Friday, june 15th - Tour de Suisse, stage 7: gossau- Gossau 34km ITT

[Trofinios]

My bet is on Costa. Either tomorrow or on sunday the finish is hard enough for Costa to lose 50 seconds.

 

[FujiAnton]

He had problems adjusting from altitude camp. Just like Dauphine last year where he was good in the final weekend after being bad on the first stage (lost 1'31 there)

Remember?

Gesink did a great TT, but probably tomorrow he will struggle again like he did on Verbier. Rui is the strongest guy here in this moment.

 

[Red Rick]

Rui Rui Rui Rui Rui!!!!

What she's trying to say is: Look i can find the letter size button

 

[GazelleFormula]

He had some luck there with the wind (although to be fair, so did the top 4, and he was only half a minute behind them). I think top-20 would be a more realistic expectation.

18 133 Steven KRUIJSWIJK Rabobank Cycling Team 00:01:21

Good call

 

[Lanark]

Yes. I also remember his climbing has been distinctly meh the last two seasons, whether he had been doing altitude training or not.

Not much to base that on. He was pretty good in the Dauphiné last year, and this year in California was good as well. He hasn't raced much more in the high mountains the last two years (in any shape that is, last year's Tour obviously doesn't count, and this spring he was still building up his form).

 

[Frosty]

First Sky rider comes home in 30th. Not seen that very often this year.

 

[cineteq]

Yes. I also remember his climbing has been distinctly meh the last two seasons, whether he had been doing altitude training or not.

Exactly, especially the one on Mt. Baldy [shaking my head].

 

[hrotha]

We'll see after this weekend if you think the same Also. Mt Baldy.

Well, no. Whatever happens this weekend won't erase what happened before. If Gesink crushes everyone, I won't say "Whoa, I was wrong, he was climbing as well as ever this past few years!", I'll say "Nice, maybe he got his climbing legs back".

Also, I'm not Ryo, so I don't think the Colombians are supermen. Mt Baldy was a nice win, but not at the top level.

edit: you guys have terrible memory. Last year, all of Gesink's GC results came from good time-trialing and hanging on in the climbs.

 

[theyoungest]

Gesink did a great TT, but probably tomorrow he will struggle again like he did on Verbier. Rui is the strongest guy here in this moment.

No, he won't struggle. In Sunday's form he would have been nowhere in this TT.

18 133 Steven KRUIJSWIJK Rabobank Cycling Team 00:01:21

Good call

Yeah, very good TT from Kruijswijk actually. About the same time as Danielson, Leipheimer, Valverde.

 

[Trofinios]

First Sky rider comes home in 30th. Not seen that very often this year.

No Sky rider is faster than Fränk Schleck today.

Embarrassing.

Lovkvist -> domestique.

 

[cineteq]

No, he won't struggle. In Sunday's form he would have been nowhere in this TT.

Suddenly you're making sense. Gesink can win Suisse if he's willing to put himself in red or/and Costa cracks.

 

[Der Effe]

What she's trying to say is: Look i can find the letter size button

Or, I am an annoying troll?

 

[Lanark]

edit: you guys have terrible memory. Last year, all of Gesink's GC results came from good time-trialing and hanging on in the climbs.

What are 'all his GC-results'? In Oman he was great in the mountains and in the time trial. In the Tirreno he was only good in the time trial, but that race didn't have any mountains. In Pais Vasco he was not more than average in the Arrate stage, that's true. In the Dauphiné he was average in the time trial, but good in the mountains.

Pais Vasco seems to be the only case in the last two years were he was average in the long(ish) mountains but good in the time trial.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

This TT Gesink gained time in the flat/descending bit right?

Didn't he do the same in the prologue?!

Has Gesink become a master descender?!?

 

[DominicDecoco]

No Sky rider is faster than Fränk Schleck today.

Embarrassing.

Lovkvist -> domestique.

Too bad for Frank that this was a hilly TTT. Not many of those in the Tour...

He was as poor as we expected him to be on the last part of the course today. The flat part, mind you.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Well, no. Whatever happens this weekend won't erase what happened before. If Gesink crushes everyone, I won't say "Whoa, I was wrong, he was climbing as well as ever this past few years!", I'll say "Nice, maybe he got his climbing legs back".

Also, I'm not Ryo, so I don't think the Colombians are supermen. Mt Baldy was a nice win, but not at the top level.

edit: you guys have terrible memory. Last year, all of Gesink's GC results came from good time-trialing and hanging on in the climbs.

Oman?

also Quebec he was good on the hills. You also have terrible memory if you don't remember why Gesink wasn't good in tirreno/Pais vasco uphill (tirreno, mentally not there, pais vasco, 2 weeks of no training will do that for you)

Also Dauphine on Allevard+LA toussiere he was 2nd and 3rd... if that's not good climbing then go home

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

This TT Gesink gained time in the flat/descending bit right?

Didn't he do the same in the prologue?!

Has Gesink become a master descender?!?

On the climb only Rui Costa was 1 second faster, the rest slower. So he climbed good as well...

 

[theyoungest]

This TT Gesink gained time in the flat/descending bit right?

Didn't he do the same in the prologue?!

Has Gesink become a master descender?!?

He was also the best uphill of all GC guys.

 

[cineteq]

What are 'all his GC-results'? In Oman he was great in the mountains and in the time trial. In the Tirreno he was only good in the time trial, but that race didn't have any mountains. In Pais Vasco he was not more than average in the Arrate stage, that's true. In the Dauphiné he was average in the time trial, but good in the mountains.

Pais Vasco seems to be the only case in the last two years were he was average in the long(ish) mountains but good in the time trial.

Obviously Hrotha has a bad case of amnesia LOL!!!!

 

[Maroon Heaven]

time trial of 2min 12 sec for Nicolas Roche and down to 15th on GC to 1min 52secs.

What's this like for him? is he coming into form for TDF?

 

[theyoungest]

edit: you guys have terrible memory. Last year, all of Gesink's GC results came from good time-trialing and hanging on in the climbs.

Last year in Tirreno he only thought about leaving the race, he was struggling mentally. He started the Chieti climb right at the back of the group, and then climbed all the way up to 6th. It even got him the leader's jersey, which he didn't want.

Nothing to do with losing climbing skills. Quite the opposite, actually.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Or, I am an annoying troll?

I'm sorry? You can call me annoying but I am not a troll.

 

[Parrulo]

gesink will have to try it tomorrow if he wants to win the race, i don't think costa will have many problems on the second category climb on sunday.

Costa will also have piti helping him out which is also very good for him.

 

[Der Effe]

I'm sorry? You can call me annoying but I am not a troll.

If 'Oooh I love Contador so much', 'Rui Rui Rui Rui' or 'Schleck brothers, I hate you' isn't trolling, then what is? Ok, maybe for a 7-year old it isn't.

 

[theyoungest]

gesink will have to try it tomorrow if he wants to win the race, i don't think costa will have many problems on the second category climb on sunday.

Costa will also have piti helping him out which is also very good for him.

Tomorrow's final climb. Good luck trying to win a minute on that last bit, which apparently in Suisse they call an HC climb.