The Dutch fall from Tour grace.
rick_chasey
Posts: 75,661
What happened to the Dutch in the Tour?
They used to punch way above their weight. Always someone around to be a Tour contender, usually someone around to win on the Alp.
Used to have teams who dominated all but the toughest stages. Won strings of team time trials. They bossed the peloton almost at will.
The last time they won a stage was 2005, over 150 stages ago.
Nowadays they're best known for the fans, not their riders.
This tour has been a unmittigated diaster.
Rabobank went in with their usual perenial 'Tour future hopeful', though this time three of them. Gesink, Mollema, and Kruiswijk. Again, they can't stay upright, and hiding behind their wounds they've all underperformed and left the Tour, bar Kruiswijk. For a nation that is so flat, and wind so prominant, it beggars belief that Dutch riders in the world tour seem the worst at riding the bunch, the wind, the road furniture, bar perhaps the other team in orange.
Even worse, they have the second biggest budget after sky.
Vaconsoleil, once the smaller pro-continental team who just by being in breaks was good enough has also woefully underperformed. Westra, the most talented, is already out, and Jonny, for all his value on the screen with a microphone shoved in his face can't race his way out of his barbed wire attribution, though that's hardly his fault.
Other Dutch riders at other teams are just as bad. Weening, a fellow Frisian, can't even get in a bloody breakaway, and his brother, who is following him around with a bunch of mates and lots of beer, seems more and more miserable every time the cameras see him.
What's so strange about it, is the Dutch still really care about the Tour. It's a part of their summer. Their radio 1 is turned into radio Tour de France, the Tour is all over NOS 1, showing all the coverage, it has a half hour highlight section on 3, and has two discussion shows about it, including the popular avondetape. They turn up there in their droves.
As a half Brit, half Dutchie, the contrast couldn't be bigger in this year's Tour. As much as a long for and commend the Dutch passion for the Tour, regardless of performance (something I understandably don't see in the UK, though I don't expect to and don't hold it against them), I'm really begining to notice their lack of presence in the peloton, and it is an element I'm beginning to really miss.
It's testament to their support and the Dutch history that the French Directors still show us the Dutch 'favourites' (since, let's be honest, they never actually are favourites) when they are inevitably either dropped or splayed out on the floor.
And don't even get me started on Dutch team tactics.
*sigh*
They used to punch way above their weight. Always someone around to be a Tour contender, usually someone around to win on the Alp.
Used to have teams who dominated all but the toughest stages. Won strings of team time trials. They bossed the peloton almost at will.
The last time they won a stage was 2005, over 150 stages ago.
Nowadays they're best known for the fans, not their riders.
This tour has been a unmittigated diaster.
Rabobank went in with their usual perenial 'Tour future hopeful', though this time three of them. Gesink, Mollema, and Kruiswijk. Again, they can't stay upright, and hiding behind their wounds they've all underperformed and left the Tour, bar Kruiswijk. For a nation that is so flat, and wind so prominant, it beggars belief that Dutch riders in the world tour seem the worst at riding the bunch, the wind, the road furniture, bar perhaps the other team in orange.
Even worse, they have the second biggest budget after sky.
Vaconsoleil, once the smaller pro-continental team who just by being in breaks was good enough has also woefully underperformed. Westra, the most talented, is already out, and Jonny, for all his value on the screen with a microphone shoved in his face can't race his way out of his barbed wire attribution, though that's hardly his fault.
Other Dutch riders at other teams are just as bad. Weening, a fellow Frisian, can't even get in a bloody breakaway, and his brother, who is following him around with a bunch of mates and lots of beer, seems more and more miserable every time the cameras see him.
What's so strange about it, is the Dutch still really care about the Tour. It's a part of their summer. Their radio 1 is turned into radio Tour de France, the Tour is all over NOS 1, showing all the coverage, it has a half hour highlight section on 3, and has two discussion shows about it, including the popular avondetape. They turn up there in their droves.
As a half Brit, half Dutchie, the contrast couldn't be bigger in this year's Tour. As much as a long for and commend the Dutch passion for the Tour, regardless of performance (something I understandably don't see in the UK, though I don't expect to and don't hold it against them), I'm really begining to notice their lack of presence in the peloton, and it is an element I'm beginning to really miss.
It's testament to their support and the Dutch history that the French Directors still show us the Dutch 'favourites' (since, let's be honest, they never actually are favourites) when they are inevitably either dropped or splayed out on the floor.
And don't even get me started on Dutch team tactics.
*sigh*
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Comments
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Let it all out Rick. Let it all out.
Still football was good though?“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
We're all here for you Rick. We're listening.
