Professional Cycling For the Fans - who is Tom Danielson

and why is he ahead of all the other Americans?

and why is he ahead of all the other Americans?

Don't know too much about him except he's American, rides for Garmin and had a top ten finish in last years Vuelta.

Apart from the fact that he's a good rider he's ahead because he hasn't crashed.

He was 9th in the Vuelta last year.

He was someone who showed a lot of promise when he first started out - probably even called "the next Lance" at one point... he languished and kind of disappeared and now he's making somewhat of a comeback.

In interviews he comes across as a socially awkward goober.

He's had a lot of trouble staying healthy over the years and often that was the reason he didn't live up to expectations. If I remember, I'll post a pic of him from a morning signing event at my LBS years ago when he rode for Dicovery and was in town for Lance's training camp. He didn't look like he wanted to be there.

He looks good this year and happy to be healthy and keeping up.

In interviews he comes across as a socially awkward goober.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blQrIySidOA

In interviews he comes across as a socially awkward goober.

Never heard him being interviewed so I found this from this years ToC.

http://video.app.msn.com/watch/video/tom-danielson-interview/6q139ix?cpkey=53514a1e-4514-489d-90d5-b5af363ddd0e%7C%7C%7C%7C

Socially awkward?????????????????????

Yeah, I found this one too:

http://video.app.msn.com/watch/video/tom-danielson-interview/62hn89a?cpkey=53514a1e-4514-489d-90d5-b5af363ddd0e|||| (http://video.app.msn.com/watch/video/tom-danielson-interview/62hn89a?cpkey=53514a1e-4514-489d-90d5-b5af363ddd0e%7C%7C%7C%7C)

He's no Cary Grant, but not really what I'd call a goober.

Tom has a very impressive list of stateside results, past winner of Tour of Georgia, 3rd this year at Tour of California, course record holder for both Mt.Evans and Mt.Washington hillclimb races. I am not at all suprized to see him riding well at TDF this year and I suspect that Garmin will support both Tom and Christian Vande Velde as GC contendors going forward rather than relegating Tom as a domestique.

He's no Cary Grant, but not really what I'd call a goober.

He's matured a mite, maybe I was a bit harsh.
I'm remembering some interviews when he moved to Italy with a place on Fassa Bortolo after a couple years as a US based pro... maybe he was only awkward in front of the camera.

Found my picture of Danielson, Padrnos and Azevedo. In their defense, it was 7:30am, about 38 degrees and drizzling. This tent was in the parking lot of the LBS. I asked Danielson if they were going to ride in such bad weather and he cracked a rye smile and said "We ride everday...no matter what"

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/5939191332_fed2b0a3ef_z.jpg

And they signed my TdF Program that I had picked up in Germany two weeks before the tour came through an area in Bavaria. That's Johan's signature in the upper left.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6014/5938638639_b1b9b4fdac_z.jpg

It's interesting to look down through the 2005 roster and see Ryder Hesjedal and Jurgen Van Den Broeck listed.

He was someone who showed a lot of promise when he first started out - probably even called "the next Lance" at one point... he languished and kind of disappeared and now he's making somewhat of a comeback.

In interviews he comes across as a socially awkward goober.
i think it was his manager who told that to jim ochiwitcz back in '03.
hasn't quite happened for danielson.