Tour Match Up: Gesink v Van Den Broeck

[PedalCastro]

What would be a good result for both at the Tour? Gesink 4th or 5th i'd think and VdB just behind?? Or vice versa (to keep everybody happy!).

 

[El Pistolero]

What would be a good result for both at the Tour? Gesink 4th or 5th i'd think and VdB just behind?? Or vice versa (to keep everybody happy!).

4th or fifth for them. I don't care who is in front of who, as long as they're both in the top 5. Podium would be great of course, but let's be realistic.

I think AS and AC(unless the Giro had a too big effect on him) will be hors catégorie. Then we'll have Samu Sanchez. After him I think VDB2 and Gesink are the strongest.

Sorry ACF, but I think Cuddles will screw up again. I also don't expect much from Basso in this state.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

After all our bickering, it seems we think just the same about the endresult El Pistolero.

I think exactly the same as you do concerning the final gc

 

[boomcie]

After all our bickering, it seems we think just the same about the endresult El Pistolero.

I think exactly the same as you do concerning the final gc

Catharsis at last!

Let's all go out and drink some piña colada's...

 

[El Pistolero]

Catharsis at last!

Let's all go out and drink some piña colada's...

How about some Westvleteren

 

[boomcie]

How about some Westvleteren

Catharsis parties tend to be related with high consumption of piña colada's and appletini's. Surprisingly this kind of party attracts many gay people.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Catharsis parties tend to be related with high consumption of piña colada's and appletini's. Surprisingly this kind of party attracts many gay people.

Westmalle? West-Vleteren is hard to come by

 

[boomcie]

Westmalle? West-Vleteren is hard to come by

Guys, seriously.

From the catharsis party wikipedia page:

Drinks: appletini, piña colada and the occasional Malibu based cocktail.

Dress code: village people.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Guys, seriously.

From the catharsis party wikipedia page:

Drinks: appletini, piña colada and the occasional Malibu based cocktail.

Dress code: village people.

Dude who the hell holds catharsisparties but gay couples?

Let's go drink an everything's fine beer

 

[boomcie]

Dude who the hell holds catharsisparties but gay couples?

Let's go drink an everything's fine beer

I tend to agree fully.

Still the moment of truce between D_T and E. Pistolet calls for a serious catharsis party.

 

[DenisMenchov]

After all this talk I`m pretty sure they will be tied at position number 1.


No seriously
VDB 3rd
Gesink 4th or 5th

 

[auscyclefan94]

Relax, it's just a joke. Once again the Dutchies prove they can't stand anything when it's about Gesink.

And yes, Gilbert is the leader for the OLO team. And he would also be the leader if he were on Rabobank. Not that that is ever going to happen. OLO's team is build to help Gilbert and Greipel. VDB2 is someone who doesn't need a lot of help(and the team will not have to do any work in the mountains), so they can work to keep the jersey in the first week.

While Rabo is build solely around Gesink. Prudhomme knows that.

Only I don't find excuses when someone I'm a fan of loses a race

Besides, it's not directed at you personally, but I've read a lot of excuses here for Gesink over the course of the season. Don't take it so personal.

Hmmm, another person backs up my contention. I guess it musn't just be me. Lets hope people don't become hypocrites and call others on the same thing.

 

[Spine Concept]

Hmmm, another person backs up my contention. I guess it musn't just be me. Lets hope people don't become hypocrites and call others on the same thing.

The difference being that Pistolero doesn't go apesh*t when questions are asked about his favorite riders. I'm inclined to think that - conveniently - you didn't read that part of the post you so eagerly quoted. The first sentence of the second quote doesn't apply to you. Thus, you're still a consummate hypocrite.

I thought you couldn't be bothered by this? Make up your mind.

 

[Spine Concept]

Albeit understanding that Gesink has not targeted the Dauphine and that he's taking it easy and all that I'm losing confidence in him by the stage.
Not going all out on the climbs is understandable, but ''letting them go'' so early is baffling. He might as well stayed home and train. It's also frustrating cause all you hear from the Rabo camp is that they're not worried. I'm not so sure I buy that anymore. u
The problem is that Gesink is playing a very dangerous game in the sense that he's changed his approach in working towards the Tour whilst there wasn't much wrong with how he did it before. He used to figure in every race and yet finished 6th at the Tour. VDB2 finished 4th at the Dauphine last year and yet got 5th at the Tour. With this completely different approach I expect nothing less than a top 5 at the Tour for him or he loses all credibility.

