Team Visma LAB

[therealthing]

WVA was getting dropped like a stone the past mountain stages. Suddenly he is almost dropping Quintana. Must have had a special breakfast this morning

 

[Netserk]

WVA was getting dropped like a stone the past mountain stages.

He sat up. Who knows how long he could hold on, but certainly for longer than he did.

 

[samhocking]

Wout said he was saving himself for next weekend so took it easy. We already know he can climb with the best when not fatigued from last year.

Roglic, again having the same bad legs on the same last day of the same race is a weird one. What does he do last night. He can last 3 weeks of racing in a GT, but not a week into Nice???

 

[Aimar16]

Roglic, again having the same bad legs on the same last day of the same race is a weird one. What does he do last night. He can last 3 weeks of racing in a GT, but not a week into Nice???

It also matters how intense the week is. To constantly be focused and working for a week is physically and mentally exhausting. On the Grand Tour, there are a few easy stages a week where he hardly has to do anything special.

 

[johnymax]

Roglic, again having the same bad legs on the same last day of the same race is a weird one. What does he do last night. He can last 3 weeks of racing in a GT, but not a week into Nice???

Huh? Last year he didn't have bad legs. He crashed twice during that stage. That's why he lost the GC, not because of bad legs.

 

[firefly3323]

Huh? Last year he didn't have bad legs. He crashed twice during that stage. That's why he lost the GC, not because of bad legs.

Well, I suppose that injured legs could be counted as bed legs. Right?

 

[Ghirmay4Ever]

Here we go again!

 

[MartinGT]

Laporte

 

[F_Cance]

really starting to hate this sport. The last few seasons have been too much of the dark age

 

[Netserk]

Laporte

Only 11th in Ronde last year, same group as Van Aert.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

How has this thread not been renamed Jumbo-Gewissma yet?

 

[red_flanders]

How has this thread not been renamed Jumbo-Gewissma yet?

Was just going to post a similar comment! Pretty amazing stuff.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Teunissen after the race: '12th and only the 4th of the team, that says it all'. Doesn't it just, Mike, doesn't it just.

 

[Nick2413]

Teunissen after the race: '12th and only the 4th of the team, that says it all'. Doesn't it just, Mike, doesn't it just.

Watching them talk about how Laporte all the sudden became a world beater because of the marginal gains and optimal training of JV was so cringeworthy I had to fast forward. He was good no doubt but he’s the only guy in the peloton that can go with Wout now. I’m not saying doping is confined to just one or two teams but it’s definitely being implemented in a coordinated fashion at some teams more than others.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Watching them talk about how Laporte all the sudden became a world beater because of the marginal gains and optimal training of JV was so cringeworthy I had to fast forward. He was good no doubt but he’s the only guy in the peloton that can go with Wout now. I’m not saying doping is confined to just one or two teams but it’s definitely being implemented in a coordinated fashion at some teams more than others.

When Wout went LaPorte was on his wheel, Girmay riding his first cobbled classic was third wheel in the gutter and couldn't quite hold on. Girmay was in the gutter, the fastest line and so nobody could get around him. Wout waited for LaPorte over the top and then off they rode. Still the gap was 18-20 seconds until the others started looking around. You say team doping I say team tactics (and the regular doping). Might as well be asking how a 21 year old from a non cycling nation (see Pog-Rog Slovenia thread) was in the position to block everyone else in the first place.

 

[roundabout]

block?

it's not like there was a traffic jam behind Girmay at the top, he actually had a slight gap to Mohoric who was the next rider over

 

[Krzysztof_O]

We had better get used to the view of Van Aert and Laporte finishing together. The same scenario will take place in Alpe d'Huez this summer (with Pog grasping for air a few minutes back and Rog flying somewhere off the road).

 

[SafeBet]

block?

it's not like there was a traffic jam behind Girmay at the top, he actually had a slight gap to Mohoric who was the next rider over

Yeah and then some more gaps behind.
It's very simple: the two strongest riders went away. Nobody in that group could follow.

 

[Hugh Januss]

block?

it's not like there was a traffic jam behind Girmay at the top, he actually had a slight gap to Mohoric who was the next rider over

True, at first he started drifting off Laporte's wheel then he rallied and while he couldn't close he did open up a bit on Mohoric who was also a bike length ahead of the next guy.

 

[Hugh Januss]

We had better get used to the view of Van Aert and Laporte finishing together. The same scenario will take place in Alpe d'Huez this summer (with Pog grasping for air a few minutes back and Rog flying somewhere off the road).

Haha. I'd bet money that won't happen.

 

[fatissimo]

When Wout went LaPorte was on his wheel, Girmay riding his first cobbled classic was third wheel in the gutter and couldn't quite hold on. Girmay was in the gutter, the fastest line and so nobody could get around him. Wout waited for LaPorte over the top and then off they rode. Still the gap was 18-20 seconds until the others started looking around. You say team doping I say team tactics (and the regular doping). Might as well be asking how a 21 year old from a non cycling nation (see Pog-Rog Slovenia thread) was in the position to block everyone else in the first place.

For what it's worth, there are more than twice as many junior riders in Eritrea than Slovenia. The Elite field is slightly larger as well.

Plus, cycling has a HUGE following Eritrea-you really have to look into African cycling, it's phenomenal. Slovenia does maybe as well, but probably more related to the recent domination as opposed to a passion for the sport amongst the general population.

Jumbo has some good stuff this year....but they're not alone as a team, there are others firing on all cylinders. Or maybe more cylinders than you can actually find in their engine.

 

[Hugh Januss]

For what it's worth, there are more than twice as many junior riders in Eritrea than Slovenia. The Elite field is slightly larger as well.

Plus, cycling has a HUGE following Eritrea-you really have to look into African cycling, it's phenomenal. Slovenia does maybe as well, but probably more related to the recent domination as opposed to a passion for the sport amongst the general population.

Jumbo has some good stuff this year....but they're not alone as a team, there are others firing on all cylinders. Or maybe more cylinders than you can actually find in their engine.

You're right, I should have said "non classics nation" as Girmay is the first rider from Eritrea to show real aptitude for racing on the cobbles, and he has proven to be a very fast learner.

 

[Cookster15]

WVA was getting dropped like a stone the past mountain stages. Suddenly he is almost dropping Quintana. Must have had a special breakfast this morning

WVA is merely back to 2020 TdF level. WVA is only 27 so we should also expect him to be stronger in 2022 due to natural progression.

But no way will WVA be a match for Pog at the TdF. For JV, Roglic and Vingegaard will be their GC leaders ably supported by WVA and others like Rohan Dennis.

 

[Fergoose]

I really like what I saw from TJV today. Both riders in the break lost what could easily have been stage losing time, but slogged out a victory against a couple of decent veterans (who also looked completely on the limit). The stage completely passed the smell test for me (out of those riders going at full tilt).

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Primoz after seeing Pog&his doctor on Mortirolo did a motivational speech:
"Guys, Pogacar is verrry strrrrong and his doctorrr is happy. This is not good. You know what we have to do. We don't want to get crushed again by this ingrate kid, who betrayed me on PDBF."