Dutch winning above 2,000 m

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Im not Dutch but i think the name might be Kelderman

nah, not the boy from the JRPG's. I found him: Rob Ruijgh.

Ruijgh? Or maybe Hoogerland.

Hah, thanks, i just found him on the vacansoleil website. Hoogerland is a bit too old for what i was looking for.

 

[theyoungest]

Well, if you're going to mention Ruijgh, you might as well mention Ten Dam, who has actually done better than him in the Tour before.

 

[Spine Concept]

Well, if you're going to mention Ruijgh, you might as well mention Ten Dam, who has actually done better than him in the Tour before.

I think he was looking for younger riders, hence Ruijgh instead of ten Dam. However, I don't see Ruiigh staying with the favorites for too long compared to the others mentioned. Kelderman is more likely to do so even at his very young age.

 

[l.Harm]

Last year he did. He prepared for the Tour with Westra, Poels, Hoogerland and Valls during the Giro.

 

[Danilot]

So, all in all, and after discussing the merits of summit finishes vs. finishes after a descent, it seems there have been no Dutch victories above 2,000 m.

Now I'm off to make a list of all Grand Tour finishes above 2,000 m, maybe there are other big cycling countries that haven't taken such a win!

 

[theyoungest]

Last year he did. He prepared for the Tour with Westra, Poels, Hoogerland and Valls during the Giro.

No he didn't. Not even close.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Sorry to go offtopic again, but besides Kelderman, there was an other rider... Reus? What type of rider is he? More classics or also GC? And what is expected of Slagter and Kelderman?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Reus wasn't gc, very talented tho.
Good hilly rider (so classics) with a pretty ok short tt (so could do ok in some short stage racing I suppose).

Kelderman I suspect wants to become a GC rider.
Cant argue with his results so far, My Baldy was very impressive.
And he had good tt results in his espoirs.
Is to be seen how his recuperation and recovery will bode.
Suspect we shall see him in a GT next year (probably vuelta, maybe giro).

And slagter is a climber, who seems to be exclling most on the shorter steep stuff (some compared him to jrod like finishes).

 

[Caruut]

And slagter is a climber, who seems to be exclling most on the shorter steep stuff (some compared him to jrod like finishes).

It was Slagter who was the Rabo guy on the front on that stage into the beautiful Assisi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU80CfkV00o

He comes in like 8th or something, but had a he realised he was going to be that strong, I think he could have done better. Really cracked in the mountains though.

 

[mewmewmew13]

It was Slagter who was the Rabo guy on the front on that stage into the beautiful Assisi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU80CfkV00o

He comes in like 8th or something, but had a he realised he was going to be that strong, I think he could have done better. Really cracked in the mountains though.

That was an awesomely beautiful finish. One of my fave stages from this year because of this finish...
the Butcher was great.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

It was Slagter who was the Rabo guy on the front on that stage into the beautiful Assisi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU80CfkV00o

He comes in like 8th or something, but had a he realised he was going to be that strong, I think he could have done better. Really cracked in the mountains though.

Yes he was good there, like I said short steep stuff seems to be his thing.
Certainly seemed to struggle in the longer climbs at the giro anyway. Still young so we'll see how he develops, but I expect him to be a mountain domestique in GTs for rabo for years to come. He was very good at the vuelta last year for Mollema btw.

 

[42x16ss]

You guys are forgetting Joop Zoetemelk. He did a lot more than just hang on in the high mountains and he was Dutch

 

[El Pistolero]

You guys are forgetting Joop Zoetemelk. He did a lot more than just hang on in the high mountains and he was Dutch

Horrible wheel-sucker, even more than Purito.

 

[quiqui]

Here is an example of a Dutchman winning at 2876 m altitude.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Hehe at least Germany has one stage win over 2000m
So germany 1: Holland 0

 

[l.Harm]

Yes he was good there, like I said short steep stuff seems to be his thing.
Certainly seemed to struggle in the longer climbs at the giro anyway. Still young so we'll see how he develops, but I expect him to be a mountain domestique in GTs for rabo for years to come. He was very good at the vuelta last year for Mollema btw.

He already said he wants to focuss on the shorter mountains.

 

[Spine Concept]

He already said he wants to focuss on the shorter mountains.

Good, that really is his ''thing'' more than anything else though he's still quite young and still has room to grow stronger...

 

[theyoungest]

Good, that really is his ''thing'' more than anything else though he's still quite young and still has room to grow stronger...

I think he needs a higher cadence for the real mountains... maybe he needs to train with Gesink rather than Mollema

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

No it will be fine with Slagter focussing on shorter climbs. We need a new hilly classics rider and I mean a real one, not like Mollema and Gesink where it's just something to keep them occupied in april

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

No it will be fine with Slagter focussing on shorter climbs. We need a new hilly classics rider and I mean a real one, not like Mollema and Gesink where it's just something to keep them occupied in april

Yeh plus he seems naturally talented on the short steep stuff.
I still think his role in gts will be domestiquing for the likes of gesink.

 

[theyoungest]

No it will be fine with Slagter focussing on shorter climbs. We need a new hilly classics rider and I mean a real one, not like Mollema and Gesink where it's just something to keep them occupied in april

Mollema has the attributes of a "real" hilly classics rider.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Mollema has the attributes of a "real" hilly classics rider.

Not really, it's more clamping on than anything else. The only good part of him is typical for a GT rider. He recovers fast so he has something left in the final 100m

 

[theyoungest]

Not really, it's more clamping on than anything else. The only good part of him is typical for a GT rider. He recovers fast so he has something left in the final 100m

He attacked in LBL. Holding on for dear life is Mollema's style, he's not a natural attacker. And he has a sprint (with which he has won preciously little, it's true).

Or did you enjoy the amazing attacks by Enrico Gasparotto?

 

[roundabout]

Mollema does have the attributes but I fear they won't be enough for wins

 

[Spine Concept]

Mollema does have the attributes but I fear they won't be enough for wins

This is where hopefully Slagter steps in. Mollema definitely has the bigger engine, but he is also older and more experienced. The way he climbed in the last 4 km in the Assisi stage just shows he has a natural talent for short, steep stuff. As he gets older, stronger, and wiser he will definitely be one of the best on finishes as such and definitely one for the hilly classics.