Tejay Van Garderen Discussion Thread

[SergeDeM]

Re: Tejay Van Garderen

I'm starting to have the sick feeling that TJ will end up 5th in Paris...

Not just 5th, 5th and 11 minutes down

 

[jmdirt]

Hang in there Tejay! Today didn't really change what he has to do in the Alps.

 

[VeloCity]

Re: Re:

What's with all the disapproval for TJ? He's doing the right figh to accomplish his objective of making it onto the podium of the Tour de France.

Because you don't get to be 2nd DURING the TdF that easily or often. Every year is different. Next year you miss out on a cross wind stage. You have a mechanical that loses you minutes. You may crash in May during preparation. You get ill, have a bad day... New talented riders come along. Older talented riders return/focus. The future is NOW.

But his goal is racing for third. That's our best from the USA now? That's who we are now? Not getting 3rd, RACING for 3rd. It's. Totally. Demoralizing. May I remind you (not the movie version, the real one):

"Americans love to fight. All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle. When you were kids, you all admired the champion marble shooter, the fastest runner, the big-league ball players and the toughest boxers. Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. That's why Americans have never lost and will never lose a war. The very thought of losing is hateful to Americans." - Patton

As an American I'd prefer a TJ (assuming he's clean, and so far no reason to doubt it) riding to his limit trying to maintain a podium spot than to be represented by the "win at all costs" likes of Armstrong, Landis, Hamilton et al.

They sure did the country proud, eh?

 

[hrotha]

Well yeah but the two things are unrelated. It's like saying you'd rather the guy abandoned than to be a serial killer.

 

[Psalmon]

Re: Re:

What's with all the disapproval for TJ? He's doing the right figh to accomplish his objective of making it onto the podium of the Tour de France.

As an American I'd prefer a TJ (assuming he's clean, and so far no reason to doubt it) riding to his limit trying to maintain a podium spot than to be represented by the "win at all costs" likes of Armstrong, Landis, Hamilton et al.

They sure did the country proud, eh?

My comment was not a Clinic post.

The point was I feel he should be attacking like Nibali (or go with Nibali) did today in Stage 16, forcing the issue, exposing a weakness if he can. Quintana has shown he's touchy going down hill after last year's ITT in the Vuelta. Maybe he gets 20 seconds back. Maybe Q goes off the road. Instead Bowling Ball Barguil almost took HIM out!

The point is I just don't want to see the interview 12 years from now reading "I should have taken more risks in 2015, but I didn't know then, that 2015 was a close as I would get..."

At this point I worry Valverde and Contador will go over the top of him and 5th is looking likely again. Tejay looked wasted in the interview today, and based on what we saw after Pau's rest day, yikes!

Still rooting for Tejay, but lots of questions with this strategy.

 

[jmdirt]

OK, Tejay, rest up, get a solid ride in, fuel up, rest up, fuel up, and get ready to race!

 

[Jelantik]

Re: Tejay Van Garderen

TJ objective is protecting his 3rd place. There's no way he can climb w/ Froome and Quintana. so he'd better pay attention to Contador/Valverde if he wants his podium spot. Unfortunately that's all he can hope podium or top 5.

 

[Andre.J]

T.J is completely at his limit. 5th sounds about right....if he doesn't crack.

 

[woodburn]

Sounds like he's pretty focused on following ...

“The third week if the Tour is always very unpredictable, you never know how people are going to respond. Nothing is a given but I’m ahead and they’re behind, so they’re going to have make the attacks and not me.”

 

[Publicus]

Re:

Sounds like he's pretty focused on following ...

“The third week if the Tour is always very unpredictable, you never know how people are going to respond. Nothing is a given but I’m ahead and they’re behind, so they’re going to have make the attacks and not me.”

Does he know that HE'S behind too? Oh wait, he's going to ride to protect his 3rd place. After tomorrow he will be riding to protect 5th. The day after 6th. Saturday, defending his top 10 position.

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

Sounds like he's pretty focused on following ...

