Teams & Riders Everybody needs a little bit of Roglstomp in their lives

[Red Rick]

One other thing: I thought the new 'masterpiece' Jumbo jersey looked really cool as a TT skinsuit.

Black with some nice golden, yellow, red shading on the arms. Among some absolute fashion disaster eyesores out there today (EF & Specialized joint win that award), Jumbo looked classy as hell.

Nah it looks like vomit.

Actually the long sleeves on the skinsuit look like sleeve tattoos where I don't know what the *** the it's even suppose to depict

 

[CyclistAbi]

Good TT performance today. Especially the first half.

It would be better if he would gain a second or two against his teammate and wouldn't lost 9s to Pogi. On top of that van Aert did not win the stage. The battle for some prestige hence was lost today. The rest is luckily still fully open.

At the end of the stage he had a bit of heavy rain and on sections such as the bridge he rode rather reserved. Likely due to not having better reference points. And likely due to not having any desire to crash on stage 1.

In the end it must be acknowledged they lost time today against Pogi and that is not optimal. Being patient for an opportunity or better to create opportunities themself. To get that time back. They should push it a bit. Maybe tomorrow. As they will ride aggressive for van Aert anyway.

 

[CyclistAbi]

As for the jersey design. They likely over complicated it a bit. Just like with their team tactics.

But i can't agree it's ***.

 

[Gargamel35]

Team Jumbo have no balls setting strict limits to their domestiques. They went full power with them on a rainy TT. Why? Two crashes and more fatigue for all of them.

Just.... why? To make them happy?

I understand Roglič being careful on corners, but others didn't take them with crazy risks eather and he lost against Vingegard, Wout and Pogačar. It's not a good start, specially because Pogačar looks like a kid in a sandbox. Goofy, playing around and beating all worlds best TT guys on a flat stage. Crazy really.

UAE are all working for him 100% and he's clearly better then anyone outhere. One job for all of them.
At the same time Jumbo wants the green jersey, yellow jersey, stage wins and they give domestiques green light for racing in a slippery TT. Way to go.

I had to let it out a bit. Why not, eh?

 

[Gargamel35]

As for the jersey design. They likely over complicated it a bit. Just like with their team tactics.

But i can't agree it's ***.

I loved their jersey design when it was presented online. But now on their bodies, cars, buses... nah. They look like Roglič climbing out of the bush he crashed in.

 

[CyclistAbi]

It's good. Tribal. And i don't mind if they attack Pogi out of the bush.

 

[CyclistAbi]

@Gargamel35

And KoM with Kuss. But that is their surprise move.

 

[JosefK]

Rog is still my favorite rider . . . but I wonder whether his peak was a while ago.

 

[CyclistAbi]

All in all they lost 9s on an opening stage. That is a lot of time. On top of that they plan to race predictably. That is to be aggressive for van Aert. Pogi hence likely trailing along and to take the green. Or better enabling him to always be at right place with or without his team help. For Pogi they will have to be more unpredictable and to result to some unorthodox tactics.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Rog is still my favorite rider . . . but I wonder whether his peak was a while ago.

Nah. It's just that he took on Merckx in top form. And a few exchanges where to be expected. Nothing to worry about. They know what they are doing.

 

[bNator]

All in all they lost 9s on an opening stage. That is a lot of time. On top of that they plan to race predictably. That is to be aggressive for van Aert. Pogi hence likely trailing along and to take the green. Or better enabling him to always be at right place with or without his team help. For Pogi they will have to be more unpredictable and to result to some unorthodox tactics.

I wouldn’t expect anything too fancy from the directors who (according to Plan B) in the middle of the tour started asking themselves whether they should impose some priorities…

 

[CyclistAbi]

@bNator

That was after they lost their leader. It's to be expected for the whole thing to fall apart. Anyway. Personally i hope they will bring a bit of unpredictability to the table. As it's easy to claim Pogi has a good overview over the field. And to always be at the right place. If we all have good overview over the field. As JV sends out a memo claiming this is what we are going to do. And after to they do exactly that.

Live a little.

