Rabobus

[The Hitch]

It's not unfair to say Gesink was injured (in the vuelta case)

it's unfair to say 'he was only 6th and clearly came up short' like some people do. That Vuelta had 1 easy mountain stage left, where all the favorites finished together in a group of what, 15 men? An uninjured Gesink would have finished in that group 99/100 times and finished 2nd or 3rd in the GC. In a field much much much stronger than Vuelta 2012.

Also, Gesink fought for the GC the same way Froome did imho. Gesink was the most aggresive against Valverde on the early mountain stages and the only one to put serious pressure against him. Only late in the Vuelta S.Sanchez recovered a lot of time, but he lost too much in the earlier stages.

Did you even read what i wrote ?

I said you can have gesink as a podium finisher of the 2009 vuelta. so yourn whole recap of gesink killing everyone which ivy already read 50 times before on this forum, is unnecessary. . you just have to acknowledged froome would as the winner of the 2011 vuelta + a stage win which is still better than a podium.

 

[Old School]

Eric Bruekink! I've always been a fan of the Orange!

I know I spelled his name wrong....I've been critisized enough for my spelling...geez.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Did you even read what i wrote ?

I said you can have gesink as a podium finisher of the 2009 vuelta. so yourn whole recap of gesink killing everyone which ivy already read 50 times before on this forum, is unnecessary. . you just have to acknowledged froome would as the winner of the 2011 vuelta + a stage win which is still better than a podium.

Whilst probably true (tho I am of the opinion he couldnt have done better on angrilu, he probably would have won) it is also true when DT says gesink did so in a much better field. Thus the reason I think Gesink is better then froome, but again I can understand the reasoning that one might have higher hopes for Froome at this stage.

 

[greenedge]

It's impressive that they have had such a long time with the same sponsor ( they are developing Dutch talent ) and compete in a lot of races.
I only ridiculed them failing at AGR last year ( the Dutch people say Rabobus as well ). I love how you also got CQ rankings as opposed to UCI.

However last year they had Langeveld winning Het Volk and in 2010 Oscar winning M-SR so they can work for a leader ( who can get results ). Boom also seems to have a lot of potential like Geraint Thomas in many areas.

I look forward to Gesink recovering and having a good career along with Kruijswijk, Kelderman, Mollema being good Dutch riders and Renshaw/ Matthews winning sprints for them. Breschel can hopefully also return to his best for the Classics.

 

[greenedge]

huh? Gesink is 25 lol and you act like his career is over, get a grip.
He has had a prety good career thus far, last year was affected greatly with injuries and personal issues, so I fail to see how gesink is considred a lost case.

Funny how people don't mind hyping guys like Froome and rolland, despite doing very little in their career. But when a guy like Gesink, who has heaps of results and is younger (same age as rolland) has an unlucky season it would appear rabo fail at devolping riders. Ignorance.

I agree with the first part, he is a great rider ( mainly as a climber ).

However Rolland has won on a mountain stage at the TDF ( something Gesink has not done ) and Froome in his first GT that he contends for GC comes 2nd. That is why people hype them, just as much as Gesink.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I agree with the first part, he is a great rider ( mainly as a climber ).

However Rolland has won on a mountain stage at the TDF ( something Gesink has not done ) and Froome in his first GT that he contends for GC comes 2nd. That is why people hype them, just as much as Gesink.

you missed my point, and fyi rolland has nothing on gesink.
Gesink Guys liek gesink have been performing for years, and are younger then guys like froome. So when posters like froome19 come and depict a picture like gesink is a wasted talent I can only chuckle.

 

[theyoungest]

According to Jan Jenssen (part of the elite club of dutch TDF winners which consists of 2 members) "young riders race too much during their period of formation" he also complains how the Rabobank continental boys are pampered too much similar too how young footballers are nowadays.

Jan Janssen is an old fart who doesn't know anything about modern cycling, let alone the Rabo development program. We have to put up with his nonsense in Telegraaf articles far too often, please don't bring him to the Cyclingnews forum. Next.

