Thomas de Gendt Discussion Thread

[will10]

Can he get 1.47 in 31KM against Ryder??
I am fine with either one of them winning the Giro

He definitely can, but I don't think he will. I'm expecting a super TT from Ryder tomorrow.

 

[jens_attacks]

Superb, amazing performance today.

He clocked the fastest time in Mortirolo, anyone knows the time?

46:56...

he rode with a big heart today.super cool for him to get a podium in il giro this year

 

[maxmartin]

Ryder's advantage is he starting later and almost 2 min buffer

He definitely can, but I don't think he will. I'm expecting a super TT from Ryder tomorrow.

 

[roundabout]

Can he get 1.47 in 31KM against Ryder??
I am fine with either one of them winning the Giro

Based on today, no.

 

[maxmartin]

if last year ToF is any indication, i expect a huge TT performance from Thomas tomorrow

Based on today, no.

 

[hrotha]

Turns out De Gendt only wanted to protect his 8th place in the GC.

 

[Benotti69]

Why is Thomas de Gendt not favourite for tomorrows TT?

He finished 3rd to Tom Martin in 2011 TdF TT Stage 20 day after Alpe D'huez

1. MARTIN Tony 175 HTC - HIGHROAD 55' 33"
2. EVANS Cadel 141 BMC RACING TEAM 55' 40" + 00' 07"
4. DE GENDT T 203 VACANSOLEIL-DCM 57' 02" + 01' 29"

Hesjedal same TT:

62. HESJEDAL Ryder 55 GARMIN - CERVELO 1h 00' 29" + 04' 56"

 

[burning]

Why is Thomas de Gendt not favourite for tomorrows TT?

He finished 3rd to Tom Martin in 2011 TdF TT Stage 20 day after Alpe D'huez

1. MARTIN Tony 175 HTC - HIGHROAD 55' 33"
2. EVANS Cadel 141 BMC RACING TEAM 55' 40" + 00' 07"
4. DE GENDT T 203 VACANSOLEIL-DCM 57' 02" + 01' 29"

Hesjedal same TT:

62. HESJEDAL Ryder 55 GARMIN - CERVELO 1h 00' 29" + 04' 56"

Well Hesjedal didnt cared too muchabout his GC position as they locked the team classification probably and he was the best at prologue amongst contenders

 

[classicomano]

Also at the Tour De Gendt said he was taking it easy untill the final stages because he got sick. Right now I dont think he has that amount of energy left

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I do think De Gendt was taking it easy in all other mountain stages to make this exploit

 

[hrotha]

I do think De Gendt was taking it easy in all other mountain stages to make this exploit

And because the self-appointed favourites didn't drill it hard, they didn't eliminate him. Hesjedal had a crisis on Lago Laceno and nobody did anything. Serves them right.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Also at the Tour De Gendt said he was taking it easy untill the final stages because he got sick. Right now I dont think he has that amount of energy left

It's funny how that works. Because he was sick/injured the first weeks of the TDF, that means he could "take it easy" in such a way that he could drill it hard the last week of the tour. Yet where other riders who are injured and don't give up, usually get to use that as an excuse why they didn't do jack **** for 3 weeks. A double standard if i ever saw one. As if the fact that he actually DID continue while sick or injured, didn't cost him any aditional strength or form.

Well Hesjedal didnt cared too muchabout his GC position as they locked the team classification probably and he was the best at prologue amongst contenders

Ah, and De Gendt did care a whole lot for his GC in that tour? Hesjedal was trying to hang on to his top 20 spot or improve on it (Vandevelde and Zubeldia right in front, Velits right behind), De Gendt wasn't trying to hang on to anything. Your next argument would undoubtedly be "yes, but De Gendt knew he could do a good ITT, as opposed to Hesjedal and therefor pushed it harder to get a good stage classification"... which would in turn just prove the point that De Gendt is a MUCH better ITT'er (else Hesjedal could have gone for a similar tactic if he thought he had a chance to do a top 5 or top 10 classification in the stage). Let's not forget TDG had done an awesome ride just the day before on Alpe d'Huez. And yet he believed he could and delivered in the ITT.

Based on today, no.

Based on today in what way? And how so? And how about based on other TT's? According to the Eurosport guys, they shared 6 ITT, and 5 times De Gendt was the fastest. Hardly a coincidence.

