Rafal Majka discussion thread

[DanielSong39]

Longshots have also won the race so while it's a pipe dream, it's not sheer fantasy. In fact, it has happened 3 out of the last 10 races.

Year Cyclist Betting Odds "True" Odds
2007 Contador 29-1 50-1
2011 Evans 20-1 35-1
2014 Nibali 9-1 11-1
2017 ???

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

If he throws stage hunting totally out of the window, he should get a top 10. Top 5 as a stretch goal.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

Longshots have also won the race so while it's a pipe dream, it's not sheer fantasy. In fact, it has happened 3 out of the last 10 races.

Year Cyclist Betting Odds "True" Odds
2007 Contador 29-1 50-1
2011 Evans 20-1 35-1
2014 Nibali 9-1 11-1
2017 ???

You can establish a trend in which Majka does not belong. Even before hand. In the case of Nibali and Evans they had already shown a potential which Majka have never shown. Contador falls in the neo-Pro area where Quintana, Fignon, Hinault and others have performed at the highest level from very early. Not the case for Majka.

Majka is more in the category of Pereiro type of odds.

 

[klintE]

Re: Re:

Yes Konrad and Buchman will help Majka in the mountains. Also Poljanski.
Bodnar and Burghardt on flat.
Top 5 is a goal for him, out of the question. He said it openly couple of times
When something go wrong they shall fight for stages, obviously.

With Konrad riding both Giro and Suisse, it is very unlikely that he should ride the Tour too.

He will

 

[damian13ster]

Got safely through a dangerous stage. Real test tomorrow

 

[Tank Engine]

Re:

If he throws stage hunting totally out of the window, he should get a top 10. Top 5 as a stretch goal.

That's the point though.

He should get top 10. Therefore it's not really a goal. Quintana's goal is to win and not just to get on the podium.

A goal should be made to stretch yourself, but still be reasonably possible.

Based on previous results in GTs, top 5 seems a very natural goal for Majka.

 

[klintE]

Re: Re:

Yes Konrad and Buchman will help Majka in the mountains. Also Poljanski.
Bodnar and Burghardt on flat.
Top 5 is a goal for him, out of the question. He said it openly couple of times
When something go wrong they shall fight for stages, obviously.

With Konrad riding both Giro and Suisse, it is very unlikely that he should ride the Tour too.

He will

Yet, He won't. You were right Madrazo Bora announced team composition for TdF without Patrick in it.
Bad news for Majka's top5 ambitions [;

 

[bob.a.feet]

I think Majka should just aim for KOM jersey. At this rate he has a realistic shot at breaking Virenque's record

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

Yes Konrad and Buchman will help Majka in the mountains. Also Poljanski.
Bodnar and Burghardt on flat.
Top 5 is a goal for him, out of the question. He said it openly couple of times
When something go wrong they shall fight for stages, obviously.

With Konrad riding both Giro and Suisse, it is very unlikely that he should ride the Tour too.

He will

Yet, He won't. You were right Madrazo Bora announced team composition for TdF without Patrick in it.
Bad news for Majka's top5 ambitions [;

Top 5 isn't really a realistic goal against this field and Konrad riding the Tour after the Giro and the TdS would have been stupid, he'd have been overraced and burned out.
Maybe they could have added José Mendes to hel Majka, but the guy has also raced the Giro and the main focus of the team is supporting Sagan.

 

[klintE]

Re: Re:

Yes Konrad and Buchman will help Majka in the mountains. Also Poljanski.
Bodnar and Burghardt on flat.
Top 5 is a goal for him, out of the question. He said it openly couple of times
When something go wrong they shall fight for stages, obviously.

With Konrad riding both Giro and Suisse, it is very unlikely that he should ride the Tour too.

He will

Yet, He won't. You were right Madrazo Bora announced team composition for TdF without Patrick in it.
Bad news for Majka's top5 ambitions [;

[...]Konrad riding the Tour after the Giro and the TdS would have been stupid

Are you suggestin' that Rolland is stupid? [;
(riding Giro, RdS and Tour)

 

[Cookster15]

Re:

I think Majka should just aim for KOM jersey. At this rate he has a realistic shot at breaking Virenque's record

I agree. I am still annoyed how Majka abandoned his captain Contador for his pointless KOM ambitions with Tinkoff's blessing. AC was left at the side of the road unsupported whilst Rafal danced up the road chasing something only he cared about. And I write this as no Contador fanboy. At the Tour Rafal Makya will get put back in his box by the real contenders when he does not have free reign like a KOM chaser well down on GC.

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

@klintE:
Rolland rode the Giro as a stagehunter and didn't ride for gc and RdS is only 4 days, not 9 like the TdS, so you can't really compare them. Rolland is also a well experienced rider, not like Konrad who has just finished his 2nd gt and never ridden 2 GTs in one season.

