Teams & Riders The official Wilco Kelderman is the new Merckx-thread

[Spine Concept]

+ did work for Gesink

His best climbing performance ever I'd say. He has never shown something like this in his U23 period. Avenir and Ain were ok, but not like this.

Still, compared to Dombrowski (WOW!! that man was good) he came up short. But maybe that's too much in expectations. After all he stayed ahead of Teejay Van Overrated and Leipheimer

Even so, Kelderman worked for Gesink plus he attacked yesterday which surely cost him extra energy. Aside from that, Kelderman did a better TT than Dombrowski as well if I'm not mistaken. They can both improve on both fronts. I was very impressed with Dombrowski though, don't get me wrong. Hope we get to see more of him in the future, massive climbing talent.

 

[theyoungest]

Kelderman has been in two pointless breaks (the one RadioShack rode behind all day to then get crushed the next day in the TT, and the one yesterday with Weening) and he's been working for Gesink. So fair to say he wasted some energy.

Turns out he's a way better climber than Talansky though, that's for sure. Good to see him do so well when he finally doesn't crash or something (even in L'Avenir he crashed, actually, which affected him)

 

[The Hitch]

If only our dear motherland hadn't been the site of foreign persecution and genocide for the last 5 centuries and hence mass exile, some of us would be getting excited about this young up and coming Polish rider who just beat Wilco by 2 places

Since most Poles in America are from Galicia, ill blame the Habsburgs.

 

[The Hitch]

btw will post this here cos its where i expect to find lots of the gesink groopies, for obvious reasons, but the es commentators said he has 3 aims for the season - tour, olympics and vuelta.

1st one goes without saying, but then the olympics, he wants to try for a top 8 tt? top 5 would be hard, and lets be honest no podium.

And then Vuelta. Will he take that step this year?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Gesink was 10th at the olympics TT in beijing when he was a young rookie with average ITT's.

If he rides 4th in california with let's say 90% form, I don't know what he can do in the olympics. But yeah, probably not more than 6th or something.

I think they got a bit wrong. His big goals at the Tour and the World Championships Road Race. The Olympics are really only a goal to compete in I think

 

[El Pistolero]

Olympics are flat this time. Beijing was far from flat. I'd be surprised if he top 10ed. I don't see him finishing in front of guys like Bradley Wiggins, Tony Martin, Fabian Cancellara, David Zabriskie(if selected), Bert Grabsch, David Millar, Gustav Larsson(seems to be on form again), couple of Australians, etc

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

California was flat as well. It's a myth Gesink can't do well in flat time trials. I just don't see the point either in olympics. But top 10 is definately possible.
Plus the guys starting the ITT have to start the Road Race as well.

So better to have Gesink there than f.ex Clement

 

[The Hitch]

Gesink was 10th at the olympics TT in beijing when he was a young rookie with average ITT's.

Yes I know thats why i said top 8.

I mean youve been saying it a lot you know

 

[The Hitch]

California was flat as well. It's a myth Gesink can't do well in flat time trials. I just don't see the point either in olympics. But top 10 is definately possible.
Plus the guys starting the ITT have to start the Road Race as well.

So better to have Gesink there than f.ex Clement

Oh, no, California defilately has shown he can do very well in flat tts, no doubt.

However there is a difference between being able to go very well in flat tts and going up against the worlds best tt specialists in a race they are peaking for.

He could prove me wrong wrong of course but i still would say the tts are a reason he cant contend the Tour this year. And you might say "Cali-4th", but all that means is while he may be able to put good time into Nibali and Schleck in July, I would still expect him to lose 2.30 minimum to Menchov, Evans and Wiggins over the tts.

 

[El Pistolero]

California was flat as well. It's a myth Gesink can't do well in flat time trials. I just don't see the point either in olympics. But top 10 is definately possible.
Plus the guys starting the ITT have to start the Road Race as well.

So better to have Gesink there than f.ex Clement

Competition is a little bit better than at California though. Didn't say Gesink sucked at flat time trials by the way. But I don't expect him to beat the specialists on a flat course. Not in an important one day time trial anyway. All I'm saying is that with hills in it his chances of a top 10 would have increased dramatically.