Sigh, I'm just worried. He just went from one extreme to the other, so uncharacteristic of him. He's been the worst out of the GC candidates - maybe together with Basso, that is a worrying sign to me. Unless of course Gesink really goes for it tomorrow and shows he's still got that amazing climbing ability we've all grown to love about him.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Sigh, I'm just worried. He just went from one extreme to the other, so uncharacteristic of him. He's been the worst out of the GC candidates - maybe together with Basso, that is a worrying sign to me.

This is what is most surprising. However I don't think it is a bad method. Gesink can get good for a race very quickly. Even without being competitive he gets a good tempo ride through out the day, and gets some racing in the legs. With the added bonus of having some insight of the itt.

But I agree that it better pay off come the tour, or it is a dissapointing attitude towards racing.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yeah it's very weird to go from a rider who goes for the GC always, to suddenly not go for the GC in preparation for another race.

He has never, ever done that before. Plus he's taking the risk that if the TDF fails, he has nothing. Not even a good Dauphine to remind people of.
Putting a lot of pressure on 1 race is not a good idea imho. Last times Gesink stressed himself out it returned the following:
-Loss of Paris Nice GC when he really should not have given it away anymore (2008)
-Loss of podium place in Vuelta (2009)
-Loss of Suisse GC win (2010)

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

He really has to test tomorrow. If not, I don't see why he even started this race...

 

[Spine Concept]

He really has to test tomorrow. If not, I don't see why he even started this race...

If he doesn't show something tomorrow than he might as well have stayed home and trained to be honest. Though the Rabo camp will probably say he went for the ITT. We'll have to wait and see I guess. I miss the old Gesink.

 

[Spine Concept]

Yeah it's very weird to go from a rider who goes for the GC always, to suddenly not go for the GC in preparation for another race.

He has never, ever done that before. Plus he's taking the risk that if the TDF fails, he has nothing. Not even a good Dauphine to remind people of.
Putting a lot of pressure on 1 race is not a good idea imho. Last times Gesink stressed himself out it returned the following:
-Loss of Paris Nice GC when he really should not have given it away anymore (2008)
-Loss of podium place in Vuelta (2009)
-Loss of Suisse GC win (2010)

Exactly, and with this preparation he's putting ALL of the pressure on the tour.

 

[Anonymous]

Gesink was totally off the pace today on the other hand VDB2 look fresh.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Exactly, and with this preparation he's putting ALL of the pressure on the tour.

pressure is apart of the tour nature tho, gesink needs to learn to deal with such pressure. If he can't, well he is gonna have trouble sealing the deal.

as for old gesink it has only been 1 race (true his season has been an odd one on a whole, but it hasn't been regular in any sense.) I'm sure fighter gesink still dwells within

 

[Spine Concept]

pressure is apart of the tour nature tho, gesink needs to learn to deal with such pressure. If he can't, well he is gonna have trouble sealing the deal.

as for old gesink it has only been 1 race (true his season has been an odd one on a whole, but it hasn't been regular in any sense.) I'm sure fighter gesink still dwells within

I agree. However, it's a huge risk doing it this way though. He was 12 minutes behind today, that's not even worthy of a ''training'' ride. I just want him to show us something, he doesn't have to win tomorrow but at least give it a good effort.

 

[theyoungest]

I agree. However, it's a huge risk doing it this way though. He was 12 minutes behind today, that's not even worthy of a ''training'' ride. I just want him to show us something, he doesn't have to win tomorrow but at least give it a good effort.

He's had no intensive training before this Dauphine. None. All of that is planned for the remaining two weeks. Just like he did before the Canadian races last year, and that worked out pretty well for him.

But I agree, this is probably the worst form we've ever seen him race in (or the least interested in getting a good result). Constantly hanging at the back of the peloton... he acts like Thomas f**king Dekker, for crying out loud.

 

[Spine Concept]

He's had no intensive training before this Dauphine. None. All of that is planned for the remaining two weeks. Just like he did before the Canadian races last year, and that worked out pretty well for him.

But I agree, this is probably the worst form we've ever seen him race in (or the least interested in getting a good result). Constantly hanging at the back of the peloton... he acts like Thomas f**king Dekker, for crying out loud.

If this is true, I don't see how he can suddenly challenge for the stage win tomorrow based on his performance the last couple of stages.

 

[theyoungest]

If this is true, I don't see how he can suddenly challenge for the stage win tomorrow based on his performance the last couple of stages.

Neither do I, but Basso said he'd only trained on volume as well, and look what he did today.