Pais Vasco Stage 6: Zalla-Zalla 24 KM (ITT)

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Great podium by Gesink and booked progress by beating Horner this time

Me happy.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Tony remains unbeaten in time trials this season

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Really concerned about his climbing though. I really hope that his improvement in TT hasn't gone at the expense of his climbing. It shouldn't have though, had he done it properly. Is there a logical explanation if it did?

Don't overdo it.

He didn't look great, but in the whole week of though Basque climbing he lost..6 seconds uphill

If you can do that in not 100% form... then you're good

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

His improvement in the TT is mainly due to a new position and the fact that he turns a bigger gear than he did before. The less than fantastic climbing is a result of not being on top form.

This.

Finally someone who's not over analyzing things and over worrying.
I do wonder though if the pre-oman training might have made him peak a little too early. And he is doing al this at base level. That would be encouraging. To be 2nd at Tirreno and 3rd at Pais Vasco at base level....

edit: what's unbelievable to me, is that Gesink only lost 9 seconds on Tony Martin in the second, flat/downhill part. Which means again he lost most of the time uphill!\

edit2:
times of GC men on the flat part

Gesink: 12,53
Kloden: 13,05
Horner: 13,07
SamSan: 13.16
Vino: 13,19
Intxausti: 13,23
Tondo: 13,26
A. Schleck: 13,40

LOL!

 

[MonteCristo]

I fail to see how Horner was stronger than Klöden.

I didn't say he was stronger than Kloden. I'm saying that as the defending champ, and in good form, he should have had the whole team working for him. There are times when a teammate is stronger than the leader, but they have a job to do: deliver the leader to the line first.

 

[El Pistolero]

I didn't say he was stronger than Kloden. I'm saying that as the defending champ, and in good form, he should have had the whole team working for him. There are times when a teammate is stronger than the leader, but they have a job to do: deliver the leader to the line first.

Klöden had better form this entire season than Horner, so it was only a logical decision to me.

 

[The Hitch]

Klöden had better form this entire season than Horner, so it was only a logical decision to me.

Only slightly thought. Theyve both been amazing. Kloeden 2nd PN 1srt PV. Horner 4th Catalunia (with a much better top 10) and 2nd here.

And i think Horner is going to be better for Ardennes.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I think I'm going to change my Tour prediction.
Forget about Andy and Alberto.

It's all about Chris, Jani, Andreas and Levi, with the amazing TT specialist Gesink as number 5

 

[ferryman]

I think I'm going to change my Tour prediction.
Forget about Andy and Alberto.

It's all about Chris, Jani, Andreas and Levi, with the amazing TT specialist Gesink as number 5

Well my local friendly bookmaker has cut Gesinks's odds massively already for TDF. That final 41KTT is probably starting to cause Andy early nightmares.

 

[Spine Concept]

Don't overdo it.

He didn't look great, but in the whole week of though Basque climbing he lost..6 seconds uphill

If you can do that in not 100% form... then you're good

How did I overdo it? It's a genuine concern. I really hope this is far from his top form, otherwise I see no progress - but regress - in his climbing in his bid for Tour success. I know he is not good on short, steep climbs, but still. Even in the Queen stage he barely hung on, getting out of the saddle several times to not lose contact with the leading group. He said himself in an interview he was going 100% there. I'm concerned, he will have to prove me wrong on the road, not in theory.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It's just my opinion. I think the concern and all the worries are a bit overdone.

I personally think it's a great sign for the Ardennes that he is not top already. And an even better sign for the TDF that he can do better results than last year in the Tirreno and Basque Country, in worse form.
And most of all I find it promosing he can gain 1 minute on Andy Schleck in a HILLY itt of 24km, where he won 40 sec on the flat part. Extrapolate that and I'm looking forward to the Tour ITT

 

[mewmewmew13]

Though I am happy for Klodis win I do have to question Radioshack. Horner went into it as the defending winner and had announced that this was one of his main goals of the year. At no time did I see him being treated as the protected leader of the team. Instead what I saw was Klodi being allowed to race his own race, almost to the point of racing *against* Horner. He never gets support nor respect from the *big boys* of the team and team management, even when he proves to be stronger than them. He will sweat and puke blood for his team leaders, but that dedication is never reciprocated. Not quite right. Just my opinion.

The same could be said about Klodi over the years. There may not have been a more loyal companion than Kloden, sweating and working for others to win. Yes, he may have always been more comfortable in this position, but it is really nice to see him get the win for himself.

Klodi deserved this win and he's been in great form!
...Horner's fine, and this is a great podium.

 

[maltiv]

It's just my opinion. I think the concern and all the worries are a bit overdone.

