Roman Kreuziger Discussion Thread

[mombus]

What do ya'll think about his chances this take GT this year? Is he going to be riding the Tour? I really believe he can win the Vuelta.

 

[Moondance]

If he focuses completely on the Vuelta I think he could very well Top-5 or even podium, but to win... I don't think so (regardless of whether or not Contador will ride the Vuelta as is being speculated). He's still not enough of a climber to stick with the top men in that regard, and none of the GTs this year look particilarly friendly for the time trialists of the peloton.

He certainly wont win a GT this year if he throws everything at le Tour in July and then tries to tack on the Vuelta as desert as he has done the past few year. Almost noone in the peloton is strong enough to do that, and Kreuziger doesn't yet belong to the select group of those who could.

 

[ak-zaaf]

I think this discussion could be about riders who would actually be able to win a GT this year. There aren't that many and don't think Kreuziger is one of them yet.

Contador, Schleck, Basso, Nibali, S Sanchez, Menchov, maybe Anton or even Ricco...
A lot depends on Contador's ban length and if Menchov will stay at Geox..

 

[peloton]

He is giving the Giro a go, I think he can do pretty well actually, he sounds very confident about it.
http://astana.lu/news_x.php?ID_news=195

 

[Havetts]

I think he's going to be a contender for the Giro, hes not gonna ride the tour. Im doubting he can take on Menchov and/or Sastre in the Giro though.

No idea from who is going to ride the Tour is going to ride the Vuelta too, as far as I know Gesink might ride the Vuelta but isnt sure if hes going to ride that for GC.

 

[theyoungest]

If he focuses completely on the Vuelta I think he could very well Top-5 or even podium, but to win... I don't think so (regardless of whether or not Contador will ride the Vuelta as is being speculated). He's still not enough of a climber to stick with the top men in that regard, and none of the GTs this year look particilarly friendly for the time trialists of the peloton.

He certainly wont win a GT this year if he throws everything at le Tour in July and then tries to tack on the Vuelta as desert as he has done the past few year. Almost noone in the peloton is strong enough to do that, and Kreuziger doesn't yet belong to the select group of those who could.

Meh, I didn't think Nibali was capable of winning a GT either, and TBH and don't really rate him that much higher than Kreuziger. I think a little less race days will do Kreuziger much good. We'll see how he goes at the Giro... he probably couldn't have picked a worse GT than this year's Giro to go for the win, but the crazy steep ascents aren't in Nibali's favour either, so we'll see.

 

[ingsve]

He's still very young so it's hard to expect too much of him but he certainly is not someone who should be discounted before the race starts. I would say that his chances of finishing the Giro in the top 5 are fairly high with an outside chance of winning it.

Everyone now lists Nibali as a top GT contender but remember that before last year Nibali and Kreuziger were very equal in ability and it was only in the last year that Nibali took a step forward. There is nothing that says that Kreuziger can't make the same type of improvement this year or the years to come.

 

[skidmark]

Everyone now lists Nibali as a top GT contender but remember that before last year Nibali and Kreuziger were very equal in ability and it was only in the last year that Nibali took a step forward. There is nothing that says that Kreuziger can't make the same type of improvement this year or the years to come.

Yeah, exactly. Kreuziger has shown in the last 2 TdFs that he isn't lacking 'what it takes' to compete consistently for 3 weeks (as opposed to the 1-week stage races where he has definitely shone) by getting top 10s. That is very good, he just didn't have the edge to keep with the best climbers on the hardest climbs. Granted this year's Giro is OMG hard, but he's no slouch in the climbing department, he's just not a memorable attacker like Ricco, Contador, Schleck. And he's only 24 so he's still developing.

In response to the question of 'who can win a GT', maybe even refining it to 'who can win one that hasn't yet?', I would think the lead contender for this year would be Ricco (I'm treating ASchleck as having already 'won'). Then Anton, then Samu. After that, guys like Kreuz or Gesink I think could win one, but need some more time.

Anyway, clearly I hope Kreuz has a Nibali-like year this year, because 839 points is pretty expensive in CQ terms and I want return on my risky investment

 

[Moondance]

Meh, I didn't think Nibali was capable of winning a GT either, and TBH and don't really rate him that much higher than Kreuziger. I think a little less race days will do Kreuziger much good. We'll see how he goes at the Giro... he probably couldn't have picked a worse GT than this year's Giro to go for the win, but the crazy steep ascents aren't in Nibali's favour either, so we'll see.

He didn't exactly do badly last year, you know.

 

[The Hitch]

He didn't exactly do badly last year, you know.