 

[TeoSheva]

maybe we need this thread

 

[Kwibus]

maybe we need this thread

Hehe.
Well he just beat THE tt specialist if his age. Wether that's enough for a top10.... I don't think so

 

[will10]

Please hold off from posting on this thread until Wilco's first WT win is confirmed when Cadel, Tony M. and Wiggo have come in slower. Thank you.

 

[classicomano]

1. WIGGINS Bradley 1 SKY PROCYCLING 01:03:12
2. MARTIN Tony 161 OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP 01:03:46
3. ROGERS Michael 7 SKY PROCYCLING 01:04:23
4. KELDERMAN Wilco 183 RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM 01:04:38
5. CHAVANEL Sylvain 162 OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP 01:04:45
6. FROOME Christopher 2 SKY PROCYCLING 01:04:45
7. DURBRIDGE Luke 173 ORICA GREENEDGE 01:04:50
8. EVANS Cadel 11 BMC RACING TEAM 01:04:55
9. MILLAR David 126 GARMIN - BARRACUDA 01:05:03
10. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 181 RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM 01:05:06

Epic

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

So the question this TDF will be: can Kelderman get enough time on Wiggins in the mountains?

With Gesink, Mollema and Kruijswijk Rabobank have the strongest mountain domestiques: TAWK should be able to pressure Wiggo in the mountains.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Please hold off from posting on this thread until Wilco's first WT win is confirmed when Cadel, Tony M. and Wiggo have come in slower. Thank you.

regardless some ride.

He has impressed me a lot in the last month.

His Climbing at ToC was impressive and now this... very interested in what he can do on Saturday...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Very interesting performance. A month ago his first real climbing result, now this.

Will be an interesting weekend

 

[theyoungest]

And to think he's now at a slight time disadvantage from what is actually his specialty: the prologue, where he had to ride in the rain and wind, unlike every other rider in the top-10 right now.

It's just an amazing result for such a young guy. Beating Durbridge, who is 15 kgs heavier or something.

 

[Arnout]

If only our dear motherland hadn't been the site of foreign persecution and genocide for the last 5 centuries and hence mass exile, some of us would be getting excited about this young up and coming Polish rider who just beat Wilco by 2 places

Since most Poles in America are from Galicia, ill blame the Habsburgs.

Sorry, but what are you talking about?

 

[Der Effe]

Robert Gesink ‏@RGUpdate
#Dauphine gekeken, probeer de komende tijd wat koersen te winnen, komende jaren rijden we met z'n allen op kop voor @w1lcokelderman! #TOP

Just seen the Dauphine. Will try to win some races in the forseeable future because in the next years we all will be riding on front for Wilco Kelderman.

 

[theyoungest]

Robert Gesink tweets (transl): "Watched Dauphine, I'll try to win some races soon, because in the coming years we'll all be riding for @w1lcokelderman! "

 

[TeoSheva]

Very interesting performance. A month ago his first real climbing result, now this.

Will be an interesting weekend

He's a great talent... I really like him!

 

[WillemS]

Robert Gesink ‏@RGUpdate
#Dauphine gekeken, probeer de komende tijd wat koersen te winnen, komende jaren rijden we met z'n allen op kop voor @w1lcokelderman! #TOP

Just seen the Dauphine. Will try to win some races in the forseeable future because in the next years we all will be riding on front for Wilco Kelderman.

Interesting statement. I think Gesink is happy to share the pressure in the future.

 

[Pentacycle]

I still don't get why his favourite riders are the Schlecks, he's already better than them in his first season! Still he's a great guy with a massive talent, hopefully he doesn't spoil it by targeting Amstel Gold or by crashing all the time.

 

[Arnout]

I still don't get why his favourite riders are the Schlecks, he's already better than them in his first season! Still he's a great guy with a massive talent, hopefully he doesn't spoil it by targeting Amstel Gold or by crashing all the time.

They are hyped a lot in Dutch media, only this month the first small negative comments start to trickle through.