Race for the White Jersey

[theyoungest]

No, they don't.

Martens, Breschel and Freire, those guys can actually win a sprint. Kruijswijk, he can finish it uphill.

The ones they have here are almost exclusively "close but no cigar" riders who need a lot of luck to win a stage.

Vacansoleil and some of the French teams are far, far, far, far, far more likely to win a stage.

No, Barredo can't finish it uphill. You're right. Nor can Garate. And Luis Leon can't ever win a stage either. Lars Boom? What an amateur.

Oh wait, they've won seven GT stages amongst them. Of which three are Tour stages.

 

[Liquigas]

Let's wait until the first big mountain stage has finished to really think who can take the white jersey.

 

[Vortex Surfer]

There appears to be some level of consensus about Gesink being out of the equation altogether. For sure, Gesink ain't 100% at the moment and for sure morale has taken a severe dent. He's still in the lead though.

If Gesink forgets about the stage, forgets the top 10 for that matter and focusses on bringing home the white jersey. Limit time losses tomorrow (very likely if you ask me as there is no frantic uphill final like today), enjoy the rest day on monday and get comfortable with a new goal: the white jersey (I think part of his misery is mental). Should this happen, Gesink would be my man. Gesink not at 100% is still better then Taramae in the mountains and Uran is still 3 minutes behind.

That said, Rabo should assign Mollema a free role just in case if you ask me. As long as Gesink can follow, fine, work for him, but leave it up to the likes of Ten Dam and Barredo to assist Gesink should he fall behind (yeah, Garate is toast).

White Jersey:
Gesink
Uran
Mollema
Coppel
Taramae

 

[Raceoftruth]

For me I think uran, if the sky boys want it.

 

[Bobby G]

Got to agree with you Vortex. Gesink got dropped today with about 60 riders still up the road. Obviously suffering from his injuries and mentally too. Now, considering his aim was a probably a podium place, he has no luck what so ever, he would be understandably dejected, even distraught. So an interview 10 minutes after such a ride should be taken wit a pinch of salt. Rabo have based their entire summer around Gesink's ride, so I think he'll at least ride tomorrow. If he loses 5 minutes tomorrow then fine, it's not worth riding on, go for the Vuelta instead. But there's every chance he remains in tact, or lose under a minute (most of the climbing is in the middle sector of tomorrows race and should be at a relatively slow pace). If this is the case then he has to Monday to recuperate and can reevaluate on Tuesday morning.

He's not going to win the Tour de France, he won't even top 5. But f he can get back to 90 odd percent, then I think he could top 10 and take the white Jersey.

 

[trevim]

it was a risk, and it appears to have backfired, they are on course to have a very epic fail of a tour.

Gesink giving up would be a positive for the team, as sad as it sounds.

I wouldn't say that much. For GC they seem to be a little short without Gesink. Anyway with a nice breakaway Luis Leon, Mollema can get a top-10 I guess.

And for stage hunting they have a very good team. Barredo, Boom, Garate and Luis Leon....

 

[zapata]

If Gesink is indeed out (hope not), Taaramae is looking very good, with one minute on Coppel and two on Uran. I'm rooting for Uran, though. Unsure what to expect from Coppel? I've heard him mentioned as the next big french GC-rider, but there's been a few of those already. I'm really not familiar with him, any indication of how he'll do in the proper mountains?

 

[trevim]

Ahah sad but true! He'll win Liége to make up for that [about Rui Costa being consistently bad in high mountains]

 

[trevim]

If Gesink is indeed out (hope not), Taaramae is looking very good, with one minute on Coppel and two on Uran. I'm rooting for Uran, though. Unsure what to expect from Coppel? I've heard him mentioned as the next big french GC-rider, but there's been a few of those already. I'm really not familiar with him, any indication of how he'll do in the proper mountains?

He did fairly well last year in Dauphiné in the Alpe d'Huez stage. We'll see how he goes with all the sharks in the water...

