Who is next to dominate GT's?

[janraaskalt]

I wouldn't believe in young riders so much barring Talansky. Pinot has to prove a lot. Quintana is very vague...

I do agree that the predicted domination of a lot of the ones mentioned in previous posts has to be seen in the next years. I find Ospina a little far-fetched at the moment. He doesn't cycle for a long time and did really well in Colombia in October (RCN or Vuelta), but I first want to see him ride in Europe. Dombrowski also has a lot to proof, but has shown his skills in better pelotons and more consistently.

 

[gustienordic]

Pinot, Quintana, TJ, Talansky. These four will be battling alot I think. They have all shown at least something in previous GTs. TJ can climb, We now know that.

 

[greenedge]

At any rate Meyer is not more likely to dominate GTs than the Dutch triumvirate Gesink-Mollema-Kruijswijk, neither of whom are on the list, but all of whom have GT top-10s to their name.

I think Gesink can win a GT or more but not dominate. Out of Mollema and Kruijswijk i think Kruijswijk is more likely to win a GT and Mollema could win at races like the Ardennes.

 

[Panda Claws]

No mentioning of Wilco Kelderman?

 

[theyoungest]

No mentioning of Wilco Kelderman?

He's in that ranking up there, rated equally to Talansky and Van Garderen. Seems to be the same type of rider.

 

[masking_agent]

Considering GT's cycling has pretty much dynasties you can say. Merckx, hinault, indurain, (go the clinic) and now Contador.

Who do you think will dominate GT's after Contador? Let's say 5 more years Contador and then what?

Pinot? Quintana? Or some rather unknown guy? Contador also boomed in '07 although granted he was already pretty good (winning mountain stages) at '06 but in '07 it all really started.

Maybe we haven't seen him yet or maybe there isn't going to be a next guy like previously?

What's your take on it?

No poll this time, it just sucks, I know.

Btw does Vino have a son or a daughter?

If so...the answer is clear

I think no one for a very, very long time. The sport has dramatically changed due to you know whom and I think any signs of dominance will raise those dreaded flags again. Maybe in the next 20 years there may be dominance. But in the next decade. Just my two cents.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Pinot has to prove a lot? The youngest winner of Valle D' Aosta in amateurs. The youngest winner of the history. Tour of Romandia mountain classification in his first year as pro. Also in a breakway in the Dauphiné Liberé and finished top 20 in the final GC with 20 years. In 2011 (with 21 years) four wins and the GCs of Settimana Lombarda and Tour of Alsacia. Also shone one more time in Dauphiné specially in the Toussuire stage where he finished second after Joaquim Rodríguez and ahead of Evans, Gesink or Vinokourov. Ah. He was in the breakway this day. This year a bad beginning of season due to too much races in a short period of time. Even with that he was with the best climbers in Suisse. Then in the TDF a stage win after 50 kms to make the breakway dropping and ****ing the asses of guys like Kiserlovski, Kruivswijk, Mollema, Gallopin one by one and Kessiakoff in the last climb. The best climber in the Alps. Consistency in the Pyrenées. Only one bad day in all the race. The youngest top ten of the race since Raymond Impanis in 1947. (He didnt have a set up to come to the TDF. FDJ decided to include him in the nine one week after the race.) Then he made an exhibition in the last stage of the Tour L'Ain attacking from 30 kms to the finish and winning the stage. It's like in 2008 i am saying "Andy Schleck has to prove a lot" when he was second in the Giro D'Italia with 21 years and the best
young rider in the TDF where he shown amazing climbing skills.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Dombrowski has also shown amazing things with 20 years. I cant remember a domination in an amateur race like the american in the Giro Bio. Nobody can stayed near him in Terminillo. Aru didnt try it. Zakarin tryed it and got totally exhausted. In Passo Gavia another exhibition with huge differences with Aru. We are talking about Fabio Aru, maybe the best italian promise climber of the last 6 years. Since Riccó or Cunego. Then in professional races impressive demonstrations. The guy tryed to keep with Gesink in the queen stage of California. One of the strongest climbers beside Nibali in the queen stage of Colorado. We have to see him in Sky. But if this guy improve with the years he could be a GT contender in 2014. He has demonstrated the consistency in the american races. All finished in top final GC positions. If this guy improve he could kick the Wiggins, Urán and Henao's *** in one year or something like this.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

