Tom Danielson's Tour Chances

[Cobblestones]

Tommy D. is setting the road on fire so far. Best US rider, only 15" behind Contador. Who would have thought!

 

[Ramira]

Tommy D. is setting the road on fire so far. Best US rider, only 15" behind Contador. Who would have thought!

Now all he has to do is stay up there in the mountains and he might actually live up to a small portion of his hype over the last few years.

 

[Mr. O'Clock]

He could best Christian Van de Veldes' 4th in the 08 tour. he is talented and at this stage of the tour T.D. looks to be on fine form.

 

[woodburn]

So he's got in the top 10 of the Vuelta? Whoopie doo! Other than that the only results he has are the 2006 Tour of Austria and a couple of placings in the Tour of Poland and the Tour de Burgos.

Poor ****** got saddled with the "Next Lance" and either cracked under the pressure of expectation or simply didn't really have "it".

Either way, he will not make it into the top 20 IMO.

Not saying he has had the greatest career, but a lot of those expectations came from people other than him. A lot of cyclists would like three Vuelta top 10s, overall wins at the Tour of Austria, Tour of Georgia and Tour de Langkawi and a Tour of California podium.

We'll see how he does the next two weeks.

 

[carl spackler]

For as much as Garmin loves to be in the press, Tommy D hasn't been covered that much so far. RH and CVV are constantly being interviewed. Also TD isnt in some of the "Virtual GC" lists. I wonder if this is a conscious choice by Garmin, or if its just nobody really cares about him.

Either way I think it'd be really cool story if he could hang in the mountains. Stranger things have happened. If he didnt lose the 1:55 he would be ahead of Schlecks after all, or thereabouts.

Go Eskimo boy!

 

[spanky wanderlust]

danielson is an amazing specimen of human physiological perfection. my guess is that, based on this alone, very few here would be surprised if he finally put it all together and popped off a solid podium in the tour, even before the field was diminished.

tommy's problem is in his head. he is notoriously mentally and emotionally weak. everything just seems to get to him. bad luck seeks him out. it is this that separates him from contador.

conti has an amazing mental toughness that is highly under-valued by many here. it was the same with armstrong.

is he one of usa's best grand tour riders? i suppose. but the list is mighty short, so any current rider who has had any good result at all is on there.

i like the guy. i really hope he does well. with the diminished field i can see a solid top 10 from him here.

 

[spanky wanderlust]

If you get to the point where you have to shave your head to make yourself look better then you are bald.

He needs to grow a goatee and get a few tats. This could be the start of a whole new Tommy D.

Who's the cat that won't cop out
When there's danger all about?
Tommy D, right on

They say this cat Tommy is a bad mother--
Shut your mouth
But I'm talkin' 'bout Tommy
Then we can dig it

meh. superficial. if it he does it and it works i'll be thrilled.

what he really needs is a victory. he has had such bad management and leadership around him his whole career. i'm not saying bad for other people. i'm saying bad for him.

he isn't even a gt rider. physiologically he would be a virtually unbeatable 1 week stage racer. he could have been winning one or two of those a year with the right team and ds.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

tommy's problem is in his head. he is notoriously mentally and emotionally weak. everything just seems to get to him. bad luck seeks him out. it is this that separates him from contador.

This sounds like Evans. Perhaps Tom can have a late career turnaround also.

Vaughters should be forcing Danielson to watch a steady stream of Chuck Norris movies and TV shows.

I predict that TD will end up in 7th place.

 

[spanky wanderlust]

This sounds like Evans. Perhaps Tom can have a late career turnaround also.

Vaughters should be forcing Danielson to watch a steady stream of Chuck Norris movies and TV shows.

I predict that TD will end up in 7th place.

gah! evans is a mental beast. my gawd man! please don't make me post a picture of him outsprinting vino and il picolo pipihead to win an epic giro stage in the world champ's jersey. i am a very lazy interneter.

other than that i agree with everything you wrote.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

gah! evans is a mental beast. my gawd man! please don't make me post a picture of him outsprinting vino and il picolo pipihead to win an epic giro stage in the world champ's jersey. i am a very lazy interneter.

But that was after The Transformation. Up until winning the WC, Evans was a chump who could never quite make it. Now he has confidence and rides with authority.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

All systems go. Major Tom is cleared for launch.

He is up to 9th while Vande Velde was crushed today. Vaughters is now facing the scary prospect of having the team's track record of top tens in the Tour rest on Tommy D. The stage win and Thor take the pressure off, I guess.

