Teams & Riders Team Visma - Lease a Bike

[SoigneurNL]

The TLJ squad just isn't good enough to compensate for the absence of Gesink. They have no decent GC rider as Kruijswijk rode the Giro and their sprinttrain isn't as good as others. They will need to focus on attacking and hoping that other sprinttrains will derail imho.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

The TLJ squad just isn't good enough to compensate for the absence of Gesink. They have no decent GC rider as Kruijswijk rode the Giro and their sprinttrain isn't as good as others. They will need to focus on attacking and hoping that other sprinttrains will derail imho.

All they need is 1 stage win, but that's ofcourse easier said then done.
Groenewegen is a good sprinter, not the best, but on a lucky day it's possible. Biggest problem for Groenewegen will be the test of endurance. It's his first GT so it will be interesting to see how he will handle it.

Kelderman in a free role should be able to win a stage, ofcourse there are lots of riders at the TdF with a free role that are capable of winning stages. It's a matter of being in the right break on the right day, good legs and a bit of luck.
Keldermans biggest challenge imo will be choosing the right stages and do absolutely nothing on the stages he doesn't have too. So please don't bother on stage 2.... Just let it go, don't care about the GC.
I'm afraid they will tell him to stay near the front...

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Their sprint train focus hasn't gone very well so far. Two sprint stages down and Groenewegen hasn't been in a position to contest a sprint yet.

Today it looked like one of their leadouts hit the front a little before the last bend only to realise that he'd lost the rest of the train and sit up.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Their sprint train focus hasn't gone very well so far. Two sprint stages down and Groenewegen hasn't been in a position to contest a sprint yet.

Today it looked like one of their leadouts hit the front a little before the last bend only to realise that he'd lost the rest of the train and sit up.

He said he made a mistake and because of that wasn't able to follow the wheels of his teammates.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re: Re:

Their sprint train focus hasn't gone very well so far. Two sprint stages down and Groenewegen hasn't been in a position to contest a sprint yet.

Today it looked like one of their leadouts hit the front a little before the last bend only to realise that he'd lost the rest of the train and sit up.

He said he made a mistake and because of that wasn't able to follow the wheels of his teammates.

Yes on this occasion it looked like part of the train had done its job, getting to the front at about the right time. Followed immediately by confused looking around for Groenewegen.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Groenewegen hardly setting the race on fire in his Tour de France debut.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Groenewegen hardly putting the race on fire in his Tour de France debut.

His train is a trainwreck. His sprints are actually pretty decent. Tour de France is a hard race to make your WT debute. I don't think he's ever done any decent climbing before, he'll likely drop out in the Pyrenees.

 

[Anderis]

I would say 3 top tens with one 4th place is decent for him. I didn't expect him to be beating Cavendish and Kittel, even more so considering he fell ill just before the Tour and that his team is far from excelling in terms of lead-out.

Tour de France is a hard race to make your WT debute.

He rode Gent-Wevelgem, Flanders and Eneco Tour last year.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

As long as he's better than Max van Heeswijk...

 

[SoigneurNL]

Can Kelderman stay upright?!

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

Can Kelderman stay upright?!

Well, it would help if the team didn't decide to send him out on a bike that had apparently been assembled using paperclips and old bits of chewing gum.

 

[SoigneurNL]

Re: Re:

Can Kelderman stay upright?!

Well, it would help if the team didn't decide to send him out on a bike that had apparently been assembled using paperclips and old bits of chewing gum.

The budget clearly isn't what it was anymore.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re: Re:

Can Kelderman stay upright?!

Well, it would help if the team didn't decide to send him out on a bike that had apparently been assembled using paperclips and old bits of chewing gum.

Really sucks.. now we'll never find out if Kelderman was any good at GC for the Tour. He'll obviously be gone from now on.

Seemed both physically and mentally broken after the finish.

 

[SoigneurNL]

Re: Re:

Can Kelderman stay upright?!

Well, it would help if the team didn't decide to send him out on a bike that had apparently been assembled using paperclips and old bits of chewing gum.

Really sucks.. now we'll never find out if Kelderman was any good at GC for the Tour. He'll obviously be gone from now on.

Seemed both physically and mentally broken after the finish.

This is going to be another good test of character for him. He needs to call Kruiswijk and ask about his Giro last year. First week of the Tour is almost over, there's still much to be won.

 

[Beech Mtn]

I know there were issues with the old Rabo buses, but I'd have thought the team would've been better off than this by now. Looks like something they bought secondhand off Laurens ten Dam when he moved to California.

http://images.cyclingtips.com/content/uploads/2016/07/CORVOS_00026813-174.jpg
(gah- image too big to post)

 

[CheckMyPecs]

How does Kruijswijk fare on punchy climbs?

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

How does Kruijswijk fare on punchy climbs?

I expect not too great specially since they come in the first week and I don't think he will be as sharp as the first week of the Giro this year.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re: Re:

How does Kruijswijk fare on punchy climbs?

I expect not too great specially since they come in the first week and I don't think he will be as sharp as the first week of the Giro this year.

Not to mention he prefers cold weather to hot by quite a distance. Don't think he's got much chance in this Vuelta

Prove me wrong please Steven

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Plus he is not exactly a star on flat stages with a MTF at the end.
Vuelta has a ton of them.

I really don't see the point. But ok, maybe for the experience or smh

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Plus he is not exactly a star on flat stages with a MTF at the end.
Vuelta has a ton of them.

I really don't see the point. But ok, maybe for the experience or smh

What should he ride otherwise tho? There really isn't much for rider types like him apart from GT's and even if he doesn't do well, I think its preferable for a guy like him to have done 2 GTs on a year. Heard a lot of people basically using the Vuelta as 'training' for the upcoming season.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Or laying the foundations for a shot at Lombardia.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Yeah and if he loses time so what? He could be a very dangerous stage-hunter

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Point proven.. 53th today.

That's even worse than I expected (thought around 25th place 1'00 down or something). Looks like that illness after Rio did even make him worse. So.. what's next.

 

[staubsauger]

Maybe he can ride himself into shape and win the stage to Lagos de Covadonga and / or the polka dot jersey!

 

[CheckMyPecs]

He lost a whole 2:02!