Could Marianne Vos ride for a men ProTour team one day?

[gilbertador]

Mcquaid isnt sexist if there was a womens minimum wage the sponsors would leave as there is no exposure, hes ironically protecting womens cycling! Vos should never be allowed to race with men, maybe in 2.2 races and national events, but she shouldnt be allowed anywhere near HC events let alone world tour, if she wants to be involved in the world tour she could work in the kitchen or as a mechanic or as a Director of sport if she was of the required standard, riding, HELL NO

 

[DenisMenchov]

NO, when Serena Williams wanted to play with men, she lost to her couch in straight sets. So you can see what difference it is between men and women in sports.

 

[TheEnoculator]

I don't think she could handle the TdF or any of the classics, or even semi-classics like Omloop, but Rabo can start her in the Continental team and go from there.

The main point here is not to say, "Marianne is so good, she could take on the men." The main issue is motivation. When you are so dominant, it's difficult to remain motivated year in and year out. Granted, Merckx won almost everything he rode in, but he didn't have issue with motivation. Marianne needs to find a way to motivate herself instead of relying on physical goals for motivation.

She is only 24. It doesn't hurt to let her try out the Continental races.

 

[Kwibus]

I don't think she could handle the TdF or any of the classics, or even semi-classics like Omloop, but Rabo can start her in the Continental team and go from there.

The main point here is not to say, "Marianne is so good, she could take on the men." The main issue is motivation. When you are so dominant, it's difficult to remain motivated year in and year out. Granted, Merckx won almost everything he rode in, but he didn't have issue with motivation. Marianne needs to find a way to motivate herself instead of relying on physical goals for motivation.

She is only 24. It doesn't hurt to let her try out the Continental races.

This.

10 chars.

 

[TheEnoculator]

NO, when Serena Williams wanted to play with men, she lost to her couch in straight sets. So you can see what difference it is between men and women in sports.

Vos actually has numbers to back up that she's stronger than some of her male teammates. Tennis, and most other sports, don't provide any form of physiological data for comparison.

 

[Derrick]

Having watched a lot of {male} races over the last two years I reckon that Serena Williams could stay with the bunch most days!

 

[Ruudz0r]

Luke Durbridge rode the Worlds with an average of 49 km/h, I guess he's hardly better than Rodriguez

Apples and oranges. Also, where did you read that story on Vos and the junior race? I've read it before, but I think it was in one of your posts.


The numbers are correct, but we don't know if maybe the protocol is slightly different for the women. Could be.

Ofcourse its not a super comparison but still Rodriguez is a pretty bad time trialist and well 43.86 km/h is not good for a man on 27.8 km on that course.

I was looking for the video to proof my story, and it seems my story wasnt totally right Vos wasnt riding that day but Van den Brandt was who was almost at the same level as Vos at that moment (although Vos started her season later). Here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SROBAVe9gtM

Van der Poel is the guy you see riding in front of Van den Brandt all of a sudden at 2 minutes in the video (he isnt named because the commentator is reporting the womans race). Video is from November 2010

But since this isnt really good proof here something else.

Also the result for the Dutch nationals cyclocross from 2 days ago:
http://www.wielerland.nl/index.php?option=com_database&c=u&sc=1&id=31581&Itemid=242
http://www.wielerland.nl/index.php?option=com_database&c=u&sc=1&id=31583&Itemid=242

Van der Poel (now 16 years old) is 2 min 20 faster then Vos (same parcours same amount of laps, races were after each other so also around the same weather conditions) over a 40 minute race.

 

[Altitude]

Having watched a lot of {male} races over the last two years I reckon that Serena Williams could stay with the bunch most days!

That's because Serena Williams is a man.

 

[theyoungest]

Vos actually has numbers to back up that she's stronger than some of her male teammates. Tennis, and most other sports, don't provide any form of physiological data for comparison.

