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

[Forever The Best]

I've been harsh on Kelderman in the past but really I'd love for him to have a decent season without major crashes. Innocent tumbles in sweet soft summer grass with no time loss still condoned.

Can't imagine keeping your job while this *** is happening to you every year.

Last year he finished 3rd in Giro. And 2014 was very promising.

 

[noob]

Why did Kelderman pick Jumbo? I don't understand it. On such a long contract.

I understand why they want him, but I cannot for the life of me understand why he wants to go to them least he really himself have given up on GT leadership.

Someone explain? Has he given up on GC GT? Does he feel like riding for others instead? I guess he would be an absolutely brilliant mountain domestique if that's what he feels like.

 

[Red Rick]

Kelderman makes sense if Jumbo don't send Vingegaard or Roglic to the Giro. On the other hand I don't think Kelderman minds becoming a domestique/stage hunter that much.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Maybe he misses Rabobank/TJV.

 

[Lequack]

He seems to be in very good shape, basically on par with others at Tirreno at the moment. And he seems to get along well with Roglic, he sounded genuinely happy for his wins, even though he's the designated leader. And I think they're both going to the Giro.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1634186169297649668

View: https://twitter.com/TirrenAdriatico/status/1634186169297649668

 

[Ricco']

And I think they're both going to the Giro.

Yes, they are. The plan was/is for Kelderman to lead the team in Tirreno and Catalunya and to support Roglic in the Giro.

Read an interview of him in the beginning of the year that the goal was to Roglic win pink but to also be in kind of shape that could make him be a podium/top-5 contender while doing it.

 

[Eeslliw]

He seems to be in very good shape, basically on par with others at Tirreno at the moment. And he seems to get along well with Roglic, he sounded genuinely happy for his wins, even though he's the designated leader. And I think they're both going to the Giro.

He such a nice guy and that is also the reason why he hasn't won for 8 years straight as he rather sees other win than himself.

 

[Red Rick]

Kelderman was pretty strong himself today. He was near the front the entire climb. Responding to attacks very early and policing a lot of moves. Then he brought Roglic back.

 

[RedheadDane]

He such a nice guy and that is also the reason why he hasn't won for 8 years straight as he rather sees other win than himself.

DAMN! Good thing he didn't make the decision to not shave his legs until he got a win!

 

[theyoungest]

Yes, they are. The plan was/is for Kelderman to lead the team in Tirreno and Catalunya and to support Roglic in the Giro.

Read an interview of him in the beginning of the year that the goal was to Roglic win pink but to also be in kind of shape that could make him be a podium/top-5 contender while doing it.

Funny how Kelderman is content in this support role, when Tobias Foss isn't, even though Kelderman is of course a much better GC rider than Foss. It's a matter of personality, but also a matter of knowing yourself.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Funny how Kelderman is content in this support role, when Tobias Foss isn't, even though Kelderman is of course a much better GC rider than Foss. It's a matter of personality, but also a matter of knowing yourself.

Wilco is also older and had a lot more chances to ride for himseldmf in gts over the years.

 

[Red Rick]

Wilco is also older and had a lot more chances to ride for himseldmf in gts over the years.

Kelderman is the most docile cyclist in interviews I know tbh. There's this interview when the speed skating team joined some journo was trolling him hard about and he just went akward and quiet.

I think Kelderman kinda knows he's maxed out as a GT riders and wouldn't mind a stagehunting role and score a win or two if given the chance, but he seems really selfless, and I think his chances of a good win are better as part of a team tactic than as a lone wolf anyway.

 

[search]

He such a nice guy and that is also the reason why he hasn't won for 8 years straight

and those were the Dutch ITT championships. As a pro, he actually has never won a road stage, so far.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Superb support for Roglič at TA.

 

[Lequack]

Superb support for Roglič at TA.

Yes, shame about his crash today though.

 

[IndianCyclist]

He did not crash out or take somebody else out. He even led the peloton downhill without crashing. Great support in the mountains

 

[Peter von]

He did not crash out or take somebody else out. He even led the peloton downhill without crashing. Great support in the mountains

Yeah, he was pretty strong. I always worry with these former gc leaders if they do their own gc in the background and saves matches to finish top 10 or in case are allowed to stage hunt later. But he did well, I think he was in a weird spot because he and Kuss were their only real climbing doms so Keldermann sometimes hit the front too soon and they had to be there every day.

 

[Netserk]

I expected more from him, and I think he can reach a level higher than that of Majka.

He was not originally meant to ride the Tour, and with his injury in Tirreno, his prep was not optimal. Another aspect is that Jumbo lacked depth in the mountains compared with how much work they did, so he and Kuss didn’t get to rest much and they couldn’t rotate with other doms to give them a rest day. Both Sky and Astana were better at resting some helpers for later.

 

[Red Rick]

I expected more from him, and I think he can reach a level higher than that of Majka.

He was not originally meant to ride the Tour, and with his injury in Tirreno, his prep was not optimal. Another aspect is that Jumbo lacked depth in the mountains compared with how much work they did, so he and Kuss didn’t get to rest much and they couldn’t rotate with other doms to give them a rest day. Both Sky and Astana were better at resting some helpers for later.

I honestly feel like Majka didn't do that much all Tour. He didn't have to do that much that often, and kinda hung on for longer often because Jumbo were working before UAE. When UAE really wanted to do damage they had to rely on Yates to do it.

But i agree with the premise Jumbo lacked climbing depth in the middle segment. Laporte and Van Hooijdonck did very good in the Luke Rowe style of managing early climbs with your rouleurs, and they were there in pretty reduced groups a few times. Van Aert was hit and miss, and they never really used the dropped breakaway riders all that effectively.

I think Jumbo have pretty simple improvements to make in bringing Roglic and bringing a fresh Kuss next year.

 

[Netserk]

Let's hope he'll do the Tour then.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1778018843740291096

View: https://twitter.com/vismaleaseabike/status/1778018843740291096

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Let's hope he'll do the Tour then.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1778018843740291096

View: https://twitter.com/vismaleaseabike/status/1778018843740291096

It is common knowledge at this point that teams schedule wilko for the Giro so that they know he will be fit for Le tour.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Steven Kruijswijk should be given Giro leadership immediately and allowed to pursue the podium spot he was cruelly robbed of in 2016.