Zabriskie

[The fridge in the blue trees]

What happened?

We read here at CN more than once that this year Zabriskie would try to play a bigger role in the Tour. First try to win the GC in California, then ride the Tour as a protected rider see how far up he can go. Basically what finally happened with Hesjedal. And I actually think Zabriskie has the qualities to finish a GT in the Top 10. So what happened?

 

[ericthesportsman6]

What happened?

We read here at CN more than once that this year Zabriskie would try to play a bigger role in the Tour. First try to win the GC in California, then ride the Tour as a protected rider see how far up he can go. Basically what finally happened with Hesjedal. And I actually think Zabriskie has the qualities to finish a GT in the Top 10. So what happened?

To be frank, he's really just not that good of a climber.

 

[Hugh Januss]

To be frank, he's really just not that good of a climber.

Not when he is "scared straight" at least.

 

[Oldman]

Not when he is "scared straight" at least.

Straight or not he's not that good a climber. Better than me.

 

[Seattleallstar]

hes been the most unluckiest rider imo and alot of untimely crashes in a few races.

 

[ulrikmm]

In his Team CSC time, he was said to be afraid to crash. Did he have a serious crash in his junior years?

Anxiety to crash often causes riders to "freeze" on the bike, making their bike handling erratic. And then more crashes follow.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Simple: It was Tom Danielson in a Dave Zee mask.

 

[theyoungest]

I think he was injured at the beginning of the race... knee problems, I think it was. Not that he could have climbed with the best, but obviously he could have done better than this.

 

[movingtarget]

He did well at the Tour of California but so did Mick Rogers and Leipheimer.......and then there's the Tour. Rogers has seen the writing on the wall but it hardly helps when he is getting involved in the sprint train for Cavendish on every stage. Columbia won five stages, what do they care ?

Rogers has not been the same rider since his bout of illness. He no longer has the stamina for a three week race. Zabriskie is not even riding time trials like he used to but still a good team rider.

 

[DrC0721]

hes been the most unluckiest rider imo and alot of untimely crashes in a few races.

You must be thinking of Christian VDV. He spends more time on the tarmac than his bike.

 

[Anonymous]

Not when he is "scared straight" at least.

Didn't see much from Hincapie either. Federal Investigations hanging over one's head probably has something to do with the motivation and ability to push on.

 

[outrage9]

I wonder that too. He worked on his climbing a few years back and hung during the mountains of the Tour de Georgia but since then he seems different, maybe less confidence, maybe part of the Garmin team not really having a purpose. Unfortunately I think his TT has suffered as well, he should be closer to Fabian's time by now but just stopped progressing. I think he was better with CSC as long as he was upright and healthy.

 

[Red Lobster]

This thread needs to be moved to the Clinic in order to discuss the topic at hand.

 

[nvpacchi]

He did well at the Tour of California but so did Mick Rogers and Leipheimer.......and then there's the Tour. Rogers has seen the writing on the wall but it hardly helps when he is getting involved in the sprint train for Cavendish on every stage. Columbia won five stages, what do they care ?

Rogers has not been the same rider since his bout of illness. He no longer has the stamina for a three week race. Zabriskie is not even riding time trials like he used to but still a good team rider.

I guess this goes to prove how difficult of a race ToC is. The podium was so spent they couldn't do anything come July.

 

[outrage9]

I guess this goes to prove how difficult of a race ToC is. The podium was so spent they couldn't do anything come July.

Now that's funny

 

[9000ft]

Zabriskie has had a very nice career - a career that most pro cyclists would love to have. He's a world class time trialer but pretty so so everything else. He's a good bike racer, but just not good enough to be on that very top step at anything other than TTing.

 

[Ibanez]

Garmin have released a pic of VDV's custom rig for next years tour

 

[marinoni]

In his Team CSC time, he was said to be afraid to crash. Did he have a serious crash in his junior years?

