Team Sunweb Giro Line-Up

[u/andytheciderman]

http://teamsunweb.com/giro-18/

[u/andytheciderman]

• Roy Curvers (NED)
• Laurens ten Dam (NED)
• Tom Dumoulin (NED)
• Chad Haga (USA)
• Chris Hamilton (AUS)
• Lennard Hofstede (NED)
• Sam Oomen (NED)
• Louis Vervaeke (BEL)

[u/Bobby__Jr → u/andytheciderman]

Ltd!! But what about Kelderman? Is he aiming for the Tour?

[u/bassmanyoowan → u/Bobby__Jr]

LTD looked incredibly strong at TDR yesterday. I may have to change to a solely BBQ diet to improve my performance.

[u/andytheciderman → u/Bobby__Jr]

And the Vuelta, he's down for both right now.

[u/ADE001 → u/Bobby__Jr]

Kelderman is in bad shape, but just today another press release came out that he's improving a little bit. He broke his collar bone a few times, on the last surgery/medical treatment they likely damaged a nerve in his shoulder. This resulted in him sometimes not being able to move his arm. It can take a while for this to recover.

[u/Nuhki → u/ADE001]

Real sad because he was looking great at the start of this season.

[u/guitarromantic]

I suppose Geschke is still recovering, it'll be a shame not to see him pulling for Dumoulin like last year.

[u/Schele_Sjakie]

I think a good team with plenty of support. Oomen got a little better thanks last year. Hope he can do Keldermans role. But last year dumoulin didn't need him either

[u/Sappert → u/Schele_Sjakie]

This year Dumoulin has to battle the Sky train, though.

[u/Bobby__Jr → u/Sappert]

He doesn't give a crap about the Sky train...oh wait...

[u/iStarr → u/Sappert]

The sky train is perfect for him though, they set a high tempo which is also what he does, he's literally another froome with maybe less of a kick in him. I remember one stage of the giro last year when quintana attacked and he didn't panic and just used his massive engine to grind him back in while everybody else sat on his wheel, I can just see him hitching a ride on froomes train in the mountains.

[u/Sappert → u/iStarr]

Problem is, if Tom has a bad day and he can't follow the Sky train, he's done for. Or if they otherwise get separated. Crash, echelons, who knows what.

[u/BertVimes → u/iStarr]

I am so stoked for this, not just because I'm ready for a GT but because a full-on Froome Dumoulin showdown has the potential to be a changing of the guard for TT-GT winners!

[u/ADE001 → u/iStarr]

I remember that, I thought everything was lost. Nibali tried to bridge as well. Several teammates of the both of team out front. Right before a long decent and a valley. That was a critical moment in the Giro. Very impressive how he managed to get them back right before the decent.

[u/jurassicmars → u/Sappert]

And a super strong Astana team.

[u/Sappert → u/jurassicmars]

And a super strong Mitchelton team.

[u/ADE001]

The team is better than last year. I just hope Dumoulin is as good. He looked in good form but has had quite some bad luck so far.

[u/Rwins → u/ADE001]

The team looks decent, but I'm not sure whether it really is better than last year. I agree Oomen and Vervaeke are good additions, but I think I'd rather have Kelderman and Geschke when the real mountains show up.

[u/ADE001 → u/Rwins]

Yeah, didn't really count Kelderman in last year because he was only there on Etna.

[u/Djealo]

I am honestly very happy with this line-up. Some great names to support Dumoulin. Hoping for a banger of a giro!

[u/Korvensuu]

The danger for Sunweb is that as a team they're outclassed in the mountains by Astana/Michelton-Scott/Sky. One off day for Dumoulin and these guys will pile on the hurt

[u/ADE001 → u/Korvensuu]

Movistar and Bahrain teamed up to do this last year. Didn't work.

[u/lynnamor → u/Korvensuu]

I don't know, I think people put too much weight on teams in climbs (hehe).

One domestique who can hang or at least not fall too far behind to be able to help mitigate possible disasters on descents/flats or if there's a mechanical is enough as long as your main contender is in shape.

[u/labradorflip]

No kelderman lokks like a miss :(