Thomas de Gendt Discussion Thread

[maxmartin]

Dig my baby thread out, see how he goes in the vuelta?

 

[Michele]

Im on the list of the people curious to see him in action for GC after his Giro performance, althought at Eneco he looked like being not really in form.

 

[Afrank]

I can't see De Gendt doing as well at the Vuelta as he did at the giro. At the giro Purito and Hesjedal were the ones he was competeing against for the top spot. At this giro he will have to compete against Contador, Froome, Purito, plus others. A much stronger field then the Giro's.

 

[classicomano]

He said he lost some extra weight compared to the Giro to see the effect on his climbing.

 

[maxmartin]

I can't see De Gendt doing as well at the Vuelta as he did at the giro. At the giro Purito and Hesjedal were the ones he was competeing against for the top spot. At this giro he will have to compete against Contador, Froome, Purito, plus others. A much stronger field then the Giro's.

that's exactly the reason to watch him in this vueta to see his true potential in the mountains and stacked with the best climbers in the world

 

[maxmartin]

He said he lost some extra weight compared to the Giro to see the effect on his climbing.

Good to know, interested and curious to see the end result

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

I can't see De Gendt doing as well at the Vuelta as he did at the giro. At the giro Purito and Hesjedal were the ones he was competeing against for the top spot. At this Vuelta he will have to compete against Contador, Froome, Purito, plus others. A much stronger field then the Giro's.

Think so too. I read he lost a few kiloos in two weeks time, much too fast, as a result his Belgian TT Championship challenge was terrible. Don't mess with your weight, you will pay the prize.

Don't forget the Spanish climate, is something else compared to Italy in May.

 

[The Hitch]

I think De Gendt will be right up there. We have seen some truly exceptional performances from him in mountains so the ability is clearly there. But moreover he said Vuelta was his bigger aim for the season than Giro. Another podium is definately on the cards.

 

[The Hitch]

Think so too. I read he lost a few kiloos in two weeks time, much too fast, as a result his Belgian TT Championship challenge was terrible. Don't mess with your weight, you will pay the prize.

Don't forget the Spanish climate, is something else compared to Italy in May.

Well this Vuelta is entirely in the North which is cooler. 1 of the major mountain stages this year for example is to Lagos da Covadonga where it absolutely poured last time they visited 2 years ago.

Navarre, Galicia, Asturias even Pais Vasco, all of these areas can get some real rain during the summer. Certainly not the 35 degree, 0 mm of rain per month averages seen around central and southern spain.

Giro meanwhile can be very hot. Italy afterall is one of the hottest regions in Europe and in May, especially the South 40 + tempreratures are common.

I think they had some very hot stages in the first week actually, i remember reading riders saying some day we all found boring to be absolutely killer because of the temperatures, maybe the one Rubiano won.

Though yes most of this is me playing devils advocate and the Vuelta is generally the hottest gt, and the Giro the coldest, but the differences might not be so big this year with the Vuelta taking place accross Iberias upper 3rd.

 

[El Pistolero]

Besides, it's not because you're Belgian that you can't stand the heat.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Uh, to be clear, I hope he will be up there, the boy has cojones.

 

[SafeBet]

Giro meanwhile can be very hot. Italy afterall is one of the hottest regions in Europe and in May, especially the South 40 + tempreratures are common

It's true there might be some hot days. But no way it gets 40+ in May.
Mediterranean sea makes it mild in spring.

Hot places in Italy are generally the big cities, as Milan, Florence or Rome.

 

[maxmartin]

already 2:54 down, not a good showing today, oh well short sharp is never his cup of tea. but 2:07 on such stage is still a huge loss

 

[roundabout]

Any other outcome would have been surprising after he was flapping around in the wind at Eneco just 2 weeks back.

 

[maxmartin]

He should learn some SKY training methods, how to reduce weight while maintaining even increasing power output. But if that happens, I probably have to cross him from my favorite rider list.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Meh De Gendt is only 2 minutes back or something right?

He didn't do too well most of the Giro either, but started getting top 10's in Mountain stages halfway through the Giro, then got like 3 minutes on everybody in the Stelvio stage, did a good final TT and still managed to podium.

De Gendt will just lose a bit more time, win a random stage from the brake, be twice as good in the third week because of his awesome recuperation skills and thus get at least a top 10

 

[gustienordic]

He should learn some SKY training methods, how to reduce weight while maintaining even increasing power output. But if that happens, I probably have to cross him from my favorite rider list.

I like my favorite riders to be Human

 

[maxmartin]

Oh man, so close to take the queen stage of Vuelta

Will this Vuelta cause some dent on his GT GC ambition?

 

[maxmartin]

this seems fair low target for him

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/de-gendt-aiming-for-top-ten-in-2013-tour-de-france

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

this seems fair low target for him

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/de-gendt-aiming-for-top-ten-in-2013-tour-de-france

he always talks like that. this year eh said his goal was top 20 giro

 

[El Pistolero]

he always talks like that. this year eh said his goal was top 20 giro

That's once. And you said he wasn't a GT rider back then.

It was his first GT without an injury(and only his second ever), so obviously he didn't say he will end up on the podium in Milan... He didn't know how good he was before the Giro.

And he most likely will not end up on the podium in Paris, at least he's not over-rating his abilities like so many other riders. Fuglsang thinking he deserves to be a leader of a WT team at the Tour for example...

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

That's once. And you said he wasn't a GT rider back then.

It was his first GT without an injury(and only his second ever), so obviously he didn't say he will end up on the podium in Milan... He didn't know how good he was before the Giro.

And he most likely will not end up on the podium in Paris, at least he's not over-rating his abilities like so many other riders. Fuglsang thinking he deserves to be a leader of a WT team during the Tour for example...

oh. appearantly I pressed on your "help! belgians are under attack" button again

so tiresome...

 

[El Pistolero]

Lol, is that what you always say when you can't come up with an argument and know you're wrong? You're always free to present your case with real arguments, but we both know you have nothing to stand on anyway.

So you might as well try and save some face with a "you're Belgian!!!" argument I guess.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Lol, is that what you always say when you can't come up with an argument and know you're wrong? You're always free to present your case with real arguments, but we both know you have nothing to stand on anyway.

there was no argument. there was no point of discussion, your comment made no sense, except that you had to defend something belgian again. hilarious considering I'm a big de gendt fan

and now 3-2-1



























pisti cna have the last word as always

 

[El Pistolero]

I don't care whether or not you're a fan of him. Back up your accusation that he always talks like that with some arguments instead of just saying it.

You're acting all mighty now that he was underrating himself before the Giro while you even said he was not a GT rider. How much of a hypocrite are you?