Tour Match Up: Gesink v Van Den Broeck

[Spine Concept]

VdB out, but it appears that Gesink is still losing.

No it doesn't. There is a reason Gesink is performing so poorly, it's not like it was not expected. It was never going to be a fair match-up since Gesink crashed anyway.

 

[El Pistolero]

Did you not notice Gesink signaling Barredo to go back to the bunch instead of waiting on him?

Did you notice he lost 17 minutes today? What can he possibly still do this Tour. Cav almost outclimbed him.

 

[hrotha]

Did you notice he lost 17 minutes today? What can he possibly still do this Tour. Cav almost outclimbed him.

Pfff, crappy backpedaling. You claimed he should withdraw "so that they don't have to work for his sorry *** anymore and go for stages on their own". Clearly they don't have to work for his sorry *** anymore, as shown by Gesink telling Barredo to go ahead.

 

[K-0tic]

No it doesn't. There is a reason Gesink is performing so poorly, it's not like it was not expected. It was never going to be a fair match-up since Gesink crashed anyway.

I don't know if you can blame the crash for everything. I mean he had like a week to recover and even if he didn't fully recover , it's a shame he dropped out so early and lost 17 minutes. I never expected Gesink to contest for a spot on the podium but I did expect him to win the white yersey, which he ought to win given his status and the other contenders for that yersey.

I also think Rabobank made the same mistake as 2 years ago when Garate saved their TdF by winning a stage when Menchov failed after his Giro win. They put all their eggs in one basket and gamble on Gesink and if it doesn't work out they have nobody else to backup. This year they won a stage thanks to LLS which releases some of the pressure but I still think it's a mistake to ride for one guy given the quality of the other riders.

 

[El Pistolero]

Pfff, crappy backpedaling. You claimed he should withdraw "so that they don't have to work for his sorry *** anymore and go for stages on their own". Clearly they don't have to work for his sorry *** anymore, as shown by Gesink telling Barredo to go ahead.

He's still thinking of going for a stage win after a few relax days. He's delusional.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

No, he is mentally strong. That's why

 

[hrotha]

He's still thinking of going for a stage win after a few relax days. He's delusional.

Still dodging the issue. His staying won't affect his teammates negatively, contrary to what you claimed. Hell, he might even serve as an inspiration. You said: "You'd help these guys by dropping out, so that they don't have to work for his sorry *** anymore and go for stages on their own". Today, Gesink told Barredo to do his race. You're wrong. Admit it.

 

[El Pistolero]

Still dodging the issue. His staying won't affect his teammates negatively, contrary to what you claimed. Hell, he might even serve as an inspiration. You said: "You'd help these guys by dropping out, so that they don't have to work for his sorry *** anymore and go for stages on their own". Today, Gesink told Barredo to do his race. You're wrong. Admit it.

How will he want to go for a stage win without any help of his team?

 

[El Pistolero]

No, he is mentally strong. That's why

I highly doubt that. Mentally weak is what I think he is. He's no Bettini for sure.

 

[hrotha]

How will he want to go for a stage win without any help of his team?

Getting into a breakaway? Nah, too obvious.

 

[The Hitch]

How will he want to go for a stage win without any help of his team?

Breakaway on stage 14?

 

[El Pistolero]

Getting into a breakaway? Nah, too obvious.

I'd love to see him and Cav in a breakaway on Alpe Dhuez. I'm favoring Cav for the win.

Let me repeat this again: he lost 17 minutes. He's a climber for crying out loud! I wouldn't be surprised if the grupetto climbed Luz Ardiden faster than him.

 

[K-0tic]

Getting into a breakaway? Nah, too obvious.

Even then, he's already talking about the final week of the Tour. The form just isn't there and it's not like there are a lot of breakaways which will hold until the very end. You need to be top to win a stage, he simply isn't right now. And I'm very sorry for Gesink but it seems like this year is not going to be his.

I'm not sure if Gesink is mentally weak because his dad died and since then his 'game' has been off. Right now, he's in the corner where all the hits are coming in and very fast. This year might be the ideal experience to help him come back in 2012.

 

[hrotha]

I'd love to see him and Cav in a breakaway on Alpe Dhuez. I'm favoring Cav for the win.

