• 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!

General News Thread

Page 158 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Dekker_Tifosi said:
You're a broken record from 2010. He didn't have this problem in 2011. wake up.
Wait, so EBH has this problem because he couldn't deliver in RVV (although he was injured 1 week before) whilst it's no problem for Boom although he certainly did no better than EBH in RVV? That makes sense.

Boom is one of my absolute favorite riders, not like I don't follow him.
 
maltiv said:
Wait, so EBH has this problem because he couldn't deliver in RVV (although he was injured 1 week before) whilst it's no problem for Boom although he certainly did no better than EBH in RVV? That makes sense.

Boom is one of my absolute favorite riders, not like I don't follow him.
Huh? This was about Boom, and about Roubaix, was it not? Undeniably Boom survived there until well into the final.

EBH is certainly the more talented rider, but so far not really in terms of handling the distance.
 
maltiv said:
Wait, so EBH has this problem because he couldn't deliver in RVV (although he was injured 1 week before) whilst it's no problem for Boom although he certainly did no better than EBH in RVV? That makes sense.

Boom is one of my absolute favorite riders, not like I don't follow him.
That had little to do with the distance, but with the hills. Boom is not so good on them since he gained weight (muscle) to do better at PR.

And since his main goal is PR and he proved last year the distance there is no problem, you're entire point is irrelevant/outdated

in other news. Mollema has announced his program

Challenge Mallorca
Ruta del Sol
Paris-Nice
Vuelta Pais Vasco
Amstel Gold Race
Fleche Wallone
Liege-Bastogne-Liege
Tour de Romandie
Tour de Suisse
Dutch Nationals
Tour de France

He intends to peak for Paris Nice in the spring and then the Tour will be his main goal
 
Dekker_Tifosi said:
That had little to do with the distance, but with the hills. Boom is not so good on them since he gained weight (muscle) to do better at PR.

And since his main goal is PR and he proved last year the distance there is no problem, you're entire point is irrelevant/outdated
Read my comment again. I said that if it were shorter, Boom would be one of the absolute top favorites. With the actual length he's just one of the favorites, but certainly no top favorite. He showed last year that he can handle the distance but not to such a degree that he could follow Cancellara in the final. It's not like you either handle the distance or not, it's also possible to handle the distance but still would have done better if it were shorter...
 
maltiv said:
Read my comment again. I said that if it were shorter, Boom would be one of the absolute top favorites. With the actual length he's just one of the favorites, but certainly no top favorite. He showed last year that he can handle the distance but not to such a degree that he could follow Cancellara in the final. It's not like you either handle the distance or not, it's also possible to handle the distance but still would have done better if it were shorter...
It was only his second classic season... he's no Tom Boonen, that much is clear, but cut him some slack. This year he's likely to once again improve in that regard.
 
Dec 27, 2010
6,674
1
0
Visit site
maltiv said:
Read my comment again. I said that if it were shorter, Boom would be one of the absolute top favorites. With the actual length he's just one of the favorites, but certainly no top favorite. He showed last year that he can handle the distance but not to such a degree that he could follow Cancellara in the final. It's not like you either handle the distance or not, it's also possible to handle the distance but still would have done better if it were shorter...

Boom punctured at exactly the wrong time IIRC? And wasted a lot of energy to come back to the Hushovd group.
 
theyoungest said:
It was only his second classic season... he's no Tom Boonen, that much is clear, but cut him some slack. This year he's likely to once again improve in that regard.
What don't you understand? :p I'm only saying he would have done better if it were shorter, I'm not saying he can't handle the distance. Who knows, perhaps he will have no problem with it next year whatsoever. I'd love to see Boom destroy everyone in a muddy P-R.
 
Jul 16, 2010
17,455
5
0
Visit site
Dekker_Tifosi said:
That had little to do with the distance, but with the hills. Boom is not so good on them since he gained weight (muscle) to do better at PR.

I'm pretty sure both Boonen and Cancellara are heavier than Boom :rolleyes:

Thor Hushovd, who is arguably better in the hills than Lars Boom and Boonen combined, still sucks at the Ronde. The Ronde is a special race, it either suits you or it doesn't. Lightweights like Gilbert can compete evenly(more or less) with heavy weights like Boonen and Cancellara.
 
El Pistolero said:
I'm pretty sure both Boonen and Cancellara are heavier than Boom :rolleyes:

Thor Hushovd, who is arguably better in the hills than Lars Boom and Boonen combined, still sucks at the Ronde. The Ronde is a special race, it either suits you or it doesn't. Lightweights like Gilbert can compete evenly(more or less) with heavy weights like Boonen and Cancellara.

Gilbert at the Ronde in the last 5 years (2007 was his first attempt): 25th, 15th, 3rd, 3rd, 9th. He'd been a pro for five years before he even attempted it.

Cancellara at the Ronde in the last 5 years: 53rd, 23rd, DNF, 1st, 2nd.

Boonen at the Ronde in the last 5 years: 12th, 17th, 20th, 2nd, 4th.

Boom has been 77th and 37th on his two attempts, but then again he started trying it on his second year as a pro. It's probably a bit too early to write him off just yet.
 
Jul 16, 2010
17,455
5
0
Visit site
Libertine Seguros said:
Gilbert at the Ronde in the last 5 years (2007 was his first attempt): 25th, 15th, 3rd, 3rd, 9th. He'd been a pro for five years before he even attempted it.

Cancellara at the Ronde in the last 5 years: 53rd, 23rd, DNF, 1st, 2nd.

