Re: Re:
This Charming Man said:
Galic Ho said:
Mayomaniac said:
TJVG will finish higher on gc than Porte, I'm pretty sure about that.
The competition for a top 5 spot will be pretty hard, but it's not impossible.
I'd still like him to change things up a bit, but he's the American gc rider at BMC, so him focussing on another gt than the Tour isn't exactly realistic.
Edit: I think that becoming super skinny is one of the main reasons why he's suffering the cold, rainy weather more than he used to.
No, goals have to be realistic and RELEVANT. Is it relevant for an American rider on an American team to not be granted a CHANCE as the GC leader at the Tour? No. Is it realistic? No. Realistic trumps relevant.
A podium at the Giro or Vuelta is better than the Tour because Tejay had an opportunity. This is why I am critical of BMC; they've gambled it all on the Tour and taking Porte's 1:45 loss on stage 2, guess where he'd be? Third on GC. Don't forget that...he's clearly stronger than Tejay.
Problem is Tejay's affinity for getting sick. He's also stupid for racing without wet weather gear. He's almost 28! That's dumb. Who doesn't rug up? Tejay!! Look what it did to him in the Tour de Suisse! Bad day and lost heaps of time. That is a 9 day stage race.
We have the second rest day approaching. BMC better have found and fixed Tejay's problem from 2014 and 2015. The problem? It's been obvious for a long time now. His weight. He's far too below his bodies natural homeostasis and you can see it...it leaves him more prone to getting sick.
Of course that weight loss means he can compete, but for what? A 'realistic' as you described it 5th at the Tour? Bardet is 45 seconds behind him after the time trial and of all the riders to Porte, in 8th, ALL of them have put time into Tejay in the 2 mountain stages where racing occurred.
Where are these so called climbing legs? Valverde has a grand tour in his legs and he is just in front of Tejay on GC! He's also carrying Quintana...sorry, but Tejay needs to actually do something or his position will remain the same.
Of course he could...but does he have form? We'll see in a few days. That mountain time trial is going to reveal everything.
Please, do not be pessimistic TJ is riding himself into shape.
Consider yourself fortunate I don't pull the quotes from the man himself and post them here.
He's believed his own hype and has to face reality. Humbling himself and not talking up his recovery ability in the third week and Froome's apparent weakness would look good.
Oh you didn't know? He did big mouth himself and look how it goes! He cannot keep the wheel of the remaining top 12 riders. He's within a minute of dropping well outside the top 10.
Tejay and BMC have done this to himself. He is not podium material at the Tour de France. A wise and well structured racing calendar does not allow a rider who failed to finish successive grand tours in 2015 to ride into the next season and big mouth themselves, himself and claim the most dominant rider in the peloton for the Tour has a 'weakness.' Few believe that right now...Valverde is the only one thinking Froome has a weakness and that might not be a valid translation I read. Valverde has other results. Three Fleche Wallone results in a row and a Giro podium and he's 36. Tejay takes what away from this year? A stage in the Tour de Suisse! He's aiming for the Tour podium people and many here expect it from him!! Not being harsh, I am stating be REALISTIC and pick a RELEVANT goal that he can achieve.
Valverde rode the Giro and has a podium. He didn't crack yesterday. Come on, be serious and care about the rider. If you're a fan, then why are you being merry and ignorant? Tejay clearly NEEDS a good GC result in a grand tour. I've laid down a solid case in the Porte thread and perhaps this one as to why BMC needed to ride the Giro FIRST as a team and get a result there for one of their riders...simply for their own well being. Do you think Tejay wasn't hit mentally by bonking the last two years on stage after the second rest day? That's Wednesday! It's a mountain top finish and has a time trial following and then another mountain top finish!
It gets heaps harder!! And Tejay is already losing time. He simply does not have the power and recovery.
So why send him into this race an unknown force? What happens to him mentally, emotionally and as a person if he doesn't get the lofty heights spoke of? Yeah, I care champ...more than the fanboys. It's why I say don't over hype a rider. Richie has actually exceeded what I expected.
Riding himself into shape? Sure. When he actually sticks with everyone, you can claim that.
If you said Quintana, you would have had a small basis for that, based on last years results. Few would believe you given how powerful Poels and the Sky train were yesterday...which is why sending Tejay to the Giro where that absurdity doesn't occur is smart. Actually it's sensible and would help him.
I hope he does lose time, so he can switch his attitude and launch an attack for Richie. Richie can podium at this moment. Will he? BMC have to help him with that. Sitting on the back losing time for the long sited hope of maybe 10th...be reasonable and relevant please. Optimistic? You're being irrational not optimistic. Hoping Quintana has some power and recovery to make a move is optimism...believing Tejay is recovering is obnoxious.
Actually I will say it...the only way that logic would work would be if Tejay was employing Armstrong methodology like a madman...and he does ride with him doesn't he! And yet, he's dropping....being realistic.
Lesson: don't over hype a rider and leave him in a position where this can occur. Send him to the Giro. Get him a win in Romandie, California or the Suisse...something. No shame in that. Banking it all on the Tour is RIDICULOUS when your ability is too far below. Luck, or misfortune is how Tejay can finish 5th...that's not good enough and stable enough for a rider.
And yes, if this sounds harsh, I am sorry...but I'm not making him into someone he isn't or putting him in a position where the inevitable inability to convert occurs and he's left dejected. No, I'm giving you options...BMC just have to be honest and take them. Why else did they buy Porte?