The official Great Bauke Mollema thread

[Afrank]

Very good ride by him. He limited his losses very well.

 

[Publicus]

Very good ride indeed.

 

[hidache]

That's old info theyoungest. He did different training this year after realizing he couldn't follow Sky on Prato di Tivo.
With power meter and with data, although not figure obsessed as Gesink

Delahaye said in an interview that mollema and gesink aren't that different at all and both train/ride on feeling as well as with a srm. In fact, he said he has more data availible from mollema than gesink. The only difference is that gesink sometimes puts his data gathered that day on twitter.

 

[SafeBet]

This has nothing to do with cycling but I'm curious: is Mollema a Dutch family name? Doesn't sound like one.

 

[Gogojv]

100% dutch. Actually his name is fries that is a part from Holland.
First name ending with an e
Last name ending with an a. F.i. Rintje Ritsma, postma etc.

 

[Aapjes]

This has nothing to do with cycling but I'm curious: is Mollema a Dutch family name? Doesn't sound like one.

Names ending with -ma are very common in the northern part of The Netherlands. But Mollema is not very common, although many people have uncommon names.

100% dutch. Actually his name is fries that is a part from Holland.

No, not Frisian, but from Groningen. Neighbours, but not the same thing

 

[Gogojv]

Mollema is from groningen but his name is fries.
-ma is child from in fries.

 

[theyoungest]

That's old info theyoungest. He did different training this year after realizing he couldn't follow Sky on Prato di Tivo.
With power meter and with data, although not figure obsessed as Gesink

I'm not saying he trains without an SRM, but he races without one. So the Watts he can do at absolute top form in a race remain a mystery.

This has nothing to do with cycling but I'm curious: is Mollema a Dutch family name? Doesn't sound like one.

Every Dutch family name ending with -a is usually Frisian. Westra, Terpstra, Mollema. Although just one of those guys is an actual Frisian

 

[SafeBet]

Ok thanks for clarifying guys.

 

[Kwibus]

Absolutely thrilled to see Mollema do this well. I was afraid he peeked too early(He was good in Swiss) and to be honest that is still possible with the 3rd week yet to come. I hope he doesn't completely collapse, but I doubt he will. He seems to be in great form and shows us he still had room for improvement.
After his 4th placement in the Vuelta in 2011 his GT's were dissapointing last year.

A podium spot would be a huge huge effort. Still a long way to go and nr.2 till 10 are very close.

 

[meat puppet]

^this, basically.

it is true that he might have peaked early. yet somehow I am on the believer side here and think he'll manage to come second.

did he fade remarkably in the '11 vuelta? cant remember.

 

[classicomano]

No he was pretty much up there the entire Vuelta.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Absolutely thrilled to see Mollema do this well. I was afraid he peeked too early(He was good in Swiss) and to be honest that is still possible with the 3rd week yet to come. I hope he doesn't completely collapse, but I doubt he will. He seems to be in great form and shows us he still had room for improvement.
After his 4th placement in the Vuelta in 2011 his GT's were dissapointing last year.

A podium spot would be a huge huge effort. Still a long way to go and nr.2 till 10 are very close.

if mollema peaked too early, then what the hell did Froome do? peak in february?

 

[Kwibus]

if mollema peaked too early, then what the hell did Froome do? peak in february?

Well, as you know only Sky riders can peak all year long.

P.s. I saw one Belkin guy tumbling on the pile up. He landed on his back. Anyone has an idea who it was.
Hope it aint Mollema or Ten Dam.

 

[TheEnoculator]

No he was pretty much up there the entire Vuelta.

Contador also wasn't there in the 2011 Vuelta. Now Contador is here, Mollema has to control Contador if he wants to hold the 3rd place. Contador will attack for sure.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Well, as you know only Sky riders can peak all year long.

P.s. I saw one Belkin guy tumbling on the pile up. He landed on his back. Anyone has an idea who it was.
Hope it aint Mollema or Ten Dam.

Have a look at Mollema's season results.

You can't really believe he pieked in Suisse. He's been consistent all season long. Only exception was the Tirreno where he had an off-day on Tivo. And Liege Bastogne Liege.

6th in Tour Med (3rd on Faron)
3rd in Andalucia
2nd in Murcia
21th in Tirreno (2nd in Chieti)
4th in Crit Int (3rd on Porto Vecchio)
10th AGR
9th FW
4th Tour of Norway
2nd Tour de Suisse

 

[Kwibus]

Have a look at Mollema's season results.

You can't really believe he pieked in Suisse. He's been consistent all season long. Only exception was the Tirreno where he had an off-day on Tivo. And Liege Bastogne Liege.

6th in Tour Med (3rd on Faron)
3rd in Andalucia
2nd in Murcia
21th in Tirreno (2nd in Chieti)
4th in Crit Int (3rd on Porto Vecchio)
10th AGR
9th FW
4th Tour of Norway
2nd Tour de Suisse

Well then I just like to stay cautious. I can only hope you are right, becuse than its realistic to dream about a podium

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

If he finishes 6th it isn't because he peaked in Suisse, it's because it's realistically where you would expect him. Behind Contador and all.

