Leopold Konig discussion thread

[IamIronMan]

LOL Konig is on his way to another top 10, his 3rd in 3 years. Porte had one top 10 back in 2010, and then hasn't done jack $hit since then in GT's, yet Porte is supposed to be leaps and bounds better? The next time I see Porte attack on a mountain stage will be the first. Porte did nothing but wheelsuck this whole race until he mentally quit. You guys who defend Porte must be part of the Froomedawg/Skybot posse, because all you guys sound the same. Even disrespecting members of your favorite team!

Anyway, back to Konig, he's still relatively young, and has more years to develop the racing tactics and sense needed to be a *real* contender. I expect him to progress normally as he's shown capable of doing the past few years.

BTW, by "earn your spurs at Sky" do you mean like Wiggins, Froome, and Porte, magically "transforming" themselves from pack fodder to rail-thin Watt Machines? There is NOTHING earned becoming a Sky leader.

 

[SeriousSam]

König will never win a Grand Tour. Consistent mediocrity cannot win. You simply need a higher ceiling to win, even if you are prone to inconsistency and bad days.

 

[red_flanders]

Re:

König will never win a Grand Tour. Consistent mediocrity cannot win. You simply need a higher ceiling to win, even if you are prone to inconsistency and bad days.

Point taken, but "mediocrity" is a bit harsh. He is sitting 5th in a GT. Seems to be really strong right now.

 

[Kokoso]

My point was that he adapted quiete fast at Sky contrary to guys who took much longer time to adapt. Take Froome (years), Kiry (first year totally miserable), Dombrowski, Cataldo, look at Seb Henao, he's nowhere now. It has nothing to do with how good or bad dom he was - he had bad spring what was expectable after team change and one can't blame him for that. About mediocrity - he's mediocre, but not in TTs at least. He's riding his first GT at Sky, show another rider doing so well there in his first GT. And I dare to ask - what so cocky did he say about Porte? All I can find is this:

“I’m really gutted for him because he’s been great this season and has been really consistent,” he said. “We’ve seen in the past that the guys in Sky who have won races from the beginning of the season, they won a Grand Tour as well but with Richie that’s not the case. I think he really deserved a leadership role here and deserved to be up there. He had a bit of bad luck and there’s nothing we can do now.”

That doesn't sound cocky to me. More likely he stomped some forumites exposed toes.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re:

My point was that he adapted quiete fast at Sky contrary to guys who took much longer time to adapt. Take Froome (years), Kiry (first year totally miserable), Dombrowski, Cataldo, look at Seb Henao, he's nowhere now. It has nothing to do with how good or bad dom he was - he had bad spring what was expectable after team change and one can't blame him for that. About mediocrity - he's mediocre, but not in TTs at least. He's riding his first GT at Sky, show another rider doing so well there in his first GT. And I dare to ask - what so cocky did he say about Porte? All I can find is this:

“I’m really gutted for him because he’s been great this season and has been really consistent,” he said. “We’ve seen in the past that the guys in Sky who have won races from the beginning of the season, they won a Grand Tour as well but with Richie that’s not the case. I think he really deserved a leadership role here and deserved to be up there. He had a bit of bad luck and there’s nothing we can do now.”

That doesn't sound cocky to me. More likely he stomped some forumites exposed toes.

How do you know he's integrated well into the team? This Giro he's been riding for himself most of the time and he has basically just kept his pre SKY-level from the Netapp time to sit 5th overall. The fact that he's not the usual SKY-bot indicates that SKY hasn't had much luck trying to indoctrinate him, so far.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re: Re:

König will never win a Grand Tour. Consistent mediocrity cannot win. You simply need a higher ceiling to win, even if you are prone to inconsistency and bad days.

Point taken, but "mediocrity" is a bit harsh. He is sitting 5th in a GT. Seems to be really strong right now.

Yeah, but he did just finish behind Amador, Trofimov and Kruijswijk

 

[cellardoor]

Re: Re:

König will never win a Grand Tour. Consistent mediocrity cannot win. You simply need a higher ceiling to win, even if you are prone to inconsistency and bad days.

Point taken, but "mediocrity" is a bit harsh. He is sitting 5th in a GT. Seems to be really strong right now.

Yeah, but he did just finish behind Amador, Trofimov and Kruijswijk

Contador also finished behind Trofimov so not sure he counts as someone you shouldn't finish behind

 

[HelloDolly]

Re:

My point was that he adapted quiete fast at Sky contrary to guys who took much longer time to adapt. Take Froome (years), Kiry (first year totally miserable), Dombrowski, Cataldo, look at Seb Henao, he's nowhere now. It has nothing to do with how good or bad dom he was - he had bad spring what was expectable after team change and one can't blame him for that. About mediocrity - he's mediocre, but not in TTs at least. He's riding his first GT at Sky, show another rider doing so well there in his first GT. And I dare to ask - what so cocky did he say about Porte? All I can find is this:

“I’m really gutted for him because he’s been great this season and has been really consistent,” he said. “We’ve seen in the past that the guys in Sky who have won races from the beginning of the season, they won a Grand Tour as well but with Richie that’s not the case. I think he really deserved a leadership role here and deserved to be up there. He had a bit of bad luck and there’s nothing we can do now.”

