There’s a whole load of what ifs in there, but yes, with every GT that goes by, Tom’s decision to up sticks and leave Sunweb for Jumbo seems to have negatively impacted his chances of another big win. Be it how well Sunweb’s riders have done in the interim, or how much competition he has for team leadership now, or just flat out getting beaten by a wunderkid at the Tour.Dumoulin should not have left Sunweb in the same manner Barguil should not have left. Everyone blames Sunweb for the Dumoulin knee issue but it was Dumoulin himself who wanted to ride the Tour and insisted he would be ready not the team
Yet the team took the brunt of the criticism
Sunweb dont need Dumoulin but he joined a team where he is 2nd fiddle behind Roglic while he was in a team that where he was the undisputed leader ..I could never see the sense in that decision
If at Sunweb he could have waited and rode the Giro and won...He would have had his Tour form and have more time to train and be not fatigued . Again I dont know why he didn't ride the Giro this year
I would’ve thought he’d at least stick around to see how he could do in the TT.Legendary domestique.
Gifting the ITT to his team leader already
I think Dumoulin in his current shape had no shot at that ITT anyway. I have no ideas about the bikes.I would’ve thought he’d at least stick around to see how he could do in the TT.
The thought did occur the other day, is he behind Jumbo’s move to Cervelo bikes? He was at Sunweb still when they switched from Giant, and Jumbo’s relationship with Bianchi this year has seemed to be “let’s adapt these to our purposes, but we’re not 100% happy with them.”
Yeah, he gets a pass on this year from me. I still maintain that at his best he should be an equal GC threat to Roglic. Don’t know exactly where he’s gone wrong and whether it’s fixable or a Schleckish decline due to an injury that changed his mechanics.His season prep was hampered by that disease or whatnot. Not that strange that this season is over. Next year will be important though.
Yeah he should be equal. The last time they went head to head, on different teams, in a GT, Tom was unlucky to finish 2nd, in his 2nd GT of the year whereas Primoz faded to 4th. And Tom’s a year younger.Yeah, he gets a pass on this year from me. I still maintain that at his best he should be an equal GC threat to Roglic. Don’t know exactly where he’s gone wrong and whether it’s fixable or a Schleckish decline due to an injury that changed his mechanics.