Timmy-loves-Rabo said:wow you clearly have no clue about cycling. not sure I've ever seen such an ignorant post.
I'm sure I have some other gems tucked away on this forum.
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Timmy-loves-Rabo said:wow you clearly have no clue about cycling. not sure I've ever seen such an ignorant post.
A difficult choice for those teams, but Rabobank can win the final podium spot that is most likely available. Menchov is an Indurain-type rider. He's inherently better than Evans and can limit his losses in the mountains against types like Sastre and F. Schleck.auscyclefan94 said:Should any team other than Saxo and Astana send any gc rider to the tour as they aren't going to win the gc?
theyoungest said:And win it from his couch?
theyoungest said:which could mean that he's trying to take the pressure away from Gesink's shoulders. .
auscyclefan94 said:Should any team other than Saxo and Astana send any gc rider to the tour as they aren't going to win the gc?
I was pondering about what could go wrong this time, but yep, that's it! Would be the Rabo moment to end all Rabo moments.Francois the Postman said:There is no reason to tire Freire out. His season is a success already, taking a lot of pressure off Rabo, who are still set for potentially a super year. One that might be too much for Timmy-loves-Rabo to take. There are still plenty of races coming in which they want him as fit as possible, regardless what happens in the Tour, but certainly if the Tour is a true disaster, with Gesink taking Menchov out on an early climb, or something.
Give him the Giro, and keep Freire's season on course for another serious peak around the Vuelta and WC.
auscyclefan94 said:Should any team other than Saxo and Astana send any gc rider to the tour as they aren't going to win the gc?
python said:and i wouldn't.
name another current gt rider besides berto who won or podiumed in all 3 gts including the tour. none i know of. his inconsistency in the tour i think is related to something else - mental state would be my guess.
lagartija said:uh...sastre has done exactly that.......and finished higher up on gc in gt's with greater frequency than menchov .........
Francois the Postman said:Give him the Giro, and keep Freire's season on course for another serious peak around the Vuelta and WC.
maikel said:If that's the case, the schleck bros can stay home too as they are both inferior in the mountains as in the tt to Contador. I believe the only rider who can possibly threat contador, without injuries or whatever, is Menchov. He has the climbing ability to stay with contador or lose just little and he is probably the only GC guy who is a threat to him in the TT's after 2 weeks of cycling
Glockers said:Better question is if Rabo don't take Freire who are the goats for Gesink and Menchov?
Weening, the Spanish climber from last year (name escapes me) and who?
Might as well take Freire and one other guy to help him. They don't have the mountain goats to help Gesink and Menchov.
Timmy-loves-Rabo said:LTD is probably rabobanks best mountain domestique. He was brilliant at the giro last year (and if memory serves me rights want to lead a GT himslf *** he believes he could do well). Garate is also solid.
Clement and Weening are both capable of having good days inthe mountains. Even posthuma has proven to be a good worker in the past and has improved in climbing a lot since his first tour apperance.
And boom impressed me a lot with the work he did for gesink at last years vuelta.
As for any other spots, they are gonna need some riders who (like niermann) can do the hard yards on the flat stages.
I'd say they will have plenty support for the race.
Timmy-loves-Rabo said:LTD is probably rabobanks best mountain domestique. He was brilliant at the giro last year (and if memory serves me rights want to lead a GT himslf *** he believes he could do well). Garate is also solid.
Clement and Weening are both capable of having good days inthe mountains. Even posthuma has proven to be a good worker in the past and has improved in climbing a lot since his first tour apperance.
And boom impressed me a lot with the work he did for gesink at last years vuelta.
As for any other spots, they are gonna need some riders who (like niermann) can do the hard yards on the flat stages.
I'd say they will have plenty support for the race.
Glockers said:Garate was the Spanish guy I was thinking of. I don't rate Clements much but he is fairly adequete I guess. I didn't think Boom would be going to the Tour?
I stand corrected though, they have a few horses - I just wonder how many they will take?
agreed. if i heard it right, rabo had to beef up his contract to retain his services in the wake of his giro performances. i'd rate weening as the 2nd best rabo mountain domestique but it's arguable, garate is right there too. overall i believe rabo can field an exceptionally strong squad and as experience shows one of the underforming gc leaders wont have a problem converting to a super domestique - none have armstrong's schizophrenia.Timmy-loves-Rabo said:LTD is probably rabobanks best mountain domestique. He was brilliant at the giro last year (and if memory serves me rights want to lead a GT himslf *** he believes he could do well). Garate is also solid.
Clement and Weening are both capable of having good days inthe mountains. Even posthuma has proven to be a good worker in the past and has improved in climbing a lot since his first tour apperance.
And boom impressed me a lot with the work he did for gesink at last years vuelta.
As for any other spots, they are gonna need some riders who (like niermann) can do the hard yards on the flat stages.
I'd say they will have plenty support for the race.
Jan the Man said:Rabobank has the potential to send a very good all round team:
D. Menchov
R. Gesink
L. Ten Dam
J. Garate
L. Boom
J. Posthuma
G. Niermann
P. Weening
S. Langeveld or S. Clement