Theo Bos

[Jonathan]

Bos demanded to be assured a spot in any GT he wanted; what was he thinking? Even if his results last season had been better, it still would have been too much to ask. If he had a good spring, Bos might have earned a spot in the giro team. Rabobank's ambitions in giro or vuelta could very well have allowed him in those races. But he is not in a position to demand them, and certainly not for the Tour. Rabo shouldn't be taking any sprinter to the Tour, let alone Bos.

Ah well. Maybe he is already in negotiations with another team (Katusha, Milram, Astana?) and either needed an excuse to make the shift or is in a position to make over-the-top demands.

 

[taiwan]

Katyusha sounds like a good match. They have money, no big GC rider to support. I suppose Pozzato or Napolitano wouldn't work in someone's train, but in GTs they could offer the leadership to Bos.
He hasn't got the results yet, but it does sound like he's had offers if he's making those demands of Rabobank. Shame though, because Rabobank will be a force to be reckoned with next season I think.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Bos' demanded to be assured a spot in any GT he wanted; what was he thinking? Even if his results last season had been better, it still would have been too much to ask. If he had a good spring, Bos might have earned a spot in the giro team. Rabobank's ambitions in giro or vuelta could very well have allowed him in those races. But he is not in a position to demand them, and certainly not for the Tour. Rabo shouldn't be taking any sprinter to the Tour, let alone Bos.

Ah well. Maybe he is already in negotiations with another team (Katusha, Milram, Astana?) and either needed an excuse to make the shift or is in a position to make over-the-top demands.

I agree... as much as I like friere, and i know it his last season, I think the team would benefit with another a team worker more. Gesink can podium at the tour imo.

 

[TRDean]

Agreed...I do disagree with some however. I think Bos is going to be a very good road sprinter. With the time, he can be a force. I hope so...we need more top end, pure sprinters.

 

[fatandfast]

Bos should throttle the team for a spot. History says that as he learns how to win on a bike with gears he will only get better. His current weight may also be a factor and if we learn from Cav and Wiggons that a few less kilos may turn the guy into a classics contender,he has as much snap and speed as anybody right now.

 

[Bala Verde]

latest and most persistent rumours in the Neth is a link with Cervelo, where van Poppel is DS, and who apparently wanted to sign him last year already.

 

[Jonathan]

Agreed...I do disagree with some however. I think Bos is going to be a very good road sprinter. With the time, he can be a force. I hope so...we need more top end, pure sprinters.

I agree, but before that has happened, he is not a position to make a lot of demands, especially not with a team aiming at multiple GT podia.

Cervelo would also be a credible choice. I figured he may have contacts with Astana, and Milram has also Dutch managers if I remember correctly. Katusha just lost a sprinter and Bos should be cheaper than their previous one. Besides, he has a fair chance of convincing them to take him along to the Tour. With what other teams could he do that?

 

[Swingtop]

Not too stupid move by Bos. As much as I love him to win in an Orange jersey, he can probably earn a lot more elsewhere, decide where to ride (a Grand Tour), and Rabo doesn't have the team for a sprinter. Just look at Freire, who has to pretty much make it on his own (which he can, at least in previous years).

I'm curious as to his sprinting capabilities after 200 km. He could beat Cav on the track, but Cav was always more of a road racer than himself, Bos said.

 

[Anonymous]

have we forgiven his thuggery now?

 

[Bala Verde]

have we forgiven his thuggery now?

did he serve his suspension?

 

[Swingtop]

have we forgiven his thuggery now?

I've never believed he purposely did it, even tho the evidence (only aerial footage) seemed implicating. He was known as a fair rider on the track.
But this discussion can probably better continue somewhere else, plz.

 

[Andrichuk]

He served his suspension. Now on with the topic at hand.

I think he will be a great road sprinter and I think he deserves a place in a Grand Tours. He will probably be similar to Cav and needs the experience the first year. I'm sure after a years experience and miles in his legs from the GT's he will be a force to reckon with like Cav was this year.

