Is Robert Gesink soft?

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yeah, loving this: "de Wit-Rus Jaoeheni Hoetarovitsj"

Cyricillic names are always written phonetically in Western-European languages.
Therefore Hutarovich is correct if you speak English... and Hoetarovitsj is correct if you speak Dutch.
And in Italy, Germany, France or Spain it could be written differently again.

Many people do not know this and always assume the press is wrong and being stubborn in writing names the wrong way.

 

[theyoungest]

To be quite honest, with Schleck and Contador at the tour, he has no chance, probably Sanchez and Basso will have more chance. Gesink would have better luck trying the giro (although perhaps not this years giro) or the vuelta if he is going for a win. But he can make the tour top 5 this year, if he does not get injured

Of course he has a chance. Look at the difference between the Vuelta 2008 and 2009. Struggling and often unable to keep up vs. dictating the pace and attacking. If he has the same kind of progress for his second Tour, he'll be very close. For Sanchez and Basso it's less likely they have closed the gap.

 

[Lanark]

Of course he has a chance. Look at the difference between the Vuelta 2008 and 2009. Struggling and often unable to keep up vs. dictating the pace and attacking. If he has the same kind of progress for his second Tour, he'll be very close. For Sanchez and Basso it's less likely they have closed the gap.

He was over 9 minutes behind Schleck and Contador last year. I don't see how you can bridge such a gap in one year.

 

[Kwibus]

Just read an article in our newspaper about the Rabobank season start.
They didn't do anything different than normally, just the luck was on their side more than last year, and the many young riders in the team all progressed obviously.
And now the part about Gesink, according to Delahaye (Rabobank trainer) his physical tests scores were again much better in all areas than last year, when he was already world class.

I allready read that 1-2 weeks ago about Gesink in AD Sportwereld. Right after he won Oman.

 

[theyoungest]

He was over 9 minutes behind Schleck and Contador last year. I don't see how you can bridge such a gap in one year.

Of which 5 minutes were on cobbles and an incredibly bad TT. In the Vuelta 2008 he lost 6 minutes to Leipheimer, to use the same kind of scoreboard journalism. Would you see such a thing happening right now?

I'm not saying he's the big favourite, of course Schleck and Contador are very likely to be stronger, but to say he has no chance... I don't agree.

 

[hrotha]

Cyricillic names are always written phonetically in Western-European languages.
Therefore Hutarovich is correct if you speak English... and Hoetarovitsj is correct if you speak Dutch.
And in Italy, Germany, France or Spain it could be written differently again.

Many people do not know this and always assume the press is wrong and being stubborn in writing names the wrong way.

In Spanish we're often stuck with whatever spelling was popularized first, which for cyclists means we often use the French spelling: Vinokourov, Poulnikov, etc. We still pronounce the ou as /u/ though.

 

[L'arriviste]

Cyricillic names are always written phonetically in Western-European languages.
Therefore Hutarovich is correct if you speak English... and Hoetarovitsj is correct if you speak Dutch.
And in Italy, Germany, France or Spain it could be written differently again.

Many people do not know this and always assume the press is wrong and being stubborn in writing names the wrong way.

Actually, I wasn't trying to be funny. I really do love Dutch for stuff like that. It's fun.

Gesink looks pretty solid to me. I can't wait to see him in some more short stage races to see how he goes in them. Oman must have done a lot for his confidence.

 

[Kwibus]

He was over 9 minutes behind Schleck and Contador last year. I don't see how you can bridge such a gap in one year.

I'm biased and it's wishful thinking and to be honest I don't think Gesink will be able to win the Tour, but there certainly is a possibility.
He's still improving every year and he's just 24? or 25? Still.. very young. I think this Tour will give us the best indication of Gesinks future.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I'm gonna bet my house on him winning the white jersey tho

 

[hrotha]

I'm gonna bet my house on him winning the white jersey tho

Andy will win it after ASO determines his mental age remains 17.

 

[Lanark]

Of which 5 minutes were on cobbles and an incredibly bad TT. In the Vuelta 2008 he lost 6 minutes to Leipheimer, to use the same kind of scoreboard journalism. Would you see such a thing happening right now?

I'm not saying he's the big favourite, of course Schleck and Contador are very likely to be stronger, but to say he has no chance... I don't agree.

