Tour of Oman

[ingsve]

There's a difference between one 5.8km climb after a (nearly) flat stage. And the Amstel Gold Race with it's 40+ short climbs and 23543253.354235 million turns.

Last year in the ENECO Tour he was promising in those same hills though. But I think with Hagen, it will take some time to get used to the Amstel.

Ya, more years on him to get the thoughness up will certainly help a lot. There is also still some question if he's ready for 250km races yet or if he needs a couple years for that as well.

 

[theyoungest]

Well, that depends on how you score points on allrounding. EBH is certainly a faster sprinter and a better cobbled rider and possibly a better TTer though that may depend on terrain. Valverde is a better climber both in mountains and hills but does that really tip the balance in his favour that much?

Who knows what Valverde could do on cobbles? It's just not something he tried very often, I think. And why should he, when he's such a great rider for the Ardennes classics.

And whether EBH is a faster sprinter... hm, are you really so sure about that?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Ya, more years on him to get the thoughness up will certainly help a lot. There is also still some question if he's ready for 250km races yet or if he needs a couple years for that as well.

Didn't Hagen have stomach problems in races over 220+km?

Like he couldn't eat well or something, so he always ran out of energy

 

[maltiv]

Didn't Hagen have stomach problems in races over 220+km?

Like he couldn't eat well or something, so he always ran out of energy

He can't eat energy gels or energy drinks. Instead he eats sandwiches and a fish-based energy drink. Not sure if this affects his performance negatively, but it could.

 

[theyoungest]

He can't eat energy gels or energy drinks. Instead he eats sandwiches and a fish-based energy drink. Not sure if this affects his performance negatively, but it could.

Of course it affects his performance negatively. Drinking fish all day! I can imagine he just wants the torture to end by kilometre 200.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Funny. I have the opposite problem

I can't seem to eat solid foods and have to live on energy gels, fluid food and energy drinks when im riding

 

[ingsve]

Didn't Hagen have stomach problems in races over 220+km?

Like he couldn't eat well or something, so he always ran out of energy

Well, it's not certain if it's something that affects him consistently on longer races. He got stomach problems in MSR last year that was related to problem he has had with proteins in the past but that was the first and only time in quite a while that that happened.

 

[ingsve]

Who knows what Valverde could do on cobbles? It's just not something he tried very often, I think. And why should he, when he's such a great rider for the Ardennes classics.

And whether EBH is a faster sprinter... hm, are you really so sure about that?

Ya, I'm pretty sure EBH is faster. Of course it's hard to tell since they have never sprinted against each other so it's only based on how they have done against other sprinters over the years.

As for Valverde on the cobbles then ya that is an unknown but all reasonable speculation would have to come down in favor of EBH on that one.

 

[Havetts]

Damn I want to see a summary . Well done Gesink .

 

[boomcie]

And whether EBH is a faster sprinter... hm, are you really so sure about that?

Yes. I am sure.

 

[sublimit]

Of course it affects his performance negatively. Drinking fish all day! I can imagine he just wants the torture to end by kilometre 200.

Liquid fish??
Probably why he gets stomach trouble. He should try Durianriders banana diet lol.

 

[theyoungest]

Yes. I am sure.

After a hard race, actually I'm almost sure of the opposite.

 

[hrotha]

Let's not get too carried away here. 2nd is a great result for EBH, but let's not forget most climbers had apparently been eliminated in the echelons and that he beat Devenyns by 4" or Van Avermaet by 15" (and Flecha by 15" too, even though he had been working for EBH). Is he immensely talented? Yes. Can he climb a little? Yes. But that's all.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Hold on.

Fuglsang WAS in the first group, according to the Leopard site he blew up
Vinokourov WAS in the first group, according to Tourofoman.om he even attacked, but then blew up as Gesink went...

So of the top 4/5 candidates, only Rodriguez was probably missing

 

[Ryaguas]

GESINK!!

Here The Dutch Mafia Celebrating!

 

[roundabout]

http://s288581967.onlinehome.fr/resultat/resultat.php5?code_course=TOO&menu=1&type=0

 

[hrotha]

Hold on.

Fuglsang WAS in the first group, according to the Leopard site he blew up
Vinokourov WAS in the first group, according to Tourofoman.om he even attacked, but then blew up as Gesink went...

So of the top 4/5 candidates, only Rodriguez was probably missing

Relax. I'm not saying Gesink was handed over the victory or anything. If Fuglsang and Vino blew up that doesn't change much regarding EBH - they weren't particularly fit.
edit: J Rodríguez was 16th. Either he's super fit and came back during the climb, or he was in the front group and doesn't have much yet - which is more likely.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The 2nd group wasn't that far behind on the climb, they said 1.30min

So Rodriguez lost another 1.30 min on the climb, but passed many of the worse climbers and people who worked

 

[ingsve]

Relax. I'm not saying Gesink was handed over the victory or anything. If Fuglsang and Vino blew up that doesn't change much regarding EBH - they weren't particularly fit.
edit: J Rodríguez was 16th. Either he's super fit and came back during the climb, or he was in the front group and doesn't have much yet - which is more likely.

Ya, it mostly means that they had a diffrent tactic. They went their normal hard pace but their shape meant they popped and couldn't last a while climb while EBH took a stead pace so as not to blow up and his shape was good enough to get 2nd.

If Fuglsang and Vino had taken a more conservative approach so as not to blow up they would probably have done much better but that's certainly not Vinos mentality. If he can't win a stage like this I'm pretty sure he doesn't care about it. Getting 2nd and holding on for a top 5 in GC is not something he would focus on.

 

[Ferminal]

Well, that depends on how you score points on allrounding. EBH is certainly a faster sprinter and a better cobbled rider and possibly a better TTer though that may depend on terrain. Valverde is a better climber both in mountains and hills but does that really tip the balance in his favour that much?

Well Valverde is a better Ardennes rider than EBH (at this stage of his career) is a Cobbled rider.

EBH is definitely a better time trial

EBH is a better sprinter but Valverde probably wins more sprints!

Valverde is a much better climber which enables him to win more stage races.

 

[Rocksteady]

I'm glad to see VDV up there. I was expecting nothing out of him, but he must actually have some form (Well, as much as can be expected for a non-classics guy). He could definitely be the darkhorse for the TT tomorrow. He's been a great Time Trialist in the past. Lets see if he has really turned a corner from his bad luck years.

 

[cineteq]

The race is on for tomorrow's TT
After stage 4:
1 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 16:15:18
2 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling 0:00:44
4 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:01:03
7 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Leopard Trek 0:01:15
11 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Leopard Trek 0:01:44

 

[jens_attacks]

after tomorrow it will be something like this:

1.edvald
2.vandevelde
3.monfort

i don't think gesink will bother too much and he really shouldn't.

 

[Barrus]

after tomorrow it will be something like this:

1.edvald
2.vandevelde
3.monfort

i don't think gesink will bother too much and he really shouldn't.

Well, it would be great training for his ITT, which could possible be a reason why he will at least attempt to do very well

 

[ak-zaaf]

It would be good for this forum if Gesink gets smashed tomorrow