Thomas de Gendt Discussion Thread

[Angliru]

this seems fair low target for him

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

Decent and reasonable goal for a 25 year old.

 

[Afrank]

So, he said he was aiming for a top 20 in the Giro and ended up 3rd. Now he is aiming for a top 10. I think there is only one logical conclusion, De Gendt will win the Tour de France .

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

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?

I said he wasn't a gt rider? I said he neede da good team around him to place him. I never said he couldn't do a top 20 I've always been one of the believers in de gendts incredible talents

 

[El Pistolero]

I said he wasn't a gt rider? I said he neede da good team around him to place him. I never said he couldn't do a top 20 I've always been one of the believers in de gendts incredible talents

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showpost.php?p=857825&postcount=87


Yeah, luckily for you I remember everything I read. So while Hitch did say he was a GC contender you said he wasn't(you have to look at the whole conversation of that page though).

 

[The Hitch]

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showpost.php?p=857825&postcount=87


Yeah, luckily for you I remember everything I read. So while Hitch did say he was a GC contender you said he wasn't(you have to look at the whole conversation of that page though).

I like that convo

For the GC this is totally irellevant.
There simply isn't one serious GC contender in this Giro who is an above average TTlist. So even if someone like Schleck looses close to a minute on the winner, he-ll still only lose a few second on the best GC guy

Thomas de gendt.

I think you missed the word "serious" in BR's post

and gc contender

.

Cheers grills

 

[maxmartin]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/de-gendt-builds-towards-tour-de-france

Can he crack top ten? This is going to be a high level Tour with SKY already setting the pre-race tone.

 

[webvan]

Seems to me he's got things the wrong way round with his ITT abilities...should have done the 2012 TDF and the 2013 Giro! Ah yes, he got married during the TDF last year, duh...

 

[movingtarget]

Very talented rider but I don't think many expected him to podium the Giro. Good in long breaks and very strong but I have doubts about his consistency in a race like the Tour. I would be surprised if he made the top 10 and Sky were not an issue in the 2012 Giro. I think he would have been better off riding the Giro again even though Sky will be an issue in both races this year.

 

[maxmartin]

Very talented rider but I don't think many expected him to podium the Giro. Good in long breaks and very strong but I have doubts about his consistency in a race like the Tour. I would be surprised if he made the top 10 and Sky were not an issue in the 2012 Giro. I think he would have been better off riding the Giro again even though Sky will be an issue in both races this year.

not going to happen, he is in a dutch team. They are obsessed with Tour, Besides DeGendt himself said Tour climb suits his character much better than Giro or Vuelta climb.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

not going to happen, he is in a dutch team. They are obsessed with Tour, Besides DeGendt himself said Tour climb suits his character much better than Giro or Vuelta climb.

it will likely end in the dull placement category, if De Gendt tries to just hang on the train and see where it get him.

Riders like him (there are quite a few) should rather tank an early stage and go in a key break to try and upset the applecart.

 

[theyoungest]

He rode the Tour once (in 2011), his first GT. He got injured in the first week, but then got 6th on Alpe d'Huez (same time as Evans and Schleck) and 4th in the final TT. Which does suggest that the Tour suits him.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I'm a huge fan. Really. But can' possibly see him placing top 8

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Dont forget he podiumed at the Giro because of bad tactics of others, and, of course his own stellar attack/tactics on the Stelvio. That will not happed again.

 

[webvan]

After that glowing article in CN where he said he would fight for GC in the ToC, TdG finished 18'50" behind ol'Paco...nice !

 

[Dazed and Confused]

After that glowing article in CN where he said he would fight for GC in the ToC, TdG finished 18'50" behind ol'Paco...nice !

Pretty brutal day in California no doubt. Ignoring that, I'am still struggling with De Gendt as a GT/GC contender. Don't think his Giro performance last year will start a trend. Only time will tell.

 

[classicomano]

Hes struggling with his knee right?

 

[webvan]

Dunno, that recent article didn't say anything about that?

@Dazed and Confused - yes, let's hope for him the 2012 Giro wasn't a one-off...

 

[maxmartin]

Will he get into breakaway today?

 

[Miburo]

Will he get into breakaway today?

Who wants to be in a breakaway today?

You must be crazy

 

[maxmartin]

Who wants to be in a breakaway today?

You must be crazy

Why not, when you do things most people thinking otherwise in the bike race, you can increase your odds of success. And actually today if is even better idea to get into breakaway because team car follow you closely you can get water and ice whenever you want. Sounds like a much better idea than suffocating in the peloton. Who is crazy now?

 

[maxmartin]

disappointing showing from De Gendt today, he better gets his act together otherwise it would be hard for him to find a nice team

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

disappointing showing from De Gendt today, he better gets his act together otherwise it would be hard for him to find a nice team

They just need to let Rujano ride, that's all they need for succesful stage races.

 

[theyoungest]

disappointing showing from De Gendt today, he better gets his act together otherwise it would be hard for him to find a nice team

Of course not, at least the Belgian teams will want him. And BMC, the semi-Belgian team.

 

[maxmartin]

Of course not, at least the Belgian teams will want him. And BMC, the semi-Belgian team.

He seems to have medical problems. Hope he can figure things out. It will be a pity if he retires so young.


“There’s something not right, my heart rate was too high,” De Gendt told Sporza. “I was trying to ride in the peloton when I got dropped by 160 or 170 riders and I realised that I couldn’t do any more.

“My heart rate was way too high and I don’t know where that comes from,” De Gendt said. “I was at 170 beats per minute very quickly and on that long climb I peaked at 180 beats per minute even though I didn’t go very deep.”

 

[karlboss]

He seems to have medical problems. Hope he can figure things out. It will be a pity if he retires so young.


“There’s something not right, my heart rate was too high,” De Gendt told Sporza. “I was trying to ride in the peloton when I got dropped by 160 or 170 riders and I realised that I couldn’t do any more.

“My heart rate was way too high and I don’t know where that comes from,” De Gendt said. “I was at 170 beats per minute very quickly and on that long climb I peaked at 180 beats per minute even though I didn’t go very deep.”

Honestly sounds like moderate dehydration to me.