Tour Match Up: Gesink v Van Den Broeck

[l.Harm]

Prologue's for Gesink

 

[CasperVg]

Prologue's for Gesink

Make that the Tour as a whole, JVDB doesn't stand a chance against Gesink.

 

[eric_vv]

Prologue's for Gesink

No the prologue is for TGBM

 

[El Pistolero]

Make that the Tour as a whole, JVDB doesn't stand a chance against Gesink.

Cancellara already won the Tour!

 

[theyoungest]

Was this VDB's worst result ever in a prologue? Normally he should finish ahead of a diesel like Gesink.

 

[classicomano]

I bet it must be really hard to be a VDB supporter, jfc what a dope.

http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/MG_Tour/MG_verslagen_nieuws/1.1350784

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

It's not a GT without Gesink hitting the floor at least once

 

[Pedaaldanser]

It's not a GT without Gesink hitting the floor at least once

Well we got that over with hopefully: he scraped his knee a little bit yesterday.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

We should get a decent indicator of what Gesink will be at this tour on Saturday. Not really a great climb for gesink tho.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

It's not a GT without Gesink hitting the floor at least once

Well, Gesink fell and scraped his knee i think two days ago. Today JVdB fell in the last crash before the finishline and injured his hand (fingers). LDH reported it. No idea how serious it is. Probably not too bad or else we'd have heard something i presume.

Not really a great climb for gesink tho.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

We should get a decent indicator of what Gesink will be at this tour on Saturday. Not really a great climb for gesink tho.

Not true. The climb is very much like Mount Baldy, 6km at 8,5%. Baldy was 7km at 8.??%.. Only difference is lower altitude and easier run-in

Only thing that could happen is having some problems at the foot of the climb.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

@logic
Gesink likes longer climbs, where he can find his tempo. I don't mean this as excuse, I just don't expect him to do that great (he wont be that bad either, but might initially struggle)

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Not true. The climb is very much like Mount Baldy, 6km at 8,5%. Baldy was 7km at 8.??%.. Only difference is lower altitude and easier run-in

Only thing that could happen is having some problems at the foot of the climb.

this is what I meant sorry. It's steep quickly which in past has been his undoing, and rather then being a threat might have to play catch up.

also My baldy had a much more gradual build up which suits gesink, where this is pretty much flat (hyperbole) then hard. Point is I think Mt Baldy was better on a whole for him. It's just the start of des belles filles i worry about. Also depends if someone like schleck decides to go early.

 

[theyoungest]

Not true. The climb is very much like Mount Baldy, 6km at 8,5%. Baldy was 7km at 8.??%.. Only difference is lower altitude and easier run-in

Only thing that could happen is having some problems at the foot of the climb.

I think Belles Filles is not a Gesink type climb, more suited to Schleck, VDB, Mollema... the guys who fare better on more explosive stuff. He just has to limit his damage there.

Baldy was completely different, yes the profile of the final 5 k looks similar, but it was preceded by a hard stage and (more importantly) it's at high altitude... basically what you say yourself as well.

 

[Lexman]

I think Belles Filles is not a Gesink type climb, more suited to Schleck, VDB, Mollema... the guys who fare better on more explosive stuff. He just has to limit his damage there.

Baldy was completely different, yes the profile of the final 5 k looks similar, but it was preceded by a hard stage and (more importantly) it's at high altitude... basically what you say yourself as well.

VDB is not an explosive type of climber, Vanendert might do better; VDB and Gesink will come in together (hand in hand )

 

[theyoungest]

VDB is not an explosive type of climber, Vanendert might do better; VDB and Gesink will come in together (hand in hand )

Actually, VDB is quite good at explosive stuff... it's on the really long climbs that he starts to struggle. Remember his attack on Mende? Or on the Mur de Bretagne? Both times Gesink was struggling at the back.

 

[Lanark]

Actually, VDB is quite good at explosive stuff... it's on the really long climbs that he starts to struggle. Remember his attack on Mende? Or on the Mur de Bretagne? Both times Gesink was struggling at the back.

True, his stage win in the Dauphiné was on a short steep hill as well, and in the Vuelta his best stage result was to San Lorenzo de El Escorial. He is not a Rodriguez, but he can handle the steep stuff and tempo changes really well. In the 2010 Tour he probably suffered the most on the Madeleine and Tourmalet.

 

[Azabael]

I'll do a winter sleep till Saturday. I can't wait for the mountains to come and see who's good and who's not! I know if Gesink feels well, he'll attack with about 3k to go, not earlier. Let's hope some others will open sooner, though. I'm not disapproving of Gesink's tactic. If that's what brings him the best possible result, it's wise to do so.

 

[theyoungest]

Later in the climb is when he's got his engine running. It's not so much a tactic, as the point where he becomes stronger than some others.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

True, his stage win in the Dauphiné was on a short steep hill as well, and in the Vuelta his best stage result was to San Lorenzo de El Escorial. He is not a Rodriguez, but he can handle the steep stuff and tempo changes really well. In the 2010 Tour he probably suffered the most on the Madeleine and Tourmalet.

In the 2010 TDF Van den Broeck suffered most from both rest days, as usual. Madeleine and Tourmalet just happened to be in the stages right after the rest days.

Actually, VDB is quite good at explosive stuff... it's on the really long climbs that he starts to struggle. Remember his attack on Mende? Or on the Mur de Bretagne? Both times Gesink was struggling at the back.

I think that's how you're willing to look at it. He's good at dealing with tempochanges yes, but he isn't good at making an attack, getting out of the saddle and blast off for 300 meters like Rodriguez, Contador, Schleck... He just has some way of applying the same climbing style even on much steeper climbs without getting into trouble (as opposed to other riders who do get into trouble). But rarely is it a showcase of explosiveness. I used to joke about it with my brother about when he placed an attack (out of the saddle), then looked behind himself and noticed he barely got a meter on the first chaser who actually didn't do anything but follow his own tempo.

As for Gesink, he's been up there with JvdB in this TDF on all the short steep climbs so far. Usually finished in front. Also, wasn't it his ambition to do well in AGR and LBL? How would you explain that for a rider who needs long climbs and suffers the first K's?

 

[Azabael]

In the 2010 TDF Van den Broeck suffered most from both rest days, as usual. Madeleine and Tourmalet just happened to be in the stages right after the rest days.

Then why doesn't he does something intense on the rest days so he doesn't allow his body to take that fallback?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Then why doesn't he does something intense on the rest days so he doesn't allow his body to take that fallback?

How intense for how long? Same intensity as a regular stage? But then he's had no rest day. It's not an uncommon problem. I'm sure it can be handled in some degree... but then again, maybe it is already being handled to some degree and he would otherwise be even worse.

 

[boomcie]

Anyone else wonder why Crash is still in the race? Amazing bike-handling skills.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Anyone else wonder why Crash is still in the race? Amazing bike-handling skills.

The trick is to always be right next to Wiggins. If you fall, at least you take him out as well. It's a win-win...-lose thing.

 

[Azabael]

The trick is to always be right next to Wiggins. If you fall, at least you take him out as well. It's a win-win...-lose thing.

Behind him! That was, if he falls and takes you along, you can use his bony body as a pillow.. oh wait..