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Teams & Riders Tom Dumoulin discussion thread

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But in the end Dumoulin choose, he doesn't want to be 1st in Sunweb pecking order. Therefore i can imagine, that is not all that great position to be in, or was for him. And i don't see on how Roglič could target 3 GTs per year, in the next couple of years. Anyway, back to the Tour, they still have to win it.

P.S. After roosters can peck.

Dumoulin didn't come to JV to win the Vuelta, or the Giro. He came to win the Tour. And Roglic's goal is also to win the Tour.
Thing is, time is against both of them.
 
Yeah.



Highly likely we will still get to see that too.
You cut off the part where I said “against this JV team,” which was kind of key to the point I was making. I have no doubt he will get leadership chances with Jumbo, but I’m still on the “what if” had he stayed with Sunweb.

Although a part of that “what if” must surely be if he hadn’t crashed at the Giro last year.

Is there a chance we may yet see him at the Vuelta? He might feel he has some unfinished business after 2015.
 
Hard to say as JV without Dumoulin is not the same JV. Still, realistically, Dumoulin would likely have had a hard time going against JV, with Sunweb, on the Tour 2020.


Maybe Sunweb with Dumoulin would have had a hard time beating TJV and Roglic but it sure would have been better to see than a rider of big Tom class pulling the peloton

Dumoulin and Carapaz should not be GT Doms imo
But if you want the big bucks you must do what the paymaster says!!!
Dumoulin left Sunweb for money primarily ...it was either Ineso or TJV and he chose the Dutch team
 
Hopefully, this experience is rebuilding Big Tom's confidence as well as leveling up his fitness. Hoping this year he'll ride (and win) the Vuelta, then next year go in firmly as actual co-leader or leader of the Tour with the internal belief in his ability to win. In 2018, it sure seemed like he was the next patron of any GT he raced.
 
Maybe Sunweb with Dumoulin would have had a hard time beating TJV and Roglic but it sure would have been better to see than a rider of big Tom class pulling the peloton

Dumoulin and Carapaz should not be GT Doms imo
But if you want the big bucks you must do what the paymaster says!!!
Dumoulin left Sunweb for money primarily ...it was either Ineso or TJV and he chose the Dutch team
In 20/20 hindsight, he’d be Ineos’ uncontested leader right now. I doubt he ever had an offer on the table from them, though?
 
Well, Dumo is not at the level of the Slovenians this year, still building form. But imho he would have been a contender for number 3 spot if he wouldn't have domestiqued for Roglic. Only stages where he lost time are the stages where he blew himself up by working for Roglic. He looks like a match for Uran, Lopez and Porte and his TT is stronger.
 
Okay I've thought it over and given Dumoulin's form today there's definitely cheeky tactics they could to to put Pogacar in a rough spot. But I doubt that they will

Preferred tactic is 1 dom in breakaway and Dumo attacking Madeleine. Then Jumbo drops all the domestiques on Madeleine. GC guys all look at each other with surprised pikachu on flat. Dumo wins by 5 minutes.
 
Probably not going to happen, but would be so awesome. These days I've been reading about the old tours from the 70s and 80s, so cool that it was really mano a mano, no holds barred fights between the favorites, one could lose 3 minutes one day and win four minutes the next day (1986 LeMond/Hinault, 1987 Roche/Delgado/Mottet/Bernard) and it could get very unpredictable. And far out attacks like Andy Schleck Galibier 2011 or Froome 2018 Giro (didn't like that one as Froome killed Dumo, but still fantastic ride).
Times have changed, fitness levels are more equal, its all about wattages and maths and we're starved for unpredictable heroic fights and attacks.
Btw I have been following the Tour since 1986 so I have witnessed those days from behind the telly.
 
Okay I've thought it over and given Dumoulin's form today there's definitely cheeky tactics they could to to put Pogacar in a rough spot. But I doubt that they will

Preferred tactic is 1 dom in breakaway and Dumo attacking Madeleine. Then Jumbo drops all the domestiques on Madeleine. GC guys all look at each other with surprised pikachu on flat. Dumo wins by 5 minutes.
Dudes like Caruso, Bilbao, Tejada, Soler and Valverde lasted for a while next to their team leaders yesterday, and some of them were still there after Van Aert finished his job. If Dumo attacks, everyone in the top-10 will ride to defend before Pogacar is in trouble.
If you want to watch a race where leaders are alone with 2 or even 3 climbs to go, this is the right race but the wrong year. Turn your clock around 30 years backwards :p
 
Got stronger throughout the TdF.

Interested to see what he can do in the ITT.

Potential for 7th in GC.

Outside chance of 6th.

Tom Dumo is a traditional GT winner. Powerful. Resistant over 3 weeks. Excels at TTs and can minimize losses in high mountains.

Unfortunately, he basically came in “undercooked” from his injury and illness. He comes in at top shape and you add a 30 km rolling/flat ITT to this route (not asking much) and he would be a favorite.

Wish he was headed to the giro. No Remco. He could definitely win.
 
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Honestly he didn't improve as much as I thought he would.
He kept being dropped by at least by 5 riders in every mountain stage even when he wasn't asked to work. He overtook a few riders in GC because they had bad days (as I expected) but he never gave me the impression he could follow the top guys when they went full gas.

I'd like to see him ride another GT this year to assess if he can come back to his former level. As things stand I'm not 100% sure he will.
 
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Honestly he didn't improve as much as I thought he would.
He kept being dropped by at least by 5 riders in every mountain stage even when he wasn't asked to work. He overtook a few riders in GC because they had bad days (as I expected) but he never gave me the impression he could follow the top guys when they went full gas.

I'd like to see him ride another GT this year to assess if he can come back to his former level. As things stand I'm not 100% sure he will.
I'm sure there's a different motivation to do that work when he's trying to hold onto his top 10 place (and isn't really facing competition for it) vs having to protect a jersey or even a podium spot.

I think, even without him being back to 100%, this Tour would have had a completely different complexion had he been there as the leader of the current Sunweb squad, vs as Roglic's backup. I hope he gives the Vuelta a go. I really hope he comes back to the Tour next year at 100% and has an honest chance at leadership.
 
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Honestly I wouldn't worry about it.

It's a simple case of being "good" but not super. He's not going to go from good to super in 3 weeks. I think the base was just not enough for that. Not enough racing, 400 days without that extreme high effort stuff from races... that was a little too long.

I think this Tour will be a big help in getting back to his old self. I don't worry at all. In fact I think it's quite encouraging that others are getting worse (uran, yates, etc) while he is staying on the same level. Shows good recovery
 
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Honestly I wouldn't worry about it.

It's a simple case of being "good" but not super. He's not going to go from good to super in 3 weeks. I think the base was just not enough for that. Not enough racing, 400 days without that extreme high effort stuff from races... that was a little too long.

I think this Tour will be a big help in getting back to his old self. I don't worry at all. In fact I think it's quite encouraging that others are getting worse (uran, yates, etc) while he is staying on the same level. Shows good recovery
Yep.
Is he going to the Vuelta? Wonder if he could compete there. The thing is that there are others who failed in the Tour and will likely go to the Vuelta with GC ambitions, but didn't go as deep compared to him.