Purito - Joaquim Rodriguez thread

[Netserk]

If I'm not mistaken there is a very steep short climb in the end of stage 2.

At the end or 5km out?

 

[johnymax]

Does it make a difference? He can solo. lol

I think it's closer to the finish but I might be wrong.

 

[Netserk]

Can (strength wise)? Yes. Will? No way.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I give J-Rod 80% chance of making the tour this year now.

He might go for TdS and see if he can hit form in time.

 

[Netserk]

Doing the Tour now is the most stupid decision he can possibly make. He can be good, but he won't be at his absolute best, and he would waste his biggest chance to win the Vuelta.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Doing the Tour now is the most stupid decision he can possibly make. He can be good, but he won't be at his absolute best, and he would waste his biggest chance to win the Vuelta.

Nah, he can still be at his best. J-Rod is a 80 day/year rider and competitive pretty much over the distance.

Only question is the severity of the broken/fractured ribs and of course the kind of team Katusha can bring to the tour.

I expect the next week will give us an indication of the plan.

 

[Walkman]

Nah, he can still be at his best. J-Rod is a 80 day/year rider and competitive pretty much over the distance.

Only question is the severity of the broken/fractured ribs and of course the kind of team Katusha can bring to the tour.

I expect the next week will give us an indication of the plan.

It would not matter if he was a 200 day/year rider.

You need to put some serious effort into improving your form when you have had so much bad luck as J-Rod has had. First he needs to rest and recover, both from his wounds caused by the Ardennes crash and also the wounds caused by the crash in in the Giro.

Then he needs to start doing some heavy lifting to get back on track. And after that, you need time to recover from all the hard training and start getting in top shape. And there is just no enough time to do all that before the Tour imho.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

It would not matter if he was a 200 day/year rider.

You need to put some serious effort into improving your form when you have had so much bad luck as J-Rod has had. First he needs to rest and recover, both from his wounds caused by the Ardennes crash and also the wounds caused by the crash in in the Giro.

Then he needs to start doing some heavy lifting to get back on track. And after that, you need time to recover from all the hard training and start getting in top shape. And there is just no enough time to do all that before the Tour imho.

I don't agree. It matters a great deal. It indicates a certain baseline form. Contrast with riders operating with narrow peaks.

Valverde is another rider I can think of who might be able to come back in similar circumstances.

I still give it 80% chance he will be at the tour. Note I still don't think he can beat Froome in top form regardless of the Spaniard's form.

Anyway we shall see.

 

[gunara]

I support the idea him riding the Vuelta only, where he has the chance to be unstoppable, just like Contador and Horner in the last two years, beating everyone by being by far the freshest contender.

The only important thing he's left to do is winning grand tour, and maybe he can do it by not being everywhere and save it for the Vuelta once again in his career, it's always the most realistic grand tour for him anyway, and now that he gets the reason and the chance to focus on it.

 

[Arredondo]

Doing the Tour now is the most stupid decision he can possibly make. He can be good, but he won't be at his absolute best, and he would waste his biggest chance to win the Vuelta.

I agree most of it. But if he's able to ride the Tour (i don't see it happen), then he doesn't have to race for GC. Why not hunting for stages those three weeks? And targeting something like the mountains jersey? It would be cool to see him wearing that jersey. I opt for this strategy. Just to find joy again on the bike, and not getting that stress again of riding always in front etc.

He has a chance to win the Vuelta, but with the presence of Quintana, he can lose him just as much as he can win it.

 

[Pentacycle]

I don't agree. It matters a great deal. It indicates a certain baseline form. Contrast with riders operating with narrow peaks.

Valverde is another rider I can think of who might be able to come back in similar circumstances.

I still give it 80% chance he will be at the tour. Note I still don't think he can beat Froome in top form regardless of the Spaniard's form.

Anyway we shall see.

That baseline form is kept by training and racing sufficiently throughout the season, not when you're injured for at least a month.

Purito will only be able to train at full capacity in a few weeks, and he's already had troubles with his ribs for almost a month.

