Support Ryder Hesjedal

[Johnny Rotten]

Team Garmin Transitions should be ashamed of the lacking support they have been giving Ryder Hesjedal.

It is a sad state of affairs to see that Garmin has nobody other than Van Summeren willing to ride up front in support of Ryder. I mean Ryder is turning himself inside out to do something great for the team and salvage the tour for them. It is a sad state of affairs that Ryder needs to rely on the Neutral Support for water bottles when his own team can't be bothered to help him out.

You would think the like of Zabriskie and Millar could get off their asses and quit riding in the back of the peleton with the sprinters in the mountain stages.

If the team can't ride in proper support of Ryder then they should be ashamed.

 

[Thee_chisa]

totally agree, he is their GC guy, they need to believe in him and support him

 

[SoLogy]

Zabriske had some sort of knee problem flare up on the first stage. I had read that Garmin thought he may have to withdraw, but he is trying to struggle through it. I do not know what is up with Millar.

What has really impressed me about Ryder's ride so far is that really seems to be able to manage his losses. On stage 3 he managed to hang with the front group after they managed to catch him. All the other riders from the breakaway lost significant time on that stage. On stage 8 during the Morzine-Avoriaz climb he realized that he could not stay with the lead group, but instead of bonking he rode his own pace and lost minimal time. He dropped of the lead earlier than some of the other riders but than managed to pass them all on route to the finish.

 

[Oldman]

Zabriske had some sort of knee problem flare up on the first stage. I had read that Garmin thought he may have to withdraw, but he is trying to struggle through it. I do not know what is up with Millar.

What has really impressed me about Ryder's ride so far is that really seems to be able to manage his losses. On stage 3 he managed to hang with the front group after they managed to catch him. All the other riders from the breakaway lost significant time on that stage. On stage 8 during the Morzine-Avoriaz climb he realized that he could not stay with the lead group, but instead of bonking he rode his own pace and lost minimal time. He dropped of the lead earlier than some of the other riders but than managed to pass them all on route to the finish.

He might be better not worrying about his guys' support once they go uphill. He navigates well and they don't have the horsepower to help that much, it seems. If he does well tomorrow they can use their effort to keep him out of trouble on the flats.

 

[santacruz]

bottom line, Garmin needs a stage win this years TdF or else they are effed. Ryder is cool, and good luck to him getting into the top 10 in Paris, but they have a realistic goal of getting a stage win on a sprint stage, that would mean a hell of a lot more to their marketing and sponsors to actually win something, rather than just being in the top 10.

 

[Oldman]

bottom line, Garmin needs a stage win this years TdF or else they are effed. Ryder is cool, and good luck to him getting into the top 10 in Paris, but they have a realistic goal of getting a stage win on a sprint stage, that would mean a hell of a lot more to their marketing and sponsors to actually win something, rather than just being in the top 10.

Agree totally, particularly in this cleaner Tour. Ryder can do fine and, if he's close enough into the last week; they can throw resources at that. Only French teams get sponsors for being in the top ten.

 

[Steampunk]

He's been one of the real revelations of the Tour so far with some spectacular all-round riding ability. In defense of Garmin, though, keep in mind that he was supposed to be riding in support of VDV, so the team is already without one of their best climbers. Too, like Columbia, they also built the team around Farrar, which means the GC wasn't going to get the full support of the team.

 

[marinoni]

Who do you suggest?

I'd love to see Ryder get some help but as another member said DZ is hurting and has never really shown he can be of much help anyway. Same with Millar. With Wiggins gone and CVV unable to stay on his bike for more than 5 mins at a time, Ryder is pretty much it in the mountain stages. Dan Martin would have been useful but he hasn't really developed the potential he showed a couple years ago. I love cheering for this team but let's face it, they're gutted.

 

[131313]

They didn't bring the firepower to support a GC guy. By the time they picked their final team, they knew that VDV didn't have it for the overall. They went chips in for stage wins with Tyler, with an outside hope of Hesjedal and VDV for hilly stage wins.

Add to that, Zabriski's injured pretty badly and Millar's been sick.

All that said, Hesjedal will be supported just in that he won't have to work, and that should be enough. It's not the responsibility of a guy shooting for a top 5 finish to have a bunch of guys driving the pace at the front. That's up to Astana and Saxo.

 

[mowie133]

is trent lowe still n the team??? if he was surely he could of giveing him abit of help over a stage like tonight ,

 

[jaylew]

Look at that roster. There is no one capable of being there in the mountains; it's a team aimed at winning stages and the battle for green.

Garmin has some decent climbers but they aren't in France at the moment. And to be honest, their climbers tend to be terribly inconsistent, sickly, or injured a lot (Kessiakoff, Danielson, Lowe, Martin, VdV).

 

[Johnny Rotten]

Great Replies, Thanks..

Vandevelde is over rated, plus he really needs to learn how to stay upright!