Anxiety to crash often causes riders to "freeze" on the bike, making their bike handling erratic. And then more crashes follow.

He was hit by a car in 2003, suffering some broken bones. Mostly though, I think he's been over-hyped. Between his TT win in the 05 Tour and his near perfect aero position the expectation was that he would be an elite TT rider. On his best day, maybe, but generally he doesnt stack up against the very best.

 

[outrage9]

In his Team CSC time, he was said to be afraid to crash. Did he have a serious crash in his junior years?

Anxiety to crash often causes riders to "freeze" on the bike, making their bike handling erratic. And then more crashes follow.

Yes, he started a foundation, Yield to Life, because of it, he talks about it here;

yieldtolife.org

 

[marinoni]

I don't know if I agree with this but I'm going to put it out there. DZ has always had a reputation as a bit of a flake. Off the wall, weird, whatever. I personally like that and find him to be one of the more interesting personalities in the peloton. However, I've been involved in lots of different sports over the years and every coach I've ever had would hate this guy and would flat-out not trust him. Weird and flakey types generally don't fit in well in elite sports. If you look at most of the really big stars in sports over the years most of them were pretty straight forward, just get it done types. There was an NHL player who was plagued his entire career by accusations of being a bit of a head-case because he was once spotted on a team flight reading a book.

 

[outrage9]

I don't know if I agree with this but I'm going to put it out there. DZ has always had a reputation as a bit of a flake. Off the wall, weird, whatever. I personally like that and find him to be one of the more interesting personalities in the peloton. However, I've been involved in lots of different sports over the years and every coach I've ever had would hate this guy and would flat-out not trust him. Weird and flakey types generally don't fit in well in elite sports. If you look at most of the really big stars in sports over the years most of them were pretty straight forward, just get it done types. There was an NHL player who was plagued his entire career by accusations of being a bit of a head-case because he was once spotted on a team flight reading a book.

This does make a little sense, but it's part of why I like him even though he isn' the Next US Sensation.

 

[theyoungest]

I don't know if I agree with this but I'm going to put it out there. DZ has always had a reputation as a bit of a flake. Off the wall, weird, whatever. I personally like that and find him to be one of the more interesting personalities in the peloton. However, I've been involved in lots of different sports over the years and every coach I've ever had would hate this guy and would flat-out not trust him. Weird and flakey types generally don't fit in well in elite sports. If you look at most of the really big stars in sports over the years most of them were pretty straight forward, just get it done types. There was an NHL player who was plagued his entire career by accusations of being a bit of a head-case because he was once spotted on a team flight reading a book.

In a sport of pure individual suffering like cycling the "nutcase"-factor tends to be a bit higher. In a less brains-more testosterone sport like ice hockey it's important to conform to the norm, and to not be weird, or you'll get your a$$ kicked.

 

[marinoni]

In a sport of pure individual suffering like cycling the "nutcase"-factor tends to be a bit higher. In a less brains-more testosterone sport like ice hockey it's important to conform to the norm, and to not be weird, or you'll get your a$$ kicked.

Maybe cycling is a little more tolerant and certainly getting better but remember, Fignon was called(sometimes derisively) the Professor because he wore glasses and attended one semester of college. As for that hockey player, he was considered a "headcase" by his teammates. God knows what his opponents called him.

 

[ustabe]

DZ has always had a reputation as a bit of a flake.

You could say this applies to the whole Garmin-Transitions squad, including the team director, but especially Zabriskie. It's almost like Vaughters recruited this crew of misfits and eggheads as an exercise in human resource development, trying to find the a role and the key to unlocking each man's motivations. He's like a very optimistic special ed. teacher.

When they're on, though, they do put on a wicked team time trial.

 

[shouldawouldacoulda]

@Marinoni: didn't Edmonton Oiler's Randy Gregg get his PHD while playing in the NHL? And then I think he completed his residency after his playing career and now works as an MD?

@ustabe: that was hilarious. Agree. Vaughters likes to hire quirky guys.