2014 Tour of California May 11-18

[Rui Quinta]

Tiago Machado from 2010, when he gone to Radioshack:
1 victory
10 second positions
8 third positions.

He's a great rider, but hasn't luck. In Murcia was a guy better (Valverde). Today was Dennis. Last year at Algarve' stage 1 Martens, at West-Vlaanderen's prologue Kristoff Vandewalle. He could have 2 or 3 victories but allways someone is better than him.

 

[Moviefan1203]

Nice ride by Craddock. Kid has a bright future.

 

[Anderis]

Today was Dennis. Last year at Algarve' stage 1 Martens, at West-Vlaanderen's prologue Kristoff Vandewalle. He could have 2 or 3 victories but allways someone is better than him.

Simillar story with Dennis, who was 2nd in TT 7 times over the last 1,5 years but never won.
At least he was able to make up for this on a normal stage.

 

[Guybrush]

I've seen some people say that was Wiggins' best climbing performance since the 2012 Tour but he was pretty good in Catalunya and Trentino last year.* It wasn't a steep climb so if there was any kind of headwind the drafting benefit would have been pretty significant wouldn't it?

* Against much stronger fields.

Thats right! IIRC he attacked in Catalunya.

A single wagon sky train, very nice. Also happy with Carter Jones, maybe a bad timed attack, still a good final position.

 

[VeloHuman]

Dennis is climbing very well. Yet another talented young all-rounder for Garmin. They're really stockpiling them. Talansky still only 25. Slagter 24 and Dennis about to be.

 

[42x16ss]

I didn't think Rohan Dennis was as good a climber as that,not a strong field but even still i am slightly surprised by him there.Are we looking at a future GT contender?

What does everyone think?

Not sure he's a GT contender but he certainly looks like a top 1 week rider at least looking at today and his efforts in the Dauphine last year.

In GT's he'll probably end up a 2nd tier contender or top shelf climbing dom like Sastre in his early years.

 

[greenedge]

Yes you're right, it is longer but not as steep so there is not that much of a difference in difficulty. The last 3 kilometers are much harder though.

Should help Dennis even more, considering how he attacked with only 1km to go. Acevedo/ Danielson can force the pace earlier.


Great ride by Dennis

 

[JRanton]

Not sure he's a GT contender but he certainly looks like a top 1 week rider at least looking at today and his efforts in the Dauphine last year.

In GT's he'll probably end up a 2nd tier contender or top shelf climbing dom like Sastre in his early years.

Vaughters said last year that Dennis is Wiggins 2.0. So yes, he can be excellent in one week races (with a TT) and if the right course comes along you can't rule out a talent like that for a GT win. It also has to be said that the kick that Dennis showed on the final super steep 300 metres is something that Wiggins simply isn't capable of no matter how strong he is.

 

[JRanton]

Should help Dennis even more, considering how he attacked with only 1km to go. Acevedo/ Danielson can force the pace earlier.


Great ride by Dennis

I'm interested to see how Garmin and Wiggins will play it tactically on Friday's stage. This will be one of those rare occasions when tactics will actually matter thanks to the ridiculously weak Sky team.

 

[Pentacycle]

Vaughters said last year that Dennis is Wiggins 2.0. So yes, he can be excellent in one week races (with a TT) and if the right course comes along you can't rule out a talent like that for a GT win. It also has to be said that the kick that Dennis showed on the final super steep 300 metres is something that Wiggins simply isn't capable of no matter how strong he is.

JV also said Slagter was Purito 2.0, but these young riders still have a long way to go. Dennis's climbing has to improve on multi-mountain stages, much like Kwiatkowski for example. And he will probably never be the best climber in a GT, like Wiggins, so he's dependent on a favourable course with plenty of time trials.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

So the two TT'ers will likely battle for the GC win in the mountains.
I wonder what the so call climbers are up to in this race.

Anyway here is a cheer for

Giant seems to be a good place for these youngsters.

Love strong riders, dislike uber strong teams.

