Canucks: How 'bout our Ryder eh?

[Mach Schnell]

I'm pretty much fed up to here with threads about, well, you know what, so how about Ryder?
The guys definately got the potential to podium at some point. Hes got the TT skills, his climbing is certainly right up there.
I remember watching him crush all the other juniors during Canada Cup races and wondered why he wasn't road racing. Probably would have had an earlier start if he hadn't been from BC.
Is he riding the Vuelta? Is Tuft in the Vuelta?
After watching Ryder on the Tourmalet, its no wonder he has the unoffical record for Haleakala

 

[TopCarbon]

Yes, if Ryder can keep his **** together and stay with Garmin he has a future.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Ryder's been a badass rider for a while now. He was fantastic on the mountain bike and now he's coming into his own on the road. Had an excellent result in the Monte Paschi a couple years ago. He looked super strong on the cobbles at the Tour too.

I'd love to see the guy podium at the Tour. It would be a hard task though, since the top 3 this year seem quite a bit above everyone else.

 

[flicker]

Looking good, how old is he and how long has Ryder ridden pro?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

he's 30 en started riding at rabo tt3 squad in 2003

 

[hrotha]

He's 30 and he can't possibly do much better than this year. He's a very good rider, but please don't ruin him with undue pressure nor expect him to place high in the GC consistently. That shouldn't be his focus.

 

[TopCarbon]

He's 30 and he can't possibly do much better than this year. He's a very good rider, but please don't ruin him with undue pressure nor expect him to place high in the GC consistently. That shouldn't be his focus.

because he is Canadian?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I think he will be able to improve quite a lot but more so in classics imo

 

[TopCarbon]

Ryder has been a domestique in the past. If he is given the freedom and has his head around being a leader, he can improve.

 

[hrotha]

because he is Canadian?

Not everything is about being Canadian, despite the Weight of a Nation thing.

 

[Kazistuta]

I think he will be able to improve quite a lot but more so in classics imo

This

QFT

Don't hype him to be the new Wiggins...we all know how that went. Great effort by Hesjedal this year, but let's not overanalyze..

 

[ingsve]

I'm pretty much fed up to here with threads about, well, you know what, so how about Ryder?
The guys definately got the potential to podium at some point. Hes got the TT skills, his climbing is certainly right up there.
I remember watching him crush all the other juniors during Canada Cup races and wondered why he wasn't road racing. Probably would have had an earlier start if he hadn't been from BC.
Is he riding the Vuelta? Is Tuft in the Vuelta?
After watching Ryder on the Tourmalet, its no wonder he has the unoffical record for Haleakala

Podium a GT? No chance in hell. He can get himself a pretty decent palmares though. He could probably podium a few thougher classics more and some type of week long stage race. If he gets lucky he might even win something but as far as GTs are concerned I doubt he'll reach the top 10 again.

 

[markrosen]

I picked Hesjedal as one of the riders to watch in early predictions in Jan 2010...glad it work out for him!

 

[skidmark]

Podium a GT? No chance in hell. He can get himself a pretty decent palmares though. He could probably podium a few thougher classics more and some type of week long stage race. If he gets lucky he might even win something but as far as GTs are concerned I doubt he'll reach the top 10 again.

True - he's already podiumed in Amstel, which I would certainly consider a 'tougher classic'. I'm curious why you say you doubt he'll reach the top 10 in a GT again, though... it's not like he was in a fluke breakaway that gained 8 minutes, or even that he had the form of his life in a particularly easy year (Wiggins)... he just kind of rode well, and got better (relative to the field) as the race went on. That would lead me to believe that he's capable of that kind of performance more than he's let on in recent years.

 

[Steel4Ever]

IMO, I think RH could do very, very well if he goes all-in for the Classics and one-day races (and perhaps shorter stage races) a la Cancellara. He's got the power and attitude for such races (as is apparent in his results already).

Speaking of Canc...take a look at Stage 3 of the Tour (cobbles): RH solos with 40km (?) remaining, he gets caught with 5km to go by Cancellara (WC TT), Evans (WC RR), Schleck (2nd in Tour), Hushovd (National RR), Thomas (National RR) -- basically a handful of power.

I think he would have some pretty nice success in really hard one-day races rather than multiple days in high mountains (even though he is pretty good in the mountains).

Go Canada, eh!

 

[ingsve]

True - he's already podiumed in Amstel, which I would certainly consider a 'tougher classic'. I'm curious why you say you doubt he'll reach the top 10 in a GT again, though... it's not like he was in a fluke breakaway that gained 8 minutes, or even that he had the form of his life in a particularly easy year (Wiggins)... he just kind of rode well, and got better (relative to the field) as the race went on. That would lead me to believe that he's capable of that kind of performance more than he's let on in recent years.

He was obviously in the form of his life and still rode on the edge of his capabilities in most hard stages. That makes for a very hard achievement to copy. In the future if he's just a little less in form or a little weak on one stage, he'll finish in the grupetto instead and top 10 will be way out of reach.

Also since he's already 30 there is not a lot he can improve on condition wise. He'll soon start feeling the effects of age and it will be impossible to become better. This means he has very few chances where he could even try for a new top 10. That includes getting the chance from the team that still has ambitions with VdV.

All in all these factors indicate to me that it's unlikely that he'll repeat in the top 10. It's not impossible but in my mind just improbable.

 

[jaylew]

I hope he doesn't become another one of these guys who has an unexpected back-half top 10 in a GT then spends the next few years trying to transform himself into a true GC guy.

