- Mar 20, 2022
- 13,336
- 18,083
- 22,180
Yeah, he is so dumb but it is good for us (fans). However, we look to MVP and he is racing this Tour as a training block so I'm sure MVP will be fresher in Glasgow.
- Jul 1, 2023
- 280
- 400
- 3,130
Agree with Flanders, but do we know if Pog will ride Flanders every year? And sure MVDP has the upper hand in Flanders, but one year the sprint was close between them. Still think the strenght of TJV helps van Aert in the classics with the positioning, pushing the pace, several cards to play, etc.
It won't matter anyway, everyone will be racing for 2nd place after Remco. Also I wouldn't say he is dumb, he ist just too much of a team player.
- Apr 15, 2014
- 4,254
- 2,341
- 18,680
I'm pretty sure he is not 'dumb'. He did maths-sciences in secondary school, and then started a bachelor in applied informatics. He stopped after 1.5 years to focus fully on cycling.
- Mar 20, 2022
- 13,336
- 18,083
- 22,180
- Sep 22, 2020
- 1,035
- 2,096
- 8,680
I don't think today. He was spent. Last year his climbing was better. He is still really strong, but all over the place.
- Jun 6, 2017
- 6,170
- 3,703
- 23,180
When he wanted, he had the freedom, so I guess the answer is obvious.
- May 3, 2010
- 4,489
- 4,574
- 21,180
- Jun 11, 2021
- 2,189
- 4,922
- 11,180
There's no team that would've gotten enough domestiques over the top, being on Jumbo was already as good as it gets for his chances.
maybe if he was fresher yesterday he would have had a better chance, other than that Jumbo has backed him.
- Feb 20, 2012
- 53,943
- 44,328
- 28,180
Jumbo were the only one with a team there.
The smart money on us really on 0 stages for now
- Mar 29, 2012
- 3,641
- 5,392
- 19,180
Stages WvA shoulda/coulda won:
Stage 1: no.
Stage 2: yes, definitely, if only Vingegaard helping out with one big pull.
Stage 3: yes, definitely, if only the jury did their work (and he kept sprinting) or simply if Philipsen didn't close the door (I saw WvA closing in).
Stage 4: not really, but JV pulling before the last 3K, when WvA was out of position, really didn't help for him to regain position. JV effectively killed WvA's efforts to get back in the first 15 riders. He was around 30th spot for most of the circuit, but still managed 10th on the stage.
Stage 5: no.
Stage 6: no.
Stage 7: he didn't try.
Stage 8: yes, definitely. He was by far the fastest / strongest.
Stage 9: yes, but with big ifs: if he rode like stage 5 or 6, and if the race dynamics were the same in the lead group (killing eachother with more than 50K to go --> he could most definitely do what Jorgenson did, but he could pull it off until the end).
Stage 10: no (but yes, with the legs he had in the last 3.5 tours, it was a perfect stage for him).
So all in all, he shoulda/coulda won 3 stages (2, 3, 8), and there was some untapped potential in stage 4 and 9.
What is still possible:
Stage 11: Yes. Not impossible with WvA's excellent positioning and a long straight finish.
Stage 12: only from a break without good climbers, or in the (unlikely) case there is a reduced peloton sprint
Stage 13: no
Stage 14: no
Stage 15: no
Stage 16: Maybe. It's a TT, but WvA's not really saving himself.
Stage 17: no.
Stage 18: yes.
Stage 19: yes.
Stage 20: no.
Stage 21: yes
So all in all, the second half of this tour delivers less chances (but still enough decent ones). Nothing is impossible, but WvA better picks his stages. I feel he is waisting a lot of energy and wasn't patient enough...
Stage 1: no.
Stage 2: yes, definitely, if only Vingegaard helping out with one big pull.
Stage 3: yes, definitely, if only the jury did their work (and he kept sprinting) or simply if Philipsen didn't close the door (I saw WvA closing in).
Stage 4: not really, but JV pulling before the last 3K, when WvA was out of position, really didn't help for him to regain position. JV effectively killed WvA's efforts to get back in the first 15 riders. He was around 30th spot for most of the circuit, but still managed 10th on the stage.
Stage 5: no.
Stage 6: no.
Stage 7: he didn't try.
Stage 8: yes, definitely. He was by far the fastest / strongest.
Stage 9: yes, but with big ifs: if he rode like stage 5 or 6, and if the race dynamics were the same in the lead group (killing eachother with more than 50K to go --> he could most definitely do what Jorgenson did, but he could pull it off until the end).
Stage 10: no (but yes, with the legs he had in the last 3.5 tours, it was a perfect stage for him).
So all in all, he shoulda/coulda won 3 stages (2, 3, 8), and there was some untapped potential in stage 4 and 9.
What is still possible:
Stage 11: Yes. Not impossible with WvA's excellent positioning and a long straight finish.
Stage 12: only from a break without good climbers, or in the (unlikely) case there is a reduced peloton sprint
Stage 13: no
Stage 14: no
Stage 15: no
Stage 16: Maybe. It's a TT, but WvA's not really saving himself.
Stage 17: no.
Stage 18: yes.
Stage 19: yes.
Stage 20: no.
Stage 21: yes
So all in all, the second half of this tour delivers less chances (but still enough decent ones). Nothing is impossible, but WvA better picks his stages. I feel he is waisting a lot of energy and wasn't patient enough...
One of his most impressive climbing performances. First he buried Pidcock and Buchmann on the shallow gradients of Ramaz. Reducing the group to 15 riders. Splits the group on the descent and paces all the way to the bottom of the last climb. But he wasn´t done.
When Majka took over I thought he exploded. Group is down to 10-12 riders. Majka is done and all of a sudden WVA is back at the front. Doing one final leadout before Kuss takes over.
Basically doing the job of 2-3 riders all by himself.
When Majka took over I thought he exploded. Group is down to 10-12 riders. Majka is done and all of a sudden WVA is back at the front. Doing one final leadout before Kuss takes over.
Basically doing the job of 2-3 riders all by himself.
It was like the phoenix. Incredible. His climbing defies physics. If he lost 5 kg he surely would be a GT contender.
- Feb 20, 2012
- 53,943
- 44,328
- 28,180
Well it would be hard to lose 5kg without losing power.
Heijboer mentioned it in his interview on LRCP. The Jumbo trainers were quite split on if he could do it. One thought he only needed to lose 3kg, while another said it was more like 6kg and doubted Van Aert could maintain his power at such a caloric deficit.
I was puzzled, yet pleased with the result. It did turn out to be correct, for the foursome to ride a little crazy on the downhill. Ultimately they needed the time that they got, before the crash made the group a threesome .if you love bike racing, today was awesome
- Feb 20, 2012
- 53,943
- 44,328
- 28,180
I don't blame van Aert for calls made by the team.
But if there's a day where Vingegaard could have used someone who pulled 7 W/kg for 3 minutes it might have been today.
But if there's a day where Vingegaard could have used someone who pulled 7 W/kg for 3 minutes it might have been today.
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