Gibert....stopped cheating or just out of form?
tailwindhome
Posts: 19,452
Not the rider he was a couple of years back.
So what's the story?
So what's the story?
“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
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He got richer then he ever imagined and now is doing the least possible to get the paycheck. Not sure when his BMC contract ends but I am sure he will pull some big wins just before it closes. I hope he gets a win in the Tour.Contador is the Greatest0
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What do you base the fact hes cheating on? 2011 was a brilliant year as was 2012 with the World Championship win, Gilbert misfired a bit this year in Ardennes, but everyone now knows his class so marks him more than they used to, combine that with new talent coming up and other riders developing it will become more difficult to win for example Sagan is now a very similar rider who can challenge Gilbert, but wasn't really present in 2011.
Everyone has bad patches, do you think because Cadel Evans didn't place well in the two Tours 09/10 after his two 2nds in 07/08 that he had stopped doping? If so then how did he go onto win. I think it is unfair to accuse a rider of doping just because they haven't got any results yet this season, his last season was long with a peak near the end so another peak will need to build later, Gilbert normally comes good in the Vuelta and the End of Year classics also. Maybe I'm too optimistic but I think we should believe in the riders until there is evidence to prove otherwise. It'd be pretty bleak if we couldn't.0 -
Hang on. We can debate the rest later, but 2011 was a horrendous year, rescued by the WC win.
Evans continued to have good results and win big races in those year between Tour podiums. He's also 6 years older than Gilbert.“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
To be fair, he hasn't gone off the boil the way Hushovd has.0
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TailWindHome wrote:but 2011 was a horrendous year, rescued by the WC win.
2012 was a horrendous year taking away his WC win. Not 20110 -
ThomThom wrote:TailWindHome wrote:but 2011 was a horrendous year, rescued by the WC win.
2012 was a horrendous year taking away his WC win. Not 2011
True fact.“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
FYI. CQ ranking for Gilbert:
2013 38th
2012 22nd
2011 1st
2010 3rd
2009 5th
2008 9th
2007 48th
2006 20th
2005 58th
2004 47th
2003 243rd
2002 1511st
To be fair he has been hugely successful and talented for a long period of time. Even with his current form, his career ranked against all pro athletes is very high indeed.
True and proper certified heavyweight and racer.
He is also certified PRO in his style and photogenicity.
Its understandable that he would have difficulty holding form over all those years and he is 30 something now.Contador is the Greatest0 -
frenchfighter wrote:2013 38th.
Can't believe there are only 37 riders in the world having a better 2013 than Gilbert....
Personally I don't think he was cheating and went clean. Aside from anything else I can't see him being so successful as a cheat and spontaneously decided to stop without being caught.
I thought it might be interesting to take the forum temperature on this one.
I agree with Frenchie, he's weighed down with all the cash.“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
Expending all his energy on Mrs Gilbert if he has any sense, much better than winning a bike race I should think.0
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BMC: The graveyard of champions."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
Notwithstanding his undoubted ability, looking at how his ranking has gone over last decade, surely just a case of regression to the mean. Goes without saying that if you have an annus mirablus (sp?), going to be tough to keep going year on year. Very few manage it without something special added . . . .Bonking is fun . . . but not on the bike.0
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He's gone back to the rider he was pre-2011; the attacks just aren't as violent, and aren't sustained for nearly as long. That could be a function of many things - doping, form, tactics of others, riders like Sagan being able to follow.
It's certainly been a hell of a drop off from:
1st Liège–Bastogne–Liège
1st Amstel Gold Race
1st La Flèche Wallonne
1st Clásica de San Sebastián
1st Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
1st Montepaschi Strade Bianche
1st Brabantse Pijl
3rd Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
8th Giro di Lombardia
9th Tour of Flanders0 -
You can't help gut think that BMC got a bum deal with some of their signings. If they had been "in form" then BMC would have been almost invincible0
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In fairness, those seasons that Gilbert had where he won everything are very rarely ever repeated.
Boonen never saw form like 2005 ever again. He got close last year.0 -
Personally - out of form or just failing to find the motivation after an amazing year in 2011.