“The third week if the Tour is always very unpredictable, you never know how people are going to respond. Nothing is a given but I’m ahead and they’re behind, so they’re going to have make the attacks and not me.”

Does he know that HE'S behind too? Oh wait, he's going to ride to protect his 3rd place. After tomorrow he will be riding to protect 5th. The day after 6th. Saturday, defending his top 10 position.

The fact he reasons like this means he knows he's higher in the Gc then he should be.

 

[Yingge]

Re: Tejay Van Garderen

Seems that his bad day has arrived - is perhaps sick, but end of his hopes now, could even fall out of the top 10, or even have to quit.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re: Tejay Van Garderen

I'm starting to have the sick feeling that TJ will end up 5th in Paris...

TJ is starting to have the sick feeling too

 

[Old School]

Re: Tejay Van Garderen

I'm starting to have the sick feeling that TJ will end up 5th in Paris...

TJ is starting to have the sick feeling too

Sick enough to ABANDON! What a shame...but, I always felt he had no business being on the podium.

 

[Escarabajo]

Feel very sad for TJ. Worked so hard for this. I wonder what really happened to him today?

 

[sienna]

Re: Tejay Van Garderen

I'm starting to have the sick feeling that TJ will end up 5th in Paris...

TJ is starting to have the sick feeling too

Sick enough to ABANDON! What a shame…but, I always felt he had no business being on the podium.

He evidently had a severe headache. I couldn't help noticing thinly masked pleasure from the commentators when he dropped off the back.

 

[DBotero]

Re: Tejay Van Garderen

I'm sorry for TVG.I thought he was the favorite for the last podium place.Hard to abandon from the 3rd place and with only a few days remaining

 

[chiocciolis_calves]

Has anyone ever heard Tejay suffers from migraines?

 

[Psalmon]

TeJay looked wasted in the interview on Monday and we did not see much of him on the rest day. This may have started a few days ago (or more?). It shows just how hard it is to get thru all 3 weeks intact, let alone place well.

This Tour has been particularly characterized by big highs and big lows for the players, more than normal to me. Two yellow jerseys crashing out. Cav was the goat one day, wins the next...BMC wins the TTT, now TJ out. It's not over yet...

 

[jmdirt]

I feel bad for Tejay and his team!

 

[Moviefan1203]

I'm absolutely gutted for poor Tejay. What a damn shame.

 

[Old School]

Re: Tejay Van Garderen

I'm starting to have the sick feeling that TJ will end up 5th in Paris...

TJ is starting to have the sick feeling too

Sick enough to ABANDON! What a shame…but, I always felt he had no business being on the podium.

He evidently had a severe headache. I couldn't help noticing thinly masked pleasure from the commentators when he dropped off the back.

You must have a different set of commentators than we do in the US....these guys here have been touting TJ "with his diesel like engine built for the Alps" as a top 3 contender....like they did last year with "The Pit Bulldog" from Cannondale...it seems that any American that shows decent in a pre Tour race...Criterium/Tour de Suisse/Tour of Cali...they act like all of a sudden this rider is ready to win the Tour....I guess it's just typical country pride.

 

[Amsterhammer]

Re:

I'm absolutely gutted for poor Tejay. What a damn shame.

Agree. Very sad for the boy.

 

[damian13ster]

Gutted for him. Heartbreaking. He will be back though

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re:

TeJay looked wasted in the interview on Monday and we did not see much of him on the rest day. This may have started a few days ago (or more?). It shows just how hard it is to get thru all 3 weeks intact, let alone place well.

This Tour has been particularly characterized by big highs and big lows for the players, more than normal to me. Two yellow jerseys crashing out. Cav was the goat one day, wins the next...BMC wins the TTT, now TJ out. It's not over yet...

I'm thinking Teejay became sick because he was nearly empty. He has so many times stayed with the leaders for too long in my opinion. He should try to pace himself better to stay fit. Trying to follow Froome everytime leaves a mark