(D'you fancy a bowl of chicken broth? With home-made bread- life is always more manageable after a good bowl of soup. At least, that's what the diners used to tell me at the Salvation Army)0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:What happened to the Dutch in the Tour?
They used to punch way above their weight. Always someone around to be a Tour contender, usually someone around to win on the Alp.
Used to have teams who dominated all but the toughest stages. Won strings of team time trials. They bossed the peloton almost at will.
The last time they won a stage was 2005, over 150 stages ago.
Nowadays they're best known for the fans, not their riders.
This tour has been a unmittigated diaster.
Rabobank went in with their usual perenial 'Tour future hopeful', though this time three of them. Gesink, Mollema, and Kruiswijk. Again, they can't stay upright, and hiding behind their wounds they've all underperformed and left the Tour, bar Kruiswijk. For a nation that is so flat, and wind so prominant, it beggars belief that Dutch riders in the world tour seem the worst at riding the bunch, the wind, the road furniture, bar perhaps the other team in orange.
Even worse, they have the second biggest budget after sky.
Vaconsoleil, once the smaller pro-continental team who just by being in breaks was good enough has also woefully underperformed. Westra, the most talented, is already out, and Jonny, for all his value on the screen with a microphone shoved in his face can't race his way out of his barbed wire attribution, though that's hardly his fault.
Other Dutch riders at other teams are just as bad. Weening, a fellow Frisian, can't even get in a bloody breakaway, and his brother, who is following him around with a bunch of mates and lots of beer, seems more and more miserable every time the cameras see him.
What's so strange about it, is the Dutch still really care about the Tour. It's a part of their summer. Their radio 1 is turned into radio Tour de France, the Tour is all over NOS 1, showing all the coverage, it has a half hour highlight section on 3, and has two discussion shows about it, including the popular avondetape. They turn up there in their droves.
As a half Brit, half Dutchie, the contrast couldn't be bigger in this year's Tour. As much as a long for and commend the Dutch passion for the Tour, regardless of performance (something I understandably don't see in the UK, though I don't expect to and don't hold it against them), I'm really begining to notice their lack of presence in the peloton, and it is an element I'm beginning to really miss.
It's testament to their support and the Dutch history that the French Directors still show us the Dutch 'favourites' (since, let's be honest, they never actually are favourites) when they are inevitably either dropped or splayed out on the floor.
And don't even get me started on Dutch team tactics.
*sigh*
The Tour isn't over yet Rick. Remember Johnny wore polka dots last year. Keep the faith!0 -
Ja, Jonny.
I like him, a lot, but I find myself saying "where's Jonny" more often than Mart Smeets, usually after I've read he made the big break, only for him to drop like a sack of spuds when they hit the 100km mark and the cameras start rolling.0 -
Rabobank need to get some decent management in, and stop giving jobs to the boys.0
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Sport is cyclical, all great nations/teams have a bad patch. Ten years a go a brit winning a Tour stage was a rarity, now they are so strong that we're all getting bored.
The dutch have a lot of very talented riders, just not many winners."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0 -
Geert Leinders has been the most prominent Dutchman.
To be fair to Rabo they have been very unlucky with crashes/injuries. ten Dam has ridden well for them though.
Actually, nearly all of those you could expect to see in the mountains have been struck down: Gesink, Mollema, Kruijswijk, Westra, Ruijgh, Poels.0 -
I'm beginning to think it's not a coincidence Turfle.
I mean, you'd think the Dutch would be the least affected, given the domestic scene.0 -
OK everyone, stand well back. Drastic measures are required to cheer Rick up-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMjl2hFiM0o0 -
I know Gesink crashed, but what are his actual injuries? Because he's been absolutely chronic in this race.
Rabo should split up their climbers, too. Give Mollema and Kruiswijk a chance to do something in the Vuelta or the Giro instead of sending a team of rouleurs like they usually do.0 -
afx237vi wrote:I know Gesink crashed, but what are his actual injuries? Because he's been absolutely chronic in this race.
A bloody good question. He just keeps saying he's 'blocked'.
Best performance so far is Tom Veelers who I think quit yesterday, with a third on a sprint finish back in the first week.
Christ, I even forgot about Argos.0 -
I'm sure a clog related joke would be quite fitting... I just think of a proper belter
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It really is quite strange when you see them all listed like that. It's not as if they're inexperienced riders; they've all been at the sharp end of some very big races.
I know Gesink wants/wanted to do the Vuelta, do we know if any of the others have the same intention?0 -
I'm with you Rick!
