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Should Rabobank send Freire to the Tour?

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Jul 13, 2009
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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?
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.

In the end, what convinces me that Rabo should include Freire is my expectation that Freire will work for Menchov when needed. Menchov is not the cleverest out there: he will need to be guided into position several times when Radioshack makes its inevitable bid for power in what's supposed to be a 'quiet' stage. Freire is good at staying in the right place at the right moment. If he wants to go, he should.
 
Mar 26, 2010
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theyoungest said:
which could mean that he's trying to take the pressure away from Gesink's shoulders. .

Exactly! I've always perceived Friere to be a team-player. Another reason why - YES - he should go to the tour.
 
Mar 27, 2010
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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?

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
 
Apr 15, 2010
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Freire should go, he would be a great domestique (sorry if that sounds hugely disrespectful for one of the finest riders in a generation) who can drive a group or help from a break. also perfectly able to win stages without a train. also in windy flat sections it's worth having someone in the team who tends to be in the right place.
I don't see it harming GC chances, it's not like he has to have a minder in the mountains like cav.
The only reason he wouldn't go is if he feels he needs to rest for the worlds
 
Oct 29, 2009
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No.

Freire is having a great season already, with various superb targets and personal ambitions still ahead.

They don't need Freire as an extra fall-back guy (no Rabo rider bike crash pun intended).

They already have two riders in the mix who between them will are guaranteed to give the sponsor everything it wants, much exposure, even if one falls away.

Last time they had two very strong riders, race fit, to play with, they got out of the mountains in yellow (and yes we all know how that ended, and why). They might be in a similar position again going into the race, sans chicken. I bet they can't wait for it to start with a team that will be as GC ready as they can make it. There are some strong teams around them, but Rabo isn't entering for scraps here. Not this year. Gesink on the up, Menchov strong, but also getting closer to the twilight of his career. Not a year to think of other cards than GC. Freire wouldn't even be on the table as an option if I was their DS.

Ignoring GC, there is no reason why between Menchov and Gesink, a stage victory is unlikely either. In a way it actually becomes increasingly likely if one of them is doing well in GC, and the other is also up front in the final of mountain stages.

They can come out of the Tour without a single win and still have had a good Tour. Last year their Tour lay in tatters after Gesink broke a bone, and it turned out that Menchov really couldn't win a Giro and compete in the Tour (think he even was ill between those 2, but not sure). That's a statistical blip. You don't put riders in the team "just in case that happens again".

Last year they Tour was rescued because they sent Garate up the road, who is no slouch, but won because the others were engaged in GC considerations. They still have that guy too.

Freire can look after himself, so requires little extra attention that wouldn't normally go around anyway. But he does take up a slot, and they could do with a rider who can go empty before they have to tap into Garate. If they can get those 3 pawns into the end game, it could lead to decent, even great things... and whatever Freire would have done up to that point will pale into insignificance if they are still involved for a Paris stage spot for Menchov, or a good top finish for Gesink, in the Tour climax.

Why risk all that with an additional Tour entry too, when you already have two folk ready to step into the Tour spotlight, both kept/made fit for that specific purpose too?

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.
 
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.
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.
 
Jul 23, 2009
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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?

Well that's not a bad plan for BMC. Oh wait, they might not get an invite.
 
Jul 26, 2009
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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.

uh...sastre has done exactly that.......and finished higher up on gc in GT's with greater frequency than menchov .........
 
Mar 11, 2009
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lagartija said:
uh...sastre has done exactly that.......and finished higher up on gc in gt's with greater frequency than menchov .........

oh shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-
 
Jun 16, 2009
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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

Only two gc teams should turn up and we might as well give the trophy and the title to Contador now!
 
May 14, 2009
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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.
 
Well Freire certainly won't be any help to them.

Laurens Ten Dam, Boom & Garate are going. Add to that 4 from Niermann, Posthuma, Clement, Weening & Moerenhout. Ten Dam will be good help. Niermann & Moerenhout seem the best climbers from the rest from what I remember..
 
Jun 22, 2009
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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.

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.
 
Jun 16, 2009
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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.

Personally if Menchov can stay around 1 and a half minutes with the time trial left he may have a good chance. Personally i think Menchov has a very good shot at the tour this year. I hope he puts up a good challenge.
 
May 14, 2009
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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.

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?
 
Mar 27, 2010
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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?

Rabo announced a couple of days ago that Menchov, Gesink, Ten Dam, Garate and Boom are already assured of riding the tour. That's a strong bunch already if you ask me
 
Sep 25, 2009
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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.
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.
 
Mar 13, 2009
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Agreed they can send a great all round team and if Menchov finds the form of last year's Giro they have a a shot, optimistically, very optimistically, at 1st. In the unlikely event that this happens it won't happen in the mountains it'll be the TT, so Rabo shouldn't have to control the peloton in the mountains...or ever really. Hence Freire should go, for the extra stage winning potential, or even the green jersey.
 
Mar 18, 2009
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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

Langeveld doesn't like the Tour and doesn't want to ride it ever.