Ryder Hesjedal Discussion Thread

[Jelantik]

The weight issue is an interesting one, although it could be anything (illness, bad buildup etc)

He said he was 3kgs lighter for this year's Giro, but the question is, why? He was in awesome climbing form last year, so why change anything? Is the pressure to retain your Giro title that much, or was this some kind of uber-plan gone wrong (Less weight = more power to weight etc)

But then we'll have to wait and see, if we indeed ever find out!

catch SKY trend, JV is a big SKY believer

i think it's more likely 'brailsford wannabe'

 

[Michele]

He repeated more than once yesterday when interviewed by RAI that everything seems fine but the legs just don't respond as he would like, and that he doesn't have an answer for it.

 

[Afrank]

He repeated more than once yesterday when interviewed by RAI that everything seems fine but the legs just don't respond as he would like, and that he doesn't have an answer for it.

That's the worst, when you can't perform and have no idea why. I really hope he can pinpoint where things went wrong and what went wrong soon, and get the problem solved quickly. Would like to Ryder be competitive in a GT this year. Would be good if he could get better in time for the Tour.

 

[JimPanzen]

Hesjedal out of the Giro according to @inrng.

edit: CN

 

[greenedge]

Sad for him, hopefully he does not ride the TDF and instead rides the Vuelta/ peaks for the WC.

 

[SafeBet]

Bad news. I wanted him to be at his best here.

 

[karlboss]

Agree with no tour, Vuelta and WC instead.

 

[Potomac]

Maybe he can be a factor in the Vuelta this year.

 

[Afrank]

Really hope he can figure out what went wrong and be competitive later this year. I think he could have a shot at doing decent in both the Vuelta or Tour. Probably his best chance lies in the Vuelta.

 

[masking_agent]

He was a total fluke in 2012. That's all.

you are correct. I think he had his time and he'll now be reduced to an "also ran" for the remainder of his career.

However, if he decides he really wants to win again, he'll leave Garmin.

 

[Master50]

you are correct. I think he had his time and he'll now be reduced to an "also ran" for the remainder of his career.

However, if he decides he really wants to win again, he'll leave Garmin.

I have been watching him since he was 16 and nothing about his win was a fluke. His career path has been odd and it took him a long time to find a team that saw what he can do so I don't think he will leave Garmin anytime soon. His 6th place in the Tour was no fluke either.
This last 5 days is the first serious blip on his ability and it is far too early to say his career is ebbing or the best days are behind.
I would agree however that he is in his prime years and these setbacks limit his chances but I hardly believe his career is out of contention.

 

[Pippo_San]

I'll be very clear. In all his entire career he's never ever proved to be as strong uphill, and consistent on the other terrains as he was in Giro 2012.

You can read as much as you want about his results during his career, he never showed anything remotely comparable to last year's Giro.

Ryder has always been quite good in the classics, but in GTs? For FFS even Paolo Bettini scored a 7th in Milan in 1998!!!

2012 was a fluke, again, that's all.

 

[Neworld]

I'll be very clear. In all his entire career he's never ever proved to be as strong uphill, and consistent on the other terrains as he was in Giro 2012...

Being 'clear' does not make your opinion any more valued.

What is valuable to most of us is seeing athletes ride for a very long time, trend upwards, shoulder more responsibility and leadership, start to win in their 30's and improve not only their stage results but overall GT or Classic results.

Ryder has just done that, and that is clear.

I think Ryder's demise is more likely to be natural physiology. Contemporary riders are trying to lose weight to gain overall power but they will never reach that lofty aspiration as they can't use Test like in the last 15 years. Test enabled them to maintain their overall muscle/power and gain inappropriate recovery patterns.

 

[Michele]

I'll be very clear. In all his entire career he's never ever proved to be as strong uphill, and consistent on the other terrains as he was in Giro 2012.

You can read as much as you want about his results during his career, he never showed anything remotely comparable to last year's Giro.

Ryder has always been quite good in the classics, but in GTs? For FFS even Paolo Bettini scored a 7th in Milan in 1998!!!

2012 was a fluke, again, that's all.

This, by pointing out the "consistency" which indeed he ever kinda missed.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Really hope he can figure out what went wrong and be competitive later this year. I think he could have a shot at doing decent in both the Vuelta or Tour. Probably his best chance lies in the Vuelta.

Both of them will suit him but i donot know if he can resolve his problems before the Tour. Having said that he will not win them, podium would be a good objective for him.
Good decision by him to abandon. He said something about respecting the Giro but IMHO while the tour tends to be slightly forgiving in patches, the Giro tends to be relentlessly merciless.

 

[durtyfat]

Hey everyone, i notice that no one talk about Hesjedal since the end of the Tour de France =.=. He caught a respiratory infection in the Giro and he abandonned the race. Almost 1 month later, he raced the Tour de Suisse and the first mountain stage, he attacked with 12km to go to the top of the climb and he was joined only with 500meters to go by Mollema. It shows that he was in great shape. But he crashed the next day and he abandonned. After that, Vaughters select him for the Tour de France when he was not in good shape and he crashed the first stage and he broked a rib. At the end of the season, he did well in the GP Québec and Montréal( where he ends his season).
He was really not lucky this year. If he didn't get sick in the Giro, he would fight with Nibali for the win( im really sure) and if he didn't crash at the Tour de Suisse( after he abandonned the Giro), and get his peak shape at the end of the Tour de France, i think he would do second( hes a great climber and good in time trial).
I want know what do you guys expect from him next year? Vaughters said that Hesjedal, Talansky and Martin will be leader in each GT next year. Martin will be leader at the Giro, and Vaughters wants Talansky in the Tour and Hesjedal at the Vuelta( who suits him better according to him).

