Rabobus

[theyoungest]

at least they showed good spirit and worked hard, that's all that matters /rabobank website

Yeah, reading that website you sometimes forget that it's professionals we're talking about here. Get your act together, or go, mister Maassen.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

you get the feeling you are following the E pupils of a local soccer team.

 

[dlwssonic]

Why are you guys saying rabobank are doing badly... Dont they always perform around this level. Which is really not that bad.
Maybe the thing that makes them look like fools to some people is that they always chase after the break and dont win or miss on a very important break and start chasing too late.

 

[hrotha]

Why are you guys saying rabobank are doing badly... Dont they always perform around this level.

12. Rabobank - 1441

5. Rabobank - 8738

5. Rabobank - 8617

So no, I wouldn't say they always perform around this level.

 

[dlwssonic]

So no, I wouldn't say they always perform around this level.

oh ok my bad... But they were still called the rabobus in 2011. The problem is their good riders are not really doing well. A bit like BMC, but BMC has backup riders.

 

[classicomano]

Rabobus in disarray!!??

 

[dlwssonic]

Rabobus in disarray!!??

Im sure rabo will improve through the season with matthews, a better breschel and gesink.

 

[theyoungest]

Why are you guys saying rabobank are doing badly... Dont they always perform around this level. Which is really not that bad.
Maybe the thing that makes them look like fools to some people is that they always chase after the break and dont win or miss on a very important break and start chasing too late.

In recent years they won the Giro, podiumed the Tour, won Milan-San Remo. Last year around this time they had already podiumed in Tirreno, Pais Vasco, Roubaix, top-5 in Flanders, won the Omloop and had about 10 wins in total.

This season: zilch.

 

[dlwssonic]

In recent years they won the Giro, podiumed the Tour, won Milan-San Remo. Last year around this time they had already podiumed in Tirreno, Pais Vasco, Roubaix, top-5 in Flanders, won the Omloop and had about 10 wins in total.

This season: zilch.

thought they had some wins this season? well they had riders like menchov and freire. gesink was also doing great and they had langeveld.
Cant believe rabo let go of their greatest classic hope!

 

[hrotha]

oh ok my bad... But they were still called the rabobus in 2011. The problem is their good riders are not really doing well. A bit like BMC, but BMC has backup riders.

Looooooooool

 

[theyoungest]

oh ok my bad... But they were still called the rabobus in 2011. The problem is their good riders are not really doing well. A bit like BMC, but BMC has backup riders.

What backup riders? Rabobank only has backup riders, and frankly most of them are better than BMC's.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Why are you guys saying rabobank are doing badly... Dont they always perform around this level. Which is really not that bad.
Maybe the thing that makes them look like fools to some people is that they always chase after the break and dont win or miss on a very important break and start chasing too late.

How about no?

Rabobank have structurally been one of the best 5 teams of the last 10 years. Usually top 5 / top 3 in CQ rankings.
Last year, at this point in time, they had a couple of nice wins under their belt (among others Omloop het Nieuwsblad).
And they finished 5th in Flanders with Langeveld and 3rd in Roubaix with Tjallingii. They also had Gesink as 2nd in the Tirreno and 3rd in Basque Country

As things stand now, there is no way of repeating that (Flanders already worse with Breschel in 9th).
And I don't think any of Rabo rider going to finish 3rd in Basque this year.

They are doing extremely bad compared to the last 10 years so far

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Why are you guys saying rabobank are doing badly... Dont they always perform around this level. Which is really not that bad.
Maybe the thing that makes them look like fools to some people is that they always chase after the break and dont win or miss on a very important break and start chasing too late.

Are you from germany?

 

[dlwssonic]

Are you from germany?

Im from South east asia, not even close haha.

 

[dlwssonic]

What backup riders? Rabobank only has backup riders, and frankly most of them are better than BMC's.