His TT wasn't that bad, he lost a little over 2 minuten on Schleck, and a little under 3 minutes on Contador in a 50km TT. I really don't see him losing much less time in a TT in the future (maybe a minute faster, losing 1 minute to Schleck and 2 minutes to Contador would be a really good result for him). He lost quite some time on the cobbles yeah, that was a one-time thing, although I do see him losing some time to Schleck in the TTT this year.

Overall, he lost the most on the climbs. Schleck and Contador were clearly on another level on the Madeleine and Tourmalet. If Gesink wants to win, he doesn't just have to match them in the mountains (that would be hard enough), he has to gain 2-3 minutes in the mountains, to be safe for the time trials. He probably has to improve a couple of minutes (compared to his 2010 form) on every mountain top finish, I just don't see that happening in one year.

I don't understand were your Leipheimer comparison comes from. 2008 was Leipheimers last great GC, the guy was ancient already, after that he got worse, and Gesink got better. Contador and Schleck are in their prime, they're not going to get worse for a long time, Schleck could probably still improve. If Gesink wants to bridge the gap, he has to improve, he can't count on the competition getting worse (what happened with Leip).

 

[theyoungest]

His TT wasn't that bad, he lost a little over 2 minuten on Schleck, and a little under 3 minutes on Contador in a 50km TT. I really don't see him losing much less time in a TT in the future (maybe a minute faster, losing 1 minute to Schleck and 2 minutes to Contador would be a really good result for him). He lost quite some time on the cobbles yeah, that was a one-time thing, although I do see him losing some time to Schleck in the TTT this year.

Overall, he lost the most on the climbs. Schleck and Contador were clearly on another level on the Madeleine and Tourmalet. If Gesink wants to win, he doesn't just have to match them in the mountains (that would be hard enough), he has to gain 2-3 minutes in the mountains, to be safe for the time trials. He probably has to improve a couple of minutes (compared to his 2010 form) on every mountain top finish, I just don't see that happening in one year.

I don't understand were your Leipheimer comparison comes from. 2008 was Leipheimers last great GC, the guy was ancient already, after that he got worse, and Gesink got better. Contador and Schleck are in their prime, they're not going to get worse for a long time, Schleck could probably still improve. If Gesink wants to bridge the gap, he has to improve, he can't count on the competition getting worse (what happened with Leip).

Call me naive, but I don't think he needs to gain 2 minutes on Schleck before the time trial. Contador is a different story, but TBH when he rides the Giro full gas I don't see him being in stellar form in the Tour. He'll still be good, just not spectacular.

The time gaps in the 2010 TT were enormous, but I don't expect the 2011 TT to be a 40 km flat TT into a strong headwind. In fact, I know it won't be, because a) it isn't flat and b) it's a circular course.

 

[flicker]

Hesink has not the mental toughness, nor the bike handling skills to win the Tour, ever.
Only if and it is a big if he were to learn racing from the Italians, and then be made to race in Belgium, he would be a contender for yellow every year.
Physically he is very capable of winning the Tour. He does need to put on weight, at the beginning of the tour he looks to skinny.
Maybe Hennie Kuiper could give Hesink some tips on racing. Hennie is a true champion.
Belgium and Itlee could rally toughen up Bob, also maybe some winter 6 days, no?

 

[will10]

I'm gonna bet my house on him winning the white jersey tho

Bet against me, I could do with a holiday home in Australia

He'll crash out again in yellow...

 

[Spine Concept]

Bet against me, I could do with a holiday home in Australia

He'll crash out again in yellow...

When has he ever been in yellow at the Tour?
As far as the white jersey goes, he's the top contender for that one. I just hope he made strides forward again this year in every area of his capabilities. He's got massive potential to win GT's.

 

[Contre la montre]

I can't believe how 'sure' people are of Gesink never winning the tour and Kreuziger being over the hill. When I compare this to the banter about people like Porte.

Here's why Gesink might win the tour:
1: he's mentally very strong
2: so far he has improved with every season
3: his tt problems may be solved
4: he's still only 24
5: he's very consistent
6: he's in a solid team with good (mental)coaching
7: Contador will surely drop the ball at some point in his career
8: Luck can go a long way in sports
9: this season he hasn't crashed yet
10: he seems nice enough

Why he might not win
1: Contador is more talented. (I do think he is)
2: from now on tt's will be longer in the tour
3: a string of bad luck and injuries

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

His TT wasn't that bad, he lost a little over 2 minuten on Schleck, and a little under 3 minutes on Contador in a 50km TT. I really don't see him losing much less time in a TT in the future (maybe a minute faster, losing 1 minute to Schleck and 2 minutes to Contador would be a really good result for him). He lost quite some time on the cobbles yeah, that was a one-time thing, although I do see him losing some time to Schleck in the TTT this year.

