CYCLING IMPRESSIONS: Dumoulin

Showing posts with label Dumoulin. Show all posts

Thursday, 9 May 2019

The Favorites of the Impressionists

Dear Cycling Impressionists, you answered the survey and here it is!
Roglic is the undisputed favorite but there is a strong battle for the podium.
Yates and Dumoulin have a little advantage on Lopez but he is close.
Nibali, Landa and the young Sivakov have the same chances (very few) to arrive in Pink in Verona.
In the in between there is Majka, better than the three just mentioned but far from the big dogs.
None of you think Zakarin or Jungels can win the Giro. Would they be better off going on vacation?
I can't see a better place than Italy to spend your holidays.

Who will be right at the end of the third week?

Monday, 1 October 2018

Innsbruck 2018 Men Elite Road Race

El Imbatido
I think it is hard to spend few words on what Velverde did in Innsbruck, it has been something cathartic.
He sprinted from the worst position, bringing on his shoulders the responsibility of the strongest, and in the end he won. Pure emotion.

Here you can find my grades to the teams and their tactics from 1 (very bad) to 10 (very good):

SPAIN: 10
Finally they raced as a true team moving together in the same direction.
They ended up with an historical victory with their most representative rider.

Denmark: 9.5
They were not the favorite, they used the perfect strategies with their riders.
They attacked since the beginning and almost won the race with Valgren's perfect attack.

France: 8.5
They controlled the race and prepared brought their two best riders in the best position on the final climb. There could have just been a bit more communication in the team about Alaphilippe feelings.

Canada: 8
They took a great bronze medal with a fantastic race of their captain Woods.

Holland: 6.5
This is the best season of Dumoulin but unfortunately he missed all its goals. Nevertheless, we can't blame him.
He saved the performance of its team that could have started attacking earlier in the race.

Belgium: 5
I expected more from the nation of cycling by definition. Wellens disappeared and Van Avermaet saved the race with an attack made more with pride than with legs.

Italy: 4
They raced in a decent way, trying to move the race and being reactive on the attacks during the first part of the race.
They committed a terrible suicide when they decide to push before the final climb, helping France and Spain and demolishing their entire team but Moscon.

Great Britain: 3.5
They controlled the race all day and disappeared in the final.

Colombia: 3
I'm still wondering if they were in the Peloton.

Friday, 4 May 2018

The First Pink Jersey

It is something hard to describe.
Wearing the first Pink Jersey can save a career, can save a season, can save a Giro.
Today, in Jerusalem, Duomoulin was simply amazing.
He is stronger than last year and came to Giro 101 for a memorable double.
He introduced himself to his contenders with today's incredible back to back.
I am not a stats maniac but I don't think we can count so many riders that have won the Giro the previous year and have been the first pink jersey a year later.
"Hey guys, allow me to introduce myself: I am the Pink Jersey". This is what Dumoulin said today with his Time Trial.
After the press conference and the time trial,Tom Dumoulin seems to have scored the very first rounds, demolishing Froome with words and facts.
Nevertheless, the Giro is too long to say it's over.
What matters is that Dumoulin may not win the Giro 101, but he is the first pink jersey and that is enough to be remembered in a positive way in the Giro 101.

Thursday, 30 November 2017

Giro d'Italia 2018

The route of the 101 Giro d'Italia has been revealed and it's really interesting.
The exotic start is a fantastic idea to expand the cycling culture outside Europe. Nevertheless Israel and its silly controversy about "west Jerusalem" prove that maybe the organizers have chosen the wrong country. They are not ready to be part of a melting pot event.
Despite Israeli officials, I think that the TT in Jersualem will be a fantastic scenario for the start of the Giro.
The route continues with interesting stages, that will amuse the spectators and the fans since the first week.
The diamond of the race is the terrible Zoncolan that is something unique in the World Tour.
That stage will worth a Classic and the winner will remain in the history of cycling.
The Colle delle Finestre will be another great climb but it has been positioned too far from the end of the stage.
I have just two critics to move to this great Giro:
1) the arrival in Rome. The capital is a wonderful city but it is not a cycling one.
Milano is the Italian capital of cycling and the final TT in the city should become like the Champs Elysées for the Tour de France. Last year it has been something memorable with the leader jersey changing in the last stage, after a battle lasted 21 days.
2) The Dolomites and the Tuscany have been a bit sacrificed.
Nevertheless I really look forward this Giro, enriched by the participation of the best riders in the world and by Froome too, attempting a historic triple.

Saturday, 3 June 2017

Rider of the Giro 100

Congratulations Tom, you are the Rider of the Giro 100!!!
Dumoulin has been elected rider of the Giro with a plebiscite. 80% of the Impressionists voted him Rider of the Giro 100.
I've to say that It is hard to think to someone else as rider of the Giro 100. This one has definitely been the Giro of Dumoulin, a legendary one.
He has been stronger than all his opponents, he has been attacked many times, even by nature. He fought alone during three hard weeks and, in the end, succeeded.
The Giro 100 has been a memorable one and Tom Dumoulin has secured his place in history.

