Remember this guy?

[sanrensho]

I'm referring to the guy in front pacing Botero up the hill.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2006/may06/catalunya06/catalunya064/Par760952.jpg

























It's Ryder Hesjedal, riding to a fourth place finish on Stage 4 of the Volta a Catalunya. I sure hope he makes the selection for at least one Grand Tour this year.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2006/may06/catalunya06/?id=results/catalunya064

[wallyjames]

He just can't seem to find a place in the road world, can he? No one outstanding strength. I would have thought he'd ride a good TT as XC is so much like that, but no particular talent there either. Sure would like to see him get a chance at the Tour or the Vuelta.

[sanrensho]

He just can't seem to find a place in the road world, can he? No one outstanding strength.

I expected him to be a good, if not kick-ass, climber. Like a few other ex-MTBers such as Landis, Danielson, and Rasmussen.

Still, I think this is only his 2nd full year as a pro roadie. He's still got time to produce results, which he'll have to do to stay with a ProTour team.

[wallyjames]

MTB tends to produce power and bike handling skills. The short Olympic style courses by definition don't have long, extended climbs. But the climbs can and do have really steep sections and obstacles that can only be overcome by bursts of power. Rasmussen somehow morphed into a pure climber despite that MTB background.

I guess a rider's career and strengths are largely defined by how their team sees him and the roles he is given in races. Ryder seems mostly to have been given domestique duties so far, although I haven't kept a close eye on his road career either.

[thewalrus]

Rasmussen somehow morphed into a pure climber despite that MTB background.

I guess a rider's career and strengths are largely defined by how their team sees him and the roles he is given in races.

Partly defined by body size and watt to kilogram ratio... Rasmussen (have you seen that photo of him without a shirt looking like a concentration camp survivor?) showed the willingness to shed every unneeded pound and concentrate on climbing. He's almost exactly the same height and weight as the great Richard Virenque. Pity about last year's tour time trial, that man and disc wheeled bikes TT do not get along well at all.

[wallyjames]

That TT was painful to watch. Poor guy completely lost his cool with the world watching.

[Oldtimer]

So Ryder finishes 4th overall, I'd say that should raise his standing with Phonak.
I didn't know Ryder had left Discovery, anyone know the circumstances?

[sanrensho]

I didn't know Ryder had left Discovery, anyone know the circumstances?

Dunno, I never heard anything negative about Ryder's move to Phonak, so my guess is that the split was amicable.

Discovery is so stacked that he probably wanted more opportunities. Let's hope he at least gets the nod for the Vuelta.

[sanrensho]

Ryder in the news. Looks like there's a good chance that he'll make the Vuelta team, but not the TdF.

http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/9924.0.html

"VN.com: Do you feel like there's any unfinished business with mountain biking?

RH: I'm pretty much finished with it..."