That doesn't sound cocky to me. More likely he stomped some forumites exposed toes.

Konig was interviewed live on Eurosport after the race yesterday ...

As for what I meant by earning your spurs at SKY ...I mean being willing to sacrifice yourself for your leader in races .... not seen this from Konig

I will say he is ambitious in the extreme...like last year when he said he would win the Tour de France....nothing wrong with that ...ambition is good but in of itself it is not enough

As for adapting to SKY ...I don't see what you mean....he has ridden for himself in this Giro and now as Porte is out has gotten an opportunity to lead....lady luck rather than adaption

Lets see what he does with it .....

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Re: Re:

As for what I meant by earning your spurs at SKY ...I mean being willing to sacrifice yourself for your leader in races .... not seen this from Konig

In what race exactly should he have been domming and failed to do so?

Trentino? Catalunya? Tirreno?

Seems to me he has had a different season build up than some other fella on team sky, peaking for the Giro. A top five should be realistic. What's wrong with that?

 

[HelloDolly]

Nothing wrong with a top 5...but the amount of hype he gets on here you'd think he was the second coming

As for not riding for his leader.....this Giro for one and Catalunya as well ,etc

 

[SafeBet]

Re:

Nothing wrong with a top 5...but the amount of hype he gets on here you'd think he was the second coming

What amount of hype???
His thread has 84 posts in almost one year. I'd say most forum members have never even opened it.

Carlos Betancur's thread has 1118 posts.
Wilco Kelderman's has 575.
Ilnur Zakarin's has 141.
Even Ian Stannard, Jurgen Van den Broeck and the Yates brothers have bigger personal threads than him.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Re:

Nothing wrong with a top 5...but the amount of hype he gets on here you'd think he was the second coming

As for not riding for his leader.....this Giro for one and Catalunya as well ,etc

https://youtu.be/NtTALivyRnQ?t=1995

yeah, you probably're right...

Mike Snow and King Leo never did any domduties!

 

[Jspear]

Re:

Nothing wrong with a top 5...but the amount of hype he gets on here you'd think he was the second coming

As for not riding for his leader.....this Giro for one and Catalunya as well ,etc

Let's pretend for a second that Konig actually has done no domestique duties at this Giro...that wouldn't even matter since he came in as a back up GC guy. Obviously he did support Porte some; I'm sure Sky are glad he didn't spend to much energy helping Porte.

 

[Jancouver]

Re: Re:

Yeah, but he did just finish behind Amador, Trofimov and Kruijswijk

There was some info that Leo had some unspecified knee injury the day before the last stage and they were not even sure if he will be able to continue.

Anyway, I know that does not mean that if he wasn't injured that he would finish with or before the guys you mentioned but it could have some meaning.

As per Leo not working for Porte, well, Astana has been drilling the front every stage but I do recall Leo being on the front and doing some work chasing in one of the previous stages when Porte was still in contention.

That being said, Leo was always the official/unofficial co-leader so I'm not exactly sure what unfulfilled domestique duties were expected from some of the posters.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

 

[movingtarget]

He has done well. Sky would be happy with his performance and he is still young. I see nothing to criticize him for. I hope he holds it together.

 

[TomasC]

Dave Brailsford offered him Richie's motorhome but Leo refused. Dodged the camper curse.

 

[del1962]

Konig when needed did do domestique duties for Porte pulling the group when Landa wa up the road.

 

[SeriousSam]

Mediocre ride, plus a time penalty. Top 10 is probably his ceiling in GTs, won't break into the top 5.

 

[DBotero]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/giro-ditalia-knig-and-van-den-broeck-fined-for-holding-onto-car

Lucky guy,he's still in the race.Francesco Reda wasn't so lucky some days ago.Froome has been disqualified in Giro 2010 on the stage to Aprica.So next year we should expect Konig challenging for the GT wins

 

[Kokoso]

Lolz...König amognst others penalized for holding team car, Aru did this at least twice in front of camera and no penalization

 

[HelloDolly]

What I don't like is the inconsistencies in penalties ....Soem riders are 'lucky' and soem are thrown off the race and some get massive penalties (i.e. Richie Porte)...UCI NO!!!!!!!!

 

[TomasC]

In an interview today Leo said: "In all modesty, I think I probably am one of the three best descenders in the pack."
Okay, then prove it tomorrow and we will applaud you.

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

In an interview today Leo said: "In all modesty, I think I probably am one of the three best descenders in the pack."
Okay, then prove it tomorrow and we will applaud you.

he's been all the talk with less to show. He should let his leg do the talking and shut up

 

[Vino's Mum]

Re:

In an interview today Leo said: "In all modesty, I think I probably am one of the three best descenders in the pack."
Okay, then prove it tomorrow and we will applaud you.

As I mentioned earlier this week, he's a great descender. Remember the stage from last year's TDF into Bagnères-de-Luchon?

Leo must've been over a minute down on Nibali's group over Port de Balès...

...and he caught them on his own just before the line.