Of course the max test doesn't say much about recovery, about being able to produce the Watts after 200 km of racing. I mean, two espoirs (Marc Goos and Rohan Dennis) currently hold 3d and 4th spot in the Rabo rankings, both with 7 W/kg. That's about the same as Robert Gesink, but I reckon they won't be able to keep up with him in most pro races right now.

But since this isnt really good proof here something else.

Also the result for the Dutch nationals cyclocross from 2 days ago:
http://www.wielerland.nl/index.php?option=com_database&c=u&sc=1&id=31581&Itemid=242
http://www.wielerland.nl/index.php?option=com_database&c=u&sc=1&id=31583&Itemid=242

Van der Poel (now 16 years old) is 2 min 20 faster then Vos (same parcours same amount of laps, races were after each other so also around the same weather conditions) over a 40 minute race.

This is actually the race after which Blijlevens noticed that Vos hadn't had much fun, it was too easy for her... after one lap she already had a huge gap. I reckon she didn't go full gas for most of the race.

The point is that Vos is also much better than most of her "rivals" among the women. So a race of Van der Poel against Van den Brandt isn't really a good comparison.

 

[FignonLeGrand]

Yeah I'm so sexist. There's a reason men and women compete separately. What about men who aren't good enough to compete at the highest level - should they be able to race with the women so they can be competitive? Don't think so.

If men and women competed together there would be VERY few, if any, professional female athletes. Fact

Sorry was a joke just wanted to take a pop at schlock. He is a big girl.

I'll insert smiley next time

 

[Ruudz0r]

Of course the max test doesn't say much about recovery, about being able to produce the Watts after 200 km of racing. I mean, two espoirs (Marc Goos and Rohan Dennis) currently hold 3d and 4th spot in the Rabo rankings, both with 7 W/kg. That's about the same as Robert Gesink, but I reckon they won't be able to keep up with him in most pro races right now.


This is actually the race after which Blijlevens noticed that Vos hadn't had much fun, it was too easy for her... after one lap she already had a huge gap. I reckon she didn't go full gas for most of the race.

The point is that Vos is also much better than most of her "rivals" among the women. So a race of Van der Poel against Van den Brandt isn't really a good comparison.

She wasnt that much better then Van den Brandt at that point for example Van den Brandt finished 2 sec behind her on the Dutch nationals, but got injured right after, Vos has grown since then but so has Van der Poel, he also already had a gap after 1 round and is winning all races so he could also take it easy or have motivation problems (which he does not have).
I think Blijlevens said he is afraid Vos will have motivation problems after this year because this year there is enough to focus on with the olympics and the road race in her own country so he didnt say that Vos already has motivation problems (Im not 100% sure about this but dont feel like reading it again). Anyway my point is she is already losing by a big margin from a JUNIOR so there just is a BIG gap between woman and man and also between Vos and male professional cyclists.

 

[Angliru]

I have no doubt Vos could beat Theo Bos up the Stelvio(or over a sleeping policeman) no doubt shed out sprint(and think)Frandy Schleck and out TT Jauquim Rodriguez.However shed be in the bottomn third of every facet of riding in the peleton and therefore of Zero use too a Pro mens team. I am also not convinced its good PR for womens cycling,what its so poor the top woman is tired of gubbing everyone so has too race men?
Besides she only has 1 world or Olympic gold too show for all her dominace on the road.There are a couple of strong teams this year including AA drink getting garmins ridiers,I expect no love lost between 2 dutch teams.

Ps having said all that she is an awesome rider and a credit too cycling

Her being of use to the Rabo men's team is not even a consideration. It's simply an option in their efforts to keep her motivated, as the article states.

 

[gerundium]

Van der Poel (now 16 years old) is 2 min 20 faster then Vos (same parcours same amount of laps, races were after each other so also around the same weather conditions) over a 40 minute race.

This is a bad comparison.