 

[taiwan]

A seperate point on Bos, in an interview in Procycling (I think) he said that the sprinters he rated most highly at the moment were Cavendish, Petacchi and Farrar. Not that surprising, but interesting to have his opinion.

 

[doddy13]

He could beat Cav on the track, but Cav was always more of a road racer than himself, Bos said.

Partially because Bos was a sprinter on the track, whereas Cavendish was an endurance man on the track riding Madison etc.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

However, give Bos a train, and I ensure you he will be dangerous

I remember in another topic people raving about Alexander Kristoff (the Norwegian sprinter), being a potential good sprinter.

Well, he was absolutely nowhere close to Bos in Olympia's Tour, who had his wished train there, and won with several bikelengths on Kristoff every time. Same goes for the Ronde van Noord-Holland against Kenny van Hummel, bike lengths..

The races were he didn't have a train were very mixed in results, and he obviously had a much harder time there. So I think he is right to leave the Rabo squad. They never done well with sprinters (McEwen, Freire, Van Heeswijk etc)

 

[Cobber]

However, give Bos a train, and I ensure you he will be dangerous

I remember in another topic people raving about Alexander Kristoff (the Norwegian sprinter), being a potential good sprinter.

Well, he was absolutely nowhere close to Bos in Olympia's Tour, who had his wished train there, and won with several bikelengths on Kristoff every time. Same goes for the Ronde van Noord-Holland against Kenny van Hummel, bike lengths..

The races were he didn't have a train were very mixed in results, and he obviously had a much harder time there. So I think he is right to leave the Rabo squad. They never done well with sprinters (McEwen, Freire, Van Heeswijk etc)

Hard to say Friere's tenure at Rabo hasn't been successful. World champs, MSR, Gent-Wevelgem, several GT stages. Pretty successful I think!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

World Champs -> No Rabo team, but Spain
MSR and other classics -> Very special race, nobody has a train there (suits Freire)
GT stages -> Could have had LOTS and LOTS more stages if he had team support.

The reason Freire still did so well, is because he is an exceptional talent. But with a team that 100% supported him, he would have done about ten times better.

 

[Jonathan]

World Champs -> No Rabo team, but Spain
MSR and other classics -> Very special race, nobody has a train there (suits Freire)
GT stages -> Could have had LOTS and LOTS more stages if he had team support.

The reason Freire still did so well, is because he is an exceptional talent. But with a team that 100% supported him, he would have done about ten times better.

Freire is a sprinter who doesn't want a long train like Petacchi or Cavendish. Rabobank has never attempted to construct one for him, and I don't think they could. So I agree Rabo haven't given Freire 100% support, but he probably doesn't want it anyway.

However, they did help him somewhat when he won his last worlds, and a (small) train at MSR is not unheard of; Zabel always had helpers close to the finish line. Petacchi also had a good leadout if I remember correctly. As for GT stages...well, I seriously doubt if Freire would win more if he was escorted to the finish line in a Cavendish-like manner. No, I just don't believe it.

Bos would be right to leave Rabobank if he needs a leadout train, and Rabobank would be right to let him go. Completely changing their strategy in the Tour just for Bos is not a good idea.

 

[ak-zaaf]

In the races where they aimed for Freire he didn't have much to complain about over the years.
He had domestiques other riders could only dream about.
In Fleche Brabanconne Boogerd handed him a few wins, In the GT's he had Flecha working his balls off for him, in AGR (and we all knew he would never win that one) he had Gesink going all out for him last year and Weening and even Kroon the years before that.
He never had a train in bunch sprints, but he didn't even want one.

Rabo has no experience with trains, but if they really wanted Bos to succeed, they could have made a pretty good one. For the final km's: Moerenhout, Posthuma, Leezer, Boom, Brown.
Could derail the columbia train....maybe.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Freire is a sprinter who doesn't want a long train like Petacchi or Cavendish. Rabobank has never attempted to construct one for him, and I don't think they could. So I agree Rabo haven't given Freire 100% support, but he probably doesn't want it anyway.