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Vaughters said that Hesjedal, Talansky and Martin will be leader in each GT next year. Martin will be leader at the Giro, and Vaughters wants Talansky in the Tour and Hesjedal at the Vuelta( who suits him better according to him).

That sounds like a reasonable division of labour. Talansky can try to move up to a better top 10 spot in the Tour and its not as if they would be going for the win with Hesjedal or Martin either. Hesjedal can go into the Vuelta fresh against tired rivals with some real ambition to podium and as a dark horse for the win.

Martin in some ways gets the toughest deal. On the basis of his results so far he's a top 3 hilly classics rider, while he's totally unproven as a GT GC rider and its difficult to peak for both Ardennes and Giro. Targeting the Giro could jeopardise the big races he can win. And depending on how his allergies work out he could waste his best form on a race where he's in the grupetto. On balance though, he has to prove his GC credentials sooner or later and the Giro, allergies asides, should in theory be his best bet. Also, he will get vast amounts of sponsor-pleasing attention in Ireland during the first three stages.

Overall, they are the three guys they are building around. One GT each is the best way to split things up.

 

[Ferminal]

Purito, Valverde (are they ever going to NOT do it?), Contador and Hesjedal.

Vuelta looking good.

 

[theyoungest]

He was really not lucky this year. If he didn't get sick in the Giro, he would fight with Nibali for the win( im really sure) and if he didn't crash at the Tour de Suisse( after he abandonned the Giro), and get his peak shape at the end of the Tour de France, i think he would do second( hes a great climber and good in time trial).

Whoa, that's some big 'ifs' there. Hesjedal was really skinny for the Giro, yes he was climbing like an angel but he was never going to survive the crap weather. Just like fellow tall skinny guys Wiggins and Gesink.

And I think the podium in the Tour this year was at a level that Hesjedal has never reached. He beat Rodriguez in the Giro but it seems like the latter made a big step up in terms of long climbs.

The Vuelta might be a good option for Hes-jay, good weather and no Froomes or Quintanas on super form.

 

[Pentacycle]

And I think the podium in the Tour this year was at a level that Hesjedal has never reached. He beat Rodriguez in the Giro but it seems like the latter made a big step up in terms of long climbs.

The difference is that Purito also peaked for FW and LBL in his run-up to the Giro, while Hesjedal didn't reach top shape until the Giro itself. Purito of that year's Vuelta was equally strong to the one we've seen finishing on the podium this summer.

 

[movingtarget]

Whoa, that's some big 'ifs' there. Hesjedal was really skinny for the Giro, yes he was climbing like an angel but he was never going to survive the crap weather. Just like fellow tall skinny guys Wiggins and Gesink.

And I think the podium in the Tour this year was at a level that Hesjedal has never reached. He beat Rodriguez in the Giro but it seems like the latter made a big step up in terms of long climbs.

The Vuelta might be a good option for Hes-jay, good weather and no Froomes or Quintanas on super form.

Hesjedal was losing time early in the Giro. I thought he might have overtrained or something and he kept saying throughout the race that he wasn't sick he was just missing a few percent when he needed it. I think the weather got to Wiggins more and there was no doubt he was sick. I think the 2012 Giro was an anomaly where three riders who had never looked like winning a grand tour before had exceptional races.

The reality is Rodriguez had a great opportunity to win two grand tours in 2012 and could not finish the job in each one. I don't think any of them will get as close to winning another grand tour in the future simply because younger riders are coming through and even though Rodriguez knows how to ride a solid GT now, he lacks the edge especially in the TT that will make him a winner. He might continue to podium but I don't think he can win. Hejesdal also has the ability to podium but De Gendt's career seems to be in limbo. He has to start performing especially in his new team.

 

[Unkown]

Hesjedal was losing time early in the Giro. I thought he might have overtrained or something and he kept saying throughout the race that he wasn't sick he was just missing a few percent when he needed it. I think the weather got to Wiggins more and there was no doubt he was sick. I think the 2012 Giro was an anomaly where three riders who had never looked like winning a grand tour before had exceptional races.

The reality is Rodriguez had a great opportunity to win two grand tours in 2012 and could not finish the job in each one. I don't think any of them will get as close to winning another grand tour in the future simply because younger riders are coming through and even though Rodriguez knows how to ride a solid GT now, he lacks the edge especially in the TT that will make him a winner. He might continue to podium but I don't think he can win. Hejesdal also has the ability to podium but De Gendt's career seems to be in limbo. He has to start performing especially in his new team.

I think Hesjedal got himself so skinny at this years Giro that he lost too much power. I saw him in person last year and he looked 10 pounds or more heavier than at Giro 2013. I think for him he lost too much weight and due to that lost power, well all know he is the type of guy that grinds climbs. Also I'd say its for sure possible he came into Giro 2013 overtrained because he was easily one of the strongest guys at LBL this year.

 

[del1962]

I think Hesjedal got himself so skinny at this years Giro that he lost too much power. I saw him in person last year and he looked 10 pounds or more heavier than at Giro 2013. I think for him he lost too much weight and due to that lost power, well all know he is the type of guy that grinds climbs. Also I'd say its for sure possible he came into Giro 2013 overtrained because he was easily one of the strongest guys at LBL this year.

I just think he got ill at the Giro, probaly not helped by low weight in cold and wet weather

 

[Pippo_San]

Again? He's a fluke. Deal with it.

Most ridiculous GT winner together with Pereiro 2006 and Horner 2013.

 

[greenedge]

I think he can bounce back- at Montreal he was showing good form- hopefully he can go well next year.