I'm not saying TDG will take back 1.47 on Hesjedal, i'm not even saying he will definitely finish in front of him in the TT, but please let's not act as if it's impossible. If there is one thing we DID know before today about TDG, it's that he has an immense recuperation ability (did he seem "dead" to you when he crossed the finish?). He has done nothing else his entire life but riding on his own, either in TT or breakaways. If he was able to pull this off today, you can't rule out that he just has more in the tank after 3 weeks than all the others.

 

[webvan]

Wow when was the last time we saw an attack like that by a GC contender go to the end with a decent margin? AS in TDF 2011 and before that? Dunno...Hinault in '86?

Very, very impressive, yeah he lost nearly two minutes to JROD in the last 2k but nothing to Basso, so no real cracking there.

 

[Trunnions]

it is not really crack, when you are in long break, you always have to suffer in the end, AS also lost min to Evans in the final kilo

Yes, I confirm you are right.

I predicted he would blow, but he didn't.

The slowing we saw at the last gasp is normal, and proves he emptied his tank at the right pace.

He got it right.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Wow when was the last time we saw an attack like that by a GC contender go to the end with a decent margin? AS in TDF 2011 and before that? Dunno...Hinault in '86?

Very, very impressive, yeah he lost nearly two minutes to JROD in the last 2k but nothing to Basso, so no real cracking there.

But that's just the kicker. He WASN'T a contender. They made him one, by gravely underestimating him and by riding like jerks.

 

[Trunnions]

But that's just the kicker. He WASN'T a contender. They made him one, by gravely underestimating him and by riding like jerks.

Indeed!

But, I wouldn't dare to predict what happens in a final GT ITT.
Normal ITT form goes out-of-the-window.

Just recall Wiggins' TdF ITT in 2009.

 

[staubsauger]

Wow when was the last time we saw an attack like that by a GC contender go to the end with a decent margin? AS in TDF 2011 and before that? Dunno...Hinault in '86?

Very, very impressive, yeah he lost nearly two minutes to JROD in the last 2k but nothing to Basso, so no real cracking there.

rujano (several times) / simoni 2005
cunego 2004 against popovych and simoni (he just won it that way didn't he?)
oh and of course floyd landis in 2006 (okay he wasn't a gc contender at that time anymore, but he had been before)
sastre 2008
arroyo/sastre 2010 (arroyo was a top 10 contender, sastre had been a favourite before the start)

should be even more examples

oh damn i forget to mention pantani in 1998

such epic things are happening constant in cycling. that's why we all love this beatiful sport isn't it?

 

[El Pistolero]

Arroyo/Sastre don't count because it wasn't solo and Sastra in 2008 was an attack on the final climb.

 

[ingsve]

Amazing to see De Gendt on the Stelvio. I still remember him from Tour of Britain in 2009 when he as a complete unknown was in the break in something like 5 out of 8 stages. Who could have thought that a few years later he would be in with a shot at winning a GT.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

He rides like a Voigt, but with the talents of a Schleck

 

[MartinGT]

He rides like a Voigt, but with the talents of a Schleck

I read in a magazine somewhere (maybe ProCycling) that one of de Gendt heroes was Voigt and he loves emulating his style.

Yesterday was fantastic, I was shouting for him to keep away and thought he may of attacked too early, but to take the stage was amazing.

I first saw de Gendt at the Tour of Britain a couple of years back, attacking off the bunch and thought he was a great gutsy rider, then he did it again at P-N and again I loved his riding style.

GO THOMAS!!!

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

this guy is awesome. gutsy, can tt with te best, and climb almost with the best. a future gt no doubt!

(get him to Astana!)

 

[greenedge]

I think he's very lucky the climbers don't attack too early, if there are some Andy S. or Alberto C. who attack from way earlier than the others he'll lose more time.

He attacked though from a long way out and for a while even increased his margins. His climbing improved a lot.

Congrats to an epic stage win.

 

[greenedge]

Is it true he's a better rider because he stopped eating sausages?

I thought it was salami ( thats what SBS said ).

 

[jens_attacks]

first time in this edition of giro in which gazzetta dello sport has cycling on the front page....
....with a belgian... grande de gendt!