 

[Notso Swift]

^I don't disagree with that

I am missing something here, my understanding is that Ryder IS the mountain support along with Van Summeren...
I think we have known he is a quality rider for a few years (2008 tour springs to mind, supporting VDV) but this year has been breakthrough,... for classics type of events, he is not a GC guy, he is not built that way. Expecting him to jump up at a days notice just will not happen.

He has stated he is aiming for top 10, quite possible on talent alone, especially when not working and just minimising your losses, but with the savageness of the Pyrenees I think that is the best he can hope for

 

[Hairy Wheels]

I think the original poster is a bit clueless. Here's why...

1. As mentioned, Ryder was meant to be the support himself...
2. There aren't too many teams with multiple riders up there when the pace ramps up
3. Injuries etc etc...mentioned.
4. There isn't a whole lot to be done. As I mentioned in another thread he's just following wheels and hoping for the best. That doesn't require a juiced up Disco train gassing it on the front.
5. I'm sure if the riders could, they would. What a stupid thing to suggest that Zabriskie and Millar just get off their arses and stop riding with the sprinters. If they could be at the front, I'm sure they would, as they can't...does it matter where they ride in the mountains? (actually it does...it's better to conserve when possible).

The above reasons (and their may be others) qualifies the original post as being a clueless bit of fluff. Let's end this now...

 

[180mmCrank]

Go Ryder! Go! Go! Go Ryder!

How's that for a bit of support? He seems like a good guy and deserves a bit of credit for his performances over the last couple of years.

So why not have his own thread - famous for 60 seconds - or whatever the saying is

 

[Johnny Rotten]

Ok rocket scientist, here is my response to your knuckle head response below. You can say what you like after this as I to be hoenst I think you missed my point.

My point was that the team has had a disasterous tour, injuries etc etc. That said at least reorganise and try and salvage something.

I know he was there in support of "Crash", (Vande Velde). That said I am not thinking that Garmin should or does have the fire power to "juice the disco train" up front but rather have a few guys try and help him for as long as possible to help limit the losses and then he might be able to provide the stage win they were hoping he would. Bye working for Ryder and keeping him up there in the front you gain more media exposure and hense satisfy your sponsors, hmmm there's an idea.

I am sure you will have a witty response so go ahead and have at it there Hairy Wheels, oh all knowing one.

Either way Contador and Shleck will be lighting it up! Hopefully Ryder can hold on for a top 10.

I think the original poster is a bit clueless. Here's why...

1. As mentioned, Ryder was meant to be the support himself...
2. There aren't too many teams with multiple riders up there when the pace ramps up
3. Injuries etc etc...mentioned.
4. There isn't a whole lot to be done. As I mentioned in another thread he's just following wheels and hoping for the best. That doesn't require a juiced up Disco train gassing it on the front.
5. I'm sure if the riders could, they would. What a stupid thing to suggest that Zabriskie and Millar just get off their arses and stop riding with the sprinters. If they could be at the front, I'm sure they would, as they can't...does it matter where they ride in the mountains? (actually it does...it's better to conserve when possible).

The above reasons (and their may be others) qualifies the original post as being a clueless bit of fluff. Let's end this now...

 

[online-rider]

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[Hairy Wheels]

Ok rocket scientist, here is my response to your knuckle head response below. You can say what you like after this as I to be hoenst I think you missed my point.

My point was that the team has had a disasterous tour, injuries etc etc. That said at least reorganise and try and salvage something.

I know he was there in support of "Crash", (Vande Velde). That said I am not thinking that Garmin should or does have the fire power to "juice the disco train" up front but rather have a few guys try and help him for as long as possible to help limit the losses and then he might be able to provide the stage win they were hoping he would. Bye working for Ryder and keeping him up there in the front you gain more media exposure and hense satisfy your sponsors, hmmm there's an idea.

I am sure you will have a witty response so go ahead and have at it there Hairy Wheels, oh all knowing one.

Either way Contador and Shleck will be lighting it up! Hopefully Ryder can hold on for a top 10.

Don't get all sulky because you blew the original post...

Unfortunately your response blew as well, because, even if you addressed 1 and 4 (VERY weakly), you still didn't address 2,3 and 5.

Furthermore, your suggestion that by helping Ryder limit his losses the team might get the stage win out of him we're (and I mean "we"...you, me, the team, other Canadians) hoping for is pretty silly. Being close to the top of the standings means that Ryder would NOT be allowed in a long term successful break that he might be able to win out of. By being up there on GC, Ryder would have to beat the top riders to win a stage (Contador etc) as they wouldn't let him go OR win a field sprint. Neither is going to happen...

By NOT staying near the front for a stage or two, Ryder has a MUCH greater chance of getting his sponsors the exposure they need, as opposed to being just another jersey in the front group of 15. Hmm...there's an idea?

I think his ride today shows that me should probably pull the pin and lose big time...then go for a stage win (that "we" all want).

BTW...just so you know, by "Disco" I was alluding to the Discovery team...I'm assuming by using "disco" you thought tight white pants and hairy chests were somehow involved?