Dennis wore pink at the Giro for a few days.
GVA wore yellow at the Tour for a few days.
3 stage wins in the Vuelta.

It is a pity they are folding.

How do you think Porte will go at Trek?

 

[Vader]

To be fair they've had a pretty good season.

Dennis wore pink at the Giro for a few days.
GVA wore yellow at the Tour for a few days.
3 stage wins in the Vuelta.

It is a pity they are folding.

How do you think Porte will go at Trek?

Not as well as he would if he was still riding for UK Postal.

 

[yaco55]

Porte wasn't fit, after his crash in the TdF. He was always riding the Vuelta as training for the World Champs - he was never going to be racing for GC. BMC were completely open & honest about this before the race, it's just that Australians weren't listening because we're still hoping he'll be our 2nd ever GT winner.

And Australia wasted resources on Porte at the World's - When will they learn ? The fact is Porte never wanted to ride the Vuelta, so sulked throughout the whole race and never tried - So his punishment is now ending his season at the Hammer Series in HOng Kong and the Tour of Guangxi.

 

[Vader]

And Australia wasted resources on Porte at the World's - When will they learn ? The fact is Porte never wanted to ride the Vuelta, so sulked throughout the whole race and never tried - So his punishment is now ending his season at the Hammer Series in HOng Kong and the Tour of Guangxi.

Porte didn't even ride the World Champs, pulling out because of illness a week before they started - so no, Australia didn't waste resources on him at the Worlds.

 

[yaco55]

Porte didn't even ride the World Champs, pulling out because of illness a week before they started - so no, Australia didn't waste resources on him at the Worlds.

The team was built around Porte who withdrew one week before the race citing illness - So valuable resources were wasted on Porte who has no one day pedigree and picks and chooses how hard he rides - And this is the same Porte who crashed out of the 2016 Olympics - McGee should have learnt his lesson in 2016 but unfortunately he's not the sharpest tool in the thread.

 

[yaco55]

And it gets worse for McGee - States that Porte was not on the long list for the World's until his crash at the TDF - So Porte goes from being off the long list to be a team leader after his crash - Never rated McGee in his role while this episode reinforces my opinion.