what are we entitled to expect from Roman Kreuziger?

[KazakhNeRider]

Astana has signed Roman for two years. What the rider is he?

I always compared Kreuziger with Andreas Kloeden, good tt-specialist and ready to suffer in mountains. But is it enough for grand-tour win? Maybe not TdF, but Vuelta? What about Giro, could Roman show there anything?

 

[ttrider]

No i would be amazed if anything but his ego stepped above the level of GT super domestique who can top 10 if lucky with other failing, yeh he is like the new Kloeden just slightly worse

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He has stopped progressing since 2 years.
Ofcourse, it's dangerous to predict anything because he could still make a later age 'jump', look at f.ex Vandenbroeck.

But for now I don't see him as a future GT winner. Mainly because he stopped improving for 2 years

 

[theyoungest]

Like L.L. Sanchez, he should focus on riding small tours like Romandie, Suisse, and Paris-Nice. Somehow those one week races are seen as a lesser aim, and the riders that are good at them still want to win GTs, but for both of these guys I just don't see that happening. Anything with a prologue, one or two finishing climbs, and a medium length TT is perfect for Kreuziger.

 

[ak-zaaf]

But for now I don't see him as a future GT winner. Mainly because he stopped improving for 2 years

That's it.

This years TDF should have been a breakthrough for him and I honestly expected it would be.
Always thought he would become a GT thread in every stage race he entered.

Still hope his coming of age pushes him to the higher ranks.

 

[hrotha]

I expected him to be 5th or 6th this year. More importantly, I expected him to be in the thick of it rather than just be there, and for a while it looked like he was going to do exactly that. I mean, 9th is a very good result for a 24-year-old, but he was a non-factor.

I think he could still make it, though, depending on how much he grows next year (if at all).

I really like him so I hope he makes it.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

When push has come to shove he has never delivered. He looks like he should be progressing, being in the mix on the big mountain stages but always falls away.

What is more, he seemed to be very unwilling to work for his team leaders when they have been in a better position than him in GC.

 

[ingsve]

You people are talking like his future is all mapped out based on what he's done when he's 23 and 24 years old. It's still 4-5 years until he is supposed to start being at his best and to give up on a guy when he's 24 is a little premature. It's not uncommon for riders that break through at an early age to stagenate a little in their development (which I not fully agree that he has) for a few years before they start improving again when they get more kms in their legs. To take the final step in becoming a GC rider you need a certain amount of thoughness both to endure harder training and to manage the races more consistently. That's not something you can do on talent alone. It takes years of training.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Well, look at him compared to say Gesink, AS (slightly unfair), Nibs etc who are pretty much his contemporaries and the yardstick against which he is being measured.

I don't think it is all over for him - afterall, Sastre didn't win a TDF until he was 33. Maybe a change of scene will do him good. He will almost certainly get the chance to lead the team, but what sort of team Astana will be next season I am not sure. He might have made the wrong choice.

 

[roundabout]

I'd like to see more agressive riding from him in grand tours.

 

[kurtinsc]

I kind of view this year as an improvement for Kreuziger.

His place stayed the same, but the level of competition went up. If it was a much stronger field and he didn't move backwards... wouldn't that indicate a slight improvement? Especially with less TT km to cushion him against the climbs?

 

[ttrider]

I'd like to see more agressive riding from him in grand tours.

Theres a difference between being aggressive because you can (Contador, Shleck, Vino) and hanging in there simply because you lack form or ability. i think Kreuzinger would be aggressive if he could be (TDF stage16) but the vast majority of the time he lacks the top end, the fact he has never shown that top end in a GT in any single stage by 24 after numerous attempts is why he will never win or even top without considerable luck, he simply hasnt got the class

 

[The Hitch]

This year Kreuziger has looked poor all season. I expected more in the paris nice, underperformed in the 2 swiss week races he likes. The next Mercx ebh has too underperformed. Doesnt mean this sets the tone for the remainder of their careers. If peter Sagan doesnt win any major stages next year are people going to say his career is doomed too? Its a bad season is all.

On the other hand his teamate Nibali, who is a year older and was till recently seen as a lesser rider is now seen by seemingly many on these forums as a guaranteed multi gc winner.

Next year, with Roman at Astana, if he regains the form he has showed before, and puts it towards a gt i think he can equal what nibali did this year in giro and podium in gc.

 

[Ryaguas]

I'd like to see more agressive riding from him in grand tours.

I think We will see it cuz He will ride with VINO!

I don't know why the "hate" against Kreuziger... fack! he is just 24...! I really have high expectations on him... not every rider is like Gesink or Andy... I think that He will increase his form in the upcoming years... and he will be a top 5 GC guy... but we need to let him develop his skills calmly... there is no need to rush him being that young...

