Tejay Van Garderen Discussion Thread

[sky forever]

Just wondering what peoples thoughts will be on Tejay Van Garderen's season will be. New team focusing on what he wants to do. Help Cadel and lead races like Cali or Paris Nice. Then maybe when Cadel retires take over the leadership role.

So will Tejay be a hit or a flop this season?

 

[sky forever]

ok there was meant to be a poll but this is my first start to a threat!!! Did try and put one in but didn't work.

 

[CatDogQQ]

imo he will have a chanse on vuelta or giro

 

[Captain_Cavman]

ok there was meant to be a poll but this is my first start to a threat!!! Did try and put one in but didn't work.

No need for threats surely.

I vote flop.

 

[Richeypen]

Lots of teams could have given him a decent shot at leadership. Sadly he will get lost beneath the weight of egos at BMC

 

[Sofía_]

in my opinion he is an undevelopment rider. 1 week stage races and help Cadel should be a good (and neccesary) goal

 

[theyoungest]

in my opinion he is an undevelopment rider. 1 week stage races and help Cadel should be a good (and neccesary) goal

Undevelopment... that's a cool word

I think this year's Paris-Nice course could be good for Tejay... nice prologue, not a crazy amount of climbing, an MTT on a power climb. Top 5 is certainly possible.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Very poor Man's Tony Martin

 

[maltiv]

Very poor Man's Tony Martin

- 10 kgs

 

[Gloin22]

Very poor Man's Tony Martin

Tejay can definitely climb better and will become much better climber than Tony will ever be

 

[theyoungest]

Very poor Man's Tony Martin

A bit of respect please for the guy who paced Tony to a Paris-Nice win.

 

[gustienordic]

Tejay can definitely climb better and will become much better climber than Tony will ever be

very true... Tony can already climb much better and training with Cadel will help TJ big time.

 

[sky forever]

training with Cadel will help TJ big time.

Thats what i was thinking. Just hope it works for the guy!!!!

 

[theyoungest]

very true... Tony can already climb much better and training with Cadel will help TJ big time.

That's kind of nonsense... if the BMC guys have been training with Cadel the past seasons, it hasn't made them much better.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Let me down last year by scoring fewer CQ points than the previous year.
Despite all the inevitable positive hype, will probably stay as a second tier GC boy, a la Jani Brajkovic.

 

[El Pistolero]

That's kind of nonsense... if the BMC guys have been training with Cadel the past seasons, it hasn't made them much better.

He however does make a point that training with a big cyclist can make you better. Hushovd said he climbs better now than in the past because he often trains together with Gilbert. Of course, BMC guys haven't really improved much in past seasons, but who says they trained together with Evans? Cyclists usually train alone except on stages. Plus you need some level of talent before anyone will notice an improvement Evans was the only climber in BMC until now.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Let me down last year by scoring fewer CQ points than the previous year.
Despite all the inevitable positive hype, will probably stay as a second tier GC boy, a la Jani Brajkovic.

He's a level below Jani at the moment.

 

[Mellow Velo]

He's a level below Jani at the moment.

Agreed.
J B's level is about where I see him plateauing.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Agreed.
J B's level is about where I see him plateauing.

Makes sense.

I got in trouble with some Americans for questioning his once in a generation talent during the Tour of Utah, but he did basically nothing last year, and the year before his best result involved dragging himself up a hill looking very very uncomfortable despite Horner's best attempts to tow him.

 

[Afrank]

I think he well be able to do well in the American races like california, and the US Pro Challenge, but I don't expect much from him in the GT and other European races this season. One day I think he could be a Leipheimer-like GC contender, able to not loose much time on the hills but then take lots of time in the TT.

 

[skidmark]

Yeah, I think he could have a fine year (ie. not a 'flop'), but I don't see him winning races until he shows he can climb better. He hasn't shown anything 'top tier' as of yet, but he's still young, so it's possible. At any rate, he's the obvious 2nd gc guy on BMC (Pinotti too, but he's more focused on the Giro) so he should show quite well in the one-week stage races. Helping Cadel in the Tour might actually be quite good for his GC ambitions; if he needs to stay with him as long as possible on the last climbs, he won't give up gobs of time in the gruppetto and could finish fairly high (I mean, top 20 more than top 10). And he showed quite well in LBL last year, so he could be a one-day guy for hilly races, like the worlds.

Good rider, all around, won't get lost at BMC as they don't have much stage talent, but won't set the world on fire either.

 

[auscyclefan94]

imo he will have a chanse on vuelta or giro

Well if his goals are Paris Nice, ATOC & Tour then giro or vuelta aren't on the cards.

Very poor Man's Tony Martin

Who can climb far better and can do a very good time trial.

That's kind of nonsense... if the BMC guys have been training with Cadel the past seasons, it hasn't made them much better.

He does occasionally train with some of the guys and I think there has been improvement but you are somewhat right. I think his influences on the climberas and stage racers would be more within a race.

TJVG could have a good season. Paris Nice suits him really well and so does ATOC.

 

[movingtarget]

Well if his goals are Paris Nice, ATOC & Tour then giro or vuelta aren't on the cards.


Who can climb far better and can do a very good time trial.


He does occasionally train with some of the guys and I think there has been improvement but you are somewhat right. I think his influences on the climberas and stage racers would be more within a race.

TJVG could have a good season. Paris Nice suits him really well and so does ATOC.

Yeah I think it will be a season for development also for Phinney. Learning as much as possible from Hincapie, Evans, Gilbert and Hushovd. Not a bad group to learn from ! He should do well in the one week long stage races like PN and TOC. BMC obviously bought him with the future in mind. He seems pretty versatile. Be interesting to see how much progress he makes.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Makes sense.

I got in trouble with some Americans for questioning his once in a generation talent during the Tour of Utah, but he did basically nothing last year, and the year before his best result involved dragging himself up a hill looking very very uncomfortable despite Horner's best attempts to tow him.

TJVG is overrated on this forum imo.
While a decent rider, I never see him amounting as a serious GT contendor.

I just haven't been that impressed.

more of a short stage racer I see him as.

 

[Havetts]

Only time this year where I thought he was remotely impressive was the stage in the USPCC. Brajkovic had an injury for his bad season, I rate TJVG (even) lower than Brajkovic.