I don't really believe Dumoulin going to the Giro in 2019 happens if Dumoulin wants to go to the Tour. Tour after Giro was probably the compromise, just like in 2018 in my opinion. And I would blame Sunweb for what happend after that Giro crash a decent bit as well.
I think an unmentioned advantage Dumoulin has over Roglic is that the ITT is in the 3rd week, and Dumoulin's ITT falls off a lot less than Roglic' ITT.
As for Bernal. He won the Tour last year, but I still don't know how to rate him, seeing as he got dropped in the Pyrenees and after Pinot fell off, the field looked unconvincing to me. Like I don't believe Kruijswijk couldn't do Iseran faster but he tried to get his domestique with him. This is not to say Kruijswijk could follow Bernal, cause he clearly couldn't.
Lastly, another area where this Tour route is bad imo is it seems to me there's very little ways in which you can use your multiple team leaders. Especially the biggest stages have humongous MTFs where attacking early is suicide (I thinkGrand Colombier suits Dumoulin great), and for all the hype about Jumbo I don't see them outgunning Ineos that badly. Best case scenario for Jumbo is both Dumoulin and Roglic are better than Thomas while Froome doesn't have it.
For team tactics. I don't believe there will be friction. Dumoulin has made it perfectly clear he doesn't mind working for other riders and I believe him when he says he doesn't want to ride for a lesser placing and that if he's not the best Jumbo rider he wouldn't win on another team anyway. The only problem I potentially see is that Roglic could well be clearly better in the first 2 weeks before fading, and when that happens Roglic might ship time to Dumoulin rather quickly. Basically I hope Kruijswijk will be the designated Roglic domestique when that happens.
The ideal Tour for me is still just Thibaut Pinot roflstomping everyone for 3 weeks though.
I'd consider the final mountain stage the most important one there. For most of the others I feel it's fairly certain nothing will happen before the final climb.Roche-sur-Foron - 30km after Glieres
Villard-de-Lans - 20km after the last big climb
Mont Aigoual - 14km after Lusette
A numerical advantage at these points might work especially if there are teammates as well
As for big MTFs it's also a gamble for the chasing team and yes, it's possible that one of the 3 may have to take a gamble to either win, or for one of the other 2 to have a better chance of winning
Or it can happen like you wrote that they would be simply better with not team tactics required.
According to La Gazzetta Bianchi isn't happy with everyone going to the Tour, they are trying to convince Dumoulin to do the double.
Roglic had an agreement long before Dumoulin came on board to focus on the Tour in 2020.A day after thinking about it and in my opinion, Roglič, Dumoulin and Kruijswijk all going to the TDF 2020. The explanation is likely rather simple. TJV wants to win the TDF 2020, that is what 2020 season is about, for TJV. All of the captains and support team will basically have that goal, set as the primary goal until TDF starts. Attending other GT races, before TDF, that would just waste and split resources, increase the chance of injuries, get in a way of optimal preparation ... from TJV point of view.
I think Kruijswijk will be more of a superdom (like Bennett was supposed to be for him) and a tactical ace up their sleeves. Should Roglic crash and Dumoulin falter (or the other way around) they can still rely on Kruijswijk for a top 5 spot. But i think that's only a distant possibility or scenario. I can see Kruijswijk being used to either work for "Dumoglic" in the final 5k, or attacking from further out, forcing Ineos to get their hands dirty sooner rather than later, putting Dumo & Roglic in a comfortable position. That way the Ineos leaders might be forced to show their hand too soon, since they can't afford to simply let the number 3 of last year ride away.Roglic had an agreement long before Dumoulin came on board to focus on the Tour in 2020.
I imagine Dumoulin going to the Tour heavily featured in the buy out talks already.
Kruijswijk doesn't really make much sense to me. He's overachieved at the Tour, and if he prefers to be 3rd wheel at the Tour rather than lead the Giro then that's just sad to me.
On a GT race, such as the TDF, just about anything is possible. That is why i feel that all three will give their best. Before the race preparing and during it. Based on the dynamics from the previous years and based on all that was said recently i somehow feel Roglič is the captain, when it comes to TDF 2020 and Dumoulin and Kruijswijk have somewhat accepted that. Their chances being plan B and plan C. In case plan A doesn't work out. Not doing a GT race before the TDF. That increases the chance of riders being optimally prepared for TDF and to be healthy. It's not fair, when it comes to GT races such as the Giro, but i do feel that Giro will come in the spotlight in one of the future seasons. And basically TJV has removed the sprinters crew completely, from TDF 2020 plan. As said, they really went all in this time. There are literary no eggs left to be put in this basket.
Doubt they can count on Steven K. for a top 5 anymore. He was only on Buchmann's level, after all, on a course that suited him mcuh better than the more explosive 2020 TDF course. When he had to dom (for Roglic) he didn't bury himself, either. (Romandie)
...
They will leave their best mountain dom by far at home, also.
...
This.I saw his interviews. I doubt Bianchi can convince him of anything.
Actually, Kruijswijk preferring to be 3rd wheel at the Tour rather than leading the Giro is a surprise to me.
Ohyeah that's a very good point I really forgot about.With the Team Sunweb Dumoulin was in a rather unhappy place and in addition injured. He had to know about the plans Roglič and TJV have for TDF 2020. Therefore there is a chance Dumoulin wanted to participate in TDF 2020, to show there is a new sheriff in town. But i somehow feel that is not the case. He has just started training at full intensity (December 2019), he needs that extra few months, to get back in a good shape. And there is little guarantee Dumoulin will be in a shape of the lifetime in the very first GT race he does. That is why i feel he is rather OK with the role he has for TDF 2020. As for the Kruijswijk. I am not all that sure, he had the Giro option open, likely not. As in that case TJV would have to dedicate a rather strong support team and all participants would therefore be able to help a bit less in TDF 2020, injuries could have happened.
Roglic had an agreement long before Dumoulin came on board to focus on the Tour in 2020.
I imagine Dumoulin going to the Tour heavily featured in the buy out talks already.
Kruijswijk doesn't really make much sense to me. He's overachieved at the Tour, and if he prefers to be 3rd wheel at the Tour rather than lead the Giro then that's just sad to me.
Makes perfect sense to me. They are putting team goals above individual goals. Their #1 goal this season is winning the Tour. Having Kruijswijk as a super dom for Dumo and Roglic is how they combat Ineos. I think it's a great idea.This.
I can understand Roglic and Dumoulin. I don't understand Kruijswijk. With the way he rides he is limited to win the Tour. So he will be, probably a superdomestique. So if I was him I'd try to convince Jumbo to at least let him go to the Giro. He can still be a superdomestique at the Tour.
Andy Ruiz on Anthony Joshua Loss, I Partied Too Hard and Ate Everything!