vcampbell said:I used the wrong words. I meant that normally he has got a chance. I don't say he could beat Contador or anyone from the main favorites, but he could with a bit of luck, like in may. After the Giro we can't say, that he has got no chance. He was strong almost everywhere. Ok, not versus Contador, or Andy, or Evans, but he still won the Giro.
After the Giro, we can't say that he has got no chance at any given Grand Tour in isolation.
However, this is not a GT in isolation, this is a GT where others like Evans, Menchov, Nibali, Vandenbroeck, Gesink, Sánchez, Wiggins and Schleck come better prepared and with less mileage in their legs (non-injured status pending). We don't know how deep Ryder had to go to win that Giro.
If Hesjedal was a demon TT rider I'd say, sure, the Tour's parcours means he's in with a shout. But while he may have been able, with the motivation and the race on the line, to put in a career best ITT to win the Giro, there he was competing against the likes of Rodríguez, Scarponi and Basso. Competing against Menchov, Evans and Wiggins is a whole different kettle of fish. I don't see him dropping THEM in the mountains with the whole Giro in his legs.
The 2009 Giro and Tour had a fairly light route, but Denis Menchov came nowhere near doing the double. I think that the 2009-vintage Denis Menchov is a better GT rider than Ryder Hesjedal.