2010 Giro d'Italia... Who will win?

[trompe le monde]

Bleh. The last thing I would like to see is a transposition of last year's Giro to this year, with some names erased and a few others written in but essentially a two cyclist race.

I'm still cheering for Sastre for the overall, but for the love of all that is holy I hope that someone like Uran, Pozzovivo, Nibali or even Mollema can at least make it more than just a two horse race, for entertainment's sake. I'd even settle for Simoni riding off into the sunset with the GC or even Garzelli dusting off his circa 2000 form for the hope of close competition, but please, anything but a Sastre v Evans showdown with the rest battling for a distant third.

 

[staubsauger]

sastre v.S evans showdown? that won't be a showdown, that would be the most boring giro since bassomania 2006. we have all seen the tdf 2008 with the same 2 competitors and it was one of the worst gt's of that century - even more boring than some vuelta editions.

evans and sastre are good riders, no doubt. but they aren't gt champions, even if sastre won the tour 2 years ago.

 

[theyoungest]

Bleh. The last thing I would like to see is a transposition of last year's Giro to this year, with some names erased and a few others written in but essentially a two cyclist race.

I'm still cheering for Sastre for the overall, but for the love of all that is holy I hope that someone like Uran, Pozzovivo, Nibali or even Mollema can at least make it more than just a two horse race, for entertainment's sake. I'd even settle for Simoni riding off into the sunset with the GC or even Garzelli dusting off his circa 2000 form for the hope of close competition, but please, anything but a Sastre v Evans showdown with the rest battling for a distant third.

Mollema? Not a chance.

 

[issoisso]

Mollema? Not a chance.

Same with Urán. The man has a 15th in a Tour mountain stage. That's it. That's his best ever mountain stage result. And suddenly he's a Giro contender?

Yikes

People have to give him a few years.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

sastre v.S evans showdown? that won't be a showdown, that would be the most boring giro since bassomania 2006. we have all seen the tdf 2008 with the same 2 competitors and it was one of the worst gt's of that century - even more boring than some vuelta editions.

evans and sastre are good riders, no doubt. but they aren't gt champions, even if sastre won the tour 2 years ago.

I personally don´t think the 2008 TdF was boring, coz it was the cleanest for, and in a long time (thanks to ASO in co-operation with AFLD). Sastre going to Alpe was interesting, coz he had to make some time up with his early escape at the climb...

Anyway, it won´t be boring coz at least Scarponi and Garzelli will be in the mix. That´s a guarantee i can be judged on... even put some money on it (even tough i think betting is bad for any sports; well i am not perfect).

 

[BroDeal]

I personally don´t think the 2008 TdF was boring, coz it was the cleanest for, and in a long time (thanks to ASO in co-operation with AFLD). Sastre going to Alpe was interesting, coz he had to make some time up with his early escape at the climb...

Anyway, it won´t be boring coz at least Scarponi and Garzelli will be in the mix. That´s a guarantee i can be judged on... even put some money on it (even tough i think betting is bad for any sports; well i am not perfect).

The 2008 Tour was dull, but it was a fireworks extravaganza compared to the 2009 Tour.

The Giro looks to be great, even without Pellizotti. Unfortunately, Evans and Vino may have peaked early. I see Evans falling short in a GT once again.

 

[flicker]

I am happy that the 3 were banned. Hoping for a clean and competitive Giro.


I like Sastre, Cadel ,Nibali in that order

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

The 2008 Tour was dull, but it was a fireworks extravaganza compared to the 2009 Tour.

The Giro looks to be great, even without Pellizotti. Unfortunately, Evans and Vino may have peaked early. I see Evans falling short in a GT once again.

So my tip seems a good one (1-Scarponi, 2-Garzelli + 2 min., 3-Evans + 3 min.) ??

 

[Notso Swift]

No Pellizotti is a bad thing in terms of spectacle. On the other hand it'll make the race dynamic a lot more interesting, given that we wont have a dominant force driving the race.

Evans' chances have gone up in a major way. If he wasn't the clear favorite before, he certainly is now. Obviously losing a top competitor is good for him, but on the other hand the focus will be more on him. The peleton wont look automatically to Liquigas to chase if a dangerous rider goes on the attack.

YEs, I would have liked a clean Pellizotti, but would he give the SAME spectacle

The thing for oth BMC and Cervelo is that they are in Italy, so half the Peloton will work for ANY Italian contender!
(Even if only to have a chance to go to Liquigas or Lampre in the future)

 

[BroDeal]

So my tip seems a good one (1-Scarponi, 2-Garzelli + 2 min., 3-Evans + 3 min.) ??

I think that Nibali has a good shot at the overall.

Scarponi has been in raging form for a long time now. Garzelli is not the same rider he was in the early 00's.

It will be a very interesting race. I don't see anyone dominating. Maybe that will suit a strong and wily rider like Vino.

 

[blaxland]

So my tip seems a good one (1-Scarponi, 2-Garzelli + 2 min., 3-Evans + 3 min.) ??