 

[The Hitch]

Whilst probably true (tho I am of the opinion he couldnt have done better on angrilu, he probably would have won) it is also true when DT says gesink did so in a much better field. Thus the reason I think Gesink is better then froome, but again I can understand the reasoning that one might have higher hopes for Froome at this stage.

Gesink did have a better field though i think the 2011 one is slightly underated cos the times were quite good.

Froome has shown monster tt and flat power though as well as explosion - pena cabarga and strength on the hardest mountains. so i think he is just coming into strength whereas the point made earlier with dutch riders is that they may peak earlier and gesink
may already have been at full capacity for the last 3 years.

 

[Spine Concept]

Gesink did have a better field though i think the 2011 one is slightly underated cos the times were quite good.

Froome has shown monster tt and flat power though as well as explosion - pena cabarga and strength on the hardest mountains. so i think he is just coming into strength whereas the point made earlier with dutch riders is that they may peak earlier and gesink
may already have been at full capacity for the last 3 years.

''May'' is the operative word here. During the tour last year I think it was Dekker_T who posted an article in which Delahaye - a trainer at rabobank who works closely with Gesink and others - says that the numbers (power output) indicate that Gesink has been steadily improving up to that point. I cannot confirm this so I will see if I can dig it up. Anyway, I do understand as well why some might rate Froome higher than Gesink. However, I do think it is premature based solely - or for the greater part - on one monster Vuelta performance. I just wish Gesink can have one good go at a GT, no injuries, in top form. The same for everyone else of course. It would settle so many reservations and arguments, either that or it would stir things up even more. People will always find something to argue about.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I wish I still had the newspaper because Delahaye had an interview with De Limburger last year around the Tour and said indeed that Gesinks training data before the Tour indicated that he was still getting stronger every year.

 

[The Hitch]

And Freire said that Gesink would win the Tour if he went uninjured or something to that effect, and while he was probably joking slightly (or expecting Contador and Schleck to crash out), the supersticious part of me does place great stock in comments like this, for now they do remain comments.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

No Freire said Gesink would win the Tour if he raced more intelligently

 

[Havetts]

Freire said if he had the legs of Gesink, he would have won the Tour already.

 

[frandy]

It's not unfair to say Gesink was injured (in the vuelta case)

it's unfair to say 'he was only 6th and clearly came up short' like some people do. That Vuelta had 1 easy mountain stage left, where all the favorites finished together in a group of what, 15 men? An uninjured Gesink would have finished in that group 99/100 times and finished 2nd or 3rd in the GC. In a field much much much stronger than Vuelta 2012.

Also, Gesink fought for the GC the same way Froome did imho. Gesink was the most aggresive against Valverde on the early mountain stages and the only one to put serious pressure against him. Only late in the Vuelta S.Sanchez recovered a lot of time, but he lost too much in the earlier stages.

Yh but dude gesink is a big talent just not as big as u think i mean ive seen threads were youve said gesink is much better than nibali and that nibali cant clomb well well i dint see many ITT kilomiters in giro 10 and 11 just look at their gt results says it all really.Its not froomes fault they missed their peak Nibali,Menchov,Scarponi,Anton,even wiggins has shown more in GT than gesink

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Dafuq did I just read.

Look if you can't even write properly don't even bother.

Also, don't get me started on Gesink vs Nibali. Really. In nearly every duel they had Gesink came out on top so I have no reason whatsoever to believe Nibali is better. He's just had far more going his way than Gesink who seems to have a knack for having the worst possible luck

 

[frandy]

:

Dafuq did I just read.

Look if you can't even write properly don't even bother.

Also, don't get me started on Gesink vs Nibali. Really. In nearly every duel they had Gesink came out on top so I have no reason whatsoever to believe Nibali is better. He's just had far more going his way than Gesink who seems to have a knack for having the worst possible luck

Edit climb
u sad boy
You get what i mean picking up on my bad spelling lol.
Brad wiggins and nibali have achieved far more than gesink in GT'S.You say gesink is better than nibbles yet the results dont back it up same with wiggins.

