Romain Bardet Discussion Thread

[yetanothergreenworld]

Re:

French riders are so overrated nowadays... he was beaten by galopin, izaguirre. And these guys aren't climbers at all. He won't make a top 10 in le tour.

I think it's more accurate to say that we currently have a generation of young French riders -- Bardet, Pinot, Barguil, Gallopin, Bouhanni, Demare -- who all seem to have the potential to do great things but have yet to take that big step onto the top tier of their specialization. Actually, I think Bouhanni has already taken that step: as of this spring he seems to be one of the 2 or 3 best, if not the best, road sprinter out there. But the question of whether Bardet or Barguil or Pinot will ever become a top-top stage racer is still TBD. For my money Pinot is still the stage racer with the most potential. He's had a string of top placings and stage wins, and every year he improves at something: last year it was summit finishes, this year it's time trials. I like Bardet, but I have a harder time imagining him getting beyond 5th or 6th at the Tour.

 

[armchairclimber]

Much as I love the lad, I have a hard time imagining him improving sufficiently in the ITT to be a regular podium GT rider... but one can live in hope.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Much as I love the lad, I have a hard time imagining him improving sufficiently in the ITT to be a regular podium GT rider... but one can live in hope.

Agree, but with recents changes in GT-routes, it more or less comes down to how well you climb... but Pinot is for sure the better bet to win the TdF one day for the French, no doubt.

Too bad he isn't attending Pais Vasco. Its a really good race for him, but it seems he prefers Trentino as a build up for the Ardennes?

 

[armchairclimber]

He's definitely flagging LBL as his major early season target, so I guess that will be the barometer for where he is this year.

 

[May0maniac]

He'll ride Trentino before LBL (It's going to be Bardet, Peraud and Pozzovivo).
Source: https://girodeltrentinomelinda.com/en/ag2r-with-three-leaders-at-giro-del-trentino-melinda
I don't know if that's the best preparation for LBL, but if you ignore the short TTT the route suits him well ,he has a good shot at finishing on the podium.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re:

He'll ride Trentino before LBL (It's going to be Bardet, Peraud and Pozzovivo).
Source: https://girodeltrentinomelinda.com/en/ag2r-with-three-leaders-at-giro-del-trentino-melinda
I don't know if that's the best preparation for LBL, but if you ignore the short TTT the route suits him well ,he has a good shot at finishing on the podium.

He did that last year, and he was quite good in La Doyenne.

AGR and FW don't suit him anyway.

 

[armchairclimber]

Bardet seems to have had a bad week. I didn't see much of Romandie. What happened to him? I saw a post on strava which suggested that his legs wouldn't obey the commands of his head.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Gastroenteritis.

He was decent Saturday.

 

[CTQ]

from CyclingQuotes

"Yesterday I really wanted to do my best (despite the gastroenteritis he has suffered from, ed.),” Romain Bardet said. “I still had a bad night. Today I did not have much left. If I had not joined the break at the beginning, I would have stopped in the first feed zone.”

Read more at http://cyclingquotes.com/news/reactions_from_the_final_stage_of_the_tour_de_romandie/#7pdl8J0uAJ3TsU2A.99

 

[armchairclimber]

Re:

from CyclingQuotes

"Yesterday I really wanted to do my best (despite the gastroenteritis he has suffered from, ed.),” Romain Bardet said. “I still had a bad night. Today I did not have much left. If I had not joined the break at the beginning, I would have stopped in the first feed zone.”

Read more at http://cyclingquotes.com/news/reactions_from_the_final_stage_of_the_tour_de_romandie/#7pdl8J0uAJ3TsU2A.99

Thanks for that. He seems to suffer gut issues...he had them in the Tour last year.

 

[Bushman]

Re: Re:

from CyclingQuotes

"Yesterday I really wanted to do my best (despite the gastroenteritis he has suffered from, ed.),” Romain Bardet said. “I still had a bad night. Today I did not have much left. If I had not joined the break at the beginning, I would have stopped in the first feed zone.”

Read more at http://cyclingquotes.com/news/reactions_from_the_final_stage_of_the_tour_de_romandie/#7pdl8J0uAJ3TsU2A.99

Thanks for that. He seems to suffer gut issues...he had them in the Tour last year.

Not the best issue to have as a cyclist. Still shows he is a fighter. He should get back to a good level soon enough

 

[armchairclimber]

Love this lad. He's still learning...needs to be more confident, but great effort today.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Ah, he messed this up.

I was rooting for him against Pinot. Still a lovely stage and he has the character to succeed big.

 

[Flamin]

Guy definitely has big cojones, his brains are the complete opposite though.

 

[armchairclimber]

He was never going to do Pinot for pace in the finish... he might have had more success working with him until 500m to go and launching a long attack. Lack of confidence rather than lack of brains I suspect. Still, if Pinot had popped when Bardet made his injudicious looking move, we'd be saying something different.
He's always prepared to attack though, for that he can have the kudos.

 

[Kokoso]

Could have been in yellow now. Totally messed this up. Plain stupid.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Pure love.

 

[armchairclimber]

He doesn't seem to do "I'll settle for that". Always trying. Pretty good Dauphine. Perhaps he could have won, but 2nd ain't bad....with some serious scalps in trouble behind him.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Fan since 2014, that Tour made me choose between Pinot and Bardet.. and Bardet it was.

Bardet is always skinny, but he looked spectacularly skinny yesterday I noticed. I wonder if he will take another step in this year's Tour, I certainly hope he will. Aggressive and good looking on the bike.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

Fan since 2014, that Tour made me choose between Pinot and Bardet.. and Bardet it was.

Bardet is always skinny, but he looked spectacularly skinny yesterday I noticed. I wonder if he will take another step in this year's Tour, I certainly hope he will. Aggressive and good looking on the bike.

Not just on the bike

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Fan since 2014, that Tour made me choose between Pinot and Bardet.. and Bardet it was.

Bardet is always skinny, but he looked spectacularly skinny yesterday I noticed. I wonder if he will take another step in this year's Tour, I certainly hope he will. Aggressive and good looking on the bike.

Not just on the bike

True, true. What a man.

 

[lenric]

Re: Re:

Fan since 2014, that Tour made me choose between Pinot and Bardet.. and Bardet it was.

Bardet is always skinny, but he looked spectacularly skinny yesterday I noticed. I wonder if he will take another step in this year's Tour, I certainly hope he will. Aggressive and good looking on the bike.

Not just on the bike

He should get his teeth checked though, otherwise someday his dents jeune will be accompanied (hopefully) by a maillot jeune.

 

[markene2]

Bardet has been awsome for ever. He is like this generations Vino.

Cant wait for Le Tour.

 

[yaco]

The ITT will be his achilles heel - This will stop him winning a GT and makes it tough for him to win a one week stage race.

 

[Tonton]

Great week, and well-deserved podium. I like him: he's really entertaining. Now for stage 6, he was too greedy, wanting both the stage and the jersey. Applause. Bravo Romain!