Monday, 29 May 2017

Giro 100 Big Finale

In the end Dumoulin won and I can't remember a Giro so uncertain and so deserved.
The level of the Giro 100 has been extremely high and Dumoulin won because he was the most complete rider of the Peloton.
He proved also to be the smartest in several situation, winning his first Giro with strong legs but with a stronger mind.
His opponents never really tried to do something risky in the final week, they were all scared, despite their statements, to lose their position in the General Classification.
We discovered yesterday that Quintana has been sick during the last two weeks but I still think that some riders can have more than a regret.
What Team Katusha Alpecin made in the last stage would have shaken the GC many times if done by stronger teams in previous stages.
The sad truth we have learned is that it doesn't matter just to win.
In modern cycling you prefer not to loose a third or a sixth position than trying to win a Giro, considering that in the worst case you can loose badly.
Talking about the teams without a proper GC contender, I just want to underline a key point: why if such a great team as Quick-Step Floors is always attacking, even in the last stage, the teams invited, with the exception of Team Gazprom-Rusvelo, never really battled hard in order to try to win a stage?
Here you can find my grades to the teams, from 1 (very bad) to 10 (very good), you, dear Impressionists, will choose the rider of the Giro in the upcoming survey.

Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team - 6

AG2R La Mondiale - 5

Astana Pro Team - Impossible to rate

Bardiani - CSF - 4.5

BMC Racing Team - 7.5

Bora - Hansgrohe - 8

Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team - 7

CCC Sprandi Polkowice - 4.5

FDJ - 7

Gazprom-RusVelo - 6.5

Lotto Soudal - 5.5

Movistar Team - 7.5

ORICA-Scott - 6

Quick-Step Floors - 9.5

Dimension Data - 7

Team Katusha - Alpecin - 6

Team LottoNL-Jumbo - 5

Team Sky - 8

Team Sunweb - 8

Trek - Segafredo - 5

UAE Team Emirates - 5.5

Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia - 3.5

Monday, 22 May 2017

Giro 100 Pt. 3

I want to divide this brief Impression in three parts, because we've just finished an intense week.

SPRINTS & SPRINTERS

Last week has been the week of Gaviria, he claimed and obtained a place in the sprinters' elite.
He dominated the sprint, winning each time in a different way, showing the world his multiples skills.
Ewan could be the only one faster than him, but he is too small and struggle too much while fighting for position.
Sam Bennet is supported by an incredible team, but unfortunately found a sprinter stronger than him.
I'am a bit disappointed by Greipel, he could not be satisfied with just one stage win, even if it gave him the pink jersey.
If you are one of the best sprinters in the world, you have to do something more to remain in the elite, considering that, as we said, you have a new impressive opponent.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AND PINK JERSEY CANDIDATES

I've never seen Tom Dumoulin so confident and self-aware.
He demolished his opponents on his field, the TT, but what he did on the Mount Oropa climb is even better.
He won on the Pantani's climb wearing the pink jersey, what else do you need to be considered a champion?
He has learned a lot from his Vuelta's defeat and will fight 'til the end of the Giro, with a great TT waiting for him in Milan.
Quintana is the strongest climber of this Giro 100 and it seems to be the only one capable of attacking Dumoulin.
We will see, we have great week ahead.

TEAMS

What can I say about Quick-step Floors?
The Wolfpack is honoring the race and demolishing its opponents on the roads of Giro 100, winning and exciting the crowd on any terrain. What a team!!
The last consideration is about the so many teams that haven't already gotten anything from this Giro 100 and that are doing nothing in order to justify their participation.
You will understand of which teams I'm talking about once the Giro is over, reading the upcoming article in which I'll rate the teams.

Monday, 15 May 2017

Giro 100 Pt. 2

It has not been a memorable Giro, except for the Blockhaus stage, so far, but the best is yet to come.
Smaller teams are not interested in fighting for a stage win and the Peloton seems asleep, providing the same show almost everyday.
Bora - Hansgrohe and Quick-Step Floor are still the only two teams honoring the race and taking great victories and podiums.
I want to underline also the strength of Gazprom Rusvelo, the only team that everyday has a man in the breakaway.
Dillier saved the Giro of Team BMC considering that team's GC ambitions sank in the Blockhaus stage.
Talking about the Blockhaus stage, the first consideration must be on Italian police, shame on them. They eliminated 3 GC contenders with one of the silliest move you can do in a cycling race.
Talking about the "survivors", Quintana proved to be the best, supported by a great team with licence to kill, see Gorka Izagirre.
Pinot is not a surprise for me, he is riding incredibly well since the beginning of the Giro.
He has prepared this edition of the Giro very well. He is stronger than Quintana against the clock and can be considered the first rival of the new pink jersey.
Dumoulin surprised me, he made a solid performance on such a hard climb.
Considering that he is the stronger GC contender in TT stages, he can take away the pink jersey from Quintana tomorrow and try to defend it as long as possible.
Just a few words about Nibali, he is riding alone, his team is inconsistent.
My question to the Bahrain - Merida director is: if you know you have a weak team compared to your opponents, why do you spend in a breakaway, the day before a mountain stage, one of your strongest climber? I really hope Bahrain - Merida is fighting for something more than a stage win.

CYCLING IMPRESSIONS