This is the top10 classification of the Gavia stage: (I have to say its true)

DOMBROWSKI Joseph Lloyd
5h24'42"
2.ARU Fabio
43"
3.DI SERAFINO Matteo
02'55"
4.CIAVATTA Matteo
02'55"
5.PENASA Pierre Paolo
03'20"
6.ZARDINI Edoardo
03'24"
7.DE IESO Donato
03'39"
8.FORMOLO Davide
05'22"
9.DI REMIGIO Lorenzo
05'40"
10.UMABEKOV Nazar
5'47"

 

[janraaskalt]

@Jason_Mercier: Both Pinot and Dombrowski are impressive up 'til now. Winning a GT requires taking one extra step: character/mental fitness. There are a lot of talents and so little GT winners. Believe me, I would like to see Joe Dombro winning a GT (almost) like no other.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

I dont know if Joe has the conditions for win a GT one day. Mentality, character... But Thibaut yes. IMO. He has demonstrated yet. Ambition, courage, talent. Love cycling. Is a hard worker. If you read his biography, then contemplate his trajectory... then read things like Cirylle Guimard says the only french which will be able to win a GT is Thibaut... you know we are after a Real champion.

 

[Angliru]

I dont know if Joe has the conditions for win a GT one day. Mentality, character... But Thibaut yes. IMO. He has demonstrated yet. Ambition, courage, talent. Love cycling. Is a hard worker. If you read his biography, then contemplate his trajectory... then read things like Cirylle Guimard says the only french which will be able to win a GT is Thibaut... you know we are after a Real champion.

+1000
I get the same vibe from Pinot...and Quintana. Both seem to have a way about them that implies that they can handle the pressure of a 3 week battle for the top step of a grand tour. Pinot's Tour performance had to have been like a meteor flashing across the sky in France for the long-Tour-champion-starved French fans

 

[airstream]

Pinot has to prove a lot?

Sure. By standarts of dominating in GT's he is almost no one. Just a maillot blanc. Young perspective rider. The 1st big step would be to prove he is able to follow the strongest in equal open mountain fight (without being waaay back in GC and attacking)

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Sure. By standarts of dominating in GT's he is almost no one. Just a maillot blanc. Young perspective rider. The 1st big step would be to prove he is able to follow the strongest in equal open mountain fight (without being waaay back in GC and attacking)

He's 22 years. His trajectory is not the right way for be a superchampion?

 

[Eric8-A]

Would anyone here rank Talasnky higher than TJVG?

I did a small comparison of the two riders last year with Teejay coming out on top, but Talansky improved greatly this year.

 

[airstream]

He's 22 years. His trajectory is not the right way for be a superchampion?

No one knows so far. The step he made is much less than the step he should make in order to become a superchampion. History knows many more examples when someone couldn't realize his potential being perspective. I just pointed Talansky 'cos IMO TT is getting more and more valueable skill no matter how hard climbs are. I fear Pinot is an anti time trialist like all frenchmen. To gain a lot of time in mountains is overly difficult nowadays. It is just impossible being alone. One always should have a man to cooperate. Climbing level is being levelled off.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Pinot has to prove a lot? The youngest winner of Valle D' Aosta in amateurs. The youngest winner of the history. Tour of Romandia mountain classification in his first year as pro. Also in a breakway in the Dauphiné Liberé and finished top 20 in the final GC with 20 years. In 2011 (with 21 years) four wins and the GCs of Settimana Lombarda and Tour of Alsacia. Also shone one more time in Dauphiné specially in the Toussuire stage where he finished second after Joaquim Rodríguez and ahead of Evans, Gesink or Vinokourov. Ah. He was in the breakway this day. This year a bad beginning of season due to too much races in a short period of time. Even with that he was with the best climbers in Suisse. Then in the TDF a stage win after 50 kms to make the breakway dropping and ****ing the asses of guys like Kiserlovski, Kruivswijk, Mollema, Gallopin one by one and Kessiakoff in the last climb. The best climber in the Alps. Consistency in the Pyrenées. Only one bad day in all the race. The youngest top ten of the race since Raymond Impanis in 1947. (He didnt have a set up to come to the TDF. FDJ decided to include him in the nine one week after the race.) Then he made an exhibition in the last stage of the Tour L'Ain attacking from 30 kms to the finish and winning the stage. It's like in 2008 i am saying "Andy Schleck has to prove a lot" when he was second in the Giro D'Italia with 21 years and the best
young rider in the TDF where he shown amazing climbing skills.