He did and he didnt. lost 3 minutes on Zoncolan but stayed with Basso and Scarponi on Mortirolo.

Cracked in Andor, Pena Cabarga and Alto de Cottobello but put beat everyone on the steepest sections of Bola, to everyones surprise finishing not a second behind Mosquera, wooping Purito even.

Very very strange.

I was surprised also to see Nibali so much better than Roman. I was convinced Kreuziger was, with the extra year in his favour as well, the better gt bet. Wins in TDS at 22 and Romandie 23, + 9th in the Tour at 23. Then again, i may have been decieved by the positions at 09 Tour. Nibali was 7th and Roman 9th but Nibali was 7 minutes ahead actually. This a Tour with not many chances to get big time.

His superdomestiquing at Vuelta was good, even if it made much of the race boring.

 

[Bike Boy]

What do ya'll think about his chances this take GT this year? Is he going to be riding the Tour? I really believe he can win the Vuelta.

Kreuziger showed an unbelievable level almost immediately after turning pro, but In the last 2 years He hasn't developed as much as I had expected.

He has the whole package, only question remains is, when will he turn it into gold? and remember it's not a given thing that it will ever happen.

This year will be very important for Kreuziger, he needs to show everybody that he is ready to take step forward. I don't think he has to win the vuelta, but if he manage to podium it will send a strong signal.

 

[jaylew]

I don't see him winning a GT anytime soon. I just don't think he climbs well enough at this point. Among non-GT winners, I give Schleck, Sanchez, and Evans the best shot, with Ricco, Gesink, JoRod and maybe Anton and JVB2 in the next group. One of the problems Kreuz has is that the Tour probably has the best parcours for him but also the best competition.

Of course he could always have a leap in performance and make a podium somewhere but I don't see it happening this year.

 

[The Hitch]

I don't see him winning a GT anytime soon. I just don't think he climbs well enough at this point. Among non-GT winners, I give Schleck, Sanchez, and Evans the best shot, with Ricco, Gesink, JoRod and maybe Anton and JVB2 in the next group. One of the problems Kreuz has is that the Tour probably has the best parcours for him but also the best competition.

Of course he could always have a leap in performance and make a podium somewhere but I don't see it happening this year.

Unfortunately Samu is going to have to make do with that olympic gold. Hes 33 years old and is basing his second consecutive season on a Tour podium. He wasted the rest of his form on the Vuelta a Burgos. Even with the tour fatigue, he could have won that Vuelta last year. But he didnt enter it and it doesnt look like hes going to this year either.

The year after, Contador and Valverde will be back, and Samu is going to be a year older. Unless Schlecklet has misfortune this year, Samu just isnt going to be a gt winner.

 

[ferryman]

No GT this year but he is progressing nicely. Leaving Liqui was also a good move looking forward. I expect him to move into the stable of possible GT winners in the next few years.

 

[jaylew]

He did and he didnt. lost 3 minutes on Zoncolan but stayed with Basso and Scarponi on Mortirolo.

Cracked in Andor, Pena Cabarga and Alto de Cottobello but put beat everyone on the steepest sections of Bola, to everyones surprise finishing not a second behind Mosquera, wooping Purito even.

Very very strange.

I think sometimes we forget Nibali wasn't planning on the Giro and was only added when Pelli got suspended. Maybe that has something to do with it.

but the crazy steep ascents aren't in Nibali's favour either, so we'll see.

I've heard people hear say that, but I'm not convinced yet.

 

[jens_attacks]

i have my doubts about roman.i just don't see him there climbing with the top guys.not even in this year's giro,i think tiralongo will go for it and won't wait him.

 

[ergmonkey]

I think Kreuziger needs one solid year of learning, adjusting, and getting stronger while acting in the position of team leader in a GT.

A great season, in my opinion, would be a stage win or two along the way to a GT top-5--and preferably a Giro podium.

From there, he and his supporting cast could build with confidence towards a potential GT win the following year. After so much time riding with both the reduced pressure and the constrained opportunities of being third or fourth or fifth man at Liquigas, Kreuziger might need a transition year.

Long term, I'd much rather see him winning GTs than baby Schleck.

 

[theyoungest]

He didn't exactly do badly last year, you know.

He did very average on the steepest MTF of them all. Losing 3 minutes on Zoncolan, that's not top contender stuff. He's alright on the steep climbs, don't get me wrong, but so is Kreuziger. Just not spectacular.

 

[peloton]

I think Kreuziger needs one solid year of learning, adjusting, and getting stronger while acting in the position of team leader in a GT.

A great season, in my opinion, would be a stage win or two along the way to a GT top-5--and preferably a Giro podium.

