Teams & Riders Matteo Jorgenson has now outclassed his peers from the Chambery-system

[Monte Serra]

42 minute video, what's the tldw?

He provides a recap of the Tour. I think he undersells his performance a bit. "It's not like 8th in GC is gonna change anything." But he's happy that he performed well deep into the third week of a grand tour and that he did good time trials. His CdA has improved a lot at Visma.

For the Olympic road race, he thinks the Belgian squad is the team to beat. But that it will be a really hard race to control. Matteo thinks a solo rider will win the race.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He provides a recap of the Tour. I think he undersells his performance a bit. "It's not like 8th in GC is gonna change anything." But he's happy that he performed well deep into the third week of a grand tour and that he did good time trials. His CdA has improved a lot at Visma.

For the Olympic road race, he thinks the Belgian squad is the team to beat. But that it will be a really hard race to control. Matteo thinks a solo rider will win the race.

He has to laugh when the guy from CM says Van der Poel is the overwhelming favorite for the OG RR, "you really think so?".

He picks Evenepoel to finish solo. The peloton only has 90 riders, of which roughly 30 are pack fodder, teams are small so the race will be difficult to control. That also means unlike at a big classic, monument or even WCC, that positioning is far less a factor. So riders that are good at positioning, lose that advantage. The city course starts a lot closer to the finish than in the '23 WCC, the peloton will be much smaller, teams weaker/smaller. On average riders will be riding in the wind a lot more/earlier (the peloton is much smaller and a lot of the riders aren't WT level and will drop early). There are no radios. All of that screams chaos and a long hard race.

 

[Pantani_lives]

He has to laugh when the guy from CM says Van der Poel is the overwhelming favorite for the OG RR, "you really think so?".

He picks Evenepoel to finish solo.

What Jorgenson wants, is to burden the Belgian team with the favorite's role... And then win himself. Is Van Aert, Van Baarle or Laporte going to chase if he gets away?

 

[Cookster15]

Yes, I think the most likely outcome for the Olympic RR is Remco wins solo. He is going very well right now with a TdF podium and TT gold medal in his back pocket.

But Jorgenson was immense for Vingegaard at the Tour. Team strength is blunted in the Olympics so that also falls in Remco’s favour despite the depth of Belgium. Other teams won’t be able to counter Belgium.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Yes, I think the most likely outcome for the Olympic RR is Remco wins solo. He is going very well right now with a TdF podium and TT gold medal in his back pocket.

But Jorgenson was immense for Vingegaard at the Tour. Team strength is blunted in the Olympics so that also falls in Remco’s favour despite the depth of Belgium. Other teams won’t be able to counter Belgium.

Would be hilarious if Jorgenson beats Evenepoel again because he wasn’t considered a threat.

 

[Potomac]

Why does Sweden get a slot in the men's road race?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Why does Sweden get a slot in the men's road race?

They qualified by being the country with the highest placed rider at last year's WC, that wasn't among the top 45 nations in the World Ranking. I don't know what that has to do with Jorgenson though.

 

[Potomac]

They qualified by being the country with the highest placed rider at last year's WC, that wasn't among the top 45 nations in the World Ranking. I don't know what that has to do with Jorgenson though.

doh....I posted in the wrong thread.

But thank you for answering.

 

[xo 1]

Matteo's preview of the Olympic road race, with Scottish cycling punter David Hunter (Cyclingmole):

View: https://youtu.be/2O_Plpsck5k?feature=shared


It made it all the way to Sporza:

Matteo Jorgenson duwt Belgen in favorietenrol voor olympische wegrit: "Bijna gênant als ze niet winnen" | sporza

Het Belgische kwartet boezemt de concurrentie veel angst in voor de olympische wegrit. "Zelfs als het plan-Evenepoel niet lukt, hebben ze nog andere kaarten om mee te spelen", zegt de Amerikaan Matteo Jorgenson, die ook Jasper Stuyven naar voren schuift.

sporza.be

Matteo's discussion with Mitch Docker is terrific. I learned a lot about differences in teams. He comes across as such a friendly, intelligent, humble guy.

View: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6YRwOlM1tZQLdlyl0h4sCg?si=oujJQvVJRu-ae_U2yg3fBA

 

[Oldermanish]

Matteo proved how skilled and strong he can be and his upside. He took on all of the Belgians, French and former WC riders with amazing resilience. Remco was head and shoulders above everyone and Matteo couldn't do the rest alone. Great effort worth the Silver if a little luck had come his way.