Over the next 12-15 years Pinot will very likely win one or two GT's. I mean recently guys such as Hesjedal, Wiggins, NIbali and Cobo have picked up a trophy and I think the Frenchman has more raw talent than any of those guys. However the gulf between winning one or two GT's to being dominant seems rather big. Not sure Pinot got what it takes. We will see in the next few years. He will likely be exciting to watch in any case.

 

[SteelyDan]

Pinot is à highly gifted climber. I guess it will be beween him and Dombrowski. I'm still ambivalent about Henao. Can he handle steep climbs too? I wonder.

 

[Alphabet]

except van garderen sucks at climbing. he will never be a serious force in gt's.

I think he, in a few more years, will be good enough to limit time lost on climbs. He's not going to be an attacking climber. He has a great role model with him in Evans. If he copies Cadel's approach then his climbing might not be too big a problem.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Would anyone here rank Talasnky higher than TJVG?

I did a small comparison of the two riders last year with Teejay coming out on top, but Talansky improved greatly this year.

yes 100% I would rank him way above him as a gt rider.

 

[Pentacycle]

Would anyone here rank Talasnky higher than TJVG?

I did a small comparison of the two riders last year with Teejay coming out on top, but Talansky improved greatly this year.

Van Garderen's climbing is very bad for a GT rider, don't let that 5th place in the Tour make you forget about that. He'll never win a GT except one with 150 km's of time trialing. At least Talansky showed in the Vuelta he can keep up with the big riders for some time.

 

[airstream]

I can not help wondering why people like to disparage Sky so much. WHY? Apparently, Tour just didn't satisfy you in terms of spectacle.

The rider is 25 years of age, but according to one's authoritative opinion, he is doomed not to win a GT no matter how he might try. Poor guy. He'd better quit right now...

 

[cineteq]

Van Garderen's climbing is very bad for a GT rider, don't let that 5th place in the Tour make you forget about that. He'll never win a GT except one with 150 km's of time trialing. At least Talansky showed in the Vuelta he can keep up with the big riders for some time.

It's not just about physical talent, brain matters too, and that's not one of Tejay's strengths. Until then, he needs to concentrate in one-week stage races. Talansky is much better in that department, but he's not a force.

 

[Pentacycle]

It's not just about physical talent, brain matters too, and that's not one of Tejay's strengths. Until then, he needs to concentrate in one-week stage races. Talansky is much better in that department, but he's not a force.

TJVG can have all the brain he wants, but it won't help him get up longer climbs faster. The only top ten results in the Tour this year were on a shorter climb(Peyragudes) and in TT's. He'll need a Wiggins-like transformation to win the Tour, I don't see that happening anytime soon. Talansky has the mental and physical strength to win a GT, he was the only rider along with Westra who came close to beating Wiggins this year, and he rode a good Vuelta in which Tejay would've cracked big time.

 

[theyoungest]

TJVG can have all the brain he wants, but it won't help him get up longer climbs faster. The only top ten results in the Tour this year were on a shorter climb(Peyragudes) and in TT's. He'll need a Wiggins-like transformation to win the Tour, I don't see that happening anytime soon. Talansky has the mental and physical strength to win a GT, he was the only rider along with Westra who came close to beating Wiggins this year, and he rode a good Vuelta in which Tejay would've cracked big time.

What was so great about Talansky's climbing in the Vuelta? He came in minutes behind the favourites, together with guys like Ten Dam and post-legbreak Gesink. Surely Van Garderen could have done the same.