Tour Match Up: Gesink v Van Den Broeck

[theyoungest]

Thanks man, but Marianne really deserves a thread of her own.

So you decided to turn this into a Marianne thread?

 

[Spine Concept]

So you decided to turn this into a Marianne thread?

Darn you youngest, for uncovering my hidden agenda. I wanted to take the subtle approach, however I hardly eased into it did I? What can I say, I couldn't contain my admiration for Vos the one and only Boss.
Seriously though, I'm just trying not to let this gloomy state surrounding Gesink get to me. Seems like VDB2 will win this round again, sigh, we won't hear the end of it.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Terrible post-stage comments by Gesink. It seems this has affected him too much psychologically as well. Nothing positive to cling to after the small interview other than the fact that he pulled through another day. He hopes that it goes better in the coming days otherwise he has no business being there, that does not bode well.

This costs way too much energy before the mountains.
I believed in a podium for Gesink if he didn't come up against anything. And wile, time-loss considered, the Tour is perfect so far, it isn't in terms of physical damage.

Already a fall in the first stage, then a very hard fall yesterday. It takes too much out of him. All the altitude training and suffering will once again be for nothing for Robert.
He might as well throw in the towel and go for the Vuelta if he loses a lot of time on Luz Ardiden.

 

[Spine Concept]

This costs way too much energy before the mountains.
I believed in a podium for Gesink if he didn't come up against anything. And wile, time-loss considered, the Tour is perfect so far, it isn't in terms of physical damage.

Already a fall in the first stage, then a very hard fall yesterday. It takes too much out of him. All the altitude training and suffering will once again be for nothing for Robert.
He might as well throw in the towel and go for the Vuelta if he loses a lot of time on Luz Ardiden.

Completely agree. I was also contemplating that possibility; if after Luz Ardiden he still feels like he cannot be at his best it would be better to save whatever energy he has left and go for the Vuelta - and win that sh*t, hopefully.

 

[theyoungest]

Completely agree. I was also contemplating that possibility; if after Luz Ardiden he still feels like he cannot be at his best it would be better to save whatever energy he has left and go for the Vuelta - and win that sh*t, hopefully.

In the Vuelta you can crash as well (as Gesink so aptly demonstrated two years ago).

Next year Rabo should just bring Gesink, Mollema, and Kruijswijk to the Tour in equal leadership roles, and see which one of them survives the first week. My bet is on Kruijswijk.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

But Gesink heavily battered and bruised and JvdB has all the luck on his side again.

the youngest basically asked me to in an other topic to reply to this

defining luck: "riding utterly focussed within the first 30 positions of the peleton, all day, every day".

 

[theyoungest]

the youngest basically asked me to in an other topic to reply to this

defining luck: "riding utterly focussed within the first 30 positions of the peleton, all day, every day".

... which is what Gesink was doing, until Brajkovic and Garate crashed in front of him.

Maybe one day he'll show what he's capable of, until then it's all coulda woulda shoulda, and VDB is the better Tour rider. So you were right all along.

 

[Barrus]

the youngest basically asked me to in an other topic to reply to this

defining luck: "riding utterly focussed within the first 30 positions of the peleton, all day, every day".

funnily enough Gesink fell when he was quite near the front

 

[maxmartin]

doubt he can beat Anton and Nibali easily

Completely agree. I was also contemplating that possibility; if after Luz Ardiden he still feels like he cannot be at his best it would be better to save whatever energy he has left and go for the Vuelta - and win that sh*t, hopefully.

 

[Spine Concept]

In the Vuelta you can crash as well (as Gesink so aptly demonstrated two years ago).

Next year Rabo should just bring Gesink, Mollema, and Kruijswijk to the Tour in equal leadership roles, and see which one of them survives the first week. My bet is on Kruijswijk.

It is obvious that a rider can fall in any race, especially Gesink. The point, however, was that there would hardly be any value in going further if he's not at his best. He would be better off trying his luck at the Vuelta. He might just stay on his bike this time around if luck swings his way. That's just my opinion though.

As far as next year goes, I'm putting my money on Kruijswijk. Forget Gesink. Two years from I'm all in the Kelderman bandwagon.

 

[Spine Concept]

doubt he can beat Anton and Nibali easily

I believe he is more than capable of beating both of them. Don't take my word for it though, let's hope you can get to see it live this year. For the record I never said he'd win for sure seeing as nothing is a certainty in cycling - especially if your surname is Gesink - hence the ''hopefully'' in my post, I guess you missed that part.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

funnily enough Gesink fell when he was quite near the front

Not wanting to sound like an ***, but Gesink was moving up at the time, trying to get back into position. He was riding more to the rear and needed to take the left side of the peleton to regain his position. The risk of crashing that way is also considerable. He wasn't really near the front when it happened either. But regardless. The next argument would undoubtedly be, that this was the result of the intermediate sprint, disturbing the peleton. Of course. However, take a look at the positions of Evans and JVDB on the only real mass sprints in this tour so far:
Evans: 35 & 11
JVDB: 29 & 15

The fact of the matter is, that riding this way also consumes lots of energy. So either you take more risks and save energy, or you do it the other way around. Every rider needs to search for his own balance. And riding in front doesn't absolve you of crashes, it does greatly reduce the risk however.

