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Tom Danielson is done

Mar 29, 2009
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Today in Pais Vasco he finished over 10 minutes back. How can someone that is training for the GT and expect to be at the top finish 10m back? I just don't think he has it in him. Maybe he doesn't have to finish with the leaders but he can't keep getting dropped off the back like this. I just don't think he has it in him to finish in the front on any consecutive basis.
 
Mar 10, 2009
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Danielson can take off the "super hero" cape that Discovery bestowed on him a couple of three (?) years ago in a poster. I have never understood the hype, especially since he can't meet half the demands of said hype. Sometimes I wonder if his physical problems have a psychological component that isn't being addressed - although Vaughters is very thorough as a D.S. For me, Danielson is a cycling enigma.
 
Mar 10, 2009
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I said it two years ago, he deserves to be on a US based continental team and attempt to win in the States to prove his worth.

I just see him taking another promising riders spot... when will the experiment end?

How can you be the next great one if you never win anything? Or place, or finish within 10th place of the overall? Or is the master plan to train him to attack at 37 years of age?
 
Mar 19, 2009
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Maybe he just can't do it without Ferrari.

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Mar 10, 2009
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Epicycle said:
Maybe he just can't do it without Ferrari.

He couldn't do it when he was on Fassa Bortolo within arm's length of Ferrari.

I'm sure Johnny Vaughters is doing it to support the cause and give it the old College try, but its over Johnny, its over.
 
Mar 29, 2009
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Even if he has a stomach bug. Can he keep having a stomach bug and the team keep paying him to be out sick. They are not getting anything in return for the money spent.
If he doesn't show any real results this year then I think he will be relagated to a small continental team.
 
Apr 7, 2009
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I gave up on TD last year, when he complained bitterly about being left off the TDF team after not showing a single notable result earlier in the season.

I think his future in cycling is with a domestic US team. We saw glimpses of this in late 2008, when he rode as a domestique in races like the Tour of Missouri.:)
 
Apr 1, 2009
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Media Hype

Dudes,
Tommy D was a product of good marketing by Disco and its management knowing that LA was on his way out. People in the US always need to have some sort of sporting figure to look to and Tommy D. was that figure at that time. He should be placed in the Garmin's B roster and given the privilege to do US races until he gets his act together. If he does not like that oportunity he should be let go.
You may argue that he had top 10's and a couple stage wins here and there. Now, be objective and look at Chris Horner's palmares. He has done very well. He was a dominant player in the US circuit and went to Europe where he has had several great results.
Tommy has had all kinds of physical problems and according to Wikipedia even visa problems when at Fassa...
 
Mar 11, 2009
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If he was Thomas Danielle or Tomasz Danielski, he would not have the same hype and consequent disillusionment. The US media were desperate to find the next rider behind Armstrong and this young talent was loaded with pressure.

He seems a nice guy but his palmares is light but the fact people are ready to slam him still shows how he stands out.
 
Mar 11, 2009
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Stani Kléber said:
If he was Thomas Danielle or Tomasz Danielski, he would not have the same hype and consequent disillusionment. The US media were desperate to find the next rider behind Armstrong and this young talent was loaded with pressure.

He seems a nice guy but his palmares is light but the fact people are ready to slam him still shows how he stands out.

This is simply not true....while there can be no doubt that LA and the Disco PR machine tagged him with a pretty heavy label, the fact of the matter is that TD himself has positioned himself this way. Hell, just go look at the CN story the other day when he starts talking about doing well at the Giro with an eye for peaking at the Tour. But when he fails (yet again) we have another excuse...."I'm learning the trade, I need to work on my positioning, I got a stomach bug, I hurt my knee, I have giardia, I have a herniated disc in my back (ever notice how that particular problem just vanished?), I need to just race like I train (my persoanl fave), etc."

TD needs to shut his mouth, ride his bike and focus on where his potential lies....mountain stages and hill one-week stage races. IMO, he simply lacks the constitution (both pysically and mentally) to EVER be a contender in a GT. Which is fine! But FFS, make the most of the capabilities now and stop making excuses.
 
Power13 said:
TD needs to shut his mouth, ride his bike and focus on where his potential lies....mountain stages and hill one-week stage races. IMO, he simply lacks the constitution (both pysically and mentally) to EVER be a contender in a GT. Which is fine! But FFS, make the most of the capabilities now and stop making excuses.


Agreed, well said.
 
Mar 10, 2009
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And the benefit of Danielson keeping his mouth shut?
He avoids "food poisoning".


But he really needs to do something else besides ride a bike.
 
Mar 11, 2009
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tifosa said:
And the benefit of Danielson keeping his mouth shut?
He avoids "food poisoning".


But he really needs to do something else besides ride a bike.


I don't agree....the guy clearly has the talent to do it, and do it well. he just needs to realize his capabilities, and more importantly, his limitations. There is no reason why he can't pop off a mountain stage win in the Tour, but he will never contest the overall.

Actually, I see him as a very similar rider to Vaughters....week-long stage races and an excellent climber, but lacked the proper constitution to contest a GT. I am very surprised that JV has not said to him "Look, you need to focus here and here....I know, I've been there."
 
Apr 7, 2009
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Actually, when Garmin Slipstream announced TD's signing, JV stated to the press that he considered TD best suited to one-week stage races and that he lacked the recovery to compete in GTs.

Danielson subsequently was quoted to the effect that he strongly disagreed, and considered himself a GT rider. (I don't have citations at hand, but the sources were cyclingnews and/or velonews.)

This cockiness to the media, without results to back it up, is what got me off the TD bandwagon.
 
Mar 11, 2009
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geeker said:
Actually, when Garmin Slipstream announced TD's signing, JV stated to the press that he considered TD best suited to one-week stage races and that he lacked the recovery to compete in GTs.

Danielson subsequently was quoted to the effect that he strongly disagreed, and considered himself a GT rider. (I don't have citations at hand, but the sources were cyclingnews and/or velonews.)

This cockiness to the media, without results to back it up, is what got me off the TD bandwagon.

Yeah, but go and look at JV's comments early this year and he was kinda building him up again.....
 
Mar 10, 2009
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Power13 said:
Yeah, but go and look at JV's comments early this year and he was kinda building him up again.....

Sure, he has to build Danielson up - he's got to get some sort of results out of the guy. Training hasn't worked, diet hasn't worked, why not try ego building?

What count's are race results. "How good were you in your last race?" results. Danielson hardly has bragging rights.
 
Apr 1, 2009
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Listen to me. Put the guy to race for Garmin in the US circuit. That will teach him some lessons. Or even better, he should be let go, terminate his contract and pick up some more young US talent. TD has been given too many second chances already
 
Apr 1, 2009
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A lot of riders have finished top 10 in grand tours. The question you should be asking to say that TD can amount to the great hope (next LA) he was titled to be is if he has consitenly finished in top 10's in the past 5 years or so.
Karpets, a great domestique has finished top 10 in the vuelta. Efemkin has finished top 10 at the vuelta and tour.
TD is also getting a bit rusty and old...
 

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