• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Critérium du Dauphiné 2022, June 5 - 12

Page 10 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Groenewegen's legs alone weigh more than most grimpeurs. He seems to be listed at 1,78 and 70 kg. No way is he less than 80 kg. (If he's really 70 kg at 1.78-1.8 M then he should be making it over that 5% gradient climb easily)

To be fair, it was hot and humid; maybe on a cooler day he survives the climb. They were within 32 seconds at one point but just couldn't close the gap...

I was really impressed by Wout and Jumbo. BEX and Ineos did 99 percent of the work for them and got nothing to show for it.

Wout & Jumbo look very sharp. Whenever they had to replace themselves or bridge a gap, they were on point. Also, considering WvA's real sprint improvement since the classics & how Roglic was at the same training camp in Sierra Nevada (& probably has similar improvements in his own form), I'm thinking Rog might have a little fun stomping the rest of the field in GC because why not.

I can't see a stage profile suited to Groenewegen though, at all. He needs something super flat with a super lead-out. This Dauphiné is just not it.
 
Kirby is so awful. Really suggesting that Cavanga was going to fly the coop...

For half a second, I asked myself, „Can Cavagna do this, and win the stage?“… After half a second, my answer was „No!“…

Cavagna is good, and sometimes tries moves like today‘s - but he is no Cancellara. I like that Cavagna keeps on trying, and someday he might succeed (if there‘s a crash behind), but he clearly does not have the engine a Cancellara had. Fabian was a beast in these situations, riding away from the peloton even in a high speed finale within the last few kilometers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan
You seem like a sympathetic person...

I actually liked Rackhams humour in his post… :)

I personally think, because Groenewegen injured Jakobsen badly in Poland 2020, one is allowed to - at least - make some fun about Groenewegen, nowadays… So I liked Rackhams post, and I would say Rackham‘s post made Rackham even more sympathetic and likeable… :)
 
I actually liked Rackhams humour in his post… :)

I personally think, because Groenewegen injured Jakobsen badly in Poland 2020, one is allowed to - at least - make some fun about Groenewegen, nowadays… So I liked Rackhams post, and I would say Rackham‘s post made Rackham even more sympathetic and likeable… :)

I don't think it's particularly educated nor humorous to say "lol, he fat" when somebody is dropped. I don't think Groenewegen is the best climber, either, but I rather doubt that an elite professional cyclist has a BMI of above 30 which is the definition of fat (especially when the fat percentage is high).

I also don't think that a split second error in judgment should merit life-long mocking. If he hadn't shown any remorse, sure, but he seems much more careful in the battle for position and in the sprints now than before.
 
I don't think it's particularly educated nor humorous to say "lol, he fat" when somebody is dropped. I don't think Groenewegen is the best climber, either, but I rather doubt that an elite professional cyclist has a BMI of above 30 which is the definition of fat (especially when the fat percentage is high).

I also don't think that a split second error in judgment should merit life-long mocking. If he hadn't shown any remorse, sure, but he seems much more careful in the battle for position and in the sprints now than before.
It's not like he was the only sprinter to get dropped, either.
 
Congratulations to Wout van Aert for taking the win on stage 1.

Dropping Grog was half of the job done and the other half was done as a seasoned sprinter (team). Considering van Aert has some say i will be surprised if Laporte won't make it in the Tour selection. Am a bit surprises they sent Dennis to another race. Maybe they decided his help will be of more value over there. Or there could be more to it. Rogla was left exposed at the end of the stage.

The legs are stretched now and lets see some real racing in the following days.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan
I don't think it's particularly educated nor humorous to say "lol, he fat" when somebody is dropped. I don't think Groenewegen is the best climber, either, but I rather doubt that an elite professional cyclist has a BMI of above 30 which is the definition of fat (especially when the fat percentage is high).

I also don't think that a split second error in judgment should merit life-long mocking. If he hadn't shown any remorse, sure, but he seems much more careful in the battle for position and in the sprints now than before.
Yes I agree, sometimes some of the stuff on this forum I see is outrageous, like calling World Tour cyclists fat, is too much and not even funny. Cyclists train at a high level, certainly higher than any member on this forum.
 
Groenewegen is fat (or beefed up to his eyeballs like a UFC wrestler).

I haven't really been keeping up with his races since he left TJV, but my God, what a ridiculous sight seeing him explode on a 3rd cat climb & wobbling his massive fat frame up the hill.

In his condition, a sleeping policeman aka speed bump might as well be a categorized climb.
Grow up! You might think he looks fat but he’s not, 1. He was working hard so of course his stomach looked bigger and 2. The BEX team kit being lighter does change how riders body weight looks, it happens with plenty of riders in lighter coloured kit, especially riders who a heavier set frame. I remember Hushovd looked overweight in his all white world championships kit but he most certainly wasn’t.
 
Yes I agree, sometimes some of the stuff on this forum I see is outrageous, like calling World Tour cyclists fat, is too much and not even funny. Cyclists train at a high level, certainly higher than any member on this forum.
Some of them seem to eat at higher levels also. Let's face it, if you have seen any of these cyclists previously in photos without a shirt, none of them look halfway normal except some of the sprinters. Just the pressure of maintaining such regimented diets these days with the amounts of training expected must be very difficult and some personalities are just not cut out for that sort of discipline. Little wonder that some GC riders now tend to race less in their preparation and that doesn't always work out in the first and third week of grand tours. Hearing about riders struggling with their weight and retiring early is more common now. The disappearance of some talented amateurs early in their pro careers just shows that the transition to the pro ranks in endurance sports especially is just too much even for some of the more talented ones.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jumbo Visma Fan :)
Yeah it seems weird to focus on one sprinter being dropped when they were all dropped. EBH came 5th, when was the last time that happened in a WT bunch sprint?

He was 7th on a stage of Tirreno this year. Otherwise, you have to go back to the Tour stage of 2020 where Van Aert won after Bora drilling it the whole day just for Sagan to lose his chain in the sprint.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pirazziattacks
Yeah it seems weird to focus on one sprinter being dropped when they were all dropped. EBH came 5th, when was the last time that happened in a WT bunch sprint?

Well, within context of the stage, BikeExchange were the central protagonists before that fateful 3rd cat climb, i.e. they were the ones pacing the peloton, they were the ones controlling the stage. All it took was a little acceleration on an almost insignificant bump on the road & voilà, their plans were shot to pieces. If they want to indulge in little fantasies regarding wishfully thinking their sprinter can deliver a semi-rolling stage they specifically targeted with the entire team, that's on them. They got everyone to pull, everyone to work. The same cannot be said of other teams & their sprinters.

Now I get this is the internet so I know what to expect (aka one man's innocuous Sunday afternoon joke can burn down the worldwide web), but personally speaking the only feelings I felt in this stage was for a poor bird which took off at the wrong moment & got hit by the peloton 48.5km from the finish, i.e. rich sportsmen know what they're doing & make their own choices, this little guy didn't:

mqmJWf4.jpg

I7wPYuH.jpg

WFTTUsY.jpg

o3DpPqG.jpg


Yep, that particular little tragedy went unnoticed (I'm surprised the commentators didn't see it happen either).
 

TRENDING THREADS