 

[greenedge]

And Dennis with his really strong showing on climbs is indicating he should be a better climber than Wiggins (comparative in age wise) except for Wiggo's great 2011-12 level. To outclimb Yates- who most people on the forum say is a pure climber (except for the super long climbs, which he's stated)- shows that he should be up there for future GT's in the future, as he has his ITT as well/ could very much follow in the Wiggo vein of riding to a set amount of watts (hopefully not though )

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Dennis on his way to victory.

More pics here: http://www.steephill.tv/2014/tour-of-california/photos/stage-03/

 

[movingtarget]

And Dennis with his really strong showing on climbs is indicating he should be a better climber than Wiggins (comparative in age wise) except for Wiggo's great 2011-12 level. To outclimb Yates- who most people on the forum say is a pure climber (except for the super long climbs, which he's stated)- shows that he should be up there for future GT's in the future, as he has his ITT as well/ could very much follow in the Wiggo vein of riding to a set amount of watts (hopefully not though )

That's a big assumption to make on one climb. To out climb Yates ? And where does Yates rank as far as great climbers go, currently ? As of now Dennis is probably the best of the young Aussies as far as future stage races go but miles behind the better young Colombian riders. Cameron Meyer and Bobridge have not kicked on but Bobridge has had many difficulties re illness. I'm not sure if the current crop of Aussies will make it to the top level not the GC riders anyway. Porte is still an unknown as a team leader over 3 weeks and we have not seen the best of him yet. But take out Evans and Anderson and possibly Porte, Dennis is the next possibility. Time will tell but he will need to improve a lot. Plenty of riders can do well in the TOC : Gesink, TJVG, Leipheimer,Rogers etc...but it does not always translate to good GT results.

 

[Kwibus]

exactly. the weakness of the team shows that wiggins and sky arent too bothered about winning the GC

If he isn't too bothered about it, why would he ride at the front for 10km?
If he wasn't bothered he would've just sit on the wheels and see what happens. Now he did a monster job.

 

[Kwibus]

Also happy for Dennis. So many 2nd places in TT's and now he wins on a MTF. Nice!

 

[Morbius]

Garmin used a classic 1-2 attack.

Wiggins seemed to have one surge in him by the time they got near the top. He used that to close down Acevedo and had nothing left to follow Dennis.

That trick will be harder to pull off at Mountain High because Acevedo is still 2 mins back.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It finally happened. I fell asleep during a mountain finish stage..

Cycling has stopped exciting me I guess

 

[Pricey_sky]

With Garmin now back in the GC battle it may help Sky a little, surely Garmin will have to help Sky chase down the break on that final MTF stage as they wouldn't want to sabotage Dennis' GC hopes.

 

[jens_attacks]

It finally happened. I fell asleep during a mountain finish stage..

Cycling has stopped exciting me I guess

do not despair. fabio aru will bring us on the right way again. i slept too...

i really hope they will bring mt baldy again. this is way too easy, and mt high too. wiggo was strong but he could have scrrewed it up, he definitely needs way stronger team, he's not indurain. probably he will manage to stay with dennis on the last mtf though. congrats to the guy

they went almost as fast as last year for the full climb. fast but it's a pretty easy climb for the pros.

http://www.climbing-records.com/2014/05/rohan-dennis-best-up-mount-diablo.html

 

[personal]

Kinda missed Levi and Horner.

 

[pastronef]

Wiggo suffered more that others in the heat. there's a pic of him gasping to the finish line with dry white lips
here http://www.teamsky.com/gallery/0,27401,17548_9310747,00.html#photo=14

 

[Arnout]

Good to see Esteban Chaves up there

 

[trevim]

Good to see Esteban Chaves up there

Definitely. I hope he stays healthy ride Austria, Poland/Burgos and the Vuelta (as a stage hunter simply, with lots of freedom to go on the mountains). Then he can start to build himself again to be one of the brightest prospects of pro cycling.

 

[karlboss]

Good to see Esteban Chaves up there

Fast forward a few years Orica look like a well rounded team, Durbridge, Hepburn, Yates, Yates, Chaves, Howard, Howson, Matthews.