Teams & Riders Guillaume is The New(est) Martin

[RedheadDane]

This guy doesn't have a thread? I was sure he had a thread. However, neither the Index, nor searching yields any result.

So, first WT stage race for this young climbing philosopher, who other than being a good bike rider also writes books with rather weird premises.

 

[Anderis]

I'm a bit surprised that someone is developing as well as him at Cofidis. I would've never thought he could get a podium in such a strong field. Let's see what the future will bring for him.

 

[BlueRoads]

This guy doesn't have a thread? I was sure he had a thread. However, neither the Index, nor searching yields any result.

So, first WT stage race for this young climbing philosopher, who other than being a good bike rider also writes books with rather weird premises.

I've always wanted to read that book. Maybe I should start now before the Tour.

 

[bob.a.feet]

He was always a rider with a bright future ahead of him, but only Wanty wanted him. He was left wanting at Wanty and so he left Wanty to step up to the World Tour.

He was very consistent, if not unspectacular, throughout his career at Wanty, but now he's taken a huge step. Since the restart he got a solid 3rd place on Ventoux following a strong attack, and he kept up with the big boys at l'Ain. A podium at the Dauphine is a fantastic result for him. Yes there were crashes, but on stages 2 and 3 he was right up there. We saw him drop away a couple of times throughout the race, but he's a fighter and excellent at pacing himself. He's made a few attacks this week and in the end is thoroughly deserving of a podium finish.

He should be able to get a top 10 in the Tour (12th last year), but could he go even further? A top 5 will be hard but certainly possible. What about the podium? We can dream!

It's lovely to see a French rider's potential translate into results, but I'm wondering when are we going to see his book translated into English! I'd love to read it, and from what I've heard he's working on another at the moment.

 

[skidmark]

I don't know if the monumental achievement of what he's done has really been impressed upon people - he podiumed a French WorldTour stage race riding for Cofidis!

I genuinely don't know when the last time was that a Cofidis rider was on the podium of a WT race period (aside from stuff like Moncoutie in the Vuelta or that anomalous Giro stage win by Damien Monier, I mean overall). But I definitely didn't remember a Cofidis rider near the top of either the Dauphine or Paris-Nice in the whole time I've been a cycling fan. He's lifted the losingest of loser teams to a moment of respectability! Chapeau.

 

[bob.a.feet]

Looking really strong once again - 3rd place on the stage gets him bonus seconds and puts him into 5th! This has been a breakthrough year for him, how far can he go?

Guillaume for yellow!

 

[Jspear]

How far can he go is definitely the question. Obviously he could top 10 this year....he was close previously and he's definitely stronger. He even tried to go a little earlier today then some of the other sprinters.

 

[BlueRoads]

Is it true he only recently finished his studies? Then he would not only have a better team now, but also more time and focus...

 

[tobydawq]

Imagine if he had changed to a good team...

 

[bob.a.feet]

Imagine if he had changed to a good team...

If he wins the Tour with Cofidis, he has to enter into the discussion for GOAT.

 

[BlueRoads]

If he wins the Tour with Cofidis, he has to enter into the discussion for GOAT.

Sorry. No GOAT discussion without goat photos.
But at least they have donkeys on his family's farm.

 

[Tonton]

Sorry. No GOAT discussion without goat photos.
But at least they have donkeys on his family's farm.

He's not the new Pinot. A donkey doesn't make you the GOAT. Barguil? Maybe. A fighter.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Being a donkey will only help you to achieve that particular crash style that bob.a.feet was experimenting with...

 

[Vino's Mum]

A cool feature on Guillaume and his book at the Inner Ring today:

The Inner Ring | Book Review: Socrate A Vélo

inrng.com

(Edit: just realised RD’s link is to the earlier inrng write up.)

 

[bob.a.feet]

Cédric Vasseur just said on ITV that he'll ask Guillaume to translate his book into English . He also said he wants to create Martin-mania!

 

[bob.a.feet]

Guillaume was really strong again today. Launched attack after attack and put some people in trouble. Paid for his efforts a little bit at the end of the climb but didn't lose any time. After 4 mountain stages, he's in third place.

Guillaume for yellow!

 

[JosephK]

Guillaume was really strong again today. Launched attack after attack and put some people in trouble. Paid for his efforts a little bit at the end of the climb but didn't lose any time. After 4 mountain stages, he's in third place.

Guillaume for yellow!

One must cheer for the philosopher! He's definitely in the mix.

 

[bob.a.feet]

One must cheer for the philosopher! He's definitely in the mix.

He's an absurdist. Like Sisyphus pushing the boulder up a hill, he attacks and attacks even though he knows he'll be brought back. One must imagine Guillaume happy!

 

[RedheadDane]

So... Pinot is obviously out of the GC. Bardet is reportedly - as stated in his own thread - injured, and wasn't planning on riding for GC anyway.
Are we gonna have a situation where Guillaume Martin might be France's best hope for a good placement in the GC?

 

[BlueRoads]

So... Pinot is obviously out of the GC. Bardet is reportedly - as stated in his own thread - injured, and wasn't planning on riding for GC anyway.
Are we gonna have a situation where Guillaume Martin might be France's best hope for a good placement in the GC?

Yep!
But I don't know about Bardet... if he does not ride for GC, than what sense did his move today make? That must have hurt. I'm not sure he's really badly hurt.

 

[Leinster]

Yep!
But I don't know about Bardet... if he does not ride for GC, than what sense did his move today make? That must have hurt. I'm not sure he's really badly hurt.

Bardet may never be as close to yellow again as he is tonight. If his plan is for a high finish in Paris, the attack made little sense, but just to get a day in yellow would be huge for Ag2R, so it was worthwhile having a go and see if the others react.

 

[BlueRoads]

Bardet may never be as close to yellow again as he is tonight. If his plan is for a high finish in Paris, the attack made little sense, but just to get a day in yellow would be huge for Ag2R, so it was worthwhile having a go and see if the others react.

Okay, to me it seemed like he was still pushing when he already saw he would not take it, but maybe I remember wrong or maybe he did not calculate that way, so could very well be you're right.

 

[BlueRoads]

By the way, to hype GM we need to know some things about him (I do). So he studied philosophy and wrote a book and is working on another one. His family has a farm. What more? Are there any photos of him with dolphins? Does he bungee-jump? Does he have a lace-fetish? Was he bullied at school, ever been bitten by a dog, wanted to do wrestling before he took up cycling?

 

[Leinster]

Okay, to me it seemed like he was still pushing when he already saw he would not take it, but maybe I remember wrong or maybe he did not calculate that way, so could very well be you're right.

Just to be clear, he didn’t make it into yellow today, but he’s now 11s back instead of 13, so if he gets a time bonus and another little gap tomorrow, or picks up another bonus in the next couple of days, he might still get it.

 

[IndianCyclist]

good show today. lets see how far he can go in the future