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

[El Pistolero]

So is Strade Bianchi in or not? I thought it was but then Harmonn and sidekick said that "there is no Strade Bianchi this year", so is it a different mud section on stage 5 or what?

4 stages with strade bianche

3 stages with each around 8-9km of Strade Bianche(one stage with a finish like that) and another stage with only 200 meters. Was in the papers here today, don't know the full details anymore and too lazy to check again

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

To go even further off-topic, i imagine there will be quite a lot of english people supporting Barcelona in the Champions League final rather than the english team Manchester United*, ie Liverpool supporters, Man City supporters. Dont have any idea to what extent you get that in other countries.

Anyway, back on topic, well done to HTC for winning although they were always strong favourites. Main surprise for me was Radioshack coming second (thought they'd do well but not that well) and Omega Pharma Lotto finishing 4th in the same time as 3rd.

*i know there are lots of foreigners but they are a team based in england.

I hope they both lose.

 

[Polish]

Hopefully the Giro organizers can keep out the illegal aliens.
Those guys are the fastest of all.
"They're stealing our wins"

 

[theyoungest]

Can you all just sod off to the general forum before I feel obliged to start spitting bile about the international left wing's instinctive dislike of anything that binds people together.

You've already insulted the entire nation of Austria, so go ahead.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

You've already insulted the entire nation of Austria, so go ahead.

Did I, I hadn't noticed.

 

[The Hitch]

You've already insulted the entire nation of Austria, so go ahead.

you mean Lower Germany

 

[hfer07]

So is Strade Bianchi in or not? I thought it was but then Harmonn and sidekick said that "there is no Strade Bianchi this year", so is it a different mud section on stage 5 or what?

Stage 5 is the one alike to Strade Bianche-after the 150 km mark there are four sections of mud and very narrow roads.

 

[The Hitch]

Stage 5 is the one alike to Strade Bianche

That isnt an answer to the question

 

[jens_attacks]

what a show!and so nice because there aren't big differences at all.just like i said,androni will storm the ttt and they did,most of them 1,60 m or even lower and still fuccing the wind big time.

machado has this giro in the bag.
kidding but he will be a surprise in the mountains,a big one.also great to see robbie mcewen fresh like an youngster,i have big hopes he will get a stage win.
alberto losing some time to michele and nibali but yeah that's nothing.even anton can still fight for the podium.

 

[El Pistolero]

what a show!and so nice because there aren't big differences at all.just like i said,androni will storm the ttt and they did,most of them 1,60 m or even lower and still fuccing the wind big time.

machado has this giro in the bag.
kidding but he will be a surprise in the mountains,a big one.also great to see robbie mcewen fresh like an youngster,i have big hopes he will get a stage win.
alberto losing some time to michele and nibali but yeah that's nothing.even anton can still fight for the podium.

Why would Machado be a surprise? I'd be surprised if he doesn't top 5/10

 

[jens_attacks]

because it's his first grand tour?

 

[Eshnar]

So, Pinotti wears pink as I predicted
Good stage, though the RAI commentators repeated about 326143872 times tha Contador lost 4 seconds to Nibali

 

[The Hitch]

So, Pinotti wears pink as I predicted
Good stage, though the RAI commentators repeated about 326143872 times tha Contador lost 4 seconds to Nibali

Its advantage Nibali (for those who saw Liggets coverage of last years Tour prologue)

 

[Parrulo]

Why would Machado be a surprise? I'd be surprised if he doesn't top 5/10

geezus those are some high expectations XD

i would be very happy/surprised if he is able to top 10 and i am the machinist of the machado express

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Its advantage Nibali (for those who saw Liggets coverage of last years Tour prologue)

Armstrong won the tour, right?

 

[The Hitch]

Armstrong won the tour, right?

7 times i hear

 

[El Pistolero]

geezus those are some high expectations XD

i would be very happy/surprised if he is able to top 10 and i am the machinist of the machado express

He's Portugese and from Radioshack

Nah, just kidding. But he's a good climber.