Met Jonny and co doing recon on the Col d'Aubisque, so hopefully they do something on that stage.Scott Addict 2011
Giant TCR 20120 -
Have some man love Rick - spend a few minutes on this page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joop_Zoetemelk - you might want to send the link to all the current Dutch riders to show them what can be done, hopefully it will put a smile on your face.0
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Markwb79 wrote:I'm with you Rick!
Met Jonny and co doing recon on the Col d'Aubisque, so hopefully they do something on that stage.
I'd be bouncing off the walls if he won the circle of death.
He said tomorrow's stage was 'prachtig', or something along those lines and was beaming about the stage. Singled it out specifically.
I'd be very very surprised if he wasn't in the attack tomorrow. Doesn't mean he'll do anything special, but here's hoping.0 -
Breathing trouble when the pace goes up:Rick Chasey wrote:afx237vi wrote:I know Gesink crashed, but what are his actual injuries? Because he's been absolutely chronic in this race.
A bloody good question. He just keeps saying he's 'blocked'.
Best performance so far is Tom Veelers who I think quit yesterday, with a third on a sprint finish back in the first week.
Christ, I even forgot about Argos.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-sh ... elta-bound0 -
Tusher wrote:OK everyone, stand well back. Drastic measures are required to cheer Rick up-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMjl2hFiM0o
aaaarrgh my ears - make it stop.
"hey you guysh letsh party"
Death or Glory- Just another Story0 -
Tusher wrote:OK everyone, stand well back. Drastic measures are required to cheer Rick up-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMjl2hFiM0o
A few committing schoolboy Schatje errors there, getting up to dance to the second chorus which is actually just an instrumental. Sit down, fools!
(I expect I would do this as well)0 -
It's amazing how much that song grows on you once you've clicked on over 50 youtube links from this forum
*starts waving his waving his chair around*0 -
Rick,
You're about seventeen aren't you? You know everything about cycling, especially the pro scene. You have a better power to weight ratio than your average Eritrean. You're bone achingly middle class, so not without opportunity.
Stop crying and go and do something about it. I dare say loads on here would support you, though would probably turn on you the second you experienced any success. We could call you 'The Academic'. You have some kind of degree don't you?0 -
jim453 wrote:Rick,
You're about seventeen aren't you? You know everything about cycling, especially the pro scene. You have a better power to weight ratio than your average Eritrean. You're bone achingly middle class, so not without opportunity.
Stop crying and go and do something about it. I dare say loads on here would support you, though would probably turn on you the second you experienced any success. We could call you 'The Academic'. You have some kind of degree don't you?
eh? Not sure what you're smoking fella. If this is a trolling attempt, its an odd one.It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.0 -
jim453 wrote:Rick,
You're about seventeen aren't you? You know everything about cycling, especially the pro scene. You have a better power to weight ratio than your average Eritrean. You're bone achingly middle class, so not without opportunity.
Stop crying and go and do something about it. I dare say loads on here would support you, though would probably turn on you the second you experienced any success. We could call you 'The Academic'. You have some kind of degree don't you?
Degree, job, forum moderator and Box Hill hillclimb champion, all by the age of 17.
Meet Rick Chasey, child prodigy."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0 -
The cycling equivalent of Scotland in the football, known more for your fans than your talent.0
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Whatever about Dutch cyclists, can someone please explain to me why when you see Dutch cycling fans there's always a few dressed as chickens?It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.0
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jim453 wrote:Rick,
You're about seventeen aren't you? You know everything about cycling, especially the pro scene. You have a better power to weight ratio than your average Eritrean. You're bone achingly middle class, so not without opportunity.
Stop crying and go and do something about it. I dare say loads on here would support you, though would probably turn on you the second you experienced any success. We could call you 'The Academic'. You have some kind of degree don't you?
hehe. nice one - you're rapidly becoming my hero.
Maybe hoogerland and ten dam only ride off adrenalin - couldnt we get them to crash into each other. The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.0 -
I concur, Rick.
lack of funding, a proper talent academy, technological or scientific angle on improving training/racing results. It's been the 1970s in the lage landen well since the, eh, 1970s.....
Successes are mainly in/through cyclocross - Marianne Vos etc. Now imagine a Sky cycloX proteam and the last bastion of oranje success will be dead in the water too.0 -
Now imagine a Sky cycloX proteam
There's a schoolboy in my club who already is a national cyclox champion, has been picked up by BC performance team put the two together and in 4 to 5 years time that quote may well be true.0 -
Clements753 wrote:Now imagine a Sky cycloX proteam
There's a schoolboy in my club who already is a national cyclox champion, has been picked up by BC performance team put the two together and in 4 to 5 years time that quote may well be true.
Right, that's some really good news for a sulky sunday morning Any hints on Sky sponsoring a speedskating team in near future? Then what's the point in retaining my dutch passport... 0
