Tour Match Up: Gesink v Van Den Broeck

[Winterfold]

Nibs 2 GT podiums and 1 GT win
Gesink....

Clearly Gesink is the better cyclist

I think VdB will do better than last year, he looked hard as in the hilly classics.

 

[Flamin]

True, but still he sucked at PN

He will bring us joy in Le Tour, so he has my blessing for that

 

[jens_attacks]

gilbert will finish better than those two.

bet of the century right here.

 

[Spine Concept]

gilbert will finish better than those two.

bet of the century right here.

I'd bet a limb on that one.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

gilbert will finish better than those two.

bet of the century right here.

wanna bet on your avatar ?

 

[will10]

Gesink or VDB...well what a difficult choice that was

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

They will both ride the Vuelta so there you will see. Wanna bet? Even if Gesink does the Tour/Vuelta double he'll be better than a rested Nibali there

ohhh. Big call
Winning the tour byy 11 minutes could be taxing on gesink

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

They will both ride the Vuelta so there you will see. Wanna bet? Even if Gesink does the Tour/Vuelta double he'll be better than a rested Nibali there

ohhh. Big call
Winning the tour byy 11 minutes could be taxing on gesink

 

[Angliru]

Im seeing some nice factions emerging here.

Gesink - Moondance, Timmy, Ruben, youngest, Havets, Barrus, Kwibus a few others.

JVDB- Pistrollero, Michael, Buffalo Soldier (boomcie?, thirteen)

Samu Sanchez- The Hitch, NV Pachi, (Ferminal, Libertine Seguros?)

Evans- ACF,dlwssonic, Sporzchick (if she finds her way) back, Tuarts, blaxland, bicing, greenedge a few others.








Soler - Ryo Hazuki

Any other takers?

I'm co-pilot on the Soler train. He has to make it through a grand tour unscathed eventually and the Tour will be it. He'll finally rediscover the form and consistency from 2007, motivated by fellow South American Jose Rujano's Giro performance. He will agitate the diesels (Basso and Evans) and wear out the Schleck's, bringing an element of unpredictability to the event, thus enhancing my personal entertainment.

 

[jens_attacks]

i guess i missed it,will soler take part in dauphine/tour de suisse?
i still got hope in his renaissance.won't bet though.

 

[kurtinsc]

Gesink has a lot more hype... but I actually picked Van Den Broeck.

Looking at 2010... it's not like Jurgen lit things up. 2nd in Andalucia, 11th in Pais Vasco and a couple of top 20's in the Ardennes races... but overall there wasn't much there.

He then tuned up with a 4th at D-L, then 5th at the Tour... 2:30 ahead of Gesink.

This year... 2nd in Andalucia, 13th at Pais-Vasco and a couple of top 20's in the Ardennes races....

Sounds familiar.


Gesink has been better in the early season. 2nd in T-A rather then 5th in 2010, 3rd in Pais-Vasco rather then 9th in 2010, top 10 in Amstel Gold when he was 23rd the year before. It will be close. But I don't think it's a gimme like many do... VDB's season looks much like last year did and he was significantly faster then Gesink last year. I think he may still be slightly better.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

much of that 2'30 was in the cobble stage... plus gesinks horrid time trial

Gesink actually climbed 16 seconds better than Vandenbroeck in 2010. Combine that with the imrpoved time trial and lack of cobble stages... and I don't see how vdb2 can be ahead this year.
For example Gesink placed every timetrial in the top 10 this year while Vandenbroeck looks even worse than last year in time trials.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

much of that 2'30 was in the cobble stage... plus gesinks horrid time trial

Gesink actually climbed 16 seconds better than Vandenbroeck in 2010. Combine that with the imrpoved time trial and lack of cobble stages... and I don't see how vdb2 can be ahead this year.
For example Gesink placed every timetrial in the top 10 this year while Vandenbroeck looks even worse than last year in time trials.

+Gesink is riding his 2nd tour this year, I may sound like a broken record here but it isn't easy adjusting to the pace of the tour, it is ridden at a very high intensity. He should be all the better for it, just like VdB was last year.

 

[kurtinsc]

much of that 2'30 was in the cobble stage... plus gesinks horrid time trial

Gesink actually climbed 16 seconds better than Vandenbroeck in 2010. Combine that with the imrpoved time trial and lack of cobble stages... and I don't see how vdb2 can be ahead this year.
For example Gesink placed every timetrial in the top 10 this year while Vandenbroeck looks even worse than last year in time trials.

Stage 3 was the cobbled stage right?

Because I see Gesink at +2:25 while VDB was +0:53. That looks like about 1:30 to me.

