If Pharmstrong gives all in Sunday's ITT, he should be able to gain 2s per km on Gesink and win by a second or two...
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Dekker_Tifosi said:Gesinks celebration is always the same
Tour of Belgium win as neo-pro:
Gesink in California 08
Gesink in Emilia, 09
Gesink today
Dekker_Tifosi said:On the basis of what?
Apart from prologues, Gesink is no slug at TT's
Armstrong hasn't done a good time trial since... well since 2005
The only long TT Gesink and Armstrong rode against eachother:
http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=10454
13. [NED] GESINK Robert RAB 01'15" 0
14. [USA] ARMSTRONG Lance AST 01'16" 0
This was a 24km TT in 2009 in California, Gesink lost 1'15 to Leipheimer (winner) and this was early season/none topform Gesink.
I'd say Armstrong has no chance of taking it in the ITT unless accidents happen.
Dekker_Tifosi said:On the basis of what?
Apart from prologues, Gesink is no slug at TT's
Armstrong hasn't done a good time trial since... well since 2005
The only long TT Gesink and Armstrong rode against eachother:
http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=10454
13. [NED] GESINK Robert RAB 01'15" 0
14. [USA] ARMSTRONG Lance AST 01'16" 0
This was a 24km TT in 2009 in California, Gesink lost 1'15 to Leipheimer (winner) and this was early season/none topform Gesink.
I'd say Armstrong has no chance of taking it in the ITT unless accidents happen.
Dekker_Tifosi said:I'm not saying Gesink will win.
I just saying that I don't rate Armstrong as an opponent.
Im expecting more from others than Armstrong.
There are others that still have a good chance of beating Gesink in the coming stages and the time trial. But Armstrong is not one of them
lancewillwin8 said:Great to see Lance get back to somewhere near his best form. I can see Lance having the strength to drop contador on the climbs.
peloton said:Big Tex is freshly oiled, he will fly in the TT, like a Ferrari.
Dekker_Tifosi said:Gesinks celebration is always the same
The Hitch said:I really fail to see why people think armstrong is going to win this. He needs to take back 50 seconds in a 25 km tt. Even if this was the tour i wouldnt bet on him.
He lost to Gesink in the tt in 09 california.
He lost to Gesink in the earlier tt here.
He didnt exactly set the world alight in the annency time trial, and that was far mour suited for him and for him was far more important.
He wont want to tire himself.
Bernardus said:According to CQ, Gesink and Löfkvist have directly competed in 7 ITTs. Gesink finished ahead 3 times, Löfkvist 4 times. Looking at cumulative time differences, Gesink leads by almost 2 minutes.
Big GMaC said:Maybe he is scared of getting a hand too far away from the bars?
Don't you worry, he'll find a way to lose this race.Mellow Velo said:I am waiting for Rabo to announce that Gesink fell out of bed, during the night and is a doubtful starter.
That's a mistranslation (when is it not, at Cyclingnews?) He said that Klöden and Leipheimer are the best time trialists. Which Armstrong will also probably agree on.Road Hazard said:Personally, I'd be more worried saluting like he does than holding my arms straight out like balancing beams...
And...
This had to hurt:
[From the cyclingnews article:]
Rabobank director sportif Adri van Houwelingen was impressed with Gesink's performance, watching him put time into the chasing group led by no other than Lance Armstrong and his Radioshack team.
"It says something about Robert's victory when you see that Radioshack is blowing up the chase. Including the best riders in the team like Klöden and Leipheimer."
[end quote]
Ooooohh....
BroDeal said:Looks like a rider who does not trust his no hands riding enough to not keep one hand near the bars.
Devolder said he wasn't happy with his prestation and his form, and he doesn't want to ride the tour.ericthesportsman6 said:PS, Stijn Devolder looked good for a while, but he eventually dropped back to the Tony Martin group. Still, a good ride by him.
python said:superb riding by gesink ! i always considered him a super talent and potentially a better climber than menchov. hope he does some wind tunnel testing and work on his flexibility and the tt results will follow as he's got some engine to boot to that skinny frame.