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31 Aug 15
19:21
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11 Jul 11
If Dumoulin is the new Wiggins, that is, a rangy rider who can TT with the best but also ride GC equally well, then we will be watching his development before our eyes in this Vuelta.
The 24yo Dutchman is a top TT rider as evidenced by his 3rd place result in last year's Worlds, and that's what he has been concentrating on up until now; however after a string of podium results on territory many would consider at the extreme end of his abilities and characteristics here at the Vuelta, he now has the opportunity to develop into a GC rider like Wiggins.
There's no point going over his GT results, they are not noteworthy. What we do know is his podium place in the Tour de Suisse this year, is probably his best result in what is considered a climbers' stage race, and that was largely as a result of the two TT bookended stages he won.
For Dumoulin to choose the GC rider path for himself, he will have to find a form of agreement within himself that he indeed enjoys to suffer in the mountains, arguably the greatest form of suffering on a bicycle. He doesn't know that yet, because he hasn't been in a position where he has a substantial lead over a group of proven GC performers in a GT race known for its climbing, but where the big tests are still yet to come. There is no doubt it is an exciting moment for him -- this question, essentially this crossroads in his career -- and therefore there is consequently no doubt that he will give it his all, his 100%, in order to find out.
Stage 11: He is a pretty smart rider and won't make foolish decisions on this brutally tough stage, he knows that all he has to do is stick with the Principals or at least keep the fading ones in his sights, and by its conclusion if he was to have given a decent account of himself, then he may be closer to knowing that the path for him is as a GC rider, and therefore he might eventually be considered potentially the new Wiggins. So, make no mistake, we are witnessing the development of a top young rider here, it's only that we, like him, don't know which path he will select for himself, because we don't know the results of the inner conflict he will encounter on stage 11, and the answers he will provide to those questions which will come to the surface of his suffering.
In conclusion; I think it's a privilege to witness this development of a rider in such an epic race, you hardly ever get to witness such a thing, however I think he should be 66/1 and not the 14/1 best and 7/1 worst with various, for the GC. The Books are being overly cautious against the possibility of potentially witnessing probably the biggest upset in GT history since I don't know when. He is most likely to blow up, after all, he can still fail and want to pursue a GC career, but when and where that failure will come on stage 11, and whether he will recover to still be in the hunt going into the ITT, are questions which should be much better value.
The 24yo Dutchman is a top TT rider as evidenced by his 3rd place result in last year's Worlds, and that's what he has been concentrating on up until now; however after a string of podium results on territory many would consider at the extreme end of his abilities and characteristics here at the Vuelta, he now has the opportunity to develop into a GC rider like Wiggins.
There's no point going over his GT results, they are not noteworthy. What we do know is his podium place in the Tour de Suisse this year, is probably his best result in what is considered a climbers' stage race, and that was largely as a result of the two TT bookended stages he won.
For Dumoulin to choose the GC rider path for himself, he will have to find a form of agreement within himself that he indeed enjoys to suffer in the mountains, arguably the greatest form of suffering on a bicycle. He doesn't know that yet, because he hasn't been in a position where he has a substantial lead over a group of proven GC performers in a GT race known for its climbing, but where the big tests are still yet to come. There is no doubt it is an exciting moment for him -- this question, essentially this crossroads in his career -- and therefore there is consequently no doubt that he will give it his all, his 100%, in order to find out.
Stage 11: He is a pretty smart rider and won't make foolish decisions on this brutally tough stage, he knows that all he has to do is stick with the Principals or at least keep the fading ones in his sights, and by its conclusion if he was to have given a decent account of himself, then he may be closer to knowing that the path for him is as a GC rider, and therefore he might eventually be considered potentially the new Wiggins. So, make no mistake, we are witnessing the development of a top young rider here, it's only that we, like him, don't know which path he will select for himself, because we don't know the results of the inner conflict he will encounter on stage 11, and the answers he will provide to those questions which will come to the surface of his suffering.
In conclusion; I think it's a privilege to witness this development of a rider in such an epic race, you hardly ever get to witness such a thing, however I think he should be 66/1 and not the 14/1 best and 7/1 worst with various, for the GC. The Books are being overly cautious against the possibility of potentially witnessing probably the biggest upset in GT history since I don't know when. He is most likely to blow up, after all, he can still fail and want to pursue a GC career, but when and where that failure will come on stage 11, and whether he will recover to still be in the hunt going into the ITT, are questions which should be much better value.
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He already showed climbing and GC potential at the Tour de Suisse on the mountain top finish in Soelden coming in 10th 1:37 behind Pinot, repeated it today. He's well judging his abilities, not going flat out as long as he can.
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Cheers mate, I'll see if I can find that.
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biggest upset in GT history? when did you start watching cycling? 6 months ago
Ryder Hesjedal was a big upset in the '12 Giro d'Italia. Oscar Pereiro was an even bigger surprise winning the '06 Tour de France. |
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Dumoulin has been doing much more than concentrating on ITT's up until now if you've been watching. He is more of an all-rounder as a road cyclist than Wiggins.
But Wiggins will take some catching and calling Dumoulin the new Wiggins is more than a stretch. Wiggins- 4 time Olympic gold medalist plus 3 minor medals. 7 time World Champion. 13 times on the podium. 1st and 3rd in the Tour de France. 3rd in the Vuelta. 1st two times Criterium du Dauphine. 1st and 3rd Paris-Nice. 1st Tour de Romandie. 1st Tour of California. 1st Tour of Britain. |
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If Dumoulin wins here I believe he will have done something which Wiggins couldn't do, and he will have done it at the developing age of 24, so it looks very-much like we may very-well have our new Wiggins-type rider!
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Hanging on in the mountains and blitzing everyone in the ITT is not a new way of winning a GT. Wiggins is the last person that has done it successfully but if Dumoulin can do it then here, with almost no team support it will be a truly astounding achievement and certainly throws a new player into the mix and along with people like TJVG and even people like Rohan Dennis moving forward it will certainly add a new element into the mix whenever there is a GT with fewer summit finishes and a lot of TT miles.
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