Let me repeat this again: he lost 17 minutes. He's a climber for crying out loud! I wouldn't be surprised if the grupetto climbed Luz Ardiden faster than him.

Still dancing around the issue. Whether he's capable of doing it or not, that still doesn't mean his teammates will have to work for him, which is what you're claiming.

 

[El Pistolero]

Still dancing around the issue. Whether he's capable of doing it or not, that still doesn't mean his teammates will have to work for him, which is what you're claiming.

Yeah, they'll need a man on his side to keep him inside the time limit

If he goes in a break he'll just ruin the chance for a team mate of him that will be in better form.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I'd love to see him and Cav in a breakaway on Alpe Dhuez. I'm favoring Cav for the win.

Let me repeat this again: he lost 17 minutes. He's a climber for crying out loud! I wouldn't be surprised if the grupetto climbed Luz Ardiden faster than him.

He has nothing to lose does he? So why should he drop out? He might as well stay and hope for a better day and go for a stage win. What does he have to win by giving up alternatively? Nothing.

 

[El Pistolero]

He has nothing to lose does he? So why should he drop out? He might as well stay and hope for a better day and go for a stage win. What does he have to win by giving up alternatively? Nothing.

Vuelta a Espana

 

[hrotha]

Yeah, they'll need a man on his side to keep him inside the time limit

If he goes in a break he'll just ruin the chance for a team mate of him that will be in better form.

Ok, that's ridiculous. By that logic, only one or two riders per team should try to get into breakaways during the whole Tour. Catching a breakaway isn't easy. You better have several people going at it, and if Gesink manages to catch one (in a mountain stage) that means he's good enough.

 

[The Hitch]

I'd love to see him and Cav in a breakaway on Alpe Dhuez. I'm favoring Cav for the win.

Let me repeat this again: he lost 17 minutes. He's a climber for crying out loud! I wouldn't be surprised if the grupetto climbed Luz Ardiden faster than him.

Lance lost 10 minutes on Morzine (is that even Cat 1?).

Didnt stop him from climbing with Basso on Madeline and getting into stage 16 break and coming top 10 on Tourmalet, and he didnt even play his cards right.

Cadel lost 10 (was it not more?) on Madeline but didnt suck that bad on any other stages.

Sometimes riders have a bad day, suck and live to fight another day.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Vuelta a Espana

That's ridiculous... JVDB is riding the Vuelta.

 

[Bala Verde]

Yeah, they'll need a man on his side to keep him inside the time limit

If he goes in a break he'll just ruin the chance for a team mate of him that will be in better form.

Yes, because all stage breaks are neatly formed; when a rider decides to be in the break it inevitably happens.

And which other rabo-rider is in the form of his life to win a mountainous stage besides maybe LTD?

 

[Parrulo]

damn dutchies denying us the nibali vs gesink battle

btw D_T you can say all you want but right now nibbles is looking like a much better rider then gesink overall

 

[El Pistolero]

Yes, because all stage breaks are neatly formed; when a rider decides to be in the break it inevitably happens.

And which other rabo-rider is in the form of his life to win a mountainous stage besides maybe LTD?

Have you seen any stages this Tour? First breakaway was always the good one in pretty much every stage. It's getting pathetic really, but what can you do about it... Getting in a breakaway if you're not marked has become the easiest thing in the world. All you need to do is show up 20 minutes early to the start et voila. And decent enough legs of course. Which Gesink doesn't have.

 

[El Pistolero]

Lance lost 10 minutes on Morzine (is that even Cat 1?).

Didnt stop him from climbing with Basso on Madeline and getting into stage 16 break and coming top 10 on Tourmalet, and he didnt even play his cards right.

Cadel lost 10 (was it not more?) on Madeline but didnt suck that bad on any other stages.

Sometimes riders have a bad day, suck and live to fight another day.

First of all Basso sucked donkey balls last year. Second of all after Lance his crashes he wasn't even trying anymore and losing time on purpose. He didn't suck as hard as Gesink.

 

[K-0tic]

Vuelta a Espana

Exactly, he can do a great classification there inspite of ruining his whole year by just gambling on stage win for the Tour...