How will TGBM go at the Tour?

[craig1985]

The one, the only, The Great Bauke Mollema.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Your obssesion with TGBM is becoming quite creepy Craig. Have you secretly joined the Dutch mafia?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I said top 30. If he didn't have to ride for Gesink, i'd say top 15 would seem like a safe bet.

 

[theyoungest]

Top 20. Even Laurens ten Dam finished 20th in his first Tour, his first GT in fact, as a worker. Maybe he might even crack the top-10, lesser riders than Mollema have done so, after all.

 

[dlwssonic]

why is there a need for a poll, its pretty obvious TGBM will do complete destruction. He will win the tour by 20 minutes.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Top 20 while working for Gesink

 

[Moondance]

Agree with DT. He could, if riding completely for himself, get, i think a 12th through 15th or so. But having to do some pacing for Gesink here or there, will probably cost him a few places and slot him in around 20th or so.

Working for Gesink won't cost him too many places, since I doubt Gesink will ever be in yellow, saving the Rabobus boys from having to expend energy early in a stage, which would far more seriously impact his own GC standing.

 

[Frosty]

Yeah i agree with the top 15 or top 20. He didnt climb with the best at the Giro last year so, although he is a year older, its difficult to see him really cracking on with the best here and getting well into the top 10. Will probably be working for Gesink although i dont think he is strong enough to be up with the best when the going gets tough on the Alpe or Plateau de Beille. Similar story on Luz-Ardiden so will probably end up riding his own race once the top 5/10 go away. Partly it depends on how gesink is going and how this affects their plans. If they want someone to sacrifice by setting a mad tempo, ie Navarro or CAS style then this could knock where he finishes overall.

I still wonder whether they may look at him to win on the Alpe this year? If Gesink looks like getting, say, 5th or lower, then he might be let loose. Only problem is that Gesink could be isolated on the Tourmalet although quite a few people will get back on the descent. The break could well be caught before the top if it is a hot pace during the stage(should be) but i think Rabo might think its been too long since the last Dutch winner.

Bet365 gives him 7-1 against coming in the top 10. Sounds about right to me.

 

[Archibald]

reckon he'll work his ar$e off obeying whatever team orders he's given, and do it well
Top 30 - would have said higher, but it depends on whether he completely buries himself on a stage or few and ends up way back in the grupetto because of that

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Should finish. Will work for Gesink. And if he REALLY works for Gesink he won't crack the top 20.

 

[ak-zaaf]

I voted top 10.
He'll come in around 9th. TRUST ME.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Agree with DT. He could, if riding completely for himself, get, i think a 12th through 15th or so. But having to do some pacing for Gesink here or there, will probably cost him a few places and slot him in around 20th or so.

Working for Gesink won't cost him too many places, since I doubt Gesink will ever be in yellow, saving the Rabobus boys from having to expend energy early in a stage, which would far more seriously impact his own GC standing.

but considering Gesink often has his moments on the bottom of a climb Mollema will probably have to pace him back a couple of times

 

[Moondance]

but considering Gesink often has his moments on the bottom of a climb Mollema will probably have to pace him back a couple of times

That was last year. Gesink is older, stronger, wiser, and perhaps, Inshallah, with better form, those problems shouldn't re-appear.




And boom, once more Gesink-talk hijacks a different thread.

 

[DenisMenchov]

IN the and we`ll see Gesink working for TGBM, I`m not kidding, he has form, is a beeter TTer, descend better, and is just a little weaker in the mountains, but considering he never had the adrenalin of the Tour de France, he can be even better this year, and surprise like Hesjedal last year, just more.


GO TGBM.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

I definately see TGBM in the top 20....that is until an untimely flat on a sprint stage where he loses time because the team on the front just happens to be, you know, racing. This will of course invoke the ire of select individuals who will immediately call this aggressive riding unsportsmanlike.

In all seriousness, he is primed for a finish between 10 and 15.

 

[AlejandroValverde]

In this year many teams will have big amount of mountain domestiques, so it's a chance for these best like Mollema for Gesink or Szmyd for Basso (but i think neither Italian is in his top form nor Pole is ready, willing or able to fight for GC).

But we must remember that Mollema will have to be resting in the end of mountain stages to have power for next days. Top20 - maybe 10-15 is everything and probably he will be glad about such result.

 

[ansimi]

I'll go with top 30. I think he'll be truly dedicated to Gesink so he'll lose time on some stages but he'll battle up to the end on others.

He'll finish with great pride at putting Gesink on the podium and not even be aware of his own standing.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Hard to say.

Is certainly good enough for top 20, but will depend on his mentality I guess.
Hopefully after he has done his work for gesink he continues to ride hard until the end

 

[craig1985]

That was last year. Gesink is older, stronger, wiser, and perhaps, Inshallah, with better form, those problems shouldn't re-appear.




And boom, once more Gesink-talk hijacks a different thread.

Cue Gesink to win a stage and some **** toi dig up the 'Is Robert Gesink soft' thread.

 

[42x16ss]

I can't see TGBM doing better than top 30 due to the strength of the Rabobank team in the mountains. It's his first TdF and he has Gesink, LL Sanchez, Ten Dam and possibly Garate all ahead of him in the pecking order. Even though he has similar ability, the experience isn't there yet and those guys have been top 10-20 and/or won stages before. TGBM will probably be used as ammo/get out of jail card against the Schleck boys, Radioshack, Euskaltel and Saxobank.

He'll ride a good Tour, just don't expect anything on GC. Hopefully he can get into a break on one of the intermediate stages or the last mountain stage and push hard for the win.

 

[greenedge]

He shall go ok but dedicate to Gesink. Might become involved in a breakaway one day.

 

[Cimber]

The one, the only, The Great Bauke Mollema.

Great rider, but noone can accuse him of being good looking (0;

Anyways am looking forward to following him, Gesink and the rest of the Rabo team in the Tour and especailly to see how they will pay back Leopard.

 

[Moondance]

Cue Gesink to win a stage and some **** toi dig up the 'Is Robert Gesink soft' thread.

It's usually me who's digging that old chestnut up, because its usually fun to look back at all the stupid things that were said back then.

 

[Frosty]

I am more interested to see what evil plans he has been hatching to mess the Schlecks' race up

 

[DenisMenchov]

I am more interested to see what evil plans he has been hatching to mess the Schlecks' race up

He is gonna do everything he can, starting from throwing bottles at him, attacking like Hoogerland, block him every time AC attacks,and of course crash into AS Theo Boss style.