There is no way he can reach a competitive level in le Tour. Dan Martin has the same problem.

 

[Arredondo]

Purito is home btw, he's already optimistic on this picture

 

[Netserk]

I agree most of it. But if he's able to ride the Tour (i don't see it happen), then he doesn't have to race for GC. Why not hunting for stages those three weeks? And targeting something like the mountains jersey? It would be cool to see him wearing that jersey. I opt for this strategy. Just to find joy again on the bike, and not getting that stress again of riding always in front etc.

He has a chance to win the Vuelta, but with the presence of Quintana, he can lose him just as much as he can win it.

He already won a stage in 2010, so the only thing he could gain would be KOM (I doubt it) and another stage win. Not worth it imo. Being fresh is so important for the Vuelta. If he can get in top form for the Vuelta (and not ride the Tour) I think he could beat Quintana in the GC there. Quintana would have the Giro in his legs and he would ride with Valverde in the Vuelta, who I doubt would let Quintana be sole captain.

 

[Arredondo]

He already won a stage in 2010, so the only thing he could gain would be KOM (I doubt it) and another stage win. Not worth it imo. Being fresh is so important for the Vuelta. If he can get in top form for the Vuelta (and not ride the Tour) I think he could beat Quintana in the GC there. Quintana would have the Giro in his legs and he would ride with Valverde in the Vuelta, who I doubt would let Quintana be sole captain.

It's the best decision they can make indeed. And most likely it's even better to not ride the Tour, in order to be 100% fit for the remainder of the season. You never know if the injuries return after such a long period of recovering, especially because he will not be able to ride any races before the Tour.

 

[elfed68]

Sorry to hear of Purito's injury and withdrawal from the Giro, if there's any rider who deserves a GC win it's him.

Hope he has a speedy recovery and return to form.

 

[Arredondo]

Andrew Hood ‏@EuroHoody 1 u
Katusha GM Ekimov confirmed Joaquim Rodriguez returned to training on bike; decision on TdF "soon" in coming days

In my heart i don't hope he will ride it.

 

[hfer07]

Andrew Hood ‏@EuroHoody 1 u
Katusha GM Ekimov confirmed Joaquim Rodriguez returned to training on bike; decision on TdF "soon" in coming days

In my heart i don't hope he will ride it.

Indeed- greater chances to win La Vuelta than making a top 10. He can well prepare properly during this time looking ahead to the World's too...

 

[therealtimshady]

I hope he does - some of the stages are made for him

 

[Netserk]

Would be hilarious if he does the Tour. Then he'll at best win Lombardia, or even better, nothing

 

[Afrank]

If he rides the Tour, I hope he rides it purely for stage wins and to improve his form. Purito handles lots of race days well. So he could use it to get in some race days and into form for the Vuelta, maybe even target the KOM.

Vuelta should be his main goal.

 

[therealtimshady]

Emimov says "likely Rodriguez will ride the tour"

http://velonews.competitor.com/2014...-tour-return-to-prepare-for-vuelta-run_330840

 

[christopherrowe]

Emimov says "likely Rodriguez will ride the tour"

As preparation for the Vuelta and possibly stage-hunting, it says. Kind of a bittersweet quality to his comments, eh? I hope he goes well at the Vuelta and at Worlds.

I have to say, the more I read about this year's edition of the Tour de France, the more I get excited for the Vuelta a Espana.

 

[Jspear]

I really hope he doesn't dig to deep in the Tour. He won't get as high in the gc as last year, and that would hinder his chances for overall at the Vuelta. Sadly I think he will go another year without getting a GT win. His age, bad luck, and super strong competition is getting in his way. I personally think his best chance for a "super" good result this year is the worlds rr. I'll definitely be cheering for him there.

 

[Arredondo]

No

How much i love to see him ride like he did before 2011, i rather want to see him ride Tour of Pologne and Burgos, and then shine at the Vuelta.

 

[PirazziAttacksVino]

I don't see him going to the Tour and not diggind too deep a problem. Going for a stage or two and maybe for the polka dot would be nice.