Heroic Hesjedal - TTT

[Mongol_Waaijer]

with the Astana love in going on at the moment (as though it's a surprise that the team with the best TT / GC riders and murkiest medical backgound win a TTT) and the sla*ging off of dumb Evans and Menchov (as if having a weaker team of ordinary riders is due to lack of intelligence) people are forgetting the true hero of yesterday's stage - Ryder Hesjedal.

He is not renowned as a TT rider, and was hanging on for dear life yesterday. Garmin lost Maaskant, Farrar and Dean early on, and needed to finish with 5. Hesjedal was broken after 20km, but had to stay with them.

I can think of places I would rather be when suffering than hanging onto the wheels of guys like Wiggins, Millar and Zabriskie in a TTT. Those guys (and VdV) probably rode harder than Astana yesterday, yet lost 20 seconds as they had fewer riders to work with for the second half of the race.

Before I get comments from the non racing guys about "hanging on" and not working let me tell you that sitting at the back and then moving out of the draft full into the wind to let the retreating "worker" ahead of you in the echelon is absolute murder. You have to first ease off for a second or two, then hold an increased wattage, before doing a sprint to get back in the draft. Repeat this every 40 seconds for half an hour and you are in agony.

I was impressed by his effort, as I have been in similar situation myself, and it isn't fun.

I wasn't impressed with Astana at all. They performed as expected, and with their morals and track record I am only depressed by their achievements.

 

[TRDean]

Great post...and a heck of a ride by Ryder!! He was hanging on for dear life. If I am not mistaken he has been the TT champ of the cycling powerhouse country of Canada!! Should count for something. Just kidding...he did his team proud!

 

[Anonymous]

with the Astana love in going on at the moment (as though it's a surprise that the team with the best TT / GC riders and murkiest medical backgound win a TTT) and the sla*ging off of dumb Evans and Menchov (as if having a weaker team of ordinary riders is due to lack of intelligence) people are forgetting the true hero of yesterday's stage - Ryder Hesjedal.

He is not renowned as a TT rider, and was hanging on for dear life yesterday. Garmin lost Maaskant, Farrar and Dean early on, and needed to finish with 5. Hesjedal was broken after 20km, but had to stay with them.

I can think of places I would rather be when suffering than hanging onto the wheels of guys like Wiggins, Millar and Zabriskie in a TTT. Those guys (and VdV) probably rode harder than Astana yesterday, yet lost 20 seconds as they had fewer riders to work with for the second half of the race.

Before I get comments from the non racing guys about "hanging on" and not working let me tell you that sitting at the back and then moving out of the draft full into the wind to let the retreating "worker" ahead of you in the echelon is absolute murder. You have to first ease off for a second or two, then hold an increased wattage, before doing a sprint to get back in the draft. Repeat this every 40 seconds for half an hour and you are in agony.

I was impressed by his effort, as I have been in similar situation myself, and it isn't fun.

I wasn't impressed with Astana at all. They performed as expected, and with their morals and track record I am only depressed by their achievements.

Yea, I have to say that Garmin were pretty impressive yesterday. I for one didn't think they would do nearly that well. Considering that 4 riders were able to come within 20 seconds of Astana who had 8 riders until very late (Popo off around the last km). Maybe having a smaller team rolling through on some of those tight corners was beneficial also? Either way, impressive for them. Unfortunately, like Farrar, they are the eternal 2nd it appears for stage wins. Maybe they can win out of a break on one of the rolling days?

 

[Animal]

I thought that the smaller group size might have helped them in the technical section too.

But yes, impressive ride by someone who was on his limit. It's a painful experience hanging on to a team of fast horses!

 

[blackcat]

with the Astana love in going on at the moment (as though it's a surprise that the team with the best TT / GC riders and murkiest medical backgound win a TTT) and the sla*ging off of dumb Evans and Menchov (as if having a weaker team of ordinary riders is due to lack of intelligence) people are forgetting the true hero of yesterday's stage - Ryder Hesjedal.

He is not renowned as a TT rider, and was hanging on for dear life yesterday. Garmin lost Maaskant, Farrar and Dean early on, and needed to finish with 5. Hesjedal was broken after 20km, but had to stay with them.

I can think of places I would rather be when suffering than hanging onto the wheels of guys like Wiggins, Millar and Zabriskie in a TTT. Those guys (and VdV) probably rode harder than Astana yesterday, yet lost 20 seconds as they had fewer riders to work with for the second half of the race.