 

[CyclistAbi]

After watching the replay of the stage i feel that Rogla had the most issues in regards to pouring rain at the end of the stage. Then i remembered the decision needed to be made yesterday by 10:00 AM. Based on yesterdays weather prediction i would likely make the same decision. It didn't pan out and Rogla likely lost a couple of seconds. Still the decision was likely right. As for peak form. It's not like we are saying Rogla is 10th GC vise. After the first stage.

Onto the stage 2.

 

[bNator]

@bNator
Live a little.

…says the guy with 1000 forum posts per year

 

[Oldermanish]

Team Jumbo have no balls setting strict limits to their domestiques. They went full power with them on a rainy TT. Why? Two crashes and more fatigue for all of them.

Just.... why? To make them happy?

I understand Roglič being careful on corners, but others didn't take them with crazy risks eather and he lost against Vingegard, Wout and Pogačar. It's not a good start, specially because Pogačar looks like a kid in a sandbox. Goofy, playing around and beating all worlds best TT guys on a flat stage. Crazy really.

UAE are all working for him 100% and he's clearly better then anyone outhere. One job for all of them.
At the same time Jumbo wants the green jersey, yellow jersey, stage wins and they give domestiques green light for racing in a slippery TT. Way to go.

I had to let it out a bit. Why not, eh?

Rog, Pog, Wout and everyone judged their equipment well and avoided crashing. We're talking about incidental seconds with riders racing on everything from standing water to relatively damp pavement as a judgement of form? The fact that so many favorites are close and did not crash and lose a bunch of time is exciting. They're all still in it.
As for Jumbo....I didn't talk to the DS but I think every rider rode what they thought they could pull off. As for being fatigued? It was almost no effort in the scheme of things and tomorrow offers more opportunities for sh*t to happen.

I expect Quintana to be ahead of any crosswind split as a bet. Any takers?

 

[CyclistAbi]

@bNator

It's a lifestyle.

 

[Oldermanish]

All in all they lost 9s on an opening stage. That is a lot of time. On top of that they plan to race predictably. That is to be aggressive for van Aert. Pogi hence likely trailing along and to take the green. Or better enabling him to always be at right place with or without his team help. For Pogi they will have to be more unpredictable and to result to some unorthodox tactics.

Tadej took the unorthodox tactic of appreciating the 3km rule. Wout got Yellow, Fabio got the win after a chaotic day so your prediction was spot on!

 

[Rackham]

Close!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1543258138039787520

 

[bajbar]

Rog is still my favorite rider . . . but I wonder whether his peak was a while ago.

If by "a while ago" you mean 10 or so months... since some of his best and most dominant performances (so far) came in the Olympics TT, Vuelta and two autumn Italian classics...

Some people really say he is old because he is 32... but in reality he is racing WT races only three years longer than Pogačar. So he is not very old in terms of "longevity in cycling".

 

[Carols]

If by "a while ago" you mean 10 or so months... since some of his best and most dominant performances (so far) came in the Olympics TT, Vuelta and two autumn Italian classics...

Some people really say he is old because he is 32... but in reality he is racing WT races only three years longer than Pogačar. So he is not very old in terms of "longevity in cycling".

Alas that doesn't stop the deterioration of one's body that comes with every year.

 

[Oldermanish]

Alas that doesn't stop the deterioration of one's body that comes with every year.

Seriously? Most all around riders don't reach a peak until mid-30s IMO. If they've been middle of the pack pros since age 21 they usually retire before mid-30s leaving just the exceptional domestiques and top riders that want to continue a career.
The deterioration is totally individual.
Sprinters....that's a different story.

 

[Red Rick]

Riders age very differently

 

[CyclistAbi]

In regards to the age and GT GC type of goals. I would say that in between 25 and 35 you have nothing special to worry about.

 

[Mosul]

Roglic started racing at World Tour level at 26 years of age which is similar to when Chris Horner started. Therefore his peak is yet to come.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Yesterday a bit of bad luck with the weather and today a bit of good luck in regards to the mass crash. The usual i guess and 3000km still to go.

Onto the stage 3.