Marianne Vos was alone on front with a HUGE gap, there is no competition that comes close. She probably isn't giving it a 100% at that point so there is no way to determine the relative time differences.

If you want to compare men / women stick to time trials on IDENTICAL courses. there is no other way.

 

[jens_attacks]

now because i've calmed down over the giro wildcards and because i don't have nothing against marianne in the men's peloton...how fast did she go on mortirolo?the easier side but still mortirolo

 

[Kvinto]

i guess that letting the best female cyclist compete with men would turn into the final nail in the Women Cycling's coffin...

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

This is a bad comparison.

Marianne Vos was alone on front with a HUGE gap, there is no competition that comes close. She probably isn't giving it a 100% at that point so there is no way to determine the relative time differences.

If you want to compare men / women stick to time trials on IDENTICAL courses. there is no other way.

ok he's another comparison. last year judith arndt would've finished 31st in the mans world junior itt. pathetic to put it mildly

 

[Michele]

The numbers are correct, but we don't know if maybe the protocol is slightly different for the women. Could be.

Pretty sure.

I've read it in the newspaper today. Unfortunately on ad.nl they only have a small part of it online and not the entire article.
And the paper itself is not mine, not that it would matter because I don't have a scanner anyways

Donno the protocols for these tests but according to Michele Ferrari's blog any value over 6w/kg start to be suspicious (6w/kg is considered a value for GT and Classics winners).

 

[Ruudz0r]

This is a bad comparison.

Marianne Vos was alone on front with a HUGE gap, there is no competition that comes close. She probably isn't giving it a 100% at that point so there is no way to determine the relative time differences.

If you want to compare men / women stick to time trials on IDENTICAL courses. there is no other way.

Van der Poel had exactly the same he also rode away at the start and had a very easy day his first round was also way faster then Vos her first round (the round where they made a difference with the rest of the field. His gap with the rest of the field was actually bigger then Vos her gap and the course was identical...

You can also check other cyclocrosses this year and compare lap times from van der poel and Vos, Van der Poel takes it by miles.

Anyway he is just a junior with the Pro's there is really no comparison... just look at time trial averages of some things that could be compared (i know its never identical, but if you take a big enough sample and take those averages you ll see there is a big difference) and check were in the field Vos would end up or how much behind the numer last.... Not gonne do that for you though to much work.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

If Andy Schleck can ride for a men's team, so can Marianne Vos.

 

[Kvinto]

If Andy Schleck can ride for a men's team, so can Marianne Vos.

haha, priceless

EDIT: it'd be a great quote for the sig

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

If she's good enough for a WT team, I say go for it. She's won just about everything on the women's circuit, so I can understand she could use some new challenges to keep her motivation.

In all likelyhood she will not be able to get any results, but I have no doubts she can be a good helper in hilly races.

My opinion is that if anyone is good enough to compete amongst the best, they should be given the opportunity, regardless of their sex.

But she won't be anywhere near good enough, unless she is transgender.

This is just reality. Elite women's is a long long long long way from elite men. She would likely be beat by decent 16 year old men.

 

[maltiv]

But she won't be anywhere near good enough, unless she is transgender.

This is just reality. Elite women's is a long long long long way from elite men. She would likely be beat by decent 16 year old men.

She certainly got a much higher w/kg than 16 y.o men, in fact higher than most professional men if the article is correct. So whilst she would probably have problems on the flat I wouldn't be surprised if she could outclimb quite a few men.

 

[Magnus]

She was tested by Rabobank just like they test the man.

She puts out 6.6kg/watts which we all know is quite impressive.

For how long did she do 6.6 watts/kg

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

If Andy Schleck can ride for a men's team, so can Marianne Vos.

lol!

.....

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

But she won't be anywhere near good enough, unless she is transgender.

This is just reality. Elite women's is a long long long long way from elite men. She would likely be beat by decent 16 year old men.

it wouldn;t surprise me she kept something hidden between her legs larger than a clitoris