Gesink Discussion Thread

[classicomano]

GG Gesink, im really glad he finally managed to finish a GT without crashing (jinx) and placing 6th no less, really happy for him.

 

[cineteq]

GG Gesink, im really glad he finally managed to finish a GT without crashing (jinx) and placing 6th no less, really happy for him.

Totally agree. Well done Robert!

 

[theyoungest]

Yeah, it's a nice result. But are Rabobank confident enough that he'll get back to his old level? This is not good enough for a GC leader.

It's not all Breukink, you know.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He's about as good as he was in 2008.
Give it a winter ok...

His alternatives have not done well. So what choice do they have?

 

[theyoungest]

He's about as good as he was in 2008.
Give it a winter ok...

His alternatives have not done well. So what choice do they have?

Sign a GC leader? (I don't know whom, they're a bit late maybe )

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

No. I'd resent that.
Sorry. But no more foreign GC leaders. Either get it right, or be happy with less.

It would bring no joy at all to see another sort of Menchov winning a GT when I don't care about that.

 

[theyoungest]

Maybe, but then the "bunch of overpaid losers" argument of Kerckhoffs, Nelissen etc. comes into play. For the level and quality of the current crop of Dutch riders you don't need to pay that much money.

 

[sartoris]

When is this guy going to do something really big? He's obviously talented and has all the ingredients: age, experience, team, ...

Does anyone know the Dutch prelist for the worlds? What a team that's gonna be!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He has been thrown back by bad luck. Yeah.

But we can whine all we want, fact is it's for the first time since 23(!!) years that 2 Dutchman end in the top 10 of a GT at the same time.
Also before last year it had been a very long time since we've had 3 different Dutch riders in the same gneeration that finished top 10 in a GT. Now a 4th even has been added of Ten Dam.
Also on CQ ranking and other rankings we're doing better and better each year, even with all the bad luck for top Dutch riders as Gesink, and this year also Mollema and Kruijswijk (both also fell in their main goal race after all).

But it's typical to stay extremely negative. It's Dutch..

edit: Gesink is also the first Dutchman after Hennie Kuiper to finish top 10 in the Vuelta 3 times.

 

[theyoungest]

I'm not extremely negative, but the Dutch media will keep judging them by the standards of a top team with a top budget. And with their current riders, that doesn't make sense.

Their best GC rider can manage 6th in the Vuelta, come on.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I'm not extremely negative, but the Dutch media will keep judging them by the standards of a top team with a top budget. And with their current riders, that doesn't make sense.

Their best GC rider can manage 6th in the Vuelta, come on.

This is what I mean. Again you are thinking too black/white. You of all people know very well why he can only manage that

 

[Arnout]

I'm extremely surprised by his 6th place, after 2011 and after that the leg thing and the first few days in the Vuelta. Good job to him, I think he should cherish it and move on and rebuild himself and recover further from the leg break. I do think he was helped by the route this year though, on the less steep climbs/sections he obviously lacked power, even today, but because he can't go much lighter on the gears than anyone else, he was able to comparatively climb a lot better on the steep slopes, the trademark of this year's Vuelta uphill finishes.

I still cringe every time I see him ride though.

 

[theyoungest]

This is what I mean. Again you are thinking too black/white. You of all people know very well why he can only manage that

We'll see next year

 

[Parrulo]

i must say one thing, i am extremely happy that rabo's tour only approach was an utter fail.

maybe next year they will send one of their GC mans to the giro again.


anyway is nice to see gesink slowly but surely getting back his old level. i hope he has a crash/illness free winter so he can fully recover that leg.

 

[maltiv]

Sign a GC leader? (I don't know whom, they're a bit late maybe )

What ever do you mean, they've already signed Nordhaug

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Van Houwelingen said it's a serious option for next year for Gesink to skip the Tour and focus on the Vuelta.
He said that with virtually no serious preparation to this Vuelta he finished in the top 10. And the goal of Rabobank was to have a Dutchman on the podium of A gt (no matter which).

I really really hope the new Rabo (after Breukink leaves) can convince Gesink to focus on Giro/Vuelta next year. Would be so cool.
I also think it would be better for the confidence of Gesink to first podium/win Giro/Vuelta. Then you go into the Tour more relaxed the next year.

 

[SafeBet]

Totally agree.
New management is who exactly? And do you think they'd able to convince him?

I mean he can't be so stubborn to not understand reality at this point.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I think they can convince him.

It will be more interesting to see how the Dutch media, overly interested in the Tour and nothing else, will react if he does it

 

[theyoungest]

I think they can convince him.

It will be more interesting to see how the Dutch media, overly interested in the Tour and nothing else, will react if he does it

The Dutch media are interesting in this regard... constantly pressing for the Dutch GC guys to start in Giro and Vuelta, but when push comes to shove all they care about is the Tour.

But Van Houwelingen himself is reportedly getting sacked as well, so who cares what he thinks.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The Dutch media are interesting in this regard... constantly pressing for the Dutch GC guys to start in Giro and Vuelta, but when push comes to shove all they care about is the Tour.

But Van Houwelingen himself is reportedly getting sacked as well, so who cares what he thinks.

Rabobank are in denial about that last bit tho. I think there's even a chance Van Houwelingen will be filling in Breukinks spot

 

[theyoungest]

Rabobank are in denial about that last bit tho. I think there's even a chance Van Houwelingen will be filling in Breukinks spot

Van Houwelingen didn't know Breukink was going to be sacked, so if he gets to fill his role it will be a surprise for himself as well.

 

[l.Harm]

Van Houwelingen would be a bad pick if you really want to change.

 

[webvan]

Gesink in "shock" : http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gesink-shocked-by-rabobank-news

Clearly upset that his cushy days underperforming at Rabobank are over, time to man up!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

so true, break your leg and you should be winning GTs in the same yeh duh.

 

[Matthijs]

The Dutch media are interesting in this regard... constantly pressing for the Dutch GC guys to start in Giro and Vuelta, but when push comes to shove all they care about is the Tour.

But Van Houwelingen himself is reportedly getting sacked as well, so who cares what he thinks.

maybe the NOS will change and broadcast the giro if gesink really goes for it. Im still watching Sporza, but it is a good thing if the new Rabo finally sent a decent team to the giro instead of the crap teams most of the last 17 years...

If Gesink and his team are interested in winning something, they should stop their obsession with the tour.