Didn't one of the UAE team members brag on how strong of a team they are? Joking aside i don't feel GT organisers will include a race defining TTT anytime soon.
- Aug 3, 2015
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They dont though, its not some totally new concept and goes a long way back (how long I cant remember and I cant really bother to look it up). I always loved to watch these long TTTs in the 00's and still do.. ONCE, CSC, Telekom and US Postal. That was dope. Recently, they are not quite as interesting since they generally are very short, which I do understand since it obviously has the potential to kill off a race. But seriously, give me one medium length TTT over a classic transition stage towards the Alps any day of the week (who is won by a sprinter we forget the name off the day after - well, I do). The opening 10 km TTT Im not that fond off though - they are pretty meaningless to me. Also, as was pointed out earlier, these teams are super professional and rarely tend to just completely throw their races - the timelosses and rather marginal, especially for the bigger teams, so it cant really hurt that much and it IS a great spectacle to watch. 2-3 hours of great action compared to your average sprinter stage.
- Jul 10, 2014
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Their upcoming video about the Tour de France
View: https://twitter.com/JumboVismaRoad/status/1421399644219789315?s=20
View: https://twitter.com/JumboVismaRoad/status/1421399644219789315?s=20
- Mar 13, 2009
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Maybe DSM could learn from this as well lol
- Feb 20, 2012
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"Tom what do you want."
"Olympic TT gold"
"Primoz wants that too"
"Rock paper scissors it is"
- Jun 7, 2010
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DSM could learn, but this is a rider no longer wanting to ride GTs for GC it seems and the team accommodating him. And not a disagreement over how much the life of a pro-rider has to be regulated by his team.
- Mar 13, 2009
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This is actually not even true. Dumoulin said after the OS TT he doesn't exclude riding GT's for a GC at all.
- Aug 13, 2011
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Imagine both were st throughout the whole TT and Major Tom stops right before the line.
- Jun 7, 2010
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Ah, cool.
But anyway, I still see the news piece in the context of adjusting the programme for Dumoulin to ease the pressure on him, while the biggest issue with DSM seems to be the unhappiness with day-to-day operations of the team.
- Mar 13, 2009
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- Feb 20, 2012
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Wait? Where?
Tbh with all that was said about pressure I had found it a more than fair assumption to make.
- Mar 7, 2013
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Tom said so after the Olympic TT:
"You won't reject the possibility that you might ride a grand tour for a GC again?"
"Certainly not."
Also reported by Dutch broadcaster NOS,:
https://nos.nl/l/2391366
View: https://mobile.twitter.com/thijszonneveld/status/1420314963898363907
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- Feb 20, 2012
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- Feb 20, 2012
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Looks decent but not Ineos level. And possibly highly variable depending on how good Kuss is?
I don't think there's many stages where strenght in numbers ends up super critical, unless Roglic finds himself in a position where he needs to attack himself and make the race hard.
If Roglic is at his best, it's just very hard for me to see him lose.
I don't think there's many stages where strenght in numbers ends up super critical, unless Roglic finds himself in a position where he needs to attack himself and make the race hard.
If Roglic is at his best, it's just very hard for me to see him lose.
- Jul 16, 2015
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Sure, for example I expect Roglic could be isolated at the end of some climbs (I also expect Oomen to be better than Kruijswijk), but I'd call that team "homogenous" IMO. Everyone will know what they've got to do & the leadership question isn't even a question, unlike over at Ineos where there's really 3 guys on paper who can expect to have a shot at winning the overall.
I also note the return of Addy Engels as sporting director (no Frans Maassen this year). That brings back memories (some good, some sh*tty).
- Feb 20, 2012
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Don't think Ineos will have 3 leaders for very long. If they have 3 leaders they'll have a hard time drilling the climbs unless someone else does it.
Picon Blanco on stage 3 should basically already show where everyone stands. From that point the MTFs aren't actually that hard until Lagos de Covadonga. Apart from Ballesteros there's no real climbs to go long range and tricky either IMO.
Why not use Bennett, even though he'll be part of the UAE mountain train next year? He's way more dependable than Kruijswijk. This IMO makes it harder for Roglic to win than it needs to be.
- Feb 20, 2012
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I guess they just still rate Kruijswijk higher no matter what. It's not like Bennett had a great Giro either.
Not the strongest team but not that bad either. I expect to see some good cycling not only regarding some team domination. Individual quality should play a bigger role on this race.
P.S. Too bad Pogačar decided against participating. Then Vuelta would likely easily take the GT crown this year.
P.S. Too bad Pogačar decided against participating. Then Vuelta would likely easily take the GT crown this year.
I would say Kruijswijk is more reliable and consistent. Maybe he also adds more to the team with his experience and is better in a domestic role, compared to Bennett.
That Bennett is leaving could be a deciding factor, of course, but on the other hand he won Gran Piemonte last year and came second in Lombardia. Maybe he rather ride for himself in the Italian races, than as a domestic all in for Roglic, so perhaps we dont have to feel too bad for him.
That Bennett is leaving could be a deciding factor, of course, but on the other hand he won Gran Piemonte last year and came second in Lombardia. Maybe he rather ride for himself in the Italian races, than as a domestic all in for Roglic, so perhaps we dont have to feel too bad for him.
probably in part due to weather... but he helped Foss secure a top-10.
If Kruijswijk had the same legs he probably wouldn't have pulled much. And yes, he's overpaid because he's a Dutch rider on a Dutch team. Heard on Sporza that he's on a big contract. JV probably effed up when they renewed.
Bennett will probably be the last one of Pogacar's doms to drop in the 2022 Tour. I'm calling it now ;-/
Up until now Bennett has been way better in a support role, IMO, even if they both like to race for themselves.
Ineos looks better on paper, but when we consider that all Carapaz moves will be covered by Movistar the apparent advantage is not so much.
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