Teams & Riders Tom Dumoulin discussion thread

[classicomano]

Re:

Is Tom going on Vuelta for GC this year ?

I think hes doing the Eneco Tour and the Canadian races.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

That was the plan initially, but he said in an interview after the Giro he might do the Vuelta. It's undecided as of yet

 

[alexix7]

Because i briefly checked this year´s La Vuelta route and i think is very well suited for Tom D. Many of easy stages with short and quite steep uphill finishes and the mountain stages are not so hard all the way. Also good 40km flat TT.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I don't think he will go for the general classification. If he goes it will be as preparation for the Worlds ITT. Because the course (of the ITT) really suits him this year

 

[wouterkaas]

So...Tom Dumoulin won't ride the Vuelta at all, but he will focus on the worlds. Kelderman, who was supposedly in monster shape in the Giro until his crash, will be leader.

 

[sir fly]

I suppose his intention is to finally take the tt title.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

yes it is. He will ride San Sebastian, Binck Banck (former eneco), Quebec + Montreal

 

[silvergrenade]

Big Tom has a chance to go up against the best GT rider. He should take it.
It'd be cool to see to them duel it out with Froome needing to make up time

 

[Ikbengodniet]

The presence of Dumoulin in the tour against Froome can be very interesting, because Froome has to attack himself again to make some time good instead of the conservative tactic Sky used for the last years.

 

[wouterkaas]

Re:

Big Tom has a chance to go up against the best GT rider. He should take it.
It'd be cool to see to them duel it out with Froome needing to make up time

Agreed, it would make the Vuelta a sort of "best of", except for Quintana/Valverde :lol:

 

[Red Rick]

Froome hasn't convinded me at all that he's stronger than Dumoulin this year. Both took their time in the TTs, but then Froome could ride his train all the way home whereas Dumoulin had to fight off numerous attacks on his own. Dumoulin with a better team would be doing less work, and therefor recuperate better, and I think it's very easy to underrate Quintana in the 2nd week of this Giro because he obviously tired out in the third.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I think it's smart to not ride the Vuelta. To prepare again physically but especially mentally for the Vuelta is tough. And the problem is people will expect something out of him in a Vuelta. He can't ride there anonymously if he feels the legs aren't there yet.

And especially with the Dutch mentality of 'support' that can be brutal. Not that I think it's anything Dumoulin can't handle, but it's better to go far away and prepare for hte worlds in all silence.

By all accounts he should have won a worlds ITT already in the past 2 years. But last year it was too much after already peaking twice. And two years ago he was too exhausted after the Vuelta.
I can understand why he wants to win it. He wants to prove he is beyond any doubt the best TT specialist.

 

[Deadbody]

I can understand his and the teams reasoning, but second by second the Vuelta is melting away(who´s left?). I was really looking forward to a "kinda" fresh Tom going against the top dogs. I´ve always loved the Vuelta but what will this year bring? I´m a little scared ;O

 

[silvergrenade]

Re:

I think it's smart to not ride the Vuelta. To prepare again physically but especially mentally for the Vuelta is tough. And the problem is people will expect something out of him in a Vuelta. He can't ride there anonymously if he feels the legs aren't there yet.

And especially with the Dutch mentality of 'support' that can be brutal. Not that I think it's anything Dumoulin can't handle, but it's better to go far away and prepare for hte worlds in all silence.

By all accounts he should have won a worlds ITT already in the past 2 years. But last year it was too much after already peaking twice. And two years ago he was too exhausted after the Vuelta.
I can understand why he wants to win it. He wants to prove he is beyond any doubt the best TT specialist.

Think the lay off between the Giro and the Vuelta should be enough...
But yeah, he knows about his recuperation better than us guys..

 

[deValtos]

If you don't think you have it mentally to compete then you definitely don't have it. It's actually pretty rare for a rider to be somewhat honest like that rather than going and being a disappointment because we all know there will be huge expectations. 3 weeks is tough to go again in the same year, some riders will take longer to recover mentally. He can now focus on the worlds and have a fresh mind for next year.

 

[DanielSong39]

So who would be his toughest competition in the World ITT? Possibilities include:

Tony Martin
Dennis
Kung
Van Emden
Kiriyenka
Castroviejo
Jungels
Roglic
Thomas

And probably a handful I'm forgetting.

Even in his top-tier form I'd give him no better than a 1 in 3 chance.

 

[Brullnux]

Dumoulin's choice makes a lot of sense. He hasn't yet achieved all he can as a TT rider, and he needs that elusive gold medal. The course is very good for him, maybe a 15km short, but it doesn't suit any other of the best TTers, bar Dennis, Porte, Froome and Thomas perhaps, but only two of those will ride I think. Then in later years he can go full out and focus solely on GTs.

Edit: and roglic actually

 

[silvergrenade]

https://d2o9doy8pqmlel.cloudfront.net/media/l/1170x1170/1477298711/bergen2017-5-ittmenelite-v4-rgb150.jpg

Cannot upload the above pic but looks pretty hilly..
CF might just drop in for a medal.. :lol:

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

So who would be his toughest competition in the World ITT? Possibilities include:

Tony Martin
Dennis
Kung
Van Emden
Kiriyenka
Castroviejo
Jungels
Roglic
Thomas

And probably a handful I'm forgetting.

Even in his top-tier form I'd give him no better than a 1 in 3 chance.

The course means Kung, Martin, Kiry (length rather than profile) and Van Emden have very little chance. Dumoulin is significantly better than Castro and Jungels in a TT, and Dennis seems to get worse as soon as the length goes over 20km. However as this is 30km he has a decent chance. Thomas on paper shouldn't be as good as Dumoulin, he has had a very difficult season with crashes and all, and isn't targeting the ITT at all. Roglic is a wild card. But I'd say he is the very strong favourite, odds-on at least.

 

[Gigs_98]

I still would have preferred to see him at the vuelta but IMO this at least makes more sense than going to the Vuelta and then not going for gc.
About the WC ITT, I think it's a very good sign for him that the guy who won the tdf opening ITT was 50 seconds behind him in the ITT of the giro.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

A very good decision to skip the uphill circus in Spain. Dumoulin can learn much more from taking part in "Eneco Tour" and ITT's.

 

[rick james]

would have liked to have seen him at the vuelta, but can totally understand his thinking

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re:

So who would be his toughest competition in the World ITT? Possibilities include:

Tony Martin
Dennis
Kung
Van Emden
Kiriyenka
Castroviejo
Jungels
Roglic
Thomas

And probably a handful I'm forgetting.

Even in his top-tier form I'd give him no better than a 1 in 3 chance.

Dumoulin in top form TT's has blown away the competition the past 2 years. Nobody else of that list has. Van Emden, Martin, Kung have no chance on the Bergen course since it's too hilly.
Castroviejo, Jungels, Thomas are not even close. Maybe an outside shot for Kiryenka. Tbh, on this course, I only see Dennis and maybe Froome.

But I hope Dumoulin is finally in top form at a worlds ITT and then he will blow them away

 

[PremierAndrew]

If everyone turned up in top form at that worlds TT, i'd say:

Dumoulin
Froome

Dennis
Roglic





Everyone else

 

[perico]

Even after his success in 2015, Dumoulin suits the Vuelta about as much as Indurain. He has the potential to be successful there, but is probably the GT he is least suited for, especially when riders who specialize in the Vuelta type climbs will be present.