 

[palmerq]

I was amazed by how low the odds were for gesink to win the white jersey were, I hope someone put some money on somebody else to do it, I predicted taramae before it started but who knows, could be a good fight.

 

[zapata]

He did fairly well last year in Dauphiné in the Alpe d'Huez stage. We'll see how he goes with all the sharks in the water...

That's the stage where contador beat brajkovic? I don't remember Coppel, but I'm very bad with names, unless it's riders I've had occasion to get familiar with. I think i remember Moreau did alright..

 

[greenedge]

Coppel vs Uran. Taaramae will lose time somewhere. I hope Gesink can continue but his podium threat is over. Costa to come 4th. EBH and Geraint can also test capabillities i the mountains.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I wouldn't say that much. For GC they seem to be a little short without Gesink. Anyway with a nice breakaway Luis Leon, Mollema can get a top-10 I guess.

And for stage hunting they have a very good team. Barredo, Boom, Garate and Luis Leon....

This all becomes a lot more possible with my original point, gesink quitting

 

[spanky wanderlust]

So do we now need a

Rabobank showing what an epic truckload of failure they are

thread?

judging by the garmin thread that might do them a truckload of good.

 

[El Pistolero]

No, Barredo can't finish it uphill. You're right. Nor can Garate. And Luis Leon can't ever win a stage either. Lars Boom? What an amateur.

Oh wait, they've won seven GT stages amongst them. Of which three are Tour stages.

Garate won't do anything this Tour and I'm inclined to say Luis Leon won't do much either.

 

[Anonymous]

Rapid Shave

opps wrong thread.

 

[theyoungest]

Garate won't do anything this Tour and I'm inclined to say Luis Leon won't do much either.

No, Garate won't do much, he has abandoned. But the poster's point was that they haven't brought anyone who could win something in the first place, and that's just utter BS.

 

[Midnightfright]

No, Garate won't do much, he has abandoned. But the poster's point was that they haven't brought anyone who could win something in the first place, and that's just utter BS.

There aren't many teams who didnt bring anyone with atleast a reasonable chance of winning a stage/jersey Rabo brought several riders

 

[Liquigas]

If Gesink manages to recover, it will be between him and Taaramae. Uran doesn't have it, today he lost another 31 seconds.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Garate won't do anything this Tour and I'm inclined to say Luis Leon won't do much either.

quoted for el obvious reasons.

 

[luckyboy]

One out of two ain't bad.

(yeah I know Garate is injured btw)

 

[Moondance]

quoted for el obvious reasons.

To be fair Lulu had shown next to nothing so far this season, Spanish TT win aside, which is a good (but hardly earth-shattering) achievement. That he appears to have finally ridden himself into some form, probably delayed by the need to adjust to a new team culture, was by no means certain. I wasn't expecting much of Lulu either this year, other than perhaps some decent domestiqueing for Gesink.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

To be fair Lulu had shown next to nothing so far this season, Spanish TT win aside, which is a good (but hardly earth-shattering) achievement. That he appears to have finally ridden himself into some form, probably delayed by the need to adjust to a new team culture, was by no means certain. I wasn't expecting much of Lulu either this year, other than perhaps some decent domestiqueing for Gesink.

shhh trying to belittle el pickle

it was a good ride by him.
I agree with the adjustment factor for what its worth.
I liked the scenes where gesink and him hugged, gesink appears to get along with teh spaniards very nicely. He does speak it ok I believe.

 

[Anonymous]

I want Rob Ruijgh to win it.

 

[Nastyy]

I'd say it's between Jeannesson, Uran and Rolland. Rolland seems to be the best climber, looked like he could've kept with the Evans group till the end but stuck with Voeckler. Jeannesson and Uran pretty even today. Jeannesson has 2 minutes over Uran, who is a better time trialist but if Dauphine is any indication the 2 minute gap should be enough, Uran beat Jeannesson by little over a minute there. Rolland is the worst time trialist so he would need a lot of time before that and can't see that happening since he even might have to drag Voeckler up the Plateau de Beille.