However, they did help him somewhat when he won his last worlds, and a (small) train at MSR is not unheard of; Zabel always had helpers close to the finish line. Petacchi also had a good leadout if I remember correctly. As for GT stages...well, I seriously doubt if Freire would win more if he was escorted to the finish line in a Cavendish-like manner. No, I just don't believe it.

Bos would be right to leave Rabobank if he needs a leadout train, and Rabobank would be right to let him go. Completely changing their strategy in the Tour just for Bos is not a good idea.

I agree 100%
Friere is a different breed of sprinter.

Although Bos is a big talent, would you prioritise him over the likes of Gesink?

Rabo has no experience with trains, but if they really wanted Bos to succeed, they could have made a pretty good one. For the final km's: Moerenhout, Posthuma, Leezer, Boom, Brown.
Could derail the columbia train....maybe.

Yup posthuma, morenout, weening, morenout are more then capable of taking control of the peleton in a tough position, then leezer (i feel like this guy could be a great lead out man for many sprinters) , boom, brown and even martens could set him up in a hard to lose fashion. They had the team, but choose not too.

 

[palmerq]

I think bos is getting ahead of himself a bit, he really hasnt been amazing so far, he won a few races agaisnt reasonable competition, but I think he is not close to the grand tour stage, i think if he did the tour or giro next year he´d be no where and not evenn be able to finish. I guess he has good potential but I think, looking at his results from thi year he is not close to making demands abotu what races he does......

Although i suppose it all depends where he ends up now,if he gets a good team who are looking to support him for a while then he´s made a good choice, but I think another year of doing what he was doing with rabobank would be a good idea.

 

[TRDean]

However, give Bos a train, and I ensure you he will be dangerous

I remember in another topic people raving about Alexander Kristoff (the Norwegian sprinter), being a potential good sprinter.

Well, he was absolutely nowhere close to Bos in Olympia's Tour, who had his wished train there, and won with several bikelengths on Kristoff every time. Same goes for the Ronde van Noord-Holland against Kenny van Hummel, bike lengths..

The races were he didn't have a train were very mixed in results, and he obviously had a much harder time there. So I think he is right to leave the Rabo squad. They never done well with sprinters (McEwen, Freire, Van Heeswijk etc)

Good points...however, van Hummel didn't have a train at Noord-Holland to compete against Bos. It is very hard to compare. But I do believe, as you haev stated, that with a train Bos is a very very substantial sprinter.

 

[blackcat]

In the races where they aimed for Freire he didn't have much to complain about over the years.
He had domestiques other riders could only dream about.
In Fleche Brabanconne Boogerd handed him a few wins, In the GT's he had Flecha working his balls off for him, in AGR (and we all knew he would never win that one) he had Gesink going all out for him last year and Weening and even Kroon the years before that.
He never had a train in bunch sprints, but he didn't even want one.

Rabo has no experience with trains, but if they really wanted Bos to succeed, they could have made a pretty good one. For the final km's: Moerenhout, Posthuma, Leezer, Boom, Brown.
Could derail the columbia train....maybe.

graeme de bruijn should not be part of a train. de bruijn should be riding on the kuipke in 6es

 

[issoisso]

In the races where they aimed for Freire he didn't have much to complain about over the years.
He had domestiques other riders could only dream about.
In Fleche Brabanconne Boogerd handed him a few wins, In the GT's he had Flecha working his balls off for him, in AGR (and we all knew he would never win that one) he had Gesink going all out for him last year and Weening and even Kroon the years before that.

In the AGR he had Boogerd more than one year. I'll never forget how extremely angry Boogerd was at the end of the 05 edition when he pulled like a madman up the Cauberg convinced Freire was on his wheel. At 200m to go he turns around and yells at Freire to go.....and he sees the only person on his wheel is Di Luca

He never had a train in bunch sprints, but he didn't even want one.

He's an explosive type sprinter such as McEwen or so many others. A train that keeps the speed high would be extremely counterproductive.

 

[samb01]

Looks like he beat Boonen in a sprint today: http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/952/Wielre...sel-wint-in-Geraardsbergen-Boonen-derde.dhtml

Boonen isn't exactly known to go all out in the fight for secondary positions, but I assume he would like to demonstrate some good form going into the WC.