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Kasper "The Watt Monster" Asgreen

He is in his first full season of the world tour, having stepped up from continental (not pro-conti) level, just over a year ago.

What have we learned so far?

He can ride cobbles
He can climb
He can sprint
He can TT
He can win races
He can win jerseys

I wonder where the limit is, probably in the really big mountains, but that's what we all said of Dumoulin, initially ;)
 
For some reason i thought he already had a topic (which he doesn't).

Anyway, great season for him. Funny thing is, Paris Roubaix, the race people thought would suit him best, was actually one of his least impressive rides. He might have been the strongest in Ronde v Vlaanderen (or at least on par with van der Poel and Bettiol), he was amazing in California, now two great ITT's. I see some simularities with van Aert actually. Judging by California, he probably climbs a bit better, and judging by van Aert's latest ITT's, he's probably (or might be) a bit better at that. But otherwise, i think they have a lot of similar strengths and weaknesses. Both the same age and both riding their first season for a WT team, making a big impact.
 
Just won the national TT championships, 2 days after getting selected to his first TdF, so thought he deserved a thread :)

Btw, here is a fun quote from Brian Holm (DQ DS) after todays national TT championships:

"To ride TdF in his 2nd season as a pro, on a relatively big team like DQ, shows he has made some good results this year. It's not like we have selected him because he is a nice guy. It's because he has been riding well for the team. He has this understanding of racing, where he does things before we (the DS's) tell him to, he has been that way from day 1."

"When something is said on the radio, the colombians never understand jack sh*t, and then Asgreen takes the reins and does their job. When I then (later) ask him why he did the job, he just says that the colombians - or where ever they are from - were not doing it. - In that way, he has an excellent understanding of racing dynamics, and picks up the slack when someone else fails. And he is not afraid to sacrifice himself, we saw that at the Swiss Tour, where he was in yellow and still pulled the peloton, and didn't care if it cost him the jersey. - That's being a great professional:".

(Mind you, Hodeg is the only colombian in the DQ squad, so there is that :D)
 
Generally speaking, the classics riders are often the least one-dimensional. Naesen, Van Baarle, Benoot and Asgreen. Lots of riders have surprised me this year by being able to both climb, sprint and ride the classics.

He could be useful for QS as a dom in the medium mountains and start of the mountain stages. They don't have any real climbers other than Mas so he has to fulfill that role. Someone like Cancellara usually did that in the Grand Tours.
 
Re:

Dekker_Tifosi said:
only danger for him is that he becomes a jack of all trades and not enough of a winner. But considering how good he actually is at ALL different aspects, I think even that danger is low.
Yeah, he's still young as well. But like i said, i think you can best compare him to van Aert in that regard. A few months ago, after his impressive classics season, without winning anything, people thought van Aert might be a jack of all trades as well. Eventhough Asgreen seems to climb better. There will always be chances for riders like him. It's enough for him to start winning a few uphill sprints to start focussing on that more. Or winning a few ITT's and focussing on that. Or cobbled races... or... But he doesn't have to (i think) or at least not yet. The only danger would be if Quickstep would start using him as a "super-dom" exclusively, in function of Mas, Viviani, Alaphilippe... but i assume they are smart enough to see his potential.
 
Re: Re:

Logic-is-your-friend said:
Broccolidwarf said:
Just won the national TT championships, 2 days after getting selected to his first TdF, so thought he deserved a thread :)
To be clear, i completely agree he deserved a thread. And i also knew he became national ITT champ.

I think he has more potential than Politt & Bettiol.

Don't worry bud, it wasn't directed at you (why I didn't quote you), I was merely adding content to the thread :)
 
Not only did he want to study physics at university level if he hadn't become a bike rider, he also has a past in the very non-cycling sport of equestrian dressage which he did for 7-8 years when he was a kid.

So he really should have good bike-handling skills!
 
Asgreen got out of hospital.

He's cracked a tooth and has various cuts and bruises on his head, but nothing broken.

He does have a headache though, so they will see tomorrow if he is going to start or not.

Apparently he was soft pedalling to the finish in a larger group, and got a bidon from the car he didn't need, so he put it in his mouth, and threw an empty one to the crowd. - When he then looked down to put the bidon from his mouth in the holder, he went straight into a traffic island he didn't see, went over the handlebars and slammed his head into a sign.
 
Re:

Broccolidwarf said:
Asgreen got out of hospital.

He's cracked a tooth and has various cuts and bruises on his head, but nothing broken.

He does have a headache though, so they will see tomorrow if he is going to start or not.

Apparently he was soft pedalling to the finish in a larger group, and got a bidon from the car he didn't need, so he put it in his mouth, and threw an empty one to the crowd. - When he then looked down to put the bidon from his mouth in the holder, he went straight into a traffic island he didn't see, went over the handlebars and slammed his head into a sign.

Makes you shake your head doesnt it. Bad luck but also makes me wonder if a lack of experience is a contributor?
 
This guy got some brilliant lines:

(I'm paraphrasing here)

*Being interviewed before the stage*

Question: And you don't have too much of a concussion?
KA: I don't have any concussion!

*Being interviewed after the stage*

Question: Were you worried about getting onto a bike you broke yesterday?
KA: I got a new.

I mean… I know those mechanics are good, but they'd be hard pressed fixing what was left of his bike yesterday!
 
Big talent. Very versatile and rides strong in support of team objectives but has the killer instinct to seize the opportunity for himself when it presents itself.

With Gilbert leaving he is definitely ready to move up the food chain in the DQS cobbled classics squad.
 

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