Tour of Oman

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

maybe brown can wait on the course and run ebh down during the tt?

 

[boomcie]

1 Gesink - 2 Boason Hagen - 3 Devenijs - 4 Visconti - 5 Vandevelde

 

[theyoungest]

Well, is it really an advantage for Gesink? I would think that if they have TT bikes the diffrence between a specialist and a 2nd tier TTer would be less than if they have road bikes? On the climbs I'm sure Gesink will do better with a road bike than on a TT bike but overall I would think that EBH could push a road bike faster over a TT than Gesink relative to if they had TT bikes.. Also EBH did really well last year in a similar TT where they were also using road bikes.

The changes to his time trial bike he's done this winter all amounted to having it seem more like his road bike. He found out he doesn't lose much aerodynamics that way, and he felt he just couldn't get his power out in his former position. So I think he'll like a TT on road bikes.

 

[Moondance]

1 Gesink - 2 Boason Hagen - 3 Devenijs - 4 Visconti - 5 Vandevelde

Wow... Don't think anyone expected that.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

1 Gesink - 2 Boason Hagen - 3 Devenijs - 4 Visconti - 5 Vandevelde

I thought visconti would do well. EBH and VDV - gesink has some work ahead of him

 

[Contre la montre]

Like whom? Apart from Cance? EBH is massively gifted as a time trialist.

Personally I don't rate EBH that much as a timetrialist. However, the tour of Oman will probably be decided on 'form' over talent, EBH's form seems to be very good. Then there is of course Cancellara and possibly Boom. After just having studied the start list there are indeed very few top timetrialist at the start.

 

[cineteq]

I certainly think EBH is the favorite for the GC, but still a great ride by Gesink.

Don't disregard VandeVelde

 

[will10]

Well, is it really an advantage for Gesink? I would think that if they have TT bikes the diffrence between a specialist and a 2nd tier TTer would be less than if they have road bikes? On the climbs I'm sure Gesink will do better with a road bike than on a TT bike but overall I would think that EBH could push a road bike faster over a TT than Gesink relative to if they had TT bikes.. Also EBH did really well last year in a similar TT where they were also using road bikes.

Biomechanically Gesink is much better suited to use of a road bike (where there are less restrictions of position) than a TT bike (where there are several UCI restrictions which tend to disadvantage taller people). Will definitely shift more in favour of Gesink but I suspect EBH will still take enough time back.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

What's with all the puncheurs in the top 5?
Devenyns, Hagen, Visconti... not real climbers

Anyway, the ITT is different from last year

This year:

2010: 1 time the climb of Al Jissah and then mainly flat till the finish.

 

[theyoungest]

Personally I don't rate EBH that much as a timetrialist. However, the tour of Oman will probably be decided on 'form' over talent, EBH's form seems to be very good. Then there is of course Cancellara and possibly Boom. After just having studied the start list there are indeed very few top timetrialist at the start.

If EBH is 'on', there are few people in the world who can beat him in a time trial. He's really quite good.

 

[ingsve]

I would never have guessed it but EBH has finished top 4 on all stages so far. He may actually finish this whole race without being worse than 4th on any stage.

Regarding the overall GC. Keep in mind that EBH also has one more stage where he could potentially get bonus seconds against Gesink so if he ends tomorrow a few seconds behind then it's not over yet.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Personally I don't rate EBH that much as a timetrialist. However, the tour of Oman will probably be decided on 'form' over talent, EBH's form seems to be very good. Then there is of course Cancellara and possibly Boom. After just having studied the start list there are indeed very few top timetrialist at the start.

boom might do well on the course.

i wouldn't bet against ebh tho.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I would never have guessed it but EBH has finished top 4 on all stages so far. He may actually finish this whole race without being worse than 4th on any stage.

Regarding the overall GC. Keep in mind that EBH also has one more stage where he could potentially get bonus seconds against Gesink so if he ends tomorrow a few seconds behind then it's not over yet.

Nothing to worry about the final stage. Hagen will get 4th or 5th in the sprint again

It's only the TT. The gaps last year were massive, but it was less hilly (only the weak side of the climb). This time they do the weak and the hard side of the climb. Seems different to me.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Top 10 for stage

R. Gesnik, E.B Hagen, D. Devenysns, G. Visconti, C. Vandevelde, G. Van Avermaet, M. Monfort, M. Albasini. J. Giannoni

 

[theyoungest]

1 Gesink - 2 Boason Hagen - 3 Devenijs - 4 Visconti - 5 Vandevelde

Makes it seem like more of a punchy climb than you'd judge from the profile. Except for VDV.

 

[ingsve]

Nothing to worry about the final stage. Hagen will get 4th or 5th in the sprint again

It's only the TT. The gaps last year were massive, but it was less hilly (only the weak side of the climb). This time they do the weak and the hard side of the climb. Seems different to me.

Well, if EBH is within 4-5 secods of Gesink on the final stage then I think Browns elbows will be extra sharpened before the start.

 

[boomcie]

Nothing to worry about the final stage. Hagen will get 4th or 5th in the sprint again

It's only the TT. The gaps last year were massive, but it was less hilly (only the weak side of the climb). This time they do the weak and the hard side of the climb. Seems different to me.

Does that make sense? Shouldn't the gaps be bigger if the TT is harder? Not saying between Gesink and the rest, but in general...

 

[janraaskalt]

Top 10 for stage

R. Gesnik, E.B Hagen, D. Devenysns, G. Visconti, C. Vandevelde, G. Van Avermaet, M. Monfort, M. Albasini. J. Giannoni

Van Avermaet and Flecha (Giannoni) Weird stage...

 

[stefrees]

Sounds like sky garmin and leopard split it in the wind with 20ks left

 

[ingsve]

Makes it seem like more of a punchy climb than you'd judge from the profile. Except for VDV.

Well it was a fairly short climb with a flatter part of "only" 6% in the middle so things behind Gesink were possibly fairly grouped before the final 2 km and in that steep finish you could probably go a bit on strength if you had enough energy left.

 

[taiwan]

EBH 2nd

Cue more hype than you can fit in an internet.

But that's really impressive, seriously.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Does that make sense? Shouldn't the gaps be bigger if the TT is harder? Not saying between Gesink and the rest, but in general...

My point is, the harder the better for Gesink.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Gesink wins pic
Nice work by Gesink and Rabobank. They seem to work really well as a team and are already having a great season. Good for them.

 

[Tuarts]

Did wonder why this thread suddenly exploded in pages. :d

Well done Gesink

 

[Anonymous]

Personally I don't rate EBH that much as a timetrialist. However, the tour of Oman will probably be decided on 'form' over talent, EBH's form seems to be very good. Then there is of course Cancellara and possibly Boom. After just having studied the start list there are indeed very few top timetrialist at the start.

You dont think?

Well he beat Cancellara last year so he cant be that bad.