Philipe Gilbert Future Tour de France Champion

[Sasquatch]

Wiggo's performance was due in large part to an accomodating Tour route, some great TTs and that Astana was soft pedaling for Lance.

Yep.

Wiggins will never finish that high in the TDF again.

Though he may have a chance this year because the climbing isn't that bad.

As to the original post. No way! Whatever drugs you are on I want some!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

A long mountain climb is a completely different type of effort then a 2km short climb..

It's quite a simple concept. Gilbert will get blown off after a few km when the climbers keep a high pace...

this.

knowing gilbert he would blast off at the base, shred the peelton. then 500m later be caught, and 3km later be 5 min behind

But no really, Gilbert is no mountain man. Sure he could improve himself in that area, at the expense of his current abilities, and become an average climber, but he wouldn't achieve the level he has as a punchy rider.

 

[boomcie]

this.

knowing gilbert he would blast off at the base, shred the peelton. then 500m later be caught, and 3km later be 5 min behind

But no really, Gilbert is no mountain man. Sure he could improve himself in that area, at the expense of his current abilities, and become an average climber, but he wouldn't achieve the level he has as a punchy rider.

Exactly, there's no point in taking the gamble. He's the best one day rider in the world at the moment and he has a very realistic chance of winning a few big one day races each year. Also mind the worlds in 2012 and 2013.

 

[climber888]

everyone just remember lance armstrong, like eddy merkxc i believe he could do it. Obviously he is gifted phsiologically and with the right teaching and traing he could have a chance. Don't rule him out

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

everyone just remember lance armstrong, like eddy merkxc i believe he could do it. Obviously he is gifted phsiologically and with the right teaching and traing he could have a chance. Don't rule him out

also remember when eddy merkxc rode, cycling was a lot less specific.

A rider simply can't be all rounder anymore. Merkxc in today's peleton wouldn't achieve what he did. Riders have their specialties, and base their career on this. Most of which conform to their natural abilities.
Gilbert knows his limits, there is a reason he is targeting the races he targets.

 

[boomcie]

everyone just remember lance armstrong, like eddy merkxc i believe he could do it. Obviously he is gifted phsiologically and with the right teaching and traing he could have a chance. Don't rule him out

Don't always agree with Merckx. He has said some crazy things in the past.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

whoops I misinterpreted what climber said
anyway I don't agree with much of what merkcx says either, he reminds me of cruijff

and yeah armstrong is not a good enough comparison. sorry.

 

[Sparta]

Alejandro Valverde

 

[Christophe]

Hey Everyone

I mean he can beat the best climbers in the world up 2km climbs with steep gradients, so why can't he beat them in the longer mountains of France.

my blog- http://goldcoastcycling.blogspot.com/

Why not Cavendish? If he can ride 60kph for 300m, why not just extend that speed for 200km?

 

[maltiv]

Why not Cavendish? If he can ride 60kph for 300m, why not just extend that speed for 200km?

I hope he can ride faster than 60 kph...if not then I'm the fastest sprinter in the world!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Don't always agree with Merckx. He has said some crazy things in the past.

Yeah, like saying Gesink can win the Tour this year. Even the Dutch Mafia doesn't believe that. Unless we succesfully elimate Andy and Sammy, and for good measurement possible threats like Basso, Evans and JvdB

 

[Havetts]

Yeah, like saying Gesink can win the Tour this year. Even the Dutch Mafia doesn't believe that.

Huh what, we dont?

But yea Merckx is capable of saying some crazy stuff .

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Huh what, we dont?

But yea Merckx is capable of saying some crazy stuff .

No our official stance is that Andy is too strong

 

[movingtarget]

Not in my lifetime. If only sprinters turned up, he may have a chance. He could never win the green jersey let alone the yellow. He can't time trial, he can't handle the mountains and I don't think he has the stamina and recovery to hold it together over three weeks but he could win Paris-Roubaix and the World Championships.

