Spencer, your analysis is simply the best. Your use of data and objective comparisons really sets you apart. Bravo. Looking forward to your Tour analysis. Thank you.
Maybe I have it wrong, but it strikes me that a pulmonary contusion with fractured ribs and a collapsed lung is serious stuff. While one is healing, I’ve read that struggling to breathe is quite common. So, I just can’t imagine anything short of full pulmonary function before attempting monster climbs in high mountains. We all do wish Jonas well. I hope he’s back in action in top form soon.
This is a very good point. I was frankly surprised that Jonas' potential participation was even discussed at Visma. However, we can't rule out the possibility that they don't intend for him to race the Tour and he is at Tignes to prepare for the Vuelta and this is all a smokescreen to throw off their opponents.
Pretty hard not to be a Roglic fan, even with a weaker performance on stage 8. What a tough guy!! Yet, you are right. Primoz is not in the shape he’d need to be in to contest the tour.
Evenepoel recovered a bit the final day, but his shrugging off a dismal performance in the mountains tells the story. I wish him well as he’s obviously a nice guy and a talented cyclist, but he’s a long shot at best for winning the TdF.
Not sure if I’m in the minority, but I hope that Visma/LAB doesn’t race Vingegaard at the Tour. There’s no way that Jonas is even close to 100%. Give him time to heal, train and get back to top form. Missing one Tour doesn’t hamper his career. Get Jonas ready for the Vuelta. With Matteo Jorgenson riding so well, Visma/LAB has options.
On Evenepoel, while Sunday was his best day climbing, if you only heard that he finished nearly a minute behind Derek Gee on a mountain stage 2.5 weeks before the Tour, you would probably assume he had a terrible day. If Pog was here, he would have finished 2.5-3 minutes ahead of Evenepoel on this single climb alone.
I agree Jonas can't be 100% for the Tour, but I do think they will take him if only to act as a decoy. After all, a hobbled Roglic acting as a decoy for Pogacar to chase is the only reason they could crack Pogacar and win the 2022 Tour with Jonas.
The decoy argument makes sense. What would concern me if I was a Visma/LAB team leader is that an injured athlete who returns to competition before sufficient recovery and reconditioning is at increased risk of injury. There's a higher risk of longterm damage. A 21 stage grand tour, and especially the TdF, is as grueling an event as there is in professional sports. If Jonas is truly ready to race, he should race. We see athletes in many sports return from serious injury and achieve the best years of their career. In pro football, Payton Manning, Tom Brady and Odell Beckham Jr are examples. Manning had to learn how to throw a football again. But, none of these players rushed their recovery.
Spencer, your analysis is simply the best. Your use of data and objective comparisons really sets you apart. Bravo. Looking forward to your Tour analysis. Thank you.
Maybe I have it wrong, but it strikes me that a pulmonary contusion with fractured ribs and a collapsed lung is serious stuff. While one is healing, I’ve read that struggling to breathe is quite common. So, I just can’t imagine anything short of full pulmonary function before attempting monster climbs in high mountains. We all do wish Jonas well. I hope he’s back in action in top form soon.
This is a very good point. I was frankly surprised that Jonas' potential participation was even discussed at Visma. However, we can't rule out the possibility that they don't intend for him to race the Tour and he is at Tignes to prepare for the Vuelta and this is all a smokescreen to throw off their opponents.
Pretty hard not to be a Roglic fan, even with a weaker performance on stage 8. What a tough guy!! Yet, you are right. Primoz is not in the shape he’d need to be in to contest the tour.
Evenepoel recovered a bit the final day, but his shrugging off a dismal performance in the mountains tells the story. I wish him well as he’s obviously a nice guy and a talented cyclist, but he’s a long shot at best for winning the TdF.
Not sure if I’m in the minority, but I hope that Visma/LAB doesn’t race Vingegaard at the Tour. There’s no way that Jonas is even close to 100%. Give him time to heal, train and get back to top form. Missing one Tour doesn’t hamper his career. Get Jonas ready for the Vuelta. With Matteo Jorgenson riding so well, Visma/LAB has options.
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On Evenepoel, while Sunday was his best day climbing, if you only heard that he finished nearly a minute behind Derek Gee on a mountain stage 2.5 weeks before the Tour, you would probably assume he had a terrible day. If Pog was here, he would have finished 2.5-3 minutes ahead of Evenepoel on this single climb alone.
I agree Jonas can't be 100% for the Tour, but I do think they will take him if only to act as a decoy. After all, a hobbled Roglic acting as a decoy for Pogacar to chase is the only reason they could crack Pogacar and win the 2022 Tour with Jonas.
The decoy argument makes sense. What would concern me if I was a Visma/LAB team leader is that an injured athlete who returns to competition before sufficient recovery and reconditioning is at increased risk of injury. There's a higher risk of longterm damage. A 21 stage grand tour, and especially the TdF, is as grueling an event as there is in professional sports. If Jonas is truly ready to race, he should race. We see athletes in many sports return from serious injury and achieve the best years of their career. In pro football, Payton Manning, Tom Brady and Odell Beckham Jr are examples. Manning had to learn how to throw a football again. But, none of these players rushed their recovery.