From there, he and his supporting cast could build with confidence towards a potential GT win the following year. After so much time riding with both the reduced pressure and the constrained opportunities of being third or fourth or fifth man at Liquigas, Kreuziger might need a transition year.

Long term, I'd much rather see him winning GTs than baby Schleck.

+1
well said

I really like Roman, I hope he has great future.

 

[La Pandera]

He did and he didnt. lost 3 minutes on Zoncolan but stayed with Basso and Scarponi on Mortirolo.

Cracked in Andor, Pena Cabarga and Alto de Cottobello but put beat everyone on the steepest sections of Bola, to everyones surprise finishing not a second behind Mosquera, wooping Purito even.

Very very strange.

I was surprised also to see Nibali so much better than Roman. I was convinced Kreuziger was, with the extra year in his favour as well, the better gt bet. Wins in TDS at 22 and Romandie 23, + 9th in the Tour at 23. Then again, i may have been decieved by the positions at 09 Tour. Nibali was 7th and Roman 9th but Nibali was 7 minutes ahead actually. This a Tour with not many chances to get big time.

His superdomestiquing at Vuelta was good, even if it made much of the race boring.

I think the improvement in Nibali's performance from early in the Vuelta to later can be attributed to his ability to adapt. Early in the Vuelta when the attacks were coming hard and fast he was trying to respond in kind and consequently blowing up. He got smart and began responding at a more measrued tempo instead of trying to match and maintain the tempo of attackers like Anton, Rodriguez and Mosquera. Like Evans and Basso he's a diesel.

 

[La Pandera]

I think Kreuziger needs one solid year of learning, adjusting, and getting stronger while acting in the position of team leader in a GT.

A great season, in my opinion, would be a stage win or two along the way to a GT top-5--and preferably a Giro podium.

From there, he and his supporting cast could build with confidence towards a potential GT win the following year. After so much time riding with both the reduced pressure and the constrained opportunities of being third or fourth or fifth man at Liquigas, Kreuziger might need a transition year.

Long term, I'd much rather see him winning GTs than baby Schleck.

Agreed on the preference of Kreuziger winning a GT over Schlecklet.

We have to remember that grand tour success early in a rider's career isn't the norm and lack of grand tour success relatively early isn't a reason to write someone off. Evans, Sastre, Menchov and others in this generation didn't reach their highest placement in the grand tours until their late 20's and early 30's. Kreuziger still has time to gain experience, endurance and strength to put in a position to contend for the overall.

 

[Lanark]

Agreed on the preference of Kreuziger winning a GT over Schlecklet.

We have to remember that grand tour success early in a rider's career isn't the norm and lack of grand tour success relatively early isn't a reason to write someone off. Evans, Sastre, Menchov and others in this generation didn't reach their highest placement in the grand tours until their late 20's and early 30's. Kreuziger still has time to gain experience, endurance and strength to put in a position to contend for the overall.

But riders like Evans, Sastre and Menchov only started performing really well in GC's from their middle 20's on, and improved untill their late 20's, early 30's. Although there are exceptions, guys like Kreuziger who show incredible results at a very young age (already a great Tour at age 22) tend to peak pretty quickly. I would be suprised if he can keep improving like the more 'moderate growth' guys.

 

[La Pandera]

But riders like Evans, Sastre and Menchov only started performing really well in GC's from their middle 20's on, and improved untill their late 20's, early 30's. Although there are exceptions, guys like Kreuziger who show incredible results at a very young age (already a great Tour at age 22) tend to peak pretty quickly. I would be suprised if he can keep improving like the more 'moderate growth' guys.

Evan's wore the pink jersey at the Giro and lost it in rather spectacular fashion relatively early in his road career, having started out as a mountain biker (and I believe world champ). Menchov was a winner of the white jersey at the Tour while riding for Banesto. Sastre was generally riding in the service of others (Hamilton and Basso) until sharing leadership with the Schlecks. I wouldn't give up on Kreuziger just yet.

 

[bicing]

I put Kreuziger in the same category as Lokvist, Gerdemann, Rogers and Wiggins. They try all year for a GT and get nowhere. Well, Wiggins got 4th one freak year and Rogers was going alright once til he crashed but you get the general idea.

 

[The Hitch]

I put Kreuziger in the same category as Lokvist, Gerdemann, Rogers and Wiggins. They try all year for a GT and get nowhere. Well, Wiggins got 4th one freak year and Rogers was going alright once til he crashed but you get the general idea.

Kreuziger has 2 tdf top 10's and came 11 the third time. That was at age 22. To compare his gt ability to that of Rogers or Gerdermann is just silly. And he is significantly younger than any of the guys you mention.