 

[Moondance]

Sigh... I didn't see today's stage, but hearing what Gesink said afterwards really bums me out

It's still a week till Luz Ardiden, and as long as he doesn't collapse to Super-Besse he could still recover physically and do a good GC... But its sad he might not have an optimal Tour once again. It's harder to imagine a Tour that's better suited to him, he could've done so well

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

@logic: and when there is a mass sprint crash in the front and Vandenbroeck is eliminated. You'll say he should have not be in the front so much.

It's such bs. Gesink is usually at the 3rd row in flat stages and that's just fine. Crashes happen everywhere.
1st week of the Tour has been and always will be a lottery.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Oh man, all the arguing we've done this year in preparation for this race... and then this

it is a shame tho, would take a miracle for him to be at his best in the mountains now.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Oh man, all the arguing we've done this year in preparation for this race... and then this

it is a shame tho, would take a miracle for him to be at his best in the mountains now.

I'm starting to think it really is a miracle if Gesink gets through a GT without at least one serious injury

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

@logic: and when there is a mass sprint crash in the front and Vandenbroeck is eliminated. You'll say he should have not be in the front so much.

It's such bs. Gesink is usually at the 3rd row in flat stages and that's just fine. Crashes happen everywhere.
1st week of the Tour has been and always will be a lottery.

BS? I take it math wasn't your strongsuit? When 50 guys ride in front of you, anyone of them can set off a chainreaction to take you out. If only 20 guys ride in front of you, that makes quite a difference wouldn't you say? Today there was a nice helicopter shot at 15 km before the finish, where you could clearly see number 41... at the back of the peleton.

You keep thinking it's bad luck all you want, just don't bother others with those delusions. And to be perfectly clear, i have nothing agains Gesink (honestly, i don't). There are only two GC riders i have negative "feelings" for and Gesink isn't one of them. I'm just sick and tired to hear about these asinine arguments that are based on little more than superstition. **** happens, but when **** keeps happening, maybe it's time to take your head out of the toilet.

 

[The Hitch]

So what did Gesink say that The Dutchies are writing him off totally?

Thanks man, but Marianne really deserves a thread of her own.

On these boards every thread is a Gesink thread so its all right to spice it up now and again

 

[The Hitch]

Thanks man, but Marianne really deserves a thread of her own.

On these boards every thread is a Gesink thread so its all right to spice it up now and again

 

[luckyboy]

Hope he is in decent shape by the time they get to the mountains. I tipped him for 3rd this year too.

 

[khodder]

BS? I take it math wasn't your strongsuit? When 50 guys ride in front of you, anyone of them can set off a chainreaction to take you out. If only 20 guys ride in front of you, that makes quite a difference wouldn't you say? Today there was a nice helicopter shot at 15 km before the finish, where you could clearly see number 41... at the back of the peleton.

You keep thinking it's bad luck all you want, just don't bother others with those delusions. And to be perfectly clear, i have nothing agains Gesink (honestly, i don't). There are only two GC riders i have negative "feelings" for and Gesink isn't one of them. I'm just sick and tired to hear about these asinine arguments that are based on little more than superstition. **** happens, but when **** keeps happening, maybe it's time to take your head out of the toilet.

If you are riding in 20th and the first guy goes down, you have less time to react and possibly avoid/at least stay upright than if you are riding 50th.

It works both ways. There is just as much chance the guy next to you loses control and crahses into you if you are riding in the top 20 of a 5 wide Peloton or if you are riding 100th in the 4 wide peloton.

The only reason race position matter is not becasue of liklihood of accidents it is the possible outcome of those accidents. See being held up by a crash and losing a minute plus as opposed to those at the front who were in front of the crash.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

So what did Gesink say that The Dutchies are writing him off totally?

He basically said something along the lines that if he doesn't improve there is no point of him being here.

He seemed pretty frustrated at this point.

But more in depth he said it was a tough day, and that he was relieved to get through the stage. He said he hopes to continue to improve each day, but they need to be big improvements.

Not great, but alas I wont lose hope yet

 

[auscyclefan94]

He basically said something along the lines that if he doesn't improve there is no point of him being here.

He seemed pretty frustrated at this point.

But more in depth he said it was a tough day, and that he was relieved to get through the stage. He said he hopes to continue to improve each day, but they need to be big improvements.

Not great, but alas I wont lose hope yet

It seems that he is really ****ed off. Yesterday those mechanicals seemed to really get to him.

Super Besse will be tough for him especially if they really go for it in the finale.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Super Besse will be a big test, but he will struggle I suspect.

I'd be surprised if he didn't lose a minute +

 

[gerrans for the win]

what is actually wrong with Gesink if he is hinting he is stuggleing,he seemed to hope off the bike ok yesterday

he hasn't said much on twitter...