2011 Giro d'Italia, May 7th, Stage 1: Venaria Reale → Torino, 19.3km TTT

[The Hitch]

This stage is important because I look forward to listening who the commentator(s) - hopefully plural, name as the favourites.

As always i pick htc for the ttt victory. Most interesting to watch will be Geox Androni and Saxo to get an idea of form. Im hoping Scarponi doesnt lose more than 45 s to Liqui. How much will Anton lose though?

Man has it been a long wait, but its almost upon us.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I doubt lampre will lose any time to liquigas at all, liquigas has a relatively sucky team for this, this year

 

[The Hitch]

I doubt lampre will lose any time to liquigas at all, liquigas has a relatively sucky team for this, this year

They have the same team as last year minus Kiserlovski and Basso and neither is a super tter.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

HTC will win, and Cavendish will put on the maglia rosa, like 2009.

He will then win stage 1 of the Tour and a few people will go ape about what an achievement it is to pull on the leader's jersey in 3 consecutive Grand Tours, despite it being 2 TTTs and a sprint, and will conveniently forget that Cadel Evans did it last year, two of which were after mountain stages (taking gold on Alto de Aitana, taking the maglia rosa in Rotterdam for a couple of days, and taking yellow after Morzine).

 

[will10]

I doubt lampre will lose any time to liquigas at all, liquigas has a relatively sucky team for this, this year

Liquigas are very organised for TTTs though, always go well. Lampre on the other hand...

 

[theyoungest]

They have the same team as last year minus Kiserlovski and Basso and neither is a super tter.

Compared to the rest of the Liquigas lineup, Basso is a very good TTer.

 

[Cimber]

HTC will take it ahead of Garmin and SBS.

Would be a nice gesture if Cav let one of his domestics take the jersey though.

 

[koolkinks]

HTC will take it ahead of Garmin and SBS.

Would be a nice gesture if Cav let one of his domestics take the jersey though.

And pigs will grow wings and Vino will stop attacking and Wiggins will win the Tour!!!

 

[Parrulo]

HTC will take it ahead of Garmin and SBS.

Would be a nice gesture if Cav let one of his domestics take the jersey though.

that doesn't really make any sense tbh.

htc will take it and cav will wear pink i think. i don't mind cav wearing pink after all he has said so many times that Italy is his second home and the giro and M-SR are his favourite races

 

[Raceoftruth]

Think this one is between HTC and Garmin.

 

[search]

They have the same team as last year minus Kiserlovski and Basso and neither is a super tter.

they had Bodnar last year as well, so alltogether those three should make a difference to Salerno, Capecchi and Marangoni but they should still be able to do an above average TTT. Even Top 5 maybe
They may lose some time to HTC, Garmin and Rabobank, which doesn't matter anyway, only Saxobank might be able to gain some time from the TTT.

 

[deValtos]

Liquigas has a habit of taking a bunch of people who can't ITT and doing a really good TTT. I think it's just really good squad cohesion & home race.

 

[The Hitch]

they had Bodnar last year as well, so alltogether those three should make a difference to Salerno, Capecchi and Marangoni but they should still be able to do an above average TTT. Even Top 5 maybe
They may lose some time to HTC, Garmin and Rabobank, which doesn't matter anyway, only Saxobank might be able to gain some time from the TTT.

Ah. If they are missing Bodnar as well they are screwed.

SCREWED!!!!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

they had Bodnar last year as well, so alltogether those three should make a difference to Salerno, Capecchi and Marangoni but they should still be able to do an above average TTT. Even Top 5 maybe
They may lose some time to HTC, Garmin and Rabobank, which doesn't matter anyway, only Saxobank might be able to gain some time from the TTT.

not sure about rabo.
slagter, weening aren't the greatest.
But kruijswijk, Flens, Van Winden, Van Emden, Tankink and Clement should hold thier own here. And as long as Brown doesn't knock the team over might be useful also
Actually they might do ok.

 

[greenedge]

ACF you beat everyone to the thread. My pick will be Htc, Garmin, Sbs, Geox, Lampre, Liquigas, Sky, my outside pick to get into top 3 RADIOSHACK, as they win practically every ITT. They are the teams with the most motivation. Also Katusha and Androni will not want to lose too much time, poor anton will though.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

ACF you beat everyone to the thread. My pick will be Htc, Garmin, Sbs, Geox, Lampre, Liquigas, Sky, my outside pick to get into top 3 RADIOSHACK, as they win practically every ITT. They are the teams with the most motivation. Also Katusha and Androni will not want to lose too much time, poor anton will though.

You sure you don't wanna pick a few more teams?

I had this horrible dream this night that Anton lost 17 minutes in this TTT and got dropped on stage 2 aswell. Hope this isn't going to happen

 

[theyoungest]

not sure about rabo.
slagter, weening aren't the greatest.
But kruijswijk, Flens, Van Winden, Van Emden, Tankink and Clement should hold thier own here. And as long as Brown doesn't knock the team over might be useful also
Actually they might do ok.

Weening isn't that bad. Just look at Romandie, where he did a pretty good TT considering the circumstances (beating Menchov, for instance, and more or less on par with Brajkovic).

 

[LabMonkey]

So the general concensus is that Saxobank should/will beat Liquigas in the TTT?

How about Lampre vs. Quickstep?

 

[boomcie]

So the general concensus is that Saxobank should/will beat Liquigas in the TTT?

How about Lampre vs. Quickstep?

I'd most definitely go for Lampre.

 

[Jan the Man]

***** HTC

**** Rabobank

*** Sxo Bank, Garmin

** Liquigas, Sky

* Farnese Vini, Lampre, Astana


Those are my gut feelings looking at the various squads.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

HTC on 1 for sure, Garmin and Sky for second and third

 

[NickBVK]

Garmin should do OK, HTC to win it in my books.

Just posting cos I wanted to see if GARMIN got automatically linked.

Garmin, Garmin Garmin Garmin

 

[maltiv]

HTC on 1 for sure, Garmin and Sky for second and third

Don't think Sky will do well at all, they don't have anyone who's good in a TT or a prologue.

 

[Astana1]

Heart says Garmin.

Brain says HTC.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Weening isn't that bad. Just look at Romandie, where he did a pretty good TT considering the circumstances (beating Menchov, for instance, and more or less on par with Brajkovic).

That is true, I guess I have never been overly fond of weening

Anyway the more I look at the team, they should do pretty good in the ttt.