# What's going on with Joe Dombrowski?



## OnTheRivet (Sep 3, 2004)

DNF at Coppi Bartali and hasn't raced since. After a forgettable season last year I wonder if he's not cut out for the Pro Tour?


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## Hiro11 (Dec 18, 2010)

I would cut the kid some slack.
1. This part of the season isn't really for him. He's hardly a classics rider, he's pretty much a pure climber. I guess I'm surprised we didn't see him in Pais Vasco, but we'll likely see him in Tour de Suisse and/or Romandie.
2. For a neo pro, he kicked ass in a few races last year. I wouldn't call a massive, extended solo break on the queen stage of the Tour de Suisse that took the combined efforts of some of the best climbers in the world to pull back "forgettable".
3. Judging by Strava, he's in Boulder training. I guess he learned the lesson last year about acclimating to altitude through his nosebleed issue.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

My guess is that you will see him a support role in a few of the European stage races this season, but he Boswell will be given some freedom to attack and support in the U.S. races later this year. A lot like what we have seen BMC do with Tejay and Garmin do with Talansky over the past few seasons.


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## Rokh On (Oct 30, 2011)

Hiro11 said:


> I would cut the kid some slack.
> 
> 3. Judging by Strava, he's in Boulder training. I guess he learned the lesson last year about acclimating to altitude through his nosebleed issue.


^^^this

You may run into any number of up and coming young riders riding the Boulder/Golden area right now.


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## bluelena69 (Apr 19, 2005)

Like Andy Schleck? What a waste of a contract.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

bluelena69 said:


> Like Andy Schleck? What a waste of a contract.


I think Andy is busy falling down and failing to live up the expectation at the Ardennes Classics ATM.


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## bluelena69 (Apr 19, 2005)

He bumped his knee and it hurts. I can't believe he didn't learn a thing or two about suffering and perseverance being on the same team as Horner. In fact, I bet Horner hates his ass.


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

bluelena69 said:


> He bumped his knee and it hurts. I can't believe he didn't learn a thing or two about suffering and perseverance being on the same team as Horner. In fact, I bet Horner hates his ass.


It's a careless reach to call a multi time GT podium finisher (and Liege winner) a sissy. Whatever is holding him down, it's not a lack of resolve or work ethic. What he's achieved cannot be done without a ton of work and determination. By anyone.


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## dnice (Jul 12, 2012)

compare and contrast: andy schleck's palmares at age 21 with joe dombrowski's. i like joe, but seriously...


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## jmorgan (Apr 13, 2012)

Rokh On said:


> ^^^this
> 
> You may run into any number of up and coming young riders riding the Boulder/Golden area right now.


Actually he's in Virgina.


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## bluelena69 (Apr 19, 2005)

I didn't call him a "sissy" nor was that what I meant. I was thinking more along the lines of candy ass.


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## Hiro11 (Dec 18, 2010)

jmorgan said:


> Actually he's in Virgina.


Strava shows him in Boulder earlier this month and now Virginia.


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

davidka said:


> It's a careless reach to call a multi time GT podium finisher (and Liege winner) a sissy. Whatever is holding him down, it's not a lack of resolve or work ethic. What he's achieved cannot be done without a ton of work and determination. By anyone.


Maybe Andy stopped doping when he saw his Dr. Fuentes client brother getting busted...


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## teoteoteo (Sep 8, 2002)

Joe will be fine. Not sure how the Schleck comparison started, but apples and oranges. His dad didn't ride the tour and joe'd never ridden a TT bike until his first pro race for Axel. 

When he made the jump to Pro Tour he had his choice of programs and he knows he has to develop his TT. And learn tactics, comfort in the group. When he finished that Baldy stage he made mistakes, he made mistakes at Gila before that, and at US Pro on the way up Flagstaff he did as well. Ones he'd admit too. He did the monster attack at the baby giro to regain the lead, but it will take some seasoning and experience to see that again against the best. 

He had breakout performances based on a huge motor, but that doesn't make for the seasoning and development it takes to be given a huge leash at the age of 21 at the pro tour level. He wasn't a guy who'd been on bike since he was a tot and had tons of time at the front end of the bunch. He had 3-4 killer rides, a little experience as a pro and numbers that made him impossible to pass up. Skye had the longest sponsorship and solid development plan for him. He did the right thing.


