Rabobus

[Spine Concept]

Out of interest, what's your first language

Our official language is Dutch. Which is the language used in our educational system and in official political and judicial activities. However, the main street and household language is Papiamento. Which is a creole language, basically a mix of several languages including Spanish, Portuguese, English, and Dutch. This is why most people in Aruba can speak 4 languages, namely, Spanish, English, Dutch, and Papiamento. ''Papia'' in Papiamento means ''speak''.

 

[theyoungest]

Really? Now that I was not aware of. I knew there was something odd about Mart Smeets' borderline obsession with Armstrong though. For me it's a logical decision to root for Dutch cyclists now because in Aruba the sport is definitely not at a high level. Though that is the same for most sports in Aruba except for baseball - which again illustrates the Americanzation - and wind surfing. Thus, my Dutch nationality comes in handy in that regard. I have at least some sense of Dutch pride.

Well, ask a random Dutchman about Armstrong, chances are they'll know the cancer story, and that he won a few Tours. Gesink, they'll think he's a former Olympic judo champion, or a cyclist who crashes a lot

 

[Spine Concept]

Well, ask a random Dutchman about Armstrong, chances are they'll know the cancer story, and that he won a few Tours. Gesink, they'll think he's a former Olympic judo champion, or a cyclist who crashes a lot

LOL. That's hilarious and sad at the same time. Unless a Dutch cyclist wins the Tour they will never get the recognition they deserve here will they?

 

[theyoungest]

LOL. That's hilarious and sad at the same time. Unless a Dutch cyclist wins the Tour they will never get the recognition they deserve here will they?

Boogie is popular, he never won the Tour

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Boogie is popular, he never won the Tour

Yet, Dutch people will know Boogerd more for his stage win on La Plagne and his stage win in Aix-les-Bains, rather than being probably the most consistent hilly classics podium finisher between 98-2007 without ever winning (except 1 amstel gold race). Also, it's unbelievable how many times Boogerd was probably the strongest guy in the race but somehow managed to **** up.
I mean, even Andy Schleck managed to win LBL and he's far slower in a sprint than Boogerd (who still had a decent kick even if he didn't have the reputation)

 

[theyoungest]

Yet, Dutch people will know Boogerd more for his stage win on La Plagne and his stage win in Aix-les-Bains, rather than being probably the most consistent hilly classics podium finisher between 98-2007 without ever winning (except 1 amstel gold race). Also, it's unbelievable how many times Boogerd was probably the strongest guy in the race but somehow managed to **** up.
I mean, even Andy Schleck managed to win LBL and he's far slower in a sprint than Boogerd (who still had a decent kick even if he didn't have the reputation)

Boogerd is a good example of "you don't know what you've got until it's gone". Imagine we had someone like him now... would make the Ardennes classics a lot more interesting to watch, from a chauvinistic standpoint.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I still can't believe how he managed to not win Lombardia 2004...

They had dropped Cunego and he had Basso and Evans left, Boogerd is faster than both. But then they didn't colaborate and Cunego came back after a mad downhill. And won the sprint with half a wheel against Boogerd. (evans and basso totally outsprinted).

 

[Spine Concept]

Boogie is popular, he never won the Tour

Ahh... Indeed. Boogie does make it hard for one to forget him though, with those massive blinding white teeth. On the real though, he was a great hilly classics rider as Dekker_T pointed out. The Dutch are still waiting for the next Boogie. In 2010 I thought Michel Kreder had such potential.

 

[theyoungest]

Ahh... Indeed. Boogie does make it hard for one to forget him though, with those massive blinding white teeth. On the real though, he was a great hilly classics rider as Dekker_T pointed out. The Dutch are still waiting for the next Boogie. In 2010 I thought Michel Kreder had such potential.

Nah, I think Mollema has more potential in that regard. Or the Dutch answer to Purito, Tom Jelte Slagter.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

I was a fan of boogerd..lars boom name always remind me of him..dunno why..i post this about it during last years Giro and some folks gave me a hard time

 

[El Pistolero]

I was a fan of boogerd..lars boom name always remind me of him..dunno why..i post this about it during last years Giro and some folks gave me a hard time

That's cause you probably didn't put enough praise in that post.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

 

[Spine Concept]

Nah, I think Mollema has more potential in that regard. Or the Dutch answer to Purito, Tom Jelte Slagter.

Of course, how could I forget about Slagter. Kreder might have a better sprint in his legs though which could come in handy if he rides to the finish with a select group. How is Slagter's sprint?

 

[Spine Concept]

That's cause you probably didn't put enough praise in that post.

...and you better not forget it Pistrollero.

 

[theyoungest]

Of course, how could I forget about Slagter. Kreder might have a better sprint in his legs though which could come in handy if he rides to the finish with a select group. How is Slagter's sprint?