As for ITT's... I'm not sure I totally buy into Gesink owning VDB in the ITT's this year any more then last. Last year at Pais Vasco, Gesink was 16 seconds faster in the ITT then VDB... and VDB still made up a ton of time at the Tour. This year Gesink got 40 seconds. He's definitely improved... but enough that he's a definite bet to out-TT VDB? I'm not sure of that yet.


VDB just strikes me as a more consistent rider. I don't expect him to ever challenge for a victory in a GT, but I do think he's a guy who'll finish 4th-7th with consistency. Gesink I could see podiuming... or screwing something up and finishing 10th. Higher top end... but deeper bottom as well.

Gesink seems to consistently blow an ITT, a descent or find another way to lose time to others when he appears to be a superior rider. VDB just seems steady and predictable.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Last year Gesink couldn't finish prologues or short time trials in the top 50

Now he was 9th in a TOTALLY flat 9km Tirreno ITT

Cmon Kurtin, open your eyes

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

you know what I like, pretty much the only argument supporting VDB2 is that gesink will crash or choke on a tt lol. That's when you know he's a better rider.

 

[El Pistolero]

you know what I like, pretty much the only argument supporting VDB2 is that gesink will crash or choke on a tt lol. That's when you know he's a better rider.

That's when you know you need to improve your bike handling.

 

[Parrulo]

i wanted to vote for gesink but . . .

Silly Dutchie! Gesink will crash out obv. 12 11.21%

that option was too hilarious too be ignored

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

That's when you know you need to improve your bike handling.

probably

Naturally he will tho, it isn't unheard of for a younger rider to make little mistakes resulting in crashes.

Well I hope he improves anyway

 

[kurtinsc]

Last year Gesink couldn't finish prologues or short time trials in the top 50

Now he was 9th in a TOTALLY flat 9km Tirreno ITT

Cmon Kurtin, open your eyes

Last year I think he only road in 4 ITT's the entire season.

Pais-Vasco (beat JVB by 16 seconds)
TDS (VDB didn't ride, but Gesink did suck)
Tour prologue (lost 2 seconds to VDB)
Tour ITT (lost 43 seconds to VDB)

Gesink rode a nice 9km ITT in T-A and a great one at Oman as well. But his 2010 ITT's didn't all suck... his Pais-Vasco ITT and tour prologue were decent enough rides. He sucked at 20+ km flat ITT's last year. I expect him to be better this year... but not by as huge an amount as some seem to expect. I still in my gut see him blowing a ride somewhere and losing a chunk he shouldn't. May not be fair to expect that... but he's kind of set my expectations that way. Heck, even in T-A this year he seemed to make some dumb mistakes to lose out on a pretty sure win.

 

[El Pistolero]

VDB is really only good in 2 races: Dauphine and Tour. So, I don't think it's fair to use date in other races as an argument for his form in the Tour.

You don't see anyone using Tour of Cali as an argument why Andy Schleck isn't a good climber. Andy and VDB are very similar as cyclists. Andy is just a way better climber on his peak of course.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Although Gesink is 3 years younger than vdb, their careers have developed quit simultaneously. First GT top 10 in 2008 (7th in Vuelta/Giro), good GT in 2009 (6th Vuelta, 15th Tour), and of course a good Tour last year.

It's hard to predict how much more VDB will grow, as for Gesink few people seem to doubt his talent.

But i'll always root for VDB (when vs Gesink), and I truly believe he'll place better!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Although Gesink is 3 years younger than vdb, their careers have developed quit simultaneously. First GT top 10 in 2008 (7th in Vuelta/Giro), good GT in 2009 (6th Vuelta, 15th Tour), and of course a good Tour last year.

It's hard to predict how much more VDB will grow, as for Gesink few people seem to doubt his talent.

But i'll always root for VDB (when vs Gesink), and I truly believe he'll place better!

won't you be heartbroken come end july

anyway, you forget to mention that outside the GT's, Gesink performs much more and much better than Jvdb

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

anyway, you forget to mention that outside the GT's, Gesink performs much more and much better than Jvdb

That's definitely true.
Although this season the difference is a bit smaller than most people seem to think.
VDB doesn't win, but didn't place that bad in Pais Vasco or AGR, FW, LBL last 2 years (but always behind Gesink)

 

[Parrulo]

won't you be heartbroken come end july

anyway, you forget to mention that outside the GT's, Gesink performs much more and much better than Jvdb

ya but VDB2 comes up as some sort of andy schleck maybe even worse. honestly thats why i don't even rate VDB at all. by saying this i am not saying he is better then gesink when on his peak, just saying he performs very little around the year