The top favorites are strong, but after that there's some big gap and I think Machado will end there.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

geezus those are some high expectations XD

i would be very happy/surprised if he is able to top 10 and i am the machinist of the machado express

Me too actually.
I mean he had plenty top tens in 1-week stage races already but we don't know what Machado is worth after three weeks.

Plus, in Pro Tour stage-races, even of 1-week, he has shown not so much yet. 6th in Romandie and 9th in Pologne, which are already one of the weaker 1-week stage races. 7th in the Tirreno is the most impressive one, certainly considering there was no real climbing there.\

I guestimate him to finish anywhere between 8th and 12th. Anything better than 8th would be fantastic.
Top 5 would be mind-blowingly awesome and far beyond expectations and enter Machado as one of the future GT greats in my book.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Me too actually.
I mean he had plenty top tens in 1-week stage races already but we don't know what Machado is worth after three weeks.

Plus, in Pro Tour stage-races, even of 1-week, he has shown not so much yet. 6th in Romandie and 9th in Pologne, which are already one of the weaker 1-week stage races. 7th in the Tirreno is the most impressive one, certainly considering there was no real climbing there.\

I guestimate him to finish anywhere between 8th and 12th. Anything better than 8th would be fantastic.
Top 5 would be mind-blowingly awesome and far beyond expectations and enter Machado as one of the future GT greats in my book.

Me three.
He going way out into unknown territory, with just about every experienced GT contender for company. I expect him to pull a Brajkovic and die a death, somewhere between the Dolomites and Finestre.

Plus, when Ben Hermans withdrew, he lost half of his half decent mountain support.

 

[ferryman]

Can you all just sod off to the general forum before I feel obliged to start spitting bile about the international left wing's instinctive dislike of anything that binds people together.

Yes and please join them Liverpool Sunset.

 

[flicker]

There are people who live on my road who I can't stand. They're just not my type of people at all. If they were representing the country I don't see why I should be rooting for them, because I don't like them.

What's more, right here, the riders are not representing their countries. If it was national teams it makes a lot of sense. But to claim an American 1-2 when Americans only contributed 1/9th to that success (less if you add in the DSes and so on) strikes me as a bit over-the-top in the flag waving. I don't see why this is a great victory or success for the USA or US cycling, when I don't see anything in it that's going to inspire Americans or that Americans can claim as their own and get behind.

An Italian was granted the right to take the lead ahead of his British team leader (nominally), in a team whose mechanisms are mostly re-appropriated German, followed by a team led by an Australian sprinter and a Portuguese youngster, with a Ukrainian as another potential star option?

USA! USA! USA!

Personally USA teams 1 +2 in a TT at the Giro is an awesome acheivement.
Kudos to the Radioshack management for putting together the Giro team who wiped the behinds of Likigas and the Italian teams. That is a very good sign for international competition.
On a course requiring speed and bike handling, to beat the Italians was epic.
As far as putting together American teams with foreign riders and top ex riders like Demol, Aldag, and Zabel managing, absolutely awesome, cycling is an international sport. Or would you rather see Molteni, all Belgian squads with Italian mangers?

 

[El Pistolero]

That all Belgian squad is doing better than those "American teams" though(Omega Pharma Lotto)

+ they did have an Italian DS, but he's at Lampre now.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

rujano only 9 seconds down on contador after today. excellent!

 

[flicker]

That all Belgian squad is doing better than those "American teams" though(Omega Pharma Lotto)

+ they did have an Italian DS, but he's at Lampre now.

I don't think the GIRO is an objective for Lotto. Can't take anything away from them though! They are awesome.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Machado's Giro will probably be somewhat like Tondó's last year. He'll be looking good, even have an exploratory attack (it's in his nature) on Montevergine di Mercigliano, we know he has enough gas for 11-12 days cos of the Volta, but he'll blow up big time on either the Zoncolán or Fedaia stage.

Then, if this happens, he should complete the race if at all possible (Tondó crashed out a day before the end last year), relax for a bit, then race Austria, Burgos and do the Vuelta, where he'll benefit from the experience at the Giro, and probably be able to be more competitive, and finish well.