However if you want some fuel for a cheating fire - then is it coincidental that in 2011 where he had his win everything season he rode for Omega-Pharma. He leaves for BMC in 2012 where Tom Boonen takes his team leader role at Omega-Pharma and promptly wins everything he targets.
Sorry, i'll get my coat and check in with the clinic.0 -
mr_poll wrote:Personally - out of form or just failing to find the motivation after an amazing year in 2011.
However if you want some fuel for a cheating fire - then is it coincidental that in 2011 where he had his win everything season he rode for Omega-Pharma. He leaves for BMC in 2012 where Tom Boonen takes his team leader role at Omega-Pharma and promptly wins everything he targets.
Sorry, i'll get my coat and check in with the clinic.
Yeah, best you do that.0 -
The sponsor may be the same, but the team isn't. Gilbert's Omega is now Lotto. Boonen's Omega was Quick Step.mr_poll wrote:Personally - out of form or just failing to find the motivation after an amazing year in 2011.
However if you want some fuel for a cheating fire - then is it coincidental that in 2011 where he had his win everything season he rode for Omega-Pharma. He leaves for BMC in 2012 where Tom Boonen takes his team leader role at Omega-Pharma and promptly wins everything he targets.Twitter: @RichN950 -
Personally, I think he's probably clean but there is the question mark concerning Dr ibarguren.RichN95 wrote:
The sponsor may be the same, but the team isn't. Gilbert's Omega is now Lotto. Boonen's Omega was Quick Step.mr_poll wrote:Personally - out of form or just failing to find the motivation after an amazing year in 2011.
However if you want some fuel for a cheating fire - then is it coincidental that in 2011 where he had his win everything season he rode for Omega-Pharma. He leaves for BMC in 2012 where Tom Boonen takes his team leader role at Omega-Pharma and promptly wins everything he targets.
http://www.cyclismas.com/2012/12/so-just-who-is-dr-jose-ibarguren-taus/0 -
Linking a rider with someone dodgy is the easiest game in town, though. After all the patron saints of the doping fans are Bassons (Festina 98), LeMond (PDM 88), Moncoutie (Cofidis 03) and now Pinotti (Lampre & Saunier Duval)..DeadCalm wrote:Personally, I think he's probably clean but there is the question mark concerning Dr ibarguren.
http://www.cyclismas.com/2012/12/so-just-who-is-dr-jose-ibarguren-taus/Twitter: @RichN950 -
You forgot Wiggins and Froome with Leinders (Sky 2012). For what it is worth I actually agree with you. However, the point you were making somewhere up-thread was that Boonen and Gilbert were on different teams in their super years. I was just pointing out the connection.RichN95 wrote:
Linking a rider with someone dodgy is the easiest game in town, though. After all the patron saints of the doping fans are Bassons (Festina 98), LeMond (PDM 88), Moncoutie (Cofidis 03) and now Pinotti (Lampre & Saunier Duval)..DeadCalm wrote:Personally, I think he's probably clean but there is the question mark concerning Dr ibarguren.
http://www.cyclismas.com/2012/12/so-just-who-is-dr-jose-ibarguren-taus/0 -
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Apologies I knew I had read a connection somewhere - didn't realise the teams were different.
Like i posted my belief is that he is clean (as is Boonen for that matter). I go with the argument that to be at the very top of the sport now takes serious sacrifices with training and dedication which is almost impossible to continue from season to season if you want/have any sort of life away from the sport.0 -
TailWindHome wrote:Hang on. We can debate the rest later, but 2011 was a horrendous year, rescued by the WC win.
Evans continued to have good results and win big races in those year between Tour podiums. He's also 6 years older than Gilbert.
2011 was the year he won all 3 Ardennes classics, in 2012 he still managed 2 stages in Vuelta and World Championship win, I don't think that's horrendous. Considering how many riders in peloton would be pleased with just one grand tour stage win.
Gilberts had a case of close but no cigar this year so far, but hes still involved in the racing, as others say the focus required to get to that level is immense, once you achieve that you get marked so much so it is often hard to rise again so fast, which is probably why hes struggling. Or it could the 'curse of the rainbow jersey' :shock:0 -
Why is it when rider has a bad season/patch it automatically means they have been cheating?0
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I think you hit the nail on the head (so to speak)
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