Rabobank TdF selection

David Cowie said:

So what about Robert Hunter then ?
Sprinter and winner of 2 stages in the recent Tour de Suisse ?

But looking at the nature of the 2 wins, those are two different
qualifications. Maybe he's developing more as an attacker, and then he
is a) just another attacker in the Rabo squad, and b) less and less a
contender for Tour stage bunch sprints.

"David Cowie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Team leader Erik Breukink has a sharp focus on the Rabobank Cycling
Teams goals during the Tour de France. Breukink: "For the line-up of
our team, we have looked at the qualities of Rasmussen, Leipheimer and
Boogerd for the mountain stages plus an attacking way of competing in
the other stages. Now that we're missing Freire, unfortunately, we're
out for the bunch sprints, but for the other stages we have the
qualities."

So what about Robert Hunter then ?
Sprinter and winner of 2 stages in the recent Tour de Suisse ?

(yes, I know he's 1st reserve).

</vent>

I had the same reaction. All I can say is that I tend to trust the DS in
most cases unless there is some clear bias for one reason or another. Hunter
has been a really strong sprinter his whole career and I can't figure out
why he changes teams so often. A lot of his wins have come from the early
season stage races but I think he has a few GT sages wins as well (in Spain
and or Italy?). I would have thought he would make the Tour team but I defer
to Erik. With 3 co-captains, the rest of the team has to be able to support
them and I guess Hunter would have been less able to support those efforts,
or at least that seems to be what Breukink thinks.

Chris said:

"David Cowie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Team leader Erik Breukink has a sharp focus on the Rabobank Cycling
Teams goals during the Tour de France. Breukink: "For the line-up of
our team, we have looked at the qualities of Rasmussen, Leipheimer
and Boogerd for the mountain stages plus an attacking way of
competing in the other stages. Now that we're missing Freire,
unfortunately, we're out for the bunch sprints, but for the other
stages we have the qualities."

So what about Robert Hunter then ?
Sprinter and winner of 2 stages in the recent Tour de Suisse ?

(yes, I know he's 1st reserve).

</vent>

I had the same reaction. All I can say is that I tend to trust the DS
in most cases unless there is some clear bias for one reason or
another. Hunter has been a really strong sprinter his whole career
and I can't figure out why he changes teams so often. <snip>

Well, he didn't have much choice when Mapei folded. ;-)

jan

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"Chris" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

"David Cowie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Team leader Erik Breukink has a sharp focus on the Rabobank Cycling
Teams goals during the Tour de France. Breukink: "For the line-up of
our team, we have looked at the qualities of Rasmussen, Leipheimer and
Boogerd for the mountain stages plus an attacking way of competing in
the other stages. Now that we're missing Freire, unfortunately, we're
out for the bunch sprints, but for the other stages we have the
qualities."

So what about Robert Hunter then ?
Sprinter and winner of 2 stages in the recent Tour de Suisse ?

(yes, I know he's 1st reserve).

</vent>

I had the same reaction. All I can say is that I tend to trust the DS in
most cases unless there is some clear bias for one reason or another. Hunter
has been a really strong sprinter his whole career

Come on now, don't exaggerate.