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Gesink Discussion Thread

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Gesink could've been 5th even without that ill-timed mechanical if I remember correctly.

That performance indeed was tremendous and came a bit out of the blue.

Gesink gave Valverde a good run for his money at the 2009 Vuelta a Espana. Until his crash. Simply never was the same again after his broken leg and the psychological effects of all those crashes and mishaps.

Happy for him to be in the red jersey. That everyone seems to be happy about it kinda shows how cycling still is like a big family. With all pros and cons of a big family though. Cohesion and dark secrets.
He was already really good in the 2014 Vuelta, when he pulled out because his wife had complications during her pregnancy.

Besides that crash his father dying in a mtb crash was also a big psychological blow to him.
 
In his Instagram someone mentioned Gesink is well known for being a bad bike handler. In fact I notice he oftenly crashes, and sadly these crashes mostly are quite evil, so that he has to heal for several months, each time.

When this happens that often, it will damage his spirit, his morale. He had trained for eight or ten weeks to show up in Australia‘s TDU in a decent shape, and has to go home after the third day of racing.
 
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In his Instagram someone mentioned Gesink is well known for being a bad bike handler. In fact I notice he oftenly crashes, and sadly these crashes mostly are quite evil, so that he has to heal for several months, each time.

When this happens that often, it will damage his spirit, his morale. He had trained for eight or ten weeks to show up in Australia‘s TDU in a decent shape, and has to go home after the third day of racing.
Honestly I don't know with Gesink, he just always gets taken down in bigger crashes. I don't even remember any cases where he's alone and crashes, also no crashes on descents or anything, even if he's a below average descender.

Obviously it's an important skill to ride in the peloton, and it makes a huge difference, but there's also complete WTF crashes that can happen where there's nothing you can do. Like in 2021 when Gesink got taken out by Thomas, or Roglic and his hay bale. I think to an extent we like to overattribute somewhat random things to specific reasons.

Also, he may just have terrible bone density cause he always breaks everything.
 
Honestly I don't know with Gesink, he just always gets taken down in bigger crashes. I don't even remember any cases where he's alone and crashes, also no crashes on descents or anything, even if he's a below average descender.

Obviously it's an important skill to ride in the peloton, and it makes a huge difference, but there's also complete WTF crashes that can happen where there's nothing you can do. Like in 2021 when Gesink got taken out by Thomas, or Roglic and his hay bale. I think to an extent we like to overattribute somewhat random things to specific reasons.

Also, he may just have terrible bone density cause he always breaks everything.
Isn't that often a bit of a problem with super skinny guys?
 
Isn't that often a bit of a problem with super skinny guys?
Was a study published on it last week, how 2/3 of riders have poor bone density. I think it was mainly a Dutch population, there were some Dutch pros in the study I think as well.

I'd assume top pros these days should be better cause I would assume top teams would actually take care of their multi million euro assets better, but what do I know. I think it certainly explains why some riders always break something.
 
Was a study published on it last week, how 2/3 of riders have poor bone density. I think it was mainly a Dutch population, there were some Dutch pros in the study I think as well.

I'd assume top pros these days should be better cause I would assume top teams would actually take care of their multi million euro assets better, but what do I know. I think it certainly explains why some riders always break something.
Yeah, nowadays they probably have their nutrition and workouts on point, but the fact remains that a really low BMI has been linked with Osteoporosis and decreasing bone density.
 
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If you train to become a pro road cyclist from a young age. And don't do much of other types of sports. Then in average you can indeed expect your bone density to be lower. Then one might expect. But that likely isn't the main reason for the pelvis injury Gesink got. If you look at the image of the fall. It should be self explanatory. On top of that and in average it doesn't come down to bad biking skills. Harper basically a day before and Moscon a day after. Both broke their collarbones. It's very common to break a bone if you are a pro road cyclist. Speeds are high and tarmac is hard. Pro road cyclist still being normal humans. No special protection involved. System rigged toward crashes. It's only to be expected.
 
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Robert Gesink back on bicycle; injury seems to be okay :

"Robert Gesink has already completed his first training after his heavy crash in the first stage in line of the Tour Down Under. Gesink returned to Andorra from Australia. He was back on the exercise bike today.
Where initially a pelvic fracture was reported, Gesink can now conclude that there is a ‘beautiful’ break. “It’s a breakup of the pubic bone. Not the bone you're on. Normally this can recover on its own and I do not need surgery,” Gesink told WielerFlits.

Gesink hopes that the doctors will give him the green light next week so he can train outside on the road again. “Very cautiously there is talk of a possible return in the Tour of Catalonia. Then I could go to the Giro d’Italia via the Tour of Romandie. I hope that this scenario is achievable.”"


 
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Yeah it was 2009. Was 2nd in GC when he crashed down before the Sierra Madrilena stage.

I just hope he doesn't go down again.
He was also looking very strong going into the Tour that year, before crashing out before the mountains. Perhaps he would have been even better there than at the Vuelta, considering the Tour was the main goal for 2009.

Big shame he didn't get that stage win in the Vuelta in 2022. Would have been a nice final big result.