Tirreno-Adriatico Stage 7: San Benedetto del Tronto (ITT) 9.3km

[rxgqgxnyfz]

Cadel striking down the dutch mafia with his trident

Trident is all soaked in orange blood

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Gesink told the Algemeen Dagblad today he was struggling with the thoughts of his father. He was questioning wether it was worth taking all those risks in mass sprint finishes and downhills, when he dad died in a descent. After monday he almost wanted to quit, but his girlfriend, family and teammates pulled him through which motivated him for the time trial.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Gesink told the Algemeen Dagblad today he was struggling with the thoughts of his father. He was questioning wether it was worth taking all those risks in mass sprint finishes and downhills, when he dad died in a descent. After monday he almost wanted to quit, but his girlfriend, family and teammates pulled him through which motivated him for the time trial.

yikes... the sport or just this race in particular?
I can understand that effecting him a great deal.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It wasn't specified but I assume just the race

 

[thirteen]

Gesink told the Algemeen Dagblad today he was struggling with the thoughts of his father. He was questioning wether it was worth taking all those risks in mass sprint finishes and downhills, when he dad died in a descent. After monday he almost wanted to quit, but his girlfriend, family and teammates pulled him through which motivated him for the time trial.

why did it hit him now?

is it an anniversary of some sort (birthday, date of death)?

not saying this to be disrespectful -- i am honestly curious. i have always been a Gesink fan, thinking he never quite got the respect he should've due to the blinding light of the Schlecklett.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It hit him now, because Tirreno is such a stressful and nervous race, where those risks actually apply. Its the first race for him where he is confronted with that, since his dad died.
Oman was nothing like that...

Actually its only his second race since his dad died. Which is now 5 months ago. His dad died in a cycling related incident and was very important to him. I can understand the struggle, although I must admit I underrated it myself as well. It's easy to forget such things or say he should get over it, not every person can deal with a loss so severe, not so fast

 

[thirteen]

thank you. that makes sense... glad he has strong support surrounding him.

eta: i didn't realise it was still so fresh. poor guy!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Hey I think nobody here does. Why would we? It's not like we know the guy.
It's easy for us to forget. Not for the rider though.

 

[theyoungest]

I can imagine that it's all a little too much, too soon. Maybe he needs some time off, and some racing without the pressure of being a GC leader, just to find back the joy in cycling.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I can imagine that it's all a little too much, too soon. Maybe he needs some time off, and some racing without the pressure of being a GC leader, just to find back the joy in cycling.

Yeah, i can't say I know the feeling he has, it is difficult to relate, but one can only imagine what must go through his head. Hopefully he can pull through, good thing he has friends and family supporting him. Results mean so little in contrast.

I wonder how he approaches the next few races. I can't imagine he will ever be comfortable descending again.

 

[Barrus]

It hit him now, because Tirreno is such a stressful and nervous race, where those risks actually apply. Its the first race for him where he is confronted with that, since his dad died.
Oman was nothing like that...

Actually its only his second race since his dad died. Which is now 5 months ago. His dad died in a cycling related incident and was very important to him. I can understand the struggle, although I must admit I underrated it myself as well. It's easy to forget such things or say he should get over it, not every person can deal with a loss so severe, not so fast

That and the fact that, as he said himself, this was the first race where his family was there and he noticed the fact that his father was missing

 

[theyoungest]

I wonder how he approaches the next few races. I can't imagine he will ever be comfortable descending again.

I'm not sure it's about the descending, Dekker_T said his father died on a descent but Gesink doesn't say anything about that. I think it's more about taking unnecessary risks, maybe he's come to put the sport into perspective a little too much. He said before the season that he had to keep reminding himself not do do so, wondering what's the point of what he's doing anyway.

 

[Reuell]

He also said that his entire family and his girlfriend were at the T-A and he missed his father there. Combined with the difficult race and two hard days of racing in the weekend.....
Normally his father would boost his confidence and can't anymore now