It was Chris Froome who was supposed to do the historic double this year, fresh(ish) from a Giro d’Italia victory and backed by an incredible support team. It wasn’t to be, however, and as Froome conceded his Tour chances to teammate Geraint Thomas, history receded with him. Joining the four-time champion in the footnotes – and worthy of so much more – was Tom Dumoulin, winner of the Giro 2017 and now second in both of 2018’s Grand Tours.
Double trouble
Perhaps the affable Dumoulin has just become one of Team Sky and their mega budget’s many victims, but if we stick to the simplest narrative – strength and luck triumphs in the end – the Giro 2017 champion has proved himself to be one of the very strongest and most cunning riders of the whole 2018 season.
Second to Froome at the Giro d’Italia, second to Thomas on both his summit victories in the Alps, and second overall to the Welshman by the finish in Paris – that’s quite some streak. It’s not winning, but it’s certainly an enviable level of consistency.
A worthy champion
Just like Geraint Thomas, Richie Porte, Chris Froome and Sir Bradley Wiggins before them, Tom Dumoulin is a stage racer from the modern mould, as strong in the mountains as he is on the time trial bike – almost. The ability to record a speedy time against the clock certainly seems a prerequisite for Grand Tour glory in the current era, as Dumoulin demonstrated by snatching the pink jersey from Nairo Quintana’s shoulders in the last stage of last year’s Giro d’Italia.
Despite his consistent form so far in 2018, few could argue that 2017 was the best season of his life, book-ended by the pink jersey and World Championships glory in the individual time trial. Though the rainbow-bands have proven a curse for some, it seems nobody told the 2018 champions about the bad juju, with both Dumoulin and Peter Sagan doing just fine in their respective disciplines this year thank you very much. The lanky Dutchman has won two ITTs (in Grand Tours) since pulling on the world champ’s stripes. Both by pretty small margins, but a win’s a win.
A racer’s race bike
When not ripping round long and technical courses on the Giant Trinity time trial bike, Dumoulin’s machine of choice is the versatile and world-beating TCR. It’s the same bike pedalled to victory at last year’s Giro and was later ridden to green and polka-dot glory at the Tour de France by Michael Matthews and Warren Barguil respectively. A bike for all terrains – flat drag-races, sharp uphill sprints, lung-busting climbs, helter skelter descents – the TCR can do it all.
One bike which got a rare Grand Tour outing at the Tour de France was the Defy Advanced, Giant’s cobble-gobbler, much-needed on stage nine’s dusty race to Roubaix. Its taller front end and more forgiving geometry carried Dumoulin and his teammates comfortably to the finish line on what could very well have been a chaotic day out, but which ultimately passed with few dramas.
Though history won’t look back on the 2018 season as being especially successful for Giant, Team Sunweb or Tom Dumoulin – provided he doesn’t shock us with a surprise Vuelta tilt later this month – it really ought to be recognised for what it has been, a jolly consistent and respectable show of strength by one of modern cycling’s great gentlemen. To see more of the Tour’s high-achievers, check out our range of Specialized and Trek road bikes here.