Overall, he lost the most on the climbs. Schleck and Contador were clearly on another level on the Madeleine and Tourmalet. If Gesink wants to win, he doesn't just have to match them in the mountains (that would be hard enough), he has to gain 2-3 minutes in the mountains, to be safe for the time trials. He probably has to improve a couple of minutes (compared to his 2010 form) on every mountain top finish, I just don't see that happening in one year.

I don't understand were your Leipheimer comparison comes from. 2008 was Leipheimers last great GC, the guy was ancient already, after that he got worse, and Gesink got better. Contador and Schleck are in their prime, they're not going to get worse for a long time, Schleck could probably still improve. If Gesink wants to bridge the gap, he has to improve, he can't count on the competition getting worse (what happened with Leip).

What you are forgetting, in my opinion, is that Gesink wasn't at his top level in the 2010 Tour. Certainly not considering he was riding around with a broken ulna (forearm). He never seemed super to me, you could it see it by the way of riding. It was more willpower than form.

Ofcourse Schleck and Contador are still going to be better than him, certainly won't have closed the gap last year. But the gap isn't as big as the 2010 Tour suggests.

 

[Havetts]

I want to see how Gesink will fair on the Mont des Alouttes and Mur de Bretagne in the first week, they seem steep and short finishes maybe abit like Emillia (though not that steep). Cause those two stages sure could be nice to win time or to lose time upon.

 

[theyoungest]

I want to see how Gesink will fair on the Mont des Alouttes and Mur de Bretagne in the first week, they seem steep and short finishes maybe abit like Emillia (though not that steep). Cause those two stages sure could be nice to win time or to lose time upon.

The Mont des Alouettes is more of a Gilbert-style climb, I think. Short, not too steep. The Mur de Bretagne is supposed to be steeper, maybe a bit Mur de Huy-like. But I don't think there will be any major time differences on either of them.

 

[thirteen]

Andy will win it after ASO determines his mental age remains 17.

.........

 

[Angliru]

I'm biased and it's wishful thinking and to be honest I don't think Gesink will be able to win the Tour, but there certainly is a possibility.
He's still improving every year and he's just 24? or 25? Still.. very young. I think this Tour will give us the best indication of Gesinks future.

I think he will be the primary animator in the mountains or I hope so. He was a bit restrained last year while riding with Menchov but I'm hoping as sole leader that he doesn't become ultra-conservative, meaning trying to not lose the race instead of actually trying to win it by occasionally taking a chance on a flyer. In the past he's occasionally seemed to like to jump on the front and raise the tempo to see who could go with him, Vuelta 2009 for example, and with Vandenbroucke and Samu, who also aren't afraid to test the waters, maybe they could make things interesting for Basso and Angerbelly Andy.

 

[El Pistolero]

I think he will be the primary animator in the mountains or I hope so. He was a bit restrained last year while riding with Menchov but I'm hoping as sole leader that he doesn't become ultra-conservative, meaning trying to not lose the race instead of actually trying to win it by occasionally taking a chance on a flyer. In the past he's occasionally seemed to like to jump on the front and raise the tempo to see who could go with him, Vuelta 2009 for example, and with Vandenbroucke and Samu, who also aren't afraid to test the waters, maybe they could make things interesting for Basso and Angerbelly Andy.

I'm afraid Gesink doesn't even come close to the enigma and prodigy that is Vandenbroucke. Or should I say was?

 

[Havetts]

Instead of properly responding to his post you have to point out a mistake that is often made by alot of people?

Anyways it was nice to see him ride like that in the Dauphine of 2009 (or 2008 :$) .

 

[El Pistolero]

Instead of properly responding to his post you have to point out a mistake that is often made by alot of people?

Anyways it was nice to see him ride like that in the Dauphine of 2009 (or 2008 :$) .

There's nothing wrong with correcting someone's mistakes.

 

[Spine Concept]

There's nothing wrong with correcting someone's mistakes.

You went on and missed the point
Let's play it your way then; even if you are adamant on being bigoted you could have at least answered his post and then include a correction of his misspelling.