Romain Bardet Discussion Thread

[Kwibus]

I think he can one day win a big classic for sure. Love the guy.

 

[pastronef]

Romain Bardet cooperating with David Millar to improve time-trialing.

https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/801446591773208576

 

[pastronef]

David Millar
‏@millarmind
Normally I hate wind tunnels yet it was an absolute pleasure working with @romainbardet & @AG2RLMCyclisme on behalf of @FactorBikes

https://twitter.com/millarmind/status/801681918093889536

 

[pastronef]

interview with Romain

https://www.twitter.com/Cyclingnewsfeed/status/802092159935463424

 

[armchairclimber]

interview with Romain

https://www.twitter.com/Cyclingnewsfeed/status/802092159935463424

Cheers. Looking forward to next year, though it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't shine as much as this. Above all else, my main hope is that he gets through his career without disappearing off the side of a mountain. I nearly ate my own fingers a couple of times this year... he's terrifying.

 

[Alexandre B.]

 

[Tonton]

Well deserved French Velo d'Or award. Guts and glory. I wish him the (second ) best in 2017 .

 

[Jspear]

He was pretty good this year and was entertaining at the same time. It'll be interesting to see how he stacks against Pinot in 2017. My gut feeling is he'll be a little better. I don't think he'll buckle under the pressure of the French peeps.

 

[del1962]

Well deserved French Velo d'Or award. Guts and glory. I wish him the (second ) best in 2017 .

You hope Demare wins Paris-Roubaix

 

[Alexandre B.]

His program for 2017 : http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/Ag2r-pas-de-giro-pour-romain-bardet-en-2017/758386

La Méditerranéenne (8th-12th february)
Abu Dhabi Tour (23th-26th february) or Drôme Classic (26th february)
Paris-Nice (5th-12th march)
Vuelta a Pais Vasco (3th-8th april)
Liège-Bastogne-Liège (23th april)
Tour de Romandie (25th-30th april)
Critérium du Dauphiné (4th-11th june)
Championnat de France (25th june)
Tour de France (1st-23th july)

The rest is not determined.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

well no surprise schedule wise, but I would drop Abu Dhabi and hit the Drome Classic instead.
Allez Bardet!!!!!!!!!!

 

[sir fly]

Reasonable decision. Giro should stay one of his career goals, nevertheless.
Drôme Classic should fit in with Paris - Nice and La Méditerranéenne better than the trip to hot desert. Just keep warm and stay in France.
I'm looking forward to watching him on next year's Tour route..

 

[Alexandre B.]

He'll do Oman instead of La Méditerranéenne

 

[Alexandre B.]

Correct performance in Jabal Hafeet today.

He's obviously not physically there yet (struggling after each Quintana's attack), but rode smart to finish in the same time as the Colombian. That bodes well for Paris-Nice, he can certainly improve his 9th place from last year.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Correct performance in Jabal Hafeet today.

He's obviously not physically there yet (struggling after each Quintana's attack), but rode smart to finish in the same time as the Colombian. That bodes well for Paris-Nice, he can certainly improve his 9th place from last year.

Hmm. Have been disappointed by him so far considering all the interviews he has done. Doesn't matter if he shows up for Paris-Nice, but not really that good so far.

 

[Red Rick]

Bardet is at a point where he mayyyy just be the 5th best climber in the world at peak, but at that point margins get really, really small. Add an absolutely horrendous TT to that and it's just about a miracle he got 2nd in the Tour last year. I'm not sure what's left for him to do at the Tour this year if he doesn't make massive improvements in climbing and TT'ing. I think he'd have an outside shot at the Giro, but not at the Tour. There's like one stage for him to try anything frisky, which is the only way he could put time into Froome, Quintana or a good Contador.

 

[Tonton]

Re: Re:

Correct performance in Jabal Hafeet today.

He's obviously not physically there yet (struggling after each Quintana's attack), but rode smart to finish in the same time as the Colombian. That bodes well for Paris-Nice, he can certainly improve his 9th place from last year.