Before the Tour I'd say Contador, Froome and Valverde would certainly be better. Then Quintana if he doesn't bomb in the first week (and he didn't). And then it would be close from there on between Mollema, Van den Broeck, Pinot, Rolland, Evans, Schleck, Kreuziger, Costa etcetera... Well you see how many from that list are gone or far behind already. But he could still easily finish 6th and it still wouldn't be a dissappointment to me.

I mean how can Mollema realistically hold a good Contador? Only hope is that Contador stays as ****ty as he is right now (because a good Contador is miles ahead) and that Quintana has to sacrifice himself for Valverde at some point.
I'm not that afraid of Kreuziger, I think Mollema is even/slightly better than him.

 

[theyoungest]

If he finishes 6th it isn't because he peaked in Suisse, it's because it's realistically where you would expect him. Behind Contador and all.

Before the Tour I'd say Contador, Froome and Valverde would certainly be better. Then Quintana if he doesn't bomb in the first week (and he didn't). And then it would be close from there on between Mollema, Van den Broeck, Pinot, Rolland, Evans, Schleck, Kreuziger, Costa etcetera... Well you see how many from that list are gone or far behind already. But he could still easily finish 6th and it still wouldn't be a dissappointment to me.

I mean how can Mollema realistically hold a good Contador? Only hope is that Contador stays as ****ty as he is right now (because a good Contador is miles ahead) and that Quintana has to sacrifice himself for Valverde at some point.
I'm not that afraid of Kreuziger, I think Mollema is even/slightly better than him.

Yeah, in Holland the media are all 'finally we're competitive in the Tour again' (somehow there's collective ignorance of Gesink's results). When all we've had is one uphill finish and one time trial. As Ten Dam explained, if this were the football Worlds we'd just have passed the group stage, nothing more.

 

[Kokoso]

If he finishes 6th it isn't because he peaked in Suisse, it's because it's realistically where you would expect him. Behind Contador and all.

Before the Tour I'd say Contador, Froome and Valverde would certainly be better. Then Quintana if he doesn't bomb in the first week (and he didn't). And then it would be close from there on between Mollema, Van den Broeck, Pinot, Rolland, Evans, Schleck, Kreuziger, Costa etcetera... Well you see how many from that list are gone or far behind already. But he could still easily finish 6th and it still wouldn't be a dissappointment to me.

I mean how can Mollema realistically hold a good Contador? Only hope is that Contador stays as ****ty as he is right now (because a good Contador is miles ahead) and that Quintana has to sacrifice himself for Valverde at some point.
I'm not that afraid of Kreuziger, I think Mollema is even/slightly better than him.

Mollema might be slightly better then Kreuziger, but in saturday's stage Kreuziger was clearly better and sunday he wasn't worse. And above all he's just domestique working for Contador.

And I'd be very surprised if you'd actually count him amongst those you've named before Tour.

 

[gustienordic]

Have a look at Mollema's season results.

You can't really believe he pieked in Suisse. He's been consistent all season long. Only exception was the Tirreno where he had an off-day on Tivo. And Liege Bastogne Liege.

6th in Tour Med (3rd on Faron)
3rd in Andalucia
2nd in Murcia
21th in Tirreno (2nd in Chieti)
4th in Crit Int (3rd on Porto Vecchio)
10th AGR
9th FW
4th Tour of Norway
2nd Tour de Suisse

It sure has been helping me in the CQ game But I'm looking for TGBM to be top 5 in the final GC!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Mollema might be slightly better then Kreuziger, but in saturday's stage Kreuziger was clearly better and sunday he wasn't worse. And above all he's just domestique working for Contador.

And I'd be very surprised if you'd actually count him amongst those you've named before Tour.

He wasn't clearly better than Mollema on Saturday. Yeah he hung with the Sky train longer, but you don't know if he could have blown or slowed later? Valverde was hanging with Sky a hell of a lot longer and Mollema in the end finished 1 second behind.. Also only what, 19 seconds behind Porte? He had a very strong finish. So you don't know for sure.

And in the ITT Mollema was better and in Suisse as well. (and both are peaking for the tour obviously)

 

[theyoungest]

He wasn't clearly better than Mollema on Saturday. Yeah he hung with the Sky train longer, but you don't know if he could have blown or slowed later? Valverde was hanging with Sky a hell of a lot longer and Mollema in the end finished 1 second behind.. Also only what, 19 seconds behind Porte? He had a very strong finish. So you don't know for sure.

And in the ITT Mollema was better and in Suisse as well. (and both are peaking for the tour obviously)

Let's say they're somewhat similar in level right now.

One thing is for sure: Kreuziger looks better on the bike than Mollema And I gotta say, Mollema did look like he was about to be dropped on the Palhieres, and on the long climb on Sunday.

 

[rls555]

Mollema might be slightly better then Kreuziger, but in saturday's stage Kreuziger was clearly better and sunday he wasn't worse. And above all he's just domestique working for Contador.

And I'd be very surprised if you'd actually count him amongst those you've named before Tour.

Kreuzinger better Sat? Mollema almost caught Valverde and was quicker by 9 seconds over Froome in the last 3k of the climb.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Let's say they're somewhat similar in level right now.

One thing is for sure: Kreuziger looks better on the bike than Mollema And I gotta say, Mollema did look like he was about to be dropped on the Palhieres, and on the long climb on Sunday.

When has Mollema ever looked good? He already looks like he is struggling on a flat stage