John Degenkolb Discussion Thread

[macnir]

5th MSR, 6th E3, 1 stage in Poland's rainstorm, 5x stage in vuelta, and 4th in Worlds RR. Dege's 2012 season is more than satisfactory. I believe now he worths his own discussion thread in this sacred forum after a series of stellar performance.

He was overshadowed by Kittel at the start of this season but he told everyone who's the boss. He's a superb sprinter who can cover hills and has some great potential in northern classics.

Now he'll enter his 3rd year as a pro with several uncertainties.

Team: Will Argos-Shimano turn PT next year? A better team is needed. His contract expires at 2013 right? Then he will be coveted by many big teams. Team selection can decide his future.
TdF ambition: Dege is aiming at TdF next year, clashing with Kittel's plan. A new Cavendish-Greipel saga?
Type: He shouldn't waste his classic talent on cobbles and hills. That's not easy but we might see a new Boonen in the future.

so what's your idea about this guy?

 

[taiwan]

...He shouldn't waste his talent on cobbles and hills.

Disagree. Rather see him in the classics than simply collecting GT stages.

 

[Bavarianrider]

5th MSR, 6th E3, 1 stage in Poland's rainstorm, 5x stage in vuelta, and 4th in Worlds RR. Dege's 2012 season is more than satisfactory. I believe now he worths his own discussion thread in this sacred forum after a series of stellar performance.

He was overshadowed by Kittel at the start of this season but he told everyone who's the boss. He's a superb sprinter who can cover hills and has some great potential in northern classics.

Now he'll enter his 3rd year as a pro with several uncertainties.

Team: Will Argos-Shimano turn PT next year? A better team is needed. His contract expires at 2013 right? Then he will be coveted by many big teams. Team selection can decide his future.
TdF ambition: Dege is aiming at TdF next year, clashing with Kittel's plan. A new Cavendish-Greipel saga?
Type: He shouldn't waste his talent on cobbles and hills. That's not easy but we might see a new Boonen in the future.

so what's your idea about this guy?

Don't see any clash with Kittel. Kittel as a pure sprinter while Degenkolb isn't. They are not riding against each other in my opinion. Kittel for Pancake flat pure sprint stages. Degenkolb for Classic Type sprint stages. Perfect combination.

 

[macnir]

Disagree. Rather see him in the classics than simply collecting GT stages.

I meant he should use his classic talents. sorry for ambiguity

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Argos looks pretty much certain for WT status I think?

 

[macnir]

Don't see any clash with Kittel. Kittel as a pure sprinter while Degenkolb isn't. They are not riding against each other in my opinion. Kittel for Pancake flat pure sprint stages. Degenkolb for Classic Type sprint stages. Perfect combination.

I'm afraid Degenkolb wants both. He was all talking about co-leading with Kittel before vuelta, but in Madrid he wanted "100% team support" next year.

Given that Peter Sagan’s impressive track record in the Vuelta 2011 - three stage wins - was followed up by an even more impressive Tour de France in 2012, it was almost obligatory to ask the German if he aimed to follow suit and ride La Grande Boucle next July.

“Of course I want to go there,” Degenkolb said. “I’ve got the momentum going now, and I want to use that and make the next step if I can. There are always things you can do better, and with the team supporting me 100 percent like they do, I’ll make the next step next year for sure.”

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/high-five-for-degenkolb-in-madrid

 

[the asian]

Pleasantly surprised by his performance. Thought the course would be too hard for him.

Should concentrate on the classics. Has a very good chance of winning MSR, Ronde and PR and becoming WC in the future.

Battles with Sagan in Ronde/MSR could be good ones.

 

[the asian]

Argos looks pretty much certain for WT status I think?

Will they apply?
Shimano has been pretty reluctant to step up to WT level.

 

[Lanark]

The new Erik Zabel (although I though the same about Ciolek once as well ). He'll be a major contender in Paris-Tours if he extends his season with two weeks.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Can keep his sprint after some hard racing. Looks like Peter Sagan might not have it his own way after all in the selective sprint category.

At first it looked like he thought he had won PR but I think he was genuinely happy to get second and on the podium. He certainly looked made up after the race.

What chance he can get a points jersey at one of the GTs?

 

[SafeBet]

At first it looked like he thought he had won PR but I think he was genuinely happy to get second and on the podium. He certainly looked made up after the race.