 

[The Hitch]

Hes not going to win the Tour de France, though I think he could top 10 some gt race. FW does mean something imo. It showed he can be pretty good on a climb that suits the gt climbers. The Armstrong comparison is a good one imo.

whoops I misinterpreted what climber said
anyway I don't agree with much of what merkcx says either, he reminds me of cruijff

Why do you dutchies always say Mercx is like Cruff when the obvious comparison is Pele.

Pele also makes bad predictions, like saying an African team would win the world cup by 2000.

THe key point though is that Mercx is the greatest cyclist ever. Pele is the greatest footballer ever.

Crujff is not

Yeah, like saying Gesink can win the Tour this year. Even the Dutch Mafia doesn't believe that. Unless we succesfully elimate Andy and Sammy, and for good measurement possible threats like Basso, Evans and JvdB

Wtf. Even I believe Gesink CAN win the Tour this year. Hell need about 4 people to get injured, underperform, or a break or something but he definately CAN win it.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Cruyff isn't even the best dutch football player ever imho.. but say that here and you get shot

 

[Bavarianrider]

Well if he would truly commit himself, Gilbert certainly could be´come a Top 10 GT rider. But a potential winer, i don't think so.

 

[just some guy]

The question needs to be asked again.

Why would he even want to ?

 

[boomcie]

Wtf. Even I believe Gesink CAN win the Tour this year. Hell need about 4 people to get injured, underperform, or a break or something but he definately CAN win it.

You're absolutely right, he has about the same chance that Samu has.

 

[TRDean]

He would have a better chance than Cadel Evans....but hey thats not saying much.

 

[ergmonkey]

Dario Pieri is coming out of retirement to become the future of GC riding:

 

[ergmonkey]

Pieri will be supported in the mountains primarily by fellow comeback kid, Magnus Backstedt:

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Hes not going to win the Tour de France, though I think he could top 10 some gt race. FW does mean something imo. It showed he can be pretty good on a climb that suits the gt climbers. The Armstrong comparison is a good one imo.



Why do you dutchies always say Mercx is like Cruff when the obvious comparison is Pele.

Pele also makes bad predictions, like saying an African team would win the world cup by 2000.

THe key point though is that Mercx is the greatest cyclist ever. Pele is the greatest footballer ever.

Crujff is not

comparison has nothing to do with being the greatest.
Obviously Pele was the greatest, Cruijff was a great player also.

However johan in the past has said things that make me cringe, eddy has also. Tho on a whole I like eddy more more, I can't say I like JC much. Anyway I said reminds me, doesn't have to remind you of him.

@DT; fair comment, curious as to your pick?

 

[El Pistolero]

comparison has nothing to do with being the greatest.
Obviously Pele was the greatest, Cruijff was a great player also.

However johan in the past has said things that make me cringe, eddy has also. Tho on a whole I like eddy more more, I can't say I like JC much. Anyway I said reminds me, doesn't have to remind you of him.

@DT; fair comment, curious as to your pick?

Johan Boskamp

Hey eikel, speel die bal nou!

No just kidding, but I used to see him every day when I lived in Denderleeuw as he was manager there for a while. Funny guy.

Ps: I wouldn't put it past Gilbert to win the green jersey this Tour by the way. There's 3 stages that fit him like a glove and with the new points system you can earn a lot of points at the intermediate sprints now. Gilbert can climb better than all sprinters combined thus he can potentially earn a lot of these intermediate sprints where the sprinters are already dropped. Although it seems like a waste of energy to me as I'd rather win more stages instead of wasting it for the jersey, but he can try.

 

[icefire]

Gilbert lost last year 2 minutes to JRod, Nib and Antón in the Vuelta stage to Xorret del Catí (4kms at 11%) where he was defending the red jersey. A few days before, on the way to his first stage win at Malaga he was dropped in the Cat 1 Alto del León (19kms at 5%). The possibility of watching him at the front in a mountain stage brings me memories of Jalabert's transformation winning at Lagos de Covadonga in 1994. In order to win the Tour he also needs to ITT at least like Rasmussen in 2007.