I personally think it's a great sign for the Ardennes that he is not top already. And an even better sign for the TDF that he can do better results than last year in the Tirreno and Basque Country, in worse form.
And most of all I find it promosing he can gain 1 minute on Andy Schleck in a HILLY itt of 24km, where he won 40 sec on the flat part. Extrapolate that and I'm looking forward to the Tour ITT

The TTs Gesink has done this year has really not been much better than what he has done earlier on short hilly TTs and in Oman he closed a gap to his competitors simply by it not being on TT bikes. I don't think he will be massively better at those windy, flat 40 km TTs than he used to be. He will probably gain some time on Andy but not enough.

 

[roundabout]

The TTs Gesink has done this year has really not been much better than what he has done earlier on short hilly TTs and in Oman he closed a gap to his competitors simply by it not being on TT bikes. I don't think he will be massively better at those windy, flat 40 km TTs than he used to be. He will probably gain some time on Andy but not enough.

It won't be flat.

It will be something like this

 

[Spine Concept]

It's just my opinion. I think the concern and all the worries are a bit overdone.

I personally think it's a great sign for the Ardennes that he is not top already. And an even better sign for the TDF that he can do better results than last year in the Tirreno and Basque Country, in worse form.
And most of all I find it promosing he can gain 1 minute on Andy Schleck in a HILLY itt of 24km, where he won 40 sec on the flat part. Extrapolate that and I'm looking forward to the Tour ITT

That's all nice and true. However, it still doesn't placate me, but whatever helps you...
I will need for him to prove it to me on the road, that's the only way. I'm not the speculative type, I'm practical like that.

 

[roundabout]

I didn't say he was stronger than Kloden. I'm saying that as the defending champ, and in good form, he should have had the whole team working for him. There are times when a teammate is stronger than the leader, but they have a job to do: deliver the leader to the line first.

You get the best out of Klöden by telling him that he's not the leader , but free to ride for himself.

 

[Moondance]

It won't be flat.

It will be something like this

That's hardly a climber's TT. Qualifies as rolling at best.

Climbing parts are from approx. km 4-9 (250m gain in 5kms, 5%) and from 20.5 to 24, which is 160m gain in 3 1/2 kms, which is shy of an average of 5%. Pretty mild stuff.

The remaining 35kms are flat(ish) or descending.

 

[roundabout]

Yes, but my point is that it's not a windy flat TT.

Although right now I don't know which should suit Gesink more.

 

[Mellow Velo]

If Gesink did lose his climbing edge while improving his trialing, he wouldn't be the first rider to do so.
The jury is out until he combines the two.
However, it is only early April, so we'll have to wait a few months to find out.
Hopefully, he will get it all together in July, as the Tour needs a third man.

 

[roundabout]

Who's the second man?

 

[The Hitch]

Who's the second man?

Contador, though i think the cities of Gallarate, Katherine and of course Oviedo will be better represented at the Tour.

 

[Spine Concept]

If Gesink did lose his climbing edge while improving his trialing, he wouldn't be the first rider to do so.
The jury is out until he combines the two.
However, it is only early April, so we'll have to wait a few months to find out.
Hopefully, he will get it all together in July, as the Tour needs a third man.

Completely Agree.

 

[theyoungest]

The TTs Gesink has done this year has really not been much better than what he has done earlier on short hilly TTs and in Oman he closed a gap to his competitors simply by it not being on TT bikes. I don't think he will be massively better at those windy, flat 40 km TTs than he used to be. He will probably gain some time on Andy but not enough.

His TT position has been changed quite drastically. So yes, he's likely to be a lot better on those windy flat TTs. The Tirreno TT was Gesink's worst nightmare, a windy flat short TT, and he got a top-10 there.

It's not on the climb that Gesink got his advantage in today's TT, it was on the descent, and on the flat.

 

[ferryman]

It's just my opinion. I think the concern and all the worries are a bit overdone.

I personally think it's a great sign for the Ardennes that he is not top already. And an even better sign for the TDF that he can do better results than last year in the Tirreno and Basque Country, in worse form.
And most of all I find it promosing he can gain 1 minute on Andy Schleck in a HILLY itt of 24km, where he won 40 sec on the flat part. Extrapolate that and I'm looking forward to the Tour ITT

Hey Dek, Electronic messaging can sometimes be a bad thing. I agree with you and that is why I said Andy might be having early nightmares. Wasn't being sarcastic. I'm actually a big Gesink fan

 

[Moondance]

Yes, but my point is that it's not a windy flat TT.

Although right now I don't know which should suit Gesink more.

All TTs suit Gesink.

I'll be making a serious judgment on Gesink's all-round progression after Liege this year. In 2008 he finished pretty high despite being subordinate to both Thomas Dekker and Freire, in 2009 he was nursing an injury and last year he was sick.

Barring a crash or the like, I'll be expecting around a 4-7th from him, which would be acceptable progress for a major classic.