• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Thomas de Gendt Discussion Thread

Page 12 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
DJ Sprtsch

DJ Sprtsch

May 14, 2009
3,036
1,003
16,680
Visit site
But of course, they were even more crazy in the old days; Anquetil winning Bordeaux-Paris after winning Dauphiné the same day. And B-P was 15 hours of racing:

http://www.veloarchive.com/exploits/65double.php

The final stage of the Dauphiné finished at 3pm. Anquetil then had two hours of interviews and receptions to carry out before being driven to Nîmes airport where a specially chartered plane was waiting; he was finally away by 6.30 pm. After a short flight, he grabbed a little sleep at Bordeaux before getting up at midnight for his pre-race meal. And shortly after he was away, embarking through the cool south western evening on the longest one day race in existence!
 
L

Leinster

Jun 10, 2017
5,051
3,141
18,180
Visit site
Anquetil didn’t ride home to Normandy after winning B-P. Which would have been shorter than Wellens and DeGendt’s ride from Lombardy to Belgium.


I’m conflicted because I think it’s great that pro cyclists are doing big long trips like this nowadays (see Warbasse and Dunne, I think I read that some Sunweb lads did similar a couple seasons ago), but at the same time I’m insanely jealous that I can’t tell my work “hey, why don’t I just bike back to the office after visiting our site 50 miles away.”
 
S

Sciatic

Mar 4, 2011
4,819
5,828
21,180
Visit site
Re:

DJ Sprtsch said:
Guys, we are not talking about training ride, what is in the picture is a 557 km long pro race starting within 9 hours after winning the Dauphiné
Click to expand...

Yes, of course, we know that. True hard man and all of that.

But the De Gendt/Wellens story is way more fun and quirky, and way more entertaining to think about in our day and age. Like I wonder do they have a route planned out . . .or will they just ride until they're done for the day and look for a hotel? :)
 
Red Rick

Red Rick

BANNED
Feb 20, 2012
48,581
34,076
28,180
Visit site
GenericBoonenFan said:
Tim Booth said:
Healthy fridge. Healthy body.
https://twitter.com/DeGendtThomas/status/1063172258183684096
Click to expand...

Karmeliet, dude got taste :D
Click to expand...
200.gif
 
Saint Unix

Saint Unix

Feb 14, 2014
1,585
96
10,580
Visit site
One of the most awesome breakaway wins I can remember seeing. To have the strength to drop De Marchi like a bad habit after winning all the mountain sprints and then stay away against a peloton that was going hard... Just incredible. Very few riders in the peloton have the kind of power required to pull off something like that.

Surprised to see that this is only his second stage win in the Tour. I feel like he goes on marauding rides like this several times a year, albeit in slightly less epic fashion than today.
 
Logic-is-your-friend

Logic-is-your-friend

Jun 7, 2011
18,635
15,743
28,180
Visit site
Re:

Saint Unix said:
One of the most awesome breakaway wins I can remember seeing. To have the strength to drop De Marchi like a bad habit after winning all the mountain sprints and then stay away against a peloton that was going hard... Just incredible. Very few riders in the peloton have the kind of power required to pull off something like that.

Surprised to see that this is only his second stage win in the Tour. I feel like he goes on marauding rides like this several times a year, albeit in slightly less epic fashion than today.
Click to expand...

He does raids like this often, but he doesn't always have superlegs like today. The amazing thing is that today, he was able to hold on to a merely 1m16s lead from the moment he dropped De Marchi with something like 18km to go. At this time, i really didn't think he'd make it, with 3 climbs to go and hard racing in the peloton/chase. Yet he pulled it off. Insane. Especially after doing most of the work since the early break as well as taking all the points.

Hammer time.
 
Pantani_lives

Pantani_lives

May 3, 2010
4,102
3,210
21,180
Visit site
I hope he wins the Super Comativity. He's an anachronism in an era when the Tour has for a large part become dull and predictable. Riders like him make it worth watching again. Breakaway specialists are often underappreciated - think of his non-selections for the world championships. It's weird that he doesn't care about the classics, but he's great at what he's doing. He's the most eccentric personality in today's pro cycling, especially with that dirty beard.

EDIT: I meant Combativity. :razz:
 
H

hayneplane

Sep 4, 2017
2,252
2,303
9,680
Visit site
In that form he would be perfect tactically for Belgium to make it a hard race all day by forming a morning breakaway so strong that the other big nations have to commit riders to the front from a very early stage allowing the Belgian protected riders to surf wheels and hide in the peloton.

To hold the gap to a highly motivated peak form Alaphilippe who has been arguably the best in the world this year was a freakishly strong ride and one that deserves all the plaudits in the world.

You wonder if he could actually have got further grand tour podiums but I think he simply isn’t psychologically suited to trying to hold back and conserve energy until the last few days plus the fact he is practically allergic to riding within the peloton.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom