"The Damiano who won the Giro no longer exists"

[Alexzulle]

When your team manager says this it is pretty evident that something you had before isn't there anymore.

[ak-zaaf]

Originally Posted by Alexzulle

When your team manager says this it is pretty evident that something you had before isn't there anymore.

Youth. Innocence. Gilberto Simoni.

[Alpe d'Huez]

Well, the answer seems fairly obvious. From his fairly candid statements this past May, he's now riding clean when he wasn't in the past.

I personally like the way he races a bit more now. He won't win a GT, but he is exciting to watch, and I think he's matured as both a tactical racer, and a person. Gibo even seems to get along with him again.

[issoisso]

I've been saying this since he won that Giro. Until about 2007 the fanboys used to call me names. Then they stopped. I wonder why

He won a Grand Tour thanks to tactical and route circumstances that were a major coincidence and will likely never be repeated. Good for him, but it's pointless to insist. He's realized that just because he won the lottery once, he won't win it again no matter how hard he tries to.

Good for him that he's stopping the "I wanna be a GC guy" nonsense. By focusing solely on the classics, there's a chance he can become the world's number one at them. It's the same transition that worked well for both Rebellin and Bettini. They too did well as GC riders before they finally realised their strengths lay elsewhere.

Should be interesting to follow

[craig1985]

I mean even McGee finished 8th. WTF?

[ludwig]

Originally Posted by Alpe d'Huez

Well, the answer seems fairly obvious. From his fairly candid statements this past May, he's now riding clean when he wasn't in the past.

While I hate to be a negative nelly, I don't see how one arrives at this conclusion. When people talk about his transition they speak about him turning into a Bettini or a Rebellin...those are clean riders? Cunego won Lombardia the same year he won the Giro. If he was dirty then what makes you think he's clean now?

[blaxland]

Originally Posted by issoisso

I've been saying this since he won that Giro. Until about 2007 the fanboys used to call me names. Then they stopped. I wonder why

He won a Grand Tour thanks to tactical and route circumstances that were a major coincidence and will likely never be repeated. Good for him, but it's pointless to insist. He's realized that just because he won the lottery once, he won't win it again no matter how hard he tries to.

Good for him that he's stopping the "I wanna be a GC guy" nonsense. By focusing solely on the classics, there's a chance he can become the world's number one at them. It's the same transition that worked well for both Rebellin and Bettini. They too did well as GC riders before they finally realised their strengths lay elsewhere.

Should be interesting to follow

+1 agreed......and maybe some others should follow his lead..say cadel evans maybe?

[blackcat]

he also won the white jersey in the Tour, and when Frank won Alpe d'Huez he beat Cunego in the last km.

He has shown alot since the Giro, just not as consistent as a guy on a big program. I reckon he is on a small maintenance program.

Basso is on a medium program, Cunego just maintenance.

[auscyclefan94]

Originally Posted by issoisso

I've been saying this since he won that Giro. Until about 2007 the fanboys used to call me names. Then they stopped. I wonder why

He won a Grand Tour thanks to tactical and route circumstances that were a major coincidence and will likely never be repeated. Good for him, but it's pointless to insist. He's realized that just because he won the lottery once, he won't win it again no matter how hard he tries to.

Good for him that he's stopping the "I wanna be a GC guy" nonsense. By focusing solely on the classics, there's a chance he can become the world's number one at them. It's the same transition that worked well for both Rebellin and Bettini. They too did well as GC riders before they finally realised their strengths lay elsewhere.

Should be interesting to follow

+1
I think he could still do well in 1 week tours like Rebellin did e.g. Paris nice.

[auscyclefan94]

Originally Posted by blaxland

+1 agreed......and maybe some others should follow his lead..say cadel evans maybe?

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evans has always been consisten in gt's, cunego has won a giro and after that his best has been the bottom half of the top ten.