Hmm. Have been disappointed by him so far considering all the interviews he has done. Doesn't matter if he shows up for Paris-Nice, but not really that good so far.

I agree with you Valv.Piti .

It's not a great start of the year, and Red Rick is right about the ITT weakness. I hope that he improves that.

I'll keep cheering for him, because he won't let his weaknesses stand in the way. He'll go for broke, and not too many riders do that. For me, his runner-up at the TdF last year was the best that he could do, maybe the best that he'll ever do, but there's one thing for sure: when others suck wheels trying to defend their 6th place in the GC, Romain will throw a hand grenade and hopefully it will pay off.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Bardet is at a point where he mayyyy just be the 5th best climber in the world at peak, but at that point margins get really, really small. Add an absolutely horrendous TT to that and it's just about a miracle he got 2nd in the Tour last year. I'm not sure what's left for him to do at the Tour this year if he doesn't make massive improvements in climbing and TT'ing. I think he'd have an outside shot at the Giro, but not at the Tour. There's like one stage for him to try anything frisky, which is the only way he could put time into Froome, Quintana or a good Contador.

Those sorts of attacks by Bardet in the Tour work but not all the time and once someone has success with one they are marked more closely in the future. He took a risk and it paid off but he also got dropped by some of the other climbers on other stages. He has another chance at a podium in the Tour but it won't be easy especially if Contador and Porte can stay upright. Chaves is another one who needs to improve his TT if he wants to improve on his GT podiums but both he and Bardet are moving in the right direction as they are handling the three weeks better than before. Some riders lose their climbing power when they improve their TT like Uran, Gesink and a few others. While the Schlecks never improved their TT much while someone like Evans pretty much stayed put as an all rounder who wasn't the best at either discipline but his TT did improve on his first few years as a GT rider but his performances were inconsistent in TTs. Porte can be like that as well.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Well during that stage in Oman he was affected in an crash and was suffering from his back, so I guess it's partly a viable excuse for his poor performance (he admitted himself that there was still a lot of work to do).

What was good yesterday is that he improved along the climb. One week to go for Paris-Nice.

One step behind P-N specialists Porte, Contador and Sky riders (here they send Poels and Henao), it's pretty open (Izagirre, Kruijswijk, Henao, Talansky, S. Yates, Barguil, Zakarin, Valverde, Alaphilippe, Martin). If he's able to beat the majority of these guys, it will be a vast improvement from last spring, and a confirmation from last summer.

I, myself, is unsure that Bardet has the physical level to win the Big One. But he can definitely improve.

 

[Alexandre B.]

DSQ at Paris-Nice.

That's a really huge blow for him, and I don't think he´ll be eligible for Tirreno. That might force him to race Catalunya.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

DSQ at Paris-Nice.

That's a really huge blow for him, and I don't think he´ll be eligible for Tirreno. That might force him to race Catalunya.

What a blow! It was very impressive he held on to Porte and Zakarin after a stage like this. I noticed he looked extremely lean as well, almost Sky-anorectic.

Hoping he will be eligible for T-A and will race it, but he won't stand a chance in that race.

 

[Velolover2]

I think it's bad for the race. Bardet fought hard today and he is great for the race. An unpredictable attacker.

 

[sir fly]

Re:

DSQ at Paris-Nice.

That's a really huge blow for him, and I don't think he´ll be eligible for Tirreno. That might force him to race Catalunya.

I'm sure the decision is made in good faith. Bardet should accept it in the same spirit and head to Italy.

 

[Tonton]

I was afraid that it would happen...French TV covering the French guy, the camera was on him the whole time; it was out there for all to see. And after the recent sidewalks, motorcycles issues, race officials must be feeling the pressure to do something. It was too blatant to ignore, really. Too bad for Romain. But he'll be back with a vengeance.

 

[cineteq]

Great to see cheaters being punished.