Boonen at the Ronde in the last 5 years: 12th, 17th, 20th, 2nd, 4th.

Boom has been 77th and 37th on his two attempts, but then again he started trying it on his second year as a pro. It's probably a bit too early to write him off just yet.

I didn't write him off, just dismissing Dekker's weight theory.

And you just look at results, these need to be put in context.

Cancellara:

2009 Ronde: he was sick if I remember correctly and also sucked in Paris-Roubaix which has suited him from very young age.
2007 Ronde: he attacked WAY TOO soon. He was actually pretty strong that day and could have won if he had raced smarter.

Boonen:

2007 Ronde: he crashed pretty badly at the beginning of the race.
2008 Ronde: he was strong, but his team-mate was at the front of the race, so his hands were tied.
2009: same scenario as a year earlier
2010: he was second.
2011: he was fourth.
 
Yup, a lot of factors can affect where you come at de Ronde. All it takes is a couple of contenders having bad days, or a real contenders-marked-out-of-existence kind of situation like the one that allowed van Summeren the rope he needed to win Roubaix, and all of a sudden, Boom could come out of left field.

Cancellara's classics season in 2009 was a washout, but then maybe that could be to do with his fighting weight being lower for contending the "climbs" of the Tour de Suisse :p
 
Jul 16, 2010
17,455
5
0
Visit site
will10 said:
Devolder
2003: 53rd
2004: 21st
2005: 35th
2007: 43rd
2008: 1st
2009: 1st

Bolded= US Postal = Wannabe stage racer
Unbolded= Quickstep = profited from a very strong classic team and stopped focusing on stage races.

Boom has always focused on the cobbled classics unlike Devolder. And Devolder had an extremely strong team for the cobbles, unlike Boom.

Devolder is worth little without QS. So, I wouldn't compare Boom with Devolder.
 
Dec 27, 2010
6,674
1
0
Visit site
I wasn't comparing, more trying to show that previous results don't tell the whole story when it comes to getting success at De Ronde.
 
Jul 16, 2010
17,455
5
0
Visit site
will10 said:
I wasn't comparing, more trying to show that previous results don't tell the whole story when it comes to getting success at De Ronde.

Nor did I ever dismiss Lars Boom for the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Just saying that Lars Boom is not too heavy for the Ronde :)
 
El Pistolero said:
I didn't write him off, just dismissing Dekker's weight theory.

And you just look at results, these need to be put in context.

Cancellara:

2009 Ronde: he was sick if I remember correctly and also sucked in Paris-Roubaix which has suited him from very young age.
2007 Ronde: he attacked WAY TOO soon. He was actually pretty strong that day and could have won if he had raced smarter.

Boom attacked way too early in RVV 2011. I could say that. Not that I believe it would have helped if he waited. But I'm just pointing out you use some situations in favor of argumentating one way, but don't accept it the other way. It's hilarious.

You do have a point, Boom is not too heavy probably, and I have a good feeling about Boom in the classics in 2012. We shall see...
 
Jul 16, 2010
17,455
5
0
Visit site
Dekker_Tifosi said:
Boom attacked way too early in RVV 2011. I could say that. Not that I believe it would have helped if he waited. But I'm just pointing out you use some situations in favor of argumentating one way, but don't accept it the other way. It's hilarious.

You do have a point, Boom is not too heavy probably, and I have a good feeling about Boom in the classics in 2012. We shall see...

I think he'll do a top 10 in Paris-Roubaix if no break-away survives like this year(and of course hoping he doesn't crash or have a mechanical at an unfortunate time). Maybe even top 5.

But I have my doubts for Flanders right now, it's up to him to take them away. Not that it matters all that much as a top 5 in Paris-Roubaix would be more than good. Tjallingi's third place was amazing for the Dutch, but it was from a break-away. If Boom is fifth or something next year, it will be bigger for the Dutchies.
 
Jul 16, 2010
17,455
5
0
Visit site
roundabout said:
Devolder did still have GC ambitions in 08. I remember him being decent in the TdS that year but then after checking I find that he finished only 18th. :confused:

Edit: ah I see that the Klausenpass TT did it

You're right he was up there at the Tour de Suisse, but probably sitting on cloud nine after his success in the classics. But my point is, his preparation for the classics was way better in 2008(and also the team support) than in his US Postal years. We all know Bruyneel likes to ignore everything but the Tour. Lance Amstrong even called Devolder a future Tour winner... I'll see if I can find that interview again tomorrow.
 
Dec 27, 2010
6,674
1
0
Visit site
El Pistolero said:
You're right he was up there at the Tour de Suisse, but probably sitting on cloud nine after his success in the classics. But my point is, his preparation for the classics was way better in 2008(and also the team support) than in his US Postal years. We all know Bruyneel likes to ignore everything but the Tour. Lance Amstrong even called Devolder a future Tour winner... I'll see if I can find that interview again tomorrow.

Bruyneel had a decent team for the classics in the Discovery years, with Hincapie, Devolder, Hoste and then a few guys like Mikhailov, Van Heeswijk etc. But there was no doubt who was the leader - no wonder Devolder got v.few results there.
 
Mar 31, 2010
18,136
4
0
Visit site
I'm sure of that but healthnet listening I can understand from a riders perspective but you get gianetti in the deal and he should be kept as far away as possible. I'm sure healthnet themselves could've contacted the riders as well and get them on board without gianetti
 

TRENDING THREADS