 

[mb2612]

Also, don't get me started on Gesink vs Nibali. Really. In nearly every duel they had Gesink came out on top so I have no reason whatsoever to believe Nibali is better.

What duels are you talking about out of interest?

Because they haven't raced each other properly in the mountains in ages.

 

[frandy]

Dekker do u think gesink can podium Le Tour on this parcours? i think top 5 is possible but would be tough with evans,menchov,wiggins,schleck,nibbles(if he does le tour)and sanchez probably between gesink and J.vdb for 6th and 7th

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Gesink V Nibbles, agree they haven't rode for a long time againt each other.
My instincts tell me gesink is the better consistant climber, but nibbles probably a more rounded rider. Not sure who would win, reserve judgement on that one.

@hitch
you make good points, I just think Gesink's case is hard to examine, he hasn't managed a full throttle GT or season without some issues yet. I'm confident at his highest level, injury free he can make a big impact. But alas this is all speculation.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Dekker do u think gesink can podium Le Tour on this parcours? i think top 5 is possible but would be tough with evans,menchov,wiggins,schleck,nibbles(if he does le tour)and sanchez probably between gesink and J.vdb for 6th and 7th

On this course it will be very very hard to do top 3.. the second time trial is just too much of an advantage for evans, Menchov and Wiggins and also I rate Samuel Sanchez a bit higher.

So those 4, then Gesink/Vandenbroeck/Nibali for 5th

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

and andy? Valv?

realistically gesink could be anywhere in the top 10.
Not a great course for him, but if he gets his climbing legs..

anyay as for rabo in the upcoming weeks:

I think mollema could have a good PN. kruijswijk I don't expect a lot at TA. Gesink at Volta Catalunya.. hard to say, I hope he can be competitve, based on this week maybe, maybe too soon yet.

In theory they should be good at basque with all 3 gesink, kruijswijk and mollema riding with races in thier legs.

and MSR.. unlikely they do much. We'll see.

 

[The Hitch]

No Freire said Gesink would win the Tour if he raced more intelligently

Yes "something to that effect".

The idea that gesink can already win le tour.

 

[El Pistolero]

Freire could have won G-W in 2010 with Freire's legs

No way Gesink could have won the Tour so far in his career.

 

[The Hitch]

Dafuq did I just read.

Look if you can't even write properly don't even bother.

k

What was wrong with what he wrote ?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

and andy? Valv?

realistically gesink could be anywhere in the top 10.
Not a great course for him, but if he gets his climbing legs..

anyay as for rabo in the upcoming weeks:

I think mollema could have a good PN. kruijswijk I don't expect a lot at TA. Gesink at Volta Catalunya.. hard to say, I hope he can be competitve, based on this week maybe, maybe too soon yet.

In theory they should be good at basque with all 3 gesink, kruijswijk and mollema riding with races in thier legs.

and MSR.. unlikely they do much. We'll see.

Andy is going to fail badly this year.
Valverde has never been a great Tour racer.

As for Kruijswijk, he is not as bad as you think he is at the moment. He was the only out of the 3 who attacked and it backfired, but still he finished only 15 seconds behind Mollema in that stage. And in the other stage he finished in the group of main contenders and finished 17th in the GC.

He never raced that good that early either, so I think Kruijswijk will go fine in the Tirreno. Sure he has no chance of doing a top 5 or something like that in this form. But he might get a top 10 anyway. The Tirreno is far more mountainous this year than normally and it's sure a hell of a lot harder than Andalucia (so better for Kruijswijk).

Mollema should do fine but the PN course is not really great for him. He will probably scrape a top 10 like last year.
As for Gesink in Catalunya, that's almost a month away, and he was already pretty decent here. I think he can do well.