 

[MightyWheelSucker]

Re: Re:

I think Majka should just aim for KOM jersey. At this rate he has a realistic shot at breaking Virenque's record

I agree. I am still annoyed how Majka abandoned his captain Contador for his pointless KOM ambitions with Tinkoff's blessing. AC was left at the side of the road unsupported whilst Rafal danced up the road chasing something only he cared about. And I write this as no Contador fanboy. At the Tour Rafal Makya will get put back in his box by the real contenders when he does not have free reign like a KOM chaser well down on GC.

Makes sense. Majka vel Makya should go for his pointless KOM ambitious instead of top 10 GC, something he should however care about last year helping Contador.

 

[Leinster]

Re: Re:

I think Majka should just aim for KOM jersey. At this rate he has a realistic shot at breaking Virenque's record

I agree. I am still annoyed how Majka abandoned his captain Contador for his pointless KOM ambitions with Tinkoff's blessing. AC was left at the side of the road unsupported whilst Rafal danced up the road chasing something only he cared about. And I write this as no Contador fanboy. At the Tour Rafal Makya will get put back in his box by the real contenders when he does not have free reign like a KOM chaser well down on GC.

Be fair. By the time that happened, Contador was riding through injury, had lost time on every stage with climbing, and was clearly not going to be competitive even if he had made it to Paris. And Majka had deliberately lost time in early stages (Poels did the same for Sky) to be better prepared to help in the mountains.

I think we can all say without fear of later embarrassment that Rafal Majka will not win the 2017 Tour de France, but it wouldn't take too much of a stroke of fortune for him to snag a podium place. He's a very good climber, has good results in other GTs, and is riding the Tour for his own GC ambitions for the first time. Less than top 10 would be a disappointment for him, top 5 with a stage win would be a big success, podium would be a fantastic result for him. Winning the polka for jersey would be a bonus with any of these.

 

[klintE]

Majka looked strong today. I can see that he improved explosiveness a bit. Also, not very bad TT-ing is sayin to me, that he is in good shape.
Real test on Wednesday.

 

[damian13ster]

OFICJALNY KOMENTARZ RAFAŁA MAJKI

"Jestem już po prześwietleniach i konsultacjach z lekarzami oraz drużyną #borahansgrohe. Na szczęście nic sobie nie złamałem, ale jestem mocno podarty. Teraz jadę do hotelu i jutro podejmiemy ostateczną decyzję co do mojego dalszego udziału w Tour de France. Dziękuję bardzo za pomoc Michałowi Kwiatkowskiemu, który pomógł mi na ostatnich 20km dojechać na kole do mety. Chłopaki z drużyny też bardzo mi pomogli czekając na mnie po upadku - dziękuję!"

Chyba po raz pierwszy płakałem na rowerze z bólu."

***

OFFICIAL COMMENT OF RAFAŁ MAJKA

"I'm already after the X-rays and consultations with the doctors and the #borahansgrohe team, but fortunately I did not break anything, but I'm stuff. Now I'm going to the hotel and tomorrow we will make the final decision on my further participation in the Tour de France. Thanks For Michał Kwiatkowski who helped me in the final 20km. My teammates also had waited For me after crash - Thank you all!

I think for the first time I cried on my bike in pain. "

#rafalmajka #michalkwiatek #letour #tourdefrance

 

[klintE]

Damn! Rafa officially out of the Tour.
He wanted to ride obviously but it seems to be a good decision. Time to recover and prepare for Vuelta.

 

[IndianCyclist]

why did he want to overtake G?

 

[klintE]

Why anyone want to overtake anyone? )
He tried to ride as fast as he feels he can.
Misjudgment maybe.
Also, he said that there had been an oil slick or something similar

 

[lucek]

What a pity that Rafal Majka withdrawed from Tour, but his healthy is the most important. After the accident it would be a small possibility that would be able to fight for the stage wins. The injuries which he suffered was too serious.

 

[RedheadDane]

Just came across this - dunno where it's from - and it kinda looks like he just punched the Lotto Jumbo rider...

 

[Leinster]

From his stage win at the Tour of California? That's presumably George Bennett.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

From his stage win at the Tour of California? That's presumably George Bennett.

Yep that's what it's from and that's who it is.

 

[liamito]

Apparently after today's TdP stage Majka said he won't race for GC in La Vuelta? Any Polish fans or tv viewers who can confirm this?

 

[staubsauger]

Would be pretty nice actually. Simply because he's a very aggressive rider going for stages and the polka dot jersey. Once he rides for gc he becomes shy but NOT fly!