He was asked about this in the post race interview by RAI but couldn't fully understand the question (not his fault, De Stefano's english is rather weak).
By my understanding, he was simply very happy for his second place.


Great classic campaign for him.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Spectacular rider. Not that I'm surprised by his recent perfomances though. Such a shame he had a flat in MSR, he could definitely have challenged Kristoff.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Not surprised by his PR performance. Already thought in Flanders "if this wasn't a hill, he'd be following.."

And yesterday he showed that indeed, he can follow the best on flat cobbles. And if he gets a bit stronger, he could follow the best in RVV as well. Could be a major problem for Sagan and Vanmarcke in the future of cobbled campaigns...

 

[Kwibus]

Last year he and most people allready thought he would contend, but he had a dissapointing cobbles season. Allthough he had not shown before he was actually good at it.

This year he has shown he indeed is a contender on the cobbles. Great season for him so far and we will be seeing him a lot more the coming years. He made a big step.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

What chance he can get a points jersey at one of the GTs?

He might have taken already one:

http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=22139

And I can't remember any GT in recent time where a rider with five stage wins couldn't win the points classification. That was a really balanced race...

 

[Netserk]

He might have taken already one:

http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=22139

And I can't remember any GT in recent time where a rider with five stage wins couldn't win the points classification. That was a really balanced race...

Cav managed to win 6 stages (and go for the jersey) yet lose to a rider who only won a single stage.

edit: also weird if you think 1-1-1-1-1-5-7-32 should give more points than 1-1-2-2-3-3-3-4-5-6-6-10-11-18.

 

[jsem94]

Potential winner in MSR, RVV and PR. To do well in RVV, he needs to get better on the bergs, but it might happen in a few years time.

 

[Jspear]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/degenkolb-begins-tour-build-up-at-frankfurt

Degenkolb's upcoming races....I'm glad to see he'll be in California...hoping to see him and Sagan dishing it out in the hillier stages.

 

[thequestionmark]

What chance he can get a points jersey at one of the GTs?

His main focus at the moment is the tour. On the flat stages he's doing the leadout for Kittel and not even the last man (imo a wise decision). Even without Kittel he wouldn't win pancake flat stages. The best sprinters will always be present at the tour.
He has already dominated the vuelta sprints in 2012 but was only fourth in the points classification. It will be very hard for him to improve there. In fact over the last 20 years only GC riders have won it.
That leaves us the Giro. The problem is again that he can't win sprints against Cavendish. Moreover, he'd have to ride it till the end which would destroy his tour form. He might still win the Giro points classification someday but I don't see it as his main target.

What I expect much more, is his first Tour stage victory. He'd then be in the club of those riders who've won stages at all grand tours.

 

[Jspear]

His main focus at the moment is the tour. On the flat stages he's doing the leadout for Kittel and not even the last man (imo a wise decision). Even without Kittel he wouldn't win pancake flat stages. The best sprinters will always be present at the tour.
He has already dominated the vuelta sprints in 2012 but was only fourth in the points classification. It will be very hard for him to improve there. In fact over the last 20 years only GC riders have won it.
That leaves us the Giro. The problem is again that he can't win sprints against Cavendish. Moreover, he'd have to ride it till the end which would destroy his tour form. He might still win the Giro points classification someday but I don't see it as his main target.

What I expect much more, is his first Tour stage victory. He'd then be in the club of those riders who've won stages at all grand tours.

I think that he can definitely win a stage this year at the Tour. He has shown great spring form, and If he recovers well and has a good build up to the tour, I think he'll be great to watch. I think he'll be a big contender in the "strong man" stages.

 

[Gloin22]

Can't beat Cav and Greipel? Yes he can, or will in a year or so.

Both Greipel and Cav are loosing speed with age, can't see them dominating anymore in a year or so.

And from young sprinters, he's still one of the quickest.

Your statement about Vuelta and points jersey is wrong btw. From 2002 till 2010 the points jersey was won be sprinters.

 

[thequestionmark]

Thanks for correcting me on the vuelta points classification. Looked up the combination winners.

Cavendish is'nt yet 29 years old. He will hold his sprinting level for another 4 or 5 years. By that time there might be a new pure sprinter.Degenkolb doesn't look like a pure sprinter. Not tall enough and not enough muscle weight.