Teams & Riders Jakob Fuglsang discussion thread

[Danskebjerge]

Well done, Fuglsang. Looking good for the Top 10 now.

 

[Colombianfan]

Will be hilarious seeing Ala win the TDF when Fuglsang was the more proven rider. Astana need to go for another rider if they want a TDF winner. I do not even see a GT podium in him.

 

[Simurgh]

Yep, definitely no podium, and I don't expect a top-5 either, unless he ups his game - Valv.Pitis analysis as of right now has hit the nail on the hand; Fuglsang looks like the "normal" Fuglsang, a top-10 rider rather than a podium/yellow jersey contender.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Re:

Will be hilarious seeing Ala win the TDF when Fuglsang was the more proven rider. Astana need to go for another rider if they want a TDF winner. I do not even see a GT podium in him.

Considering his age, I don't think he can make it to a GT podium.

I first had the opinion he should stay away from the Tour de France this year and go for even more success in autumn. But since he did decide to go to the Tour (he announced that he would do that back in 2018), my estimate has been a 7th or 8th place. However, his many successes this year has made him less interested in respectable moderate achievements, so maybe he won't fight for staying in the Top 10 if things start to go wrong.

He was not happy seeing his 2019 rival Alaphilippe first winning the TT by a good margin and then celebrating as if he hadn't gone all in. Some interpreted Fuglsang's words as an indication that something wasn't right.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

People finally waking up?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

A lot of hype and like I thought ten twenty times... Fuglsang just isn't that type of rider (GT)

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re:

A lot of hype and like I thought ten twenty times... Fuglsang just isn't that type of rider (GT)

Amazing. A guy, 34 years old, with 1 top 10 GT in his entire career, wins a classic, and all of a sudden he's gonna win the TDF. Lol, rofl etc...

 

[Danskebjerge]

Re: Re:

A lot of hype and like I thought ten twenty times... Fuglsang just isn't that type of rider (GT)

Amazing. A guy, 34 years old, with 1 top 10 GT in his entire career, wins a classic, and all of a sudden he's gonna win the TDF. Lol, rofl etc...

He had several extremely good results coming in to the Tour, including winning the Dauphiné. It would be absurd to ignore him going in to the Tour. But most have seen him as an outsider. Very few people have thought he was a realistic number one.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Please, even Dauphiné means very little. And there were plenty of people here thinking he would contend for at least a podium.

At 34 years old, if it hasn't happened, it's not going to.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Re:

Please, even Dauphiné means very little. And there were plenty of people here thinking he would contend for at least a podium.

At least it was more probable with Fuglsang on the podium than Alaphilippe ...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Not necessarilly. JA never tried before and he's 27, and we knew he could climb. There is still plenty to go wrong for him as well.

 

[Simurgh]

Re: Re:

Please, even Dauphiné means very little. And there were plenty of people here thinking he would contend for at least a podium.

At least it was more probable with Fuglsang on the podium than Alaphilippe ...

Yeah, and let's not forget, that the Dauphine since the Era of SKY-hegemony has been a good indicator on who's going to do well at the Tour.

 

[roundabout]

Re:

Not necessarilly. JA never tried before and he's 27, and we knew he could climb. There is still plenty to go wrong for him as well.

I guess Alaphilippe also never tried to win Paris-Nice when he was 1st and 2nd before the big mountain stage :lol:

 

[Danskebjerge]

Re:

Not necessarilly. JA never tried before and he's 27, and we knew he could climb. There is still plenty to go wrong for him as well.

So having no experience is an advantage? Well, maybe so, cycling is not always logical (no pun intended).

Froome was out, Dumoulin was out, Thomas was injured, Fuglsang was at his best. There were really good signs for Fuglsang this year just a couple of weeks ago. But in the Tour, Astana have often been fragile - that's why I counted him out in terms of the podium.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Probably the most predictable result of the evening.

Jakob is stronger than 2013, but so are his rivals (at least depth-wise). I look forward to how he handles the Alps - I fear the worst, but hope he can stay in top-10.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Re:

Probably the most predictable result of the evening.

Jakob is stronger than 2013, but so are his rivals (at least depth-wise). I look forward to how he handles the Alps - I fear the worst, but hope he can stay in top-10.

I agree!

 

[Broccolidwarf]

If the weather forecast holds, and the alps see rain, it can change the entire race completely.

Otherwise Fuglsangs GC is over, he can at best reach 5th, if the weather doesn't change for the worse.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re: Re:

Not necessarilly. JA never tried before and he's 27, and we knew he could climb. There is still plenty to go wrong for him as well.

So having no experience is an advantage? Well, maybe so, cycling is not always logical (no pun intended).

No, that is not what i said. You won't know if you can, before you try. It's the first time Alaphilippe really tries to go for a GC in a GT. Fuglsang already tried numerous times and failed every time to make a dent.

Though i'm still wondering if Alaphilippe's coup was premeditated or just due to circumstances. I'm also still expecting him to drop sooner or later. And if he doesn't i'm sure the clinic section of the forum will get some extra posts.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Re:

If the weather forecast holds, and the alps see rain, it can change the entire race completely.

Otherwise Fuglsangs GC is over, he can at best reach 5th, if the weather doesn't change for the worse.

Yes, at least there is evidence that Fuglsang is better in wet conditions than Alaphilippe.

 

[gregrowlerson]

A pretty good ride from Jakob yesterday; I expected a little more positivity from this thread. Limiting loses to just shy of a minute on a tough MTF, is pretty good. This would still result in him being in podium contention. The problem has been the time lost elsewhere.

 

[RedheadDane]

It just shows how many sides pro cycling - and perhaps especially stage racing - has; it's possible to simultaneously get closer to and further from the podium.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Another decent stage by Fuglsang. He is as good as he has ever been at the Tour de France. Still looking good for 7th or 8th spot, but taking his Tour history into account, he might get into trouble on one of the coming mountain stages.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re:

Another decent stage by Fuglsang. He is as good as he has ever been at the Tour de France. Still looking good for 7th or 8th spot, but taking his Tour history into account, he might get into trouble on one of the coming mountain stages.

It depends on the weather.
Yesterday and today it was very warm, which is usually when he is worst.
If the weather forecast holds for the alps, it will be cooler and wet, which will change a lot

 

[Valv.Piti]

He wont magically be a lot better in bad weather.

We have now established his level. Quite a bit lower than many expected (myself included before the race started, after Dauphine) considering the top-3 talks, but obviously very decent and enough for a top-10. As Danskebjerge said, his best level ever in this race (maybe apart from 2017 - maybe he was better, but crashed) and as he also noted, Fuglsang doesn't have a great track record in the third week.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Re:

Fuglsang doesn't have a great track record in the third week.

Exactly, and by the way, I'm still waiting for the day when his team succeeds at - well, just something. All their attempts at strategic moves have been fruitless, and none of the riders have appeared to be in good (above average) shape - even Lutsenko's optimistic ride was a little disappointing today.