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

[greatking88]

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.

Yeah I think Machado can go well but being his first Grand Tour he could struggle towards the end. I see Deignan hopes he can go for GC as well if things dont work out for Machado..

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/8368/Philip-Deignan-expects-to-perform-at-the-Corsa-Rosa.aspx

Hope Deignan can get a stage win

 

[El Pistolero]

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

Will turn into 9 minutes after the Giro is done

 

[Parrulo]

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.

tbh i expect him to do a bit better then tondo last year. and to not completely fade away on the third week

top 15 is what i hope. higher end of the top 10 with some richie porte kind of luck

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Will turn into 9 minutes after the Giro is done

9 minutes advantage for Rujano that is.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

tbh i expect him to do a bit better then tondo last year. and to not completely fade away on the third week

top 15 is what i hope. higher end of the top 10 with some richie porte kind of luck

I think he's a top 10 talent, could do 7th or 8th if he adapts brilliantly, but I expect him to lose a bunch of time in week 3. Remember that Tondó was lying 3rd before the Zoncolán, and was still pretty active after that - he was in a couple of breaks after that as he had some mountain points - his crashing out early on the Gavia stage denied us a potentially interesting battle as he was well within reach of Lloyd's mountains total.

 

[El Pistolero]

9 minutes advantage for Rujano that is.

In your dreams

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

we will see. I have 60 euros on him winning this giro, makes me 5000 euros richer. I will say 25% chance rujano will win this giro including chances of bad luck, sickness, crashes etc.

if all is well with both I think contador vs rujano 40-60 in mountains

 

[El Pistolero]

Dude couldn't even beat Savoldelli and Simoni. And you think he's better than Contador lol? Even Oscar Sevilla could outperform him at the VaC.

Win stages? Yeah. Win this Giro? I highly doubt it.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Actually Rujano`s chances of winning the giro are 1%.

 

[Parrulo]

we will see. I have 60 euros on him winning this giro, makes me 5000 euros richer. I will say 25% chance rujano will win this giro including chances of bad luck, sickness, crashes etc.

if all is well with both I think contador vs rujano 40-60 in mountains

in favour of rujano? you are hilarious sometimes ryo

i have nothing against you hyping south american guys but you seriously over do it with rujano. until rujano proves otherwise and by that i mean by performing really well in EUROPE(oh and please don't use 6 year old results and claim he is better because he is older) he isn't a better climber then contador is.

for me contador vs rujano is 70-30 for contador

 

[Frosty]

Bruyneel has a habit of getting people in good condition and RadioShack have been going well so far this year. Machado is an unknown quantity really, but i dont think Bruyneel would have gone with Machado if he didnt think he could do very well, he's the one i'll push the boat out and say he will be the big surprise and finish 6th.

 

[El Pistolero]

in favour of rujano? you are hilarious sometimes ryo

i have nothing against you hyping south american guys but you seriously over do it with rujano. until rujano proves otherwise and by that i mean by performing really well in EUROPE(oh and please don't use 6 year old results and claim he is better because he is older) he isn't a better climber then contador is.

for me contador vs rujano is 70-30 for contador

95-5 sounds better.

 

[DenisMenchov]

But I do believe Rujano can be KoM.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Even José Rujano doesn't believe José Rujano is better than Contador. Contador and J-Rod were the two guys he mentioned as being better than him.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

soler didn't believe he would be kom or winning mountainstage at tour 2007. I remember all laughing at me too when I predicted soler would be up with the best in the mountains and I betted on him winning kom and a stage. 3 weeks later I was 2500 euros richer and very happy with his performance

 

[El Pistolero]

Mind you, he only won that stage because someone flatted. And winning the KoM is something totally different than beating the guy who won his last 5 Grand Tours.

 

[spalco]

My velogames team is full of Colombians + Rujano so I hope Ryo is right.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Dude couldn't even beat Savoldelli and Simoni. And you think he's better than Contador lol? Even Oscar Sevilla could outperform him at the VaC.

Win stages? Yeah. Win this Giro? I highly doubt it.

He was 23 back then.

 

[El Pistolero]

He was 23 back then.

And Contador was how old when he won the Tour?

Savoldelli was far from a stellar climber. Age doesn't matter.

If anything, he's gotten worse since growing older.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

And Contador was how old when he won the Tour?

Savoldelli was far from a stellar climber. Age doesn't matter.

If anything, he's gotten worse since growing older.

Were did you spent the last 2 years? The indian ocean?

 

[The Hitch]

lol @ dekkers ryo impersonations.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Ryo's huge mancrush for the Venezuelan leprechaun is a constant source of amusement.
Helps to balance out the very unfunny arrogance of the Contador crushboy.

 

[hrotha]

He was 23 back then.

You know who else was a better climber at 23 than now? Cunego.

Of course, "it was a different era of cycling then".

 

[El Pistolero]

You know who else was a better climber at 23 than now? Cunego.

Of course, "it was a different era of cycling then".

To be fair, didn't Petac win 9 stages there?

 

[Liquigas]

soler didn't believe he would be kom or winning mountainstage at tour 2007. I remember all laughing at me too when I predicted soler would be up with the best in the mountains and I betted on him winning kom and a stage. 3 weeks later I was 2500 euros richer and very happy with his performance

How much did you bet??