Tejay Van Garderen

[Alpe d'Huez]

For those on this side of the pond (USA) this is the first Tour for Tejay Van Garderen, a 22 year old from Montana with a potentially bright future. Even going back 5 years he was picked out as being a future star. Maybe the brightest who wasn't an offspring of famous cyclists. He's obviously going to be riding support, but he's a very good TT rider, and can climb.

Curious to see how he does, and what forum minds think.

 

[Jan the Man]

Finish and a GC position between 20 and 40 depending on whether he has to ride for Martin/Velits.

 

[MartinGT]

Was a good interview with him and the other Italy based US boys in Cycle Sport recently, was very good.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Top 20..............

 

[will10]

Nowhere on GC, domestique duties for three weeks, on the flat for Cav and then working for Velits and Martin

 

[Clemson Cycling]

He has an outside shot at the White Jersey.

 

[gilbertador]

Full time domestique....

 

[veganrob]

It will be a good learning experience for him. He has a bright future if handled correctly.

 

[mulletCobra]

Top 15 until stage 12 or so, possibly a top 5 placing on a few stages. Then a slow drift to the top 30+.

 

[Kwibus]

He has an outside shot at the White Jersey.

Not really. He will have to compete with Gesink for example. Unless Gesink crashes he will finish before Gesink.
Besides that Tejay has to work his *ss off for Cavendish and Martin. Allthough I think that Tejay is able to ride a better GC than Martin.

 

[TeoSheva]

he's quite good on TT and quite good on climbing... but nothing special for the moment... he has still to show that his future will be bright! Popovich at that age was better, but Indurain was worst...

 

[theyoungest]

He has an outside shot at the White Jersey.

No, he does not. His recovery isn't good enough for a GT rider (so far).

 

[kurtinsc]

Not really. He will have to compete with Gesink for example. Unless Gesink crashes he will finish before Gesink.
Besides that Tejay has to work his *ss off for Cavendish and Martin. Allthough I think that Tejay is able to ride a better GC than Martin.

Who else of note is in the white jersey competition? Is Kreuziger still there as well?

There's no way Van Garderen would be there with those two yet (Gesink and Kreuziger), but given last years results he could finish 3rd if he isn't ordered to save his legs once he loses contact to be a full domestique.

So unless there are some other top riders I'm not aware of that are eligible... he's got a shot of Kreuziger and Gesink both withraw.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Good he can rdie the Tour. Certainly has potential. He can learn from Tony and earn his merrits as a domestique. In 2-3 years he might be a captain himself

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

For those on this side of the pond (USA) this is the first Tour for Tejay Van Garderen, a 22 year old from Montana with a potentially bright future...

Tejay is definately one of the future bright spots for US cyclists. He grew up mainly in MT, but his roots are even closer having been born in Tacoma, WA. Talent wise, I think he could get a top 20 or maybe a bit better IF he has good luck and stays out of trouble in his first Tour, and IF he does not have to support Cav, Goss, or the Panzerwagon too much.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Good he can rdie the Tour. Certainly has potential. He can learn from Tony and earn his merrits as a domestique. In 2-3 years he might be a captain himself

This is probably more likely than a top 20 for TJ.

 

[Bavarianrider]

This is probably more likely than a top 20 for TJ.

I don't think anyone expects him to go for the overall?

 

[hrotha]

Good he can rdie the Tour. Certainly has potential. He can learn from Tony and earn his merrits as a domestique. In 2-3 years he might be a captain himself

There's nothing to learn from Martin. All the experience Tony has is riding as well as he could in the 2009 TdF mountains before blowing up - exactly the same experience Tejay has from last year's Vuelta.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

not necessarily to go for the overall, but just get the best GC result he can while helping the others. I'm sure the team's first priority for Tejay is to help the other guys (Cav and/or Goss, and Tony).

 

[Midnightfright]

Who else of note is in the white jersey competition? Is Kreuziger still there as well?

There's no way Van Garderen would be there with those two yet (Gesink and Kreuziger), but given last years results he could finish 3rd if he isn't ordered to save his legs once he loses contact to be a full domestique.

So unless there are some other top riders I'm not aware of that are eligible... he's got a shot of Kreuziger and Gesink both withraw.

Maybe Uran can be competitive as well

 

[euanli]

He will try and hold onto the Baldy Express but drop off

 

[kurtinsc]

Maybe Uran can be competitive as well

Yeah, he'd probably slot in ahead of TJVG... though the two were just 3 minutes apart in the Vuelta last year.

 

[theyoungest]

Who else of note is in the white jersey competition? Is Kreuziger still there as well?

There's no way Van Garderen would be there with those two yet (Gesink and Kreuziger), but given last years results he could finish 3rd if he isn't ordered to save his legs once he loses contact to be a full domestique.

So unless there are some other top riders I'm not aware of that are eligible... he's got a shot of Kreuziger and Gesink both withraw.

Mollema, Uran, Taaramae, Coppel... all of them with at least as big a chance as Van Garderen of winning the white jersey.

 

[kurtinsc]

Mollema, Uran, Taaramae, Coppel... all of them with at least as big a chance as Van Garderen of winning the white jersey.

Forgot about all of them.

Mollema definitely slots in ahead of him, but the rest are all equally unproven I think. Uran, Coppel and Taarmae haven't done anything better then TJVG in a GT.

And while Mollema is ahead, it's concievable to imaging TJVG finishing ahead of him on the road. It's not really possible to imagine him ahead of Kreuziger or Gesink barring an injury or total collapse by one of them.

 

[Ferminal]

I don't think he's improved enough since the Vuelta to be a GC rider.

That is not saying anything about him other than his inexperience and youth. Hopefully he gets a lot out of the race, as he has plenty more to come, when he will be a contender.