Teams & Riders Tom Dumoulin discussion thread

[Bardamu]

Well he often says he wants to be better in one-day races, so if I were him I would take this opportunity and go for Lombardia and the other fall classics. I think the Vuelta after the Tour will be a bit much and not necessary.

 

[Red Rick]

Well he often says he wants to be better in one-day races, so if I were him I would take this opportunity and go for Lombardia and the other fall classics. I think the Vuelta after the Tour will be a bit much and not necessary.

Vuelta and fall classics aren't really mutually exclusive, and also next year will have a really good Worlds route for Dumoulin, so it makes more sense to focus on those races then.

I like to think Dumoulin has unfinished business with the Vuelta, and the route of the Vuelta this year may just be the best Vuelta route he'll ever get for him.

 

[Red Rick]

Dumoulin to undergo an MRI tomorrow, if it doesn't show any more problems, he'll start the Dauphine this Sunday without aims for GC

https://www.ad.nl/wielrennen/dumoulin-kiest-voor-dauphine-in-aanloop-naar-tour~ad006897/

 

[movingtarget]

Well he often says he wants to be better in one-day races, so if I were him I would take this opportunity and go for Lombardia and the other fall classics. I think the Vuelta after the Tour will be a bit much and not necessary.

Vuelta and fall classics aren't really mutually exclusive, and also next year will have a really good Worlds route for Dumoulin, so it makes more sense to focus on those races then.

I like to think Dumoulin has unfinished business with the Vuelta, and the route of the Vuelta this year may just be the best Vuelta route he'll ever get for him.

it seems a lot of GC riders from the Giro are not doing the Vuelta so that won't hurt his chances either. How many of those riders finish the Tour or even manage to perform is another thing. Pretty odd. The team leaders in the Tour would probably prefer to line up with fresh legs but sponsors and some riders have their say.

 

[dastott]

Dumoulin might want to regain his World ITT title, so racing Vuelta or Tour of Britain (preferably Vuelta) would help that.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I expect nothing from his Dauphine as he didn't even do intense training since falling out of the Giro. But I am curious if he will test himself in any of the stages.

edit: just read his knee is still swelling up after each training. They didn't find anything on a new mri scan but still I wonder if it's smart to even race him in that state

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

I expect nothing from his Dauphine as he didn't even do intense training since falling out of the Giro. But I am curious if he will test himself in any of the stages.

edit: just read his knee is still swelling up after each training. They didn't find anything on a new mri scan but still I wonder if it's smart to even race him in that state

i guess he will know fairly early in the race and if he has to pull out, then there will be no Tour for him either. Might be more sensible to be right for the Vuelta.

 

[JosephK]

Re: Re:

I expect nothing from his Dauphine as he didn't even do intense training since falling out of the Giro. But I am curious if he will test himself in any of the stages.

edit: just read his knee is still swelling up after each training. They didn't find anything on a new mri scan but still I wonder if it's smart to even race him in that state

i guess he will know fairly early in the race and if he has to pull out, then there will be no Tour for him either. Might be more sensible to be right for the Vuelta.

He looked pretty good on the breakaway tester today (stage 2) . . . didn't push to go with the rest when the break was caught.

 

[Red Rick]

Really wonder if there was a little interview with him after the finish today. Yesterday the knee was swollen at the finish, but they knew that would happen. Really they're anxious about whether it will get worse over the next few days.


Really don't expect him to light up the ITT.

 

[Red Rick]

https://www.indeleiderstrui.nl/nieuws/algemeen-nieuws/233283/dumoulin-ziet-verbetering-bij-knie-het-is-nu-een-kwestie-van-doorgaan

Dumoulin says he's really satisfied about today. He didn't have plans to be in the breakaway but he knew he didn't have the form to ride for GC and he just rolled with it when the first group broke off the peloton.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

So he lost 8:50 today. Got in some good hard training efforts while controlling his effort in the end, it appears. Glad he’s satisfied. Anyone think he can round into form to fight for victory in July?

 

[F_Cance]

no

 

[JosephK]

So he lost 8:50 today. Got in some good hard training efforts while controlling his effort in the end, it appears. Glad he’s satisfied. Anyone think he can round into form to fight for victory in July?

I think maybe he can, if the knee is okay -- that is, to fight for a podium spot. I don't think an overall victory is possible (Froome too good and rested, and healthy).

 

[wheresmybrakes]

I think he may get better towards the end of the tour but it would be too late to win, maybe even to podium, but there's time to surprise us.

 

[Red Rick]

Don't think the ship has sunk yet. There's 3 weeks between the Dauphine and the Tour and more like 4.5 weeks until the peloton hits the Pyrenees.

What he needs is that he can train all out after the Dauphine.

 

[del1962]

That will depend on state of his knee

 

[Salvarani]

Eh, I dont have that high expectations for the Tour.

Anything could happen, but I think it will be difficult.

 

[Valv.Piti]

So he lost 8:50 today. Got in some good hard training efforts while controlling his effort in the end, it appears. Glad he’s satisfied. Anyone think he can round into form to fight for victory in July?

Ofc he can if his knee is right and he is able to train properly. There's some hard stage in the beginning of the Tour, but only the MTF at La Planche will really create gaps (apart from the TTT obviously). Then you have to reach stage 13 at the 19th of July before the ITT and then Tourmalet and Prat d' Albis MTF at 20th and 21th of July. Its definitely possible.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I agree with RR. If the knee holds well this Dauphine and he can train properly at altitude for the coming weeks, he will be fine. Maybe slightly undercooked in the beginning, but good in week 3.

I do not think the ship has sunk yet.

 

[Robert5091]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dum...n-dauphine-tt-despite-metal-splinter-in-knee/

The metal shard inside the inflamed knee is still a distraction and one that is causing Dumoulin vital energy - whether through added treatment or the daily questions he is facing. Surgery to remove the foreign body is an issue but one that will only be decided upon once the Dauphine concludes on Sunday.
...
There's still a big bump and it's still irritating me. It has been for the last two weeks, and it will stay like that if I race every day. As long as it's not getting worse I should be fine. It's a bit of pain but I can get through it."

To me, "Heavy Metal Tom" needs to forget the TdF and get his knee sorted out before it gets worse. The sponsors will not like it, but think of his health first and with a bit of luck he be back at 100% before the end of the year.

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah abort mission, get it out ASAP, do Vuelta for race rhythm, maybe Worlds ITT and fall classics for some results

 

[movingtarget]

Yeah I think the longer view is better with injuries.Vuelta looks like a reasonable target and a few other late season races if inclined.

 

[Tonton]

I hope that Tom just goes to build up and targets the ITT then shuts down and rests. Otherwise it's worrisome.

 

[JosephK]

Re:

Yeah I think the longer view is better with injuries.Vuelta looks like a reasonable target and a few other late season races if inclined.

Yes and yes. Dumo looked pretty good at today's TT in the Dauphine, but if he's losing 16 seconds to TJ (no offense to TJ) then he's off form. Selfishly, I am hoping he gets the splinter removed from the knee and resets his training to focus on the Vuelta and drops the TDF. . . . This would make the Vuelta even more interesting, this year.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

dunno wether to make heads or tails from this.

considering the injury 3rd is actually decent. But we all know a good Tom crushes even guys like Kruijswijk and V Garderen on a hilly course with at least 50s/1m. So I think he's far from his best.