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

Seems he was back in action at the ToC


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## Hiro11 (Dec 18, 2010)

Jwiffle said:


> Seems he was back in action at the ToC


He singlehandedly burned almost everyone in the pack on the Mountain High climb. At a couple of points, it looked to me like he stepped it back a bit to not lose Wiggins. Wiggins was certainly full of praise for him, especially considering he'd only had about 3 weeks of solid training this spring.

I read somewhere that he was injured due to an undiagnosed issue of one leg being slightly longer than the other, a problem now fixed with a cleat spacer. Since he's only been riding for four years, it's probably not surprising that it took them this long to realize this was an issue. Also, they've cauterized the blood vessels in his nose, so that shouldn't be a problem any more.

Overall, as I said before it's going to be very interesting to see Joe D. in the Tour de Suisse: lots of climbing, week long race. Perfect for Dombrowski.


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## DZfan14 (Jul 6, 2009)

Hiro11 said:


> He singlehandedly burned almost everyone in the pack on the Mountain High climb. At a couple of points, it looked to me like he stepped it back a bit to not lose Wiggins. Wiggins was certainly full of praise for him, especially considering he'd only had about 3 weeks of solid training this spring.
> 
> I read somewhere that he was injured due to an undiagnosed issue of one leg being slightly longer than the other, a problem now fixed with a cleat spacer. Since he's only been riding for four years, it's probably not surprising that it took them this long to realize this was an issue. Also, they've cauterized the blood vessels in his nose, so that shouldn't be a problem any more.
> 
> Overall, as I said before it's going to be very interesting to see Joe D. in the Tour de Suisse: lots of climbing, week long race. Perfect for Dombrowski.


He seems to have a world of potential after his ride two years ago. I was really impressed with the work he did this week. He just needs time and space to develop as a rider and the fanboy US press needs to chill with the expectations.

I thought that OP was pretty harsh about the forgettable last season. As much as I hate Sky, it was great to see him get a ride with a team like that, simply because it wouldn't have been out of the question to give him another season on developmental squad. Just my .02.


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## PDex (Mar 23, 2004)

While in Boulder, he discovered a bio-mechanical issue that he didn't know he had. Analyzed and addressed. He's good to go.


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

I am very excited about Joe, after watching this year's ToC. He was just a helper, but did amazing job for Wiggo. Super-domestique, and still so young.
I think he may be at the level of Van Garderen, Talansky, Phinney, Craddock.
I bet he wins the Grand Tour one day. He seems to have all the tools.


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## Hiro11 (Dec 18, 2010)

New news today on Joe Dombrowski: apparently he's had an undiagnosed physiological issue with an artery in his leg:
Dombrowski has surgery on leg artery, looks to future - VeloNews.com

It sounds like a relatively well known and solvable condition. He's had surgery but it's possible he won't ride again this year. He is unsigned for next year.

Dombrowski has been through the wringer in the past couple of years:
1. Nosebleed issues that required permanent cauterization to solve.
2. Undiagnosed uneven leg length issue that damaged his knees.
3. This circulation problem.

Thankfully these issues are all not major, they just required diagnosis and remediation. I think the large number of issues he's had is due to the fact that he's a relatively untested rider who rose extremely quickly through the ranks. These problems might have been caught earlier if he had riding longer.

He's obviously physiologically gifted, but that's true of a lot of riders. If he's able to come back, he's going to need to start over developing his racecraft. He's going to be a "project" for any team that takes him.


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## Hiro11 (Dec 18, 2010)

Dombrowski was transferred to the new Cannondale team. He's in the midst of recovery right now and did ride in the GPs in Canada. I still have faith in the guy, I think he's shown signs of being an Aru type young rider.

Transfers: Dombrowski set to move from Team Sky to Cannondale | Cyclingnews.com


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## dnice (Jul 12, 2012)

Hiro11 said:


> Dombrowski was transferred to the new Cannondale team. He's in the midst of recovery right now and did ride in the GPs in Canada. I still have faith in the guy, I think he's shown signs of being an Aru type young rider.
> 
> Transfers: Dombrowski set to move from Team Sky to Cannondale | Cyclingnews.com


that is a ridiculously unique example of bad luck.


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