I thought he would be the best Garmin. Now it appears that he will be the best American. Bottle could not find a fast enough wheel to suck.

 

[Cobblestones]

This sounds like Evans. Perhaps Tom can have a late career turnaround also.

Vaughters should be forcing Danielson to watch a steady stream of Chuck Norris movies and TV shows.

I predict that TD will end up in 7th place.

Tommy D needs to win the WC. That's what made today's Evans.


Anyhoo, where's BroDeal?

 

[goggalor]

Tommy D definitely looking good for that top ten!

 

[9000ft]

Yep, there's a way to go - still plenty of time to find a reason to blow his chance - but Tommy D might pull off a top 10. If he does it's too bad he's finally finding his stride at this point in his career. He might have a couple more years left to find a GT podium, but being a late bloomer isn't the best way to go about it.

 

[Psalmon]

The most polite bike racer EVER

If there were a door to the finish line at a mountain top finish, Tom would dismount and hold it open for everybody else. Tommy D is the anti-bike racer, mentally fragile, humble, no killer instinct.

Post race at Luz yesterday he spoke about "those guys" like on the outside looking in. He spoke about immediately assuming he'd ride his own tempo during the attacks.

Tom, you're one of those guys!

The modifying factor may be Vaughters here, who it's clear knows how to handle him, and people in general. Hopefully, he sees that sitting 9th, D could attack on PdB and win the damn thing without a response from Basso, Schleck^2, *** edited by mod ***, or Evans.

GO Tommy D!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Boeing]

Tommy D needs to win the WC. That's what made today's Evans.


Anyhoo, where's BroDeal?

hunger strike till his last thread is sticky'd

 

[Red Lobster]

Tommy D is the anti-bike racer, mentally fragile, humble, no killer instinct.

Post race at Luz yesterday he spoke about "those guys" like on the outside looking in. He spoke about immediately assuming he'd ride his own tempo during the attacks.

Tom, you're one of those guys!

Yeah, compare/contrast to an interview with a guy like TJVG who has confidence in spades and just assumes it is natural that he ride with the best and that he is one of "those guys" (even though he has yet to prove it). While you can see TD is working hard to "think positive thoughts" a guy like TJVG is just going about the business of assuming what he views as his natural and rightful spot in the upper ranks of the peoloton. It is odd that TD is so quick to doubt his own ability.

 

[BeachBum]

I thought he would crash out before today, but he's still around. Assuming he can hang with the lead climbing group, I'd like to see just one acceleration instead of the typical US pattern of hanging at the front until you're tailed off. He doesn't need to win the stage, or even drop anybody, just one small jump (like Basso did at Luz Ardiden) would be fune. Baby steps first. Build up his confidence.

 

[Deagol]

looks like he dropped from 9th to 10th in GC today....
Tomorrow on PDB will be telling, I would think.

 

[mwbyrd]

Yeah, compare/contrast to an interview with a guy like TJVG who has confidence in spades and just assumes it is natural that he ride with the best and that he is one of "those guys" (even though he has yet to prove it). While you can see TD is working hard to "think positive thoughts" a guy like TJVG is just going about the business of assuming what he views as his natural and rightful spot in the upper ranks of the peoloton. It is odd that TD is so quick to doubt his own ability.

I don't know. I think I see him starting to believe in himself. He may not be a typical 'Alpha', but he's getting better. He even mentioned attacking when the time was right.

I also think he was smart to ride his own pace yesterday. There are still some stupid hard stages coming up and saving energy for the right moment might be a good thing.

 

[jobiwan]

BUMP!!! Another Great Ride!

 

[roundabout]

Reverse psychology works.

Don't let us all down now, Tommy.

 

[jobiwan]

Another BUMP!! He did it!!

Way to go Tommy D! I think this might be his year!

 

[Rip:30]

Yeah congrats Tommy. He's lives near me and we used to race mtbikes together. He's got some inner demons, but who doesn't I guess.

Mtbikers: 3 in the top 10 Booyah!

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Just an awesome Tour by Tom! Several years ago when he almost made the podium at the Vuelta I was singing his praises, only to find myself just last year saying he was finished. I'm happy to now say I was flat out wrong.

I don't know if he'll have anything in the tank for the Coors' Classic, I mean US Pro Challenge, but I'd love to see him win it in his home state.