Before I get comments from the non racing guys about "hanging on" and not working let me tell you that sitting at the back and then moving out of the draft full into the wind to let the retreating "worker" ahead of you in the echelon is absolute murder. You have to first ease off for a second or two, then hold an increased wattage, before doing a sprint to get back in the draft. Repeat this every 40 seconds for half an hour and you are in agony.

I was impressed by his effort, as I have been in similar situation myself, and it isn't fun.

I wasn't impressed with Astana at all. They performed as expected, and with their morals and track record I am only depressed by their achievements.

good point, RH, great ride. I was rooting for G-S and RH hanging.

One thing, I think when you hit that pace, I reckon there is a declining utility of every man above 4. Cos there are only twenty odd riders in the peloton who can contribute to the pace of a TTT like that.

I my mind creating a perfect TTT, I would have Cav, Bennati, Boonen, and Hushovd, pull the first 10 kms at au bloc, and blow themselves up, then have Wiggins, Millar, Cancellara, Armstrong, and Hincapie pull thru. Martin would be my reserve.

It is no good coming to the line with more than 5, unless you have a GC caboose. Tactics are to come quickest, so use up all resources. Julian Dean can up the speed by a few km per hour in the first 5 kms by blowing himself up.

The 4 who blow themselves up, need to ride together to the finish, otherwise hors delai.

 

[slcbiker]

RH put in a great ride. Equally suprising was Danny Pate getting dropped so early. Pate is known for being a pretty good TT rider, so I was suprised to see him gone.

 

[Mongol_Waaijer]

I my mind creating a perfect TTT, I would have Cav, Bennati, Boonen, and Hushovd, pull the first 10 kms at au bloc, and blow themselves up, then have Wiggins, Millar, Cancellara, Armstrong, and Hincapie pull thru. Martin would be my reserve.QUOTE]

Martin would be more effective than all the sprinters, and possibly Lance and Millar. since his epo days Millar is a top 20 TT guy, not a podium guy.

Perfect team - guys with best FTP, time trial aptitude and proven ability,

Cancellara, Zabriskie, Wiggins, Martin, Kloden, Levi etc.

That's why Astana kicked a*se - Kloden, Lance, Levi, Contador - all top 1- TT riders in their own right.

 

[marinoni]

Homeboy

I got a kick out of CVV accidentally insulting Hesjedal then backtracking in his interview. Anyway, I'm expecting very good things from Ryder in the mountains. Hopefully he'll be back to Victoria sometime after the Tour. As for CVV, the fact he was also in there tells me he just might be peaking at the right time. He impressed me after the not great outing at the Tour de Suisse.

 

[GoGarmin]

Hesjedal is turning into an excellent domestique and absolutely faithful team rider.

I approve.

 

[mr. tibbs]

It certainly was a Mouse & Elephant day yesterday. It was great watching Garmin go through the course. My heart dropped with Pate (and my wife's too--she LOVES Danny Pate), but those five really pulled through, with Ryder really [ insert epic cyclespeak here ] for the team.

 

[Master50]

Canada has a pretty good record

Great post...and a heck of a ride by Ryder!! He was hanging on for dear life. If I am not mistaken he has been the TT champ of the cycling powerhouse country of Canada!! Should count for something. Just kidding...he did his team proud!

For a small country of 33 million we do OK. In MTB we do very well and Roland was definitely one of the best ever, never mind the women where we have had some of the best ever.
Ryder did a great job. I remember the first I saw him race. He was a junior, racing at Burnt Bridge. Started 2 minutes after the pros and caught all the elite riders but one. I think that 1 rider was Roland.

 

[arealbiginjun]

Don't forget Steve Bauer and Alex Stieda. And, yes, it was an impressive showing of will and determination by Ryder.

 

[TRDean]

Master50...no offense intended...none at all!!! Just a joke!! I really like Ryder!!!

 

[wolfie1]

Ryder back to Maui

..... Hopefully he'll be back to Victoria sometime after the Tour. ...

Given a choice do you think Ryder would go to BC or return to Maui after a long hard TDF? Which would you pick?

 

[ptensioned]

Svein Tuft had done a pretty good job lately in representing Canada against the clock.

Silver in the TT World's last year, 7th in Beijing, and he's followed an unusual path to the Pro Peloton. See link for NYT article...

Tuft in Times

Full credit to Ryder. It's great to see more Canucks playing a part. Michael Barry has been alone for far too long.

 

[Master50]

Master50...no offense intended...none at all!!! Just a joke!! I really like Ryder!!!

No offense taken! I was just serious
This is the internet and I take very little seriously. I did not call you any names or disparage your lineage which might be a better indicator of taking offense.