 

[Sciatic]

Don’t think he had a way to beat LaPorte once their small group was chasing Remco and Maduous had gone away, but could have had bronze

 

[Oldermanish]

What Jorgenson wants, is to burden the Belgian team with the favorite's role... And then win himself. Is Van Aert, Van Baarle or Laporte going to chase if he gets away?

Van Aert surely did and didn't contribute. He was a good Belgian to Remco. Laporte rode smart.

 

[Oldermanish]

He has to laugh when the guy from CM says Van der Poel is the overwhelming favorite for the OG RR, "you really think so?".

He picks Evenepoel to finish solo. The peloton only has 90 riders, of which roughly 30 are pack fodder, teams are small so the race will be difficult to control. That also means unlike at a big classic, monument or even WCC, that positioning is far less a factor. So riders that are good at positioning, lose that advantage. The city course starts a lot closer to the finish than in the '23 WCC, the peloton will be much smaller, teams weaker/smaller. On average riders will be riding in the wind a lot more/earlier (the peloton is much smaller and a lot of the riders aren't WT level and will drop early). There are no radios. All of that screams chaos and a long hard race.

All of that turned out to be true right up to the crash that had Remco on the front side of it. The way he nuked those climbs there was scant opportunity to catch, or catch breath.

 

[Oldermanish]

Sepp won in Burgos today after crashing on two other stages. Seems in good form. Wonder if he and whomever would join Kuss at the Vuelta? If I were him maybe Worlds would be a priority?

 

[Oldermanish]

What Jorgenson wants, is to burden the Belgian team with the favorite's role... And then win himself. Is Van Aert, Van Baarle or Laporte going to chase if he gets away?

Reading his CN interview about competing within Visma as a motivating factor is important. I think that system typically rewards the best prepared riders for the event and usually brings success.
As for the ORR....yes; he did get chased by his trade teammates there. He currently enjoys the motivating environment because it brings him success. I hope he doesn't forget that Primoz also thrived; right up to the point where the same Wout left him for dead after hitting a haybale kicked into his path by a Tour crasher and, instead of helping him was instructed to tow Jonas and leave Primoz to chase.
That will happen to him on that squad, too. Arguably a good Visma race strategy but a really poor management tactic that won't be forgotten.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Still gives me the chills, Dauphiné performance. AS for GT potential i feel that when riding for Jonas he won't have such freedom, with Jonas absent then i feel that Visma might have an issue, due to every man riding for themself. When riding like that overall results are usually absent.

 

[Bolder]

Still gives me the chills, Dauphiné performance. AS for GT potential i feel that when riding for Jonas he won't have such freedom, with Jonas absent then i feel that Visma might have an issue, due to every man riding for themself. When riding like that overall results are usually absent.

The Dauphine was impressive, yes, but remember that Gee also had a breakthrough there, and got 9th at the Tour by clinging on desperately. So a podium at this year's Dauphine translated into the bottom of the Top 10 at the TdF, more than 25' behind Pog.

I think Gee and Matteo are very similar riders -- great TT, mountain grinders, generally race smart -- who can win a week long stage race but are not quite physiologically suited to podium a GT, or at least a Tour in which the big 4 guys are there.

Of course they could podium the right Vuelta and maybe Giro, but you could say that about a lot of riders.

 

[CyclistAbi]

@Bolder

When Jonas absent how to persuade riders like Wout or Sepp to work for you from the get go.

 

[Potomac]

I can't see Sepp ignoring team orders if told to work for somebody.

 

[Sciatic]

The Dauphine was impressive, yes, but remember that Gee also had a breakthrough there, and got 9th at the Tour by clinging on desperately. So a podium at this year's Dauphine translated into the bottom of the Top 10 at the TdF, more than 25' behind Pog.

I think Gee and Matteo are very similar riders -- great TT, mountain grinders, generally race smart -- who can win a week long stage race but are not quite physiologically suited to podium a GT, or at least a Tour in which the big 4 guys are there.

Of course they could podium the right Vuelta and maybe Giro, but you could say that about a lot of riders.

As a fan I’m more interested in what he can continue to do in the classics since it’s much rarer to see American riders performing at high levels in that world. Obviously there is a lot of competition on his own team, but that could work to his advantage a’ la the old Quickstep formula.