I meant when their leaders are not going well at least BMC have other people that can step up. Like gilbert is not doing well, but BMC still have Ballan,GVA for the cobbles and evans for the hilly classics. And hushovd not going great too, they still have Ballan. When breschel or gesink are not doing, rabo don't really have anyone to step up.

 

[El Pistolero]

They had a great start of the season last year, but after that they were crap as well.

 

[dlwssonic]

How about no?

Rabobank have structurally been one of the best 5 teams of the last 10 years. Usually top 5 / top 3 in CQ rankings.
Last year, at this point in time, they had a couple of nice wins under their belt (among others Omloop het Nieuwsblad).
And they finished 5th in Flanders with Langeveld and 3rd in Roubaix with Tjallingii. They also had Gesink as 2nd in the Tirreno and 3rd in Basque Country

As things stand now, there is no way of repeating that (Flanders already worse with Breschel in 9th).
And I don't think any of Rabo rider going to finish 3rd in Basque this year.

They are doing extremely bad compared to the last 10 years so far

Well rabo have been pretty unlucky. Gesink and Breschel have been injured for pretty long and still are struggling to find their previous form. And they let go of langeveld!

Without them they really do not have many others. Maybe they expected LLS to step up as a leader but he is really more of a breakaway guy.

 

[dlwssonic]

1st Clásica de Almería, Michael Matthews
1st Stage 6 Paris–Nice, Luis León Sánchez
1st Stage 1 Ronde van Drenthe, Theo Bos

yeah they were doing ok after PN.

 

[Spine Concept]

oh ok my bad... But they were still called the rabobus in 2011. The problem is their good riders are not really doing well. A bit like BMC, but BMC has backup riders.

So what? That does not automatically mean that they did not get better results than this year, rabobus is essentially a running gag. Unless you started following cycling this year...

------------------------------------

Anyway, seems like Boom will not be ready for P-R either. Though the rabobank camp and himself would like you to believe otherwise. He didn't finish the Tour of Flanders and has been feeling the after-effects of sinusitis and has been coughing and vomiting a lot. Aside from Langeveld they also let Flecha go who would have been more of spearhead for P-R.

Last year Rabobank were boasting about finally reaping the fruits of their labor in the continental department, though admittedly, it seemed justified due to the good early results. However, this seems like yet another year lost and time is beckoning for these perpetual talents who seem to be forever tagged as potentials rather than actual winners. Sad story that of Rabobank.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Im from South east asia, not even close haha.

Sometimes you sound like bavarianrider, thats why i ask.

 

[Spine Concept]

Sometimes you sound like bavarianrider, thats why i ask.

Ouch. That's a downright insult around these parts.

 

[theyoungest]

They had a great start of the season last year, but after that they were crap as well.

They had a crap Tour de France and Ardennes campaign, the rest of the season was pretty good. The crap Tour was purely down to bad luck. But they were criticized in the Dutch media for peaking too early, which is nonsense if you look at their Roubaix and Flanders results, for instance. Unfortunately they've taken that criticism to heart, with the result that they now suck pretty much everywhere.

 

[El Pistolero]

They had a crap Tour de France and Ardennes campaign, the rest of the season was pretty good. The crap Tour was purely down to bad luck. But they were criticized in the Dutch media for peaking too early, which is nonsense if you look at their Roubaix and Flanders results, for instance. Unfortunately they've taken that criticism to heart, with the result that they now suck pretty much everywhere.

They had some good results, granted, but I'm mostly talking about winning races. All I can remember after their blitz start is their good Giro.

Perhaps expectations were too high after said Blitz start...

The most memorable part of their 2011 season remains the Amstel Gold Race however.

 

[Spine Concept]

They had some good results, granted, but I'm mostly talking about winning races. All I can remember after their blitz start is their good Giro.

Off the top of my head I can only think of Kruijswijk winning in Suisse.

 

[theyoungest]

Off the top of my head I can only think of Kruijswijk winning in Suisse.

Not winning, but the Dutch media were pretty happy with Mollema in the Vuelta. He was even chosen as rider of the year. Which, purely results-wise, was nonsense.