Yes not bad...but i would rather 1st=Evans
2nd=Sastre
3rd=Basso
Either way this years Giro will be awesome..................and probably one of the cleanest in many years?

 

[astro j_d]

The thing for oth BMC and Cervelo is that they are in Italy, so half the Peloton will work for ANY Italian contender!

if memory serves me well, they didn't do that at 08 giro. in fact, most of them (italians) seemed to be working for contador, just not to let ricco win...

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Yeah but Nibali was scheduled for the TdF, so i think he might not go full speed here. My opinion...

As i said, i might get hammered later, but i guarantee Scarponi*. He dominated one ITT going 15 mins. and got ca. 1 min. at the 3rd place (that translates into 4 mins. of a long ITT) + he was very good at Tirreno-Adriatico.

* unless of course he´s not one of the two left un-announced

 

[afpm90]

Yeah but Nibali was scheduled for the TdF, so i think he might not go full speed here. My opinion...

As i said, i might get hammered later, but i guarantee Scarponi*. He dominated one ITT going 15 mins. and got ca. 1 min. at the 3rd place (that translates into 4 mins. of a long ITT) + he was very good at Tirreno-Adriatico.

* unless of course he´s not one of the two left un-announced

Scarponni is a very bad bet for a Giro winner. He won't win and he won't make the top ten.

As for the time trial you're talking about, it was a 7 km mountain time-trial, and the competition there isn't comparable to the competition in the Giro.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Scarponni is a very bad bet for a Giro winner. He won't win and he won't make the top ten.

As for the time trial you're talking about, it was a 7 km mountain time-trial, and the competition there isn't comparable to the competition in the Giro.

Yes sure, but i looked at all the other TT this year. Nobody was dominating as him.

Anyway, we might come back to it later. May i´ll look foolish. But i have that feeling it´s Scarponis year and i´ll stick with it... Tirr.-Adria. wasn´t a "bad" competition either.

 

[BroDeal]

Yeah but Nibali was scheduled for the TdF, so i think he might not go full speed here. My opinion...

That is a good point, but I have some faith that Nibali planned to ride strong in his home Tour, perhaps thinking that he could prove he is the strongest on the team.

 

[afpm90]

Yes sure, but i looked at all the other TT this year. Nobody was dominating as him.

Anyway, we might come back to it later. May i´ll look foolish. But i have that feeling it´s Scarponis year and i´ll stick with it... Tirr.-Adria. wasn´t a "bad" competition either.

Tirreno-Adriatico had a very good competition, and the course ajusted to Scarponi. Lots of hills which is the terrain where Scarponi is better. Mountains like those of the Giro, don't ajuste to him.

 

[Nick777]

The last I think Evans needs is to be outright favourite.

 

[hfer07]

now that Pellizotti is out of the picture, Sastre is indeed getting closer to his second GT

 

[xmoonx]

Not sure who's going to win. I initially thought (read) Evans' focus was the Giro and apparently it's not...so

Sastre, Basso, Cunego, Garzelli. Just finished looking over the stages and its going to be a serious climbers race/bloodbath......

 

[Notso Swift]

double post

 

[Notso Swift]

if memory serves me well, they didn't do that at 08 giro. in fact, most of them (italians) seemed to be working for contador, just not to let ricco win...

I will pay that, but Ricco is such a wan ker that he is a special case

Not sure who's going to win. I initially thought (read) Evans' focus was the Giro and apparently it's not...so

I said somewhere else, may have been this thread, that Getting the TdF wildcard was just about the worst thing that could happen to BMC, the other is splitting their top tier riders and sending Geogre, Kroon and Burghart to Cali, there are two tough guys there that will make it to the bottom of the last climb, plus Kroon is a guy you know will be there until half way up it. I am sure they will be there for the TdF, but Evans (or anyone) will be stretched with 2 GT's stacked, he would be better to focus on the Giro

 

[Ferminal]

sastre v.S evans showdown? that won't be a showdown, that would be the most boring giro since bassomania 2006. we have all seen the tdf 2008 with the same 2 competitors and it was one of the worst gt's of that century - even more boring than some vuelta editions.

evans and sastre are good riders, no doubt. but they aren't gt champions, even if sastre won the tour 2 years ago.

Yeh, but now we have VINO!

1. Evans
2. Vino
3. Sastre

I can actually see Cuddles dominating this now... A couple of stage wins. Vino in Pink after the TTT?

 

[Bazzza]

Evans is in great form now (which may not last through to the TDF) and knows that this Giro is his real chance for a grand tour.

What's critical for Evans is his own mindset. Even though BMC is not that strong, Evans is confident that they'll die for him. Contrast that with Lotto - arguably not much stronger than BMC, and effectively working against their own team leader.

It's Evans for me.

 

[Sasquatch]

Evans has no excuses if he doesn't win.

If he doesn't win this, he'll never win a grand tour.