I just don't think he's ever going to be a GT podium guy, but I think he could really do something in the classics if he made them his major focus. He seems like the kind of guy who could potentially perform well in any of them, save MSR.

 

[pedaling squares]

I hope he doesn't become another one of these guys who has an unexpected back-half top 10 in a GT then spends the next few years trying to transform himself into a true GC guy.

+1 to that. There is so much more to pro cycling than the GT's. I think he's for real, and could be a top ten kind of guy in some other GT's. But I think he could be a more consistent podium threat in the classics and shorter stage races as others have mentioned, and a stage hunter in GT's. That's how I'd like to see him in the latter years of his career, but I guess it depends on what kind of results are going to land you the big contract. That's what I'd be thinking at 30.

 

[Neworld]

He was obviously in the form of his life and still rode on the edge of his capabilities in most hard stages. That makes for a very hard achievement to copy. In the future if he's just a little less in form or a little weak on one stage, he'll finish in the grupetto instead and top 10 will be way out of reach.

Also since he's already 30 there is not a lot he can improve on condition wise. He'll soon start feeling the effects of age and it will be impossible to become better. This means he has very few chances where he could even try for a new top 10. That includes getting the chance from the team that still has ambitions with VdV.

All in all these factors indicate to me that it's unlikely that he'll repeat in the top 10. It's not impossible but in my mind just improbable.

Firstly, I'm Canadian so he comes the bias. But, I will try to level it off a bit with some facts. Secondly, more riders in the TdF should be like Ryder. Thirdly, age? Riders still podium after 30.

RH didn't just pop out of some 3 yr cycling school or track program. Take a look at his development and accomplishments. He is the real deal. Has he had a couple hundred thousand thrown at him in the wind tunnel yet? Has he had financial support to train exactly like he needs to be a team leader and win at events like the spring classics and later in a GT?

What do you like to see in a GT? Riders who help their team sprinters in a lead out train in the early part of the a GT? Riders breaking way by themselves? Hard men pounding through pave? Riders attacking into breakaways in the mountains? Climbers finishing in the top 5 on the hardest Queen's stage? A competitor that does all that with very little team support and definitely NO assistance in the high mountains? Well RH did. Tell me what other top 10 Rider did that this year? If Ryder maintains his tenacity and thirst for season long racing he will do well.

Age of 30 too old? No sure about that. I could make a list of podium finishers in the last 10 yrs from all GTs but you could do the same. I think you'd see there is a significant component of over 30 riders holding those medals.

PS: I'd love to see Ryder on a future Blackberry Protour team with a certain DS... Steve Bauer!

PSS: where is RH in the UCI standings now?

NW

 

[sagard]

First of all let me start by stating that Cindy Crosby is a total b****.

Ryder appears to me to be the opposite of that.

He makes moves when he is feeling well and limits his losses on the other days. He is an easy guy to cheer for and that is tough more me to admit due to my serious hatred for Canada hockey.

 

[mustachestaff]

RH is pretty legit. He may match his performance in this year's tour, but I think he'll really focus on and shine in single-day races to come. His breakaway during during Stage 3 of the tour was pure balls, and I doubt many riders could match it. Most importantly, he's not stupid enough to shoot his mouth off and set ridiculous expectations for himself while ostracizing his team and (ala Wigans). And I doubt he'll use the team time trial of the Tour of Quatar as a barometer for his team's strength .

 

[Cerberus]

Age of 30 too old? No sure about that. I could make a list of podium finishers in the last 10 yrs from all GTs but you could do the same. I think you'd see there is a significant component of over 30 riders holding those medals.

It's not an issue of 30 being over the hill, it's an issue of 30 being at the top of the hill. You don't expect a 30 year old to start making significant improvements. If you compile a list of podium finishers in the last 10 years I think you'll find very few who finished on the podium after 30, who didn't finish on or very close to the podium before 30. There'll be a few of cause, like Michael Rasmussen, but their performance gains probably probably won't have been natural.

 

[Neworld]

First of all let me start by stating that Cindy Crosby is a total b****.

Ryder appears to me to be the opposite of that.

He makes moves when he is feeling well and limits his losses on the other days. He is an easy guy to cheer for and that is tough more me to admit due to my serious hatred for Canada hockey.

Dude, why do you hate Canadian hockey, the Olympic Championship team...who by the way had Crosby win the OT goal? Most Americans (assuming you're American) play their formative years in our well developed Canadian hockey system, or have Canadian coaches in the States. Take it easy tiger, this is a cycling thread. I'm just trying to get you fired up.

Glad you like Ryder. I'm just trying to say that he's a decent rider, and if he had some more support could continue to make it into the top 10 for a few more years. He was the highest placed North American this year though eh!

NW

 

[Steel4Ever]

If you compile a list of podium finishers in the last 10 years I think you'll find very few who finished on the podium after 30, who didn't finish on or very close to the podium before 30. There'll be a few of [course], like Michael Rasmussen, but their performance gains probably probably won't have been natural.

And what podium filler, regardless of age, in the last 10 years has been devoid of "non-natural" gains?

 

[Cerberus]

And what podium filler, regardless of age, in the last 10 years has been devoid of "non-natural" gains?

There is that of cause. Really though the people who started improving dramatically around the age of 30 have improved their program, some people stay on similar programs, either because they've had great programs all along or because they stay on mediocre programs. Thus while their performance might be boosted, their gains from one year to another might come from maturing as riders, changing their diets or some other "natural" method.