Pretty good, he got 3d in that Oman stage the other day, behind Sagan and Cooke. The first thing I saw of him was an uphill sprint against Scarponi and Ricco in the Settimana Lombarda, as an espoir.

 

[Angliru]

Rabobank seem to have as much potential as Sky and all the other top squads yet they're never achieved that. There seems to be a constant band of riders like Gesink who just seems to promise so much and yet just stutter.
Hopefully that can be changed with guys like Mollema, Kruisiwijik and of course Kelderman. Boom also seems to be a rider who will not achieve what he is promised.
The bottom line is that people feel that teams should get the most out of their riders, thats why people never mock teams like Vaconsoleil as they dont do well for a protour team yet considering their roster they achievement is satisfactory- unlike the Rabobus.
I think your stats show it all; they've never once in the last 13 years been top.

Coming from an obvious Sky fan, this is definite bs! With Menchov they've won 3 grand tours and made the podium in one. With Freire...well what needs to be said. If your focus is on the classics well Boogerd was a perennial contender in the hilly classics, winning Amstel once. It's in the cobbled classics that they've stumbled. Flecha was always there and they had other riders that had the potential to contend but just didn't get the win.

What has Sky accomplished to rate them superior to the above Rabobank successes? The fact that the majority of them were by non-Dutch riders?

 

[Angliru]

Well it's quite an achievement to have kept the same main sponsor for such a long time - no one else compares to Rabobus on that score.

I will always root for them by nature of that alone.

 

[Spine Concept]

Pretty good, he got 3d in that Oman stage the other day, behind Sagan and Cooke. The first thing I saw of him was an uphill sprint against Scarponi and Ricco in the Settimana Lombarda, as an espoir.

Man I wish I could have seen that footage. Good on him though, I hope he has a great season.

 

[Angliru]

point is, these guys did little in thier career in the last few years while gesink has been fairly consistant with good results: And while froome has a better result under his belt, no way has he been a better rider.

Stage wins in many races, Podiums in WT stage races, good results in one day racing + podiums, winner of a WT one day race (strong field undeniable) 3 top 10s at GT etc etc. This amongst heaps of crashes.

And yet this 25 year old, coming of a very unlucky season is being labbeled as a failure of the rabo devolepment team?

Just lacks perspective imo. Lots of 25 year olds would kill for Gesink's success. He just needs to stay on his bike, think we can all agree he would have a much better palmeres at this point had he done so.

I could never understand the grief and dismissal that Gesink gets in this forum considering his age. He's had a string of bad luck but then so did Evans while he was with T-Mobile. I believe he broke his clavicle 3 times in one season. It's too early to give up the guy. He's too talented.

 

[Angliru]

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.

Of course that is both Rolland's and Froome's singular claims to fame. Gesink has a list that exceeds both of their's combined and then some.

 

[Angliru]

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

How did Menchov get in this conversation??

You do realize that everyone you mention has some years on Gesink? Plus in the case of Nibali he hasn't had the bad luck of injuries/crashes that Gesink has had. This is not to minimize Nibali's accomplishments and I agree that he obviously has shown more in GT's than Gesink.

 

[theyoungest]

Man I wish I could have seen that footage. Good on him though, I hope he has a great season.

Here it is.

(and here's the footage from the Settimana Lombarda)

 

[gustienordic]

There are only three teams with AMAZING prospectS note the plural...
and let me define prospect as born in 1988 or after...

Rabo --> BOL Jetse, KELDERMAN Wilco, MATTHEWS Michael, & SLAGTER Tom Jelte

Liquigas --> SAGAN Peter, VIVIANI Elia, MOSER Moreno

Garmin --> HAAS Nathan, KREDER Raymond, RATHE Jakob, VANMARCKE Sep, NAVARDAUSKAS Ramunas, & TALANSKY Andrew

I think these three teams in particular have supported the development of cycling more than any other.

For that reason, I will always be a Rabobank fan.

 

[Spine Concept]

Here it is.

(and here's the footage from the Settimana Lombarda)

Thank you so much man, appreciate it. Cheers.

 

[El Pistolero]

There are only three teams with AMAZING prospectS note the plural...
and let me define prospect as born in 1988 or after...

Rabo --> BOL Jetse, KELDERMAN Wilco, MATTHEWS Michael, & SLAGTER Tom Jelte

Liquigas --> SAGAN Peter, VIVIANI Elia, MOSER Moreno

Garmin --> HAAS Nathan, KREDER Raymond, RATHE Jakob, VANMARCKE Sep, NAVARDAUSKAS Ramunas, & TALANSKY Andrew

I think these three teams in particular have supported the development of cycling more than any other.

For that reason, I will always be a Rabobank fan.

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