Kevin De Weert

[Armchair Cyclist]

No profile in terms of any classic or one week tour, no result of any note in his palmares, never in the top 400 riders for a completed season in CQ, no UCI ranking points earned other than for TdF, but top 20 in the Tour two years running.



What's the story?

 

[LaFleur]

He's nothing special I would say, lost about 24 minutes last year and 16 minutes this year, nothing special. Wheelsucked the whole tour and never made it to the end of the mountains with the big boys. Tried one break, but that was it. The last time and only time I saw him.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He's nothing special I would say, lost about 24 minutes last year and 16 minutes this year, nothing special. Wheelsucked the whole tour and never made it to the end of the mountains with the big boys. Tried one break, but that was it. The last time and only time I saw him.

Wheelsucked? Hardly. He rides his own pace. If they ride slower than him, he will make a gap (Luz Ardiden), if they ride faster, he will drop and finish not far behind. He needs a steady pace, can't cope with tempo changes. Just because he's rarely on the front row, doesn't mean he sucks wheel.

De Weert was heralded as a great talent as a youth. At Rabobank they actually believed he could win the TDF one day. He got sidetracked and ended up as a domestique, but i believe two years ago due to circumstances he did good at the Vuelta and last year again in the TDF. This year was the first time he was free to ride his own race and set his own preparation for the TDF. I actually thought he'd be able to enter the top 10 this year. More than that i don't think he's capable of. He's also 29 already i believe.

He had a bad day in Gap, lost over 3 minutes and tried to go in a break (with Hoogerland and Roche) the next day to make up for the loss. De Weert did the entire climb (no wheelsucking there for sure) and they came within 55 seconds of the leaders (with Boason Hagen) but never caught them. In the valley their 4 minute lead on the peloton disappeared and De Weert finished with a mere 30 seconds in front of the favorites. This was a rather big effort for little return. A bad move in the end because he would continue to lose places the days after. Before Gap he was placed 10th.

 

[luckyboy]

Yeah I remember him doing well in the Vuelta. And obviously these Tours, not heard much outside of these results though.

 

[roundabout]

He is pretty consistent so that helps in getting top-20s. Not sure about a 'great talent' but he was pretty good before turning pro.

 

[Tank Engine]

I seem to remember him in a break in the Pyrenees last year which included Geraint. He looked the most uncomfortable in there, but was the last one to be caught. Not stylish, but effective.

 

[greenedge]

A bigger team should hire him to ride for them as a domestique, rather than him chasing a top 20 GC position

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

A bigger team should hire him to ride for them as a domestique, rather than him chasing a top 20 GC position

He WAS a domestique. This TDF was the first and only time he was allowed to train, prepare and ride for his own account. And he won't be chasing top 20's, he'd be chasing top 10's. Whether he can get those remains to be seen. On the other hand, if you can finish 13th in the tour, you can certainly do a top 10 in the Vuelta.

Quickstep is also looking for a new GC rider (top 5). Chances are De Weert will need to ride for him. He already said in an interview yesterday that he wouldn't mind riding for someone else if he is better than him, and understands the team if they want to attract a top GC rider.

 

[Tuarts]

I question why people are cycling fans when they have the asinine mentality that comes with insulting cyclists by using the 'W' word. Go watch lawn bowls if you cant understand and follow the sport.

 

[movingtarget]

I question why people are cycling fans when they have the asinine mentality that comes with insulting cyclists by using the 'W' word. Go watch lawn bowls if you cant understand and follow the sport.

I am not sure which is worse. The W word or the D word. I thought he rode quite well without threatening to break into the top echelon. I think he still has improvement in him for the future.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

No profile in terms of any classic or one week tour, no result of any note in his palmares, never in the top 400 riders for a completed season in CQ, no UCI ranking points earned other than for TdF, but top 20 in the Tour two years running.



What's the story?

was one of the biggest u23 talents worldwide, but think he already lived to much as a pro at young age. rode by rabo u23

 

[sublimit]

Cool, A Belgian version of Levi.

 

[El Pistolero]

Cool, A Belgian version of Levi.

Only not as good and not as much of a wheelsucker. Oh, and can't time trial if his life depended on it.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

not anymore indeed. but he used to be good time trialist. seems to only focus on climbing now

 

[theyoungest]

rode by rabo u23

You certainly do know how to rape the English language.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

So a Belgian Nick Roche basically? But without the lineage (or the cousin, or the mildly diverting occasional column in the Irish Independent, or the additional hype from Paul & Phil on account of being an Anglophone, or the team with lots of decent climbers).

 

[El Pistolero]

So a Belgian Nick Roche basically? But without the lineage (or the cousin, or the mildly diverting occasional column in the Irish Independent, or the additional hype from Paul & Phil on account of being an Anglophone, or the team with lots of decent climbers).

That's a better comparison.