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

I don't think it is hate. More kind of disappointment. I think a lot of us expected to see him kick on, and he hasn't. Some times he oozes class and looks so good but looking good doesn't deliver results. Until he starts to turn 9th into 4th or 5th, or start winning PN, DL type races then people will say he isn't delivering.

 

[The Hitch]

24 after numerous attempts is why he will never win or even top without considerable luck, he simply hasnt got the class

Lots of riders dont show anything by 24 and then peak in gc when they are 27 28 maybe even with people like Samu, Sastre wait till their 30's for the golden years. Kreuziger has shown up in hilly stage races like p- n tdr tds. He puts that energy towards a gt and gets a peak, you might seee different results. On the other hand some win gts by 24 - jan/ cunego, and never win again. Its different for everyone.

You really get the impression people (generaly, not necesarily you) have it out for some riders, and are fanboys of others when Richie Porte is touted as the next big thing cos he fluked a day or 2 in the mr through a breakaway, while a slightly younger rider, with vastly superior palmares is labelled a future domestique because he had 1 bad season.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I know he is just 24, and it's not "hate"

Just the simple fact that he is as good now, as he was 2 years ago

2 years ago he won the Tour of Suisse.
HE HAS NOT IMPROVED FROM THAT LEVEL.

That's why we are doubting him. And if you read correctly, NOBODY IS WRITING HIM OFF. We are all saying he is 24 and might make another jump later in his career.

Thank you

 

[hrotha]

I really, really don't understand how so many people can say EBH is having a bad season. Kreuziger hasn't been brilliant this season but at least he isn't regressing either, so there's hope.

edit: adding on what Dekker Tifosi said, we're doubting him as a GT contender, not as a very good rider in general.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

kreuziger is nothing like kloden, kloden was/is an excellent itt guy and kreuziger isn't. kreuziger has never done anything amazing in itt's longer than 25 km. not to mention his climbing isn't all that great either and he's already no improving (much) the last 2 years. if this is the big fish for astana then they have done a ****ty deal.

 

[Ryaguas]

Lots of riders dont show anything by 24 and then peak in gc when they are 27 28 maybe even with people like Samu, Sastre wait till their 30's for the golden years. Kreuziger has shown up in hilly stage races like p- n tdr tds. He puts that energy towards a gt and gets a peak, you might seee different results. On the other hand some win gts by 24 - jan/ cunego, and never win again. Its different for everyone.

You really get the impression people (generaly, not necesarily you) have it out for some riders, and are fanboys of others when Richie Porte is touted as the next big thing cos he fluked a day or 2 in the mr through a breakaway, while a slightly younger rider, with vastly superior palmares is labelled a future domestique because he had 1 bad season.

Good response Hitch! You cover a lot of ground there...

Well next year when Gesink finishes outside top 10 I want to see you saying that He would be better as a super-domestique...! (Ok lets start the attacks )

Kreuziger will deliver! I have faith in him... just 24... maintaining his results from previous GTs and not in his prime yet... I would put my money on him everyday... also I dare to say that Kreuziger would beat the **** out of Gesink any day!

Yeah that is for you Dekker!!!

 

[roundabout]

Theres a difference between being aggressive because you can (Contador, Shleck, Vino) and hanging in there simply because you lack form or ability. i think Kreuzinger would be aggressive if he could be (TDF stage16) but the vast majority of the time he lacks the top end, the fact he has never shown that top end in a GT in any single stage by 24 after numerous attempts is why he will never win or even top without considerable luck, he simply hasnt got the class

I don't think that Kreuziger is worse than say LLS or Casar and these guys at least try to make the race happen instead of merely riding to outlast the competition for places 9-15.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

IMO he would be better off trying to win the Vuelta if he sees himself as a GT rider. Get a GT podium under his belt rather than top ten in the TDF. Whether he is a Wiggins, Le Mevel (ie decent but no potential winner) or a Nibs, AS (very likely GT winner sooner rather than later) remains to be seen.

I have heard it said that RK's dad is quite wealthy and that RK is not hugely motivated because he knows he'll be ok financially, unlike other some other riders.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

with kreuziger you can see his curve going down from his junior level already. kreuziger was leaps and bounds better than anyone in junior class, him sticking out was even more so than popovych did in u23. as u23 rider kreuziger didn't ride much he soon turned pro but already you can see his decline. kreuziger like many east europeans are on physical peak at younger age.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

IMO he would be better off trying to win the Vuelta if he sees himself as a GT rider. Get a GT podium under his belt rather than top ten in the TDF.

I have heard it said that RK's dad is quite wealthy and that RK is not hugely motivated because he knows he'll be ok financially, unlike other some other riders.

that's not true at all, his dad was a cyclist as well and I doubt he's millionaire, defintely not from cycling

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

I heard he went into business after his career and did very well out of it.