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

[ferryman]

I'm so excited I can't wait for it to finally start.

Oooh yes exciting times I hope David M has his Saltire looked out Great day.

 

[riobonito92]

How is the start order determined - is there a lottery?

 

[peloton]

I'm so excited I can't wait for it to finally start.

+1

My pick for tomorrow, HTC followed by Garmin and SaxoB.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The big question now is, will HTC pass BMC?

 

[just some guy]

The big question now is, will HTC pass BMC?

I would say yes

 

[taiwan]

4 minutes in 20k is too much.

 

[koolkinks]

The big question now is, will HTC pass BMC?

That way a lot of teams can catch others:

Saxobank may catch Farnese Vini

Rabo may catch Euskatel

 

[roundabout]

Unless disaster strikes, there will be no catching.

 

[theyoungest]

That way a lot of teams can catch others:

Saxobank may catch Farnese Vini

Rabo may catch Euskatel

No way. The maximum gap will be about 1'30".

 

[jobiwan]

Pinotti in the Maglia Rosa, until Cavendish wins Stage 2!

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Pinotti in Pink would be awesome

 

[auscyclefan94]

I'm so excited I can't wait for it to finally start.

Agreed, I was so excited when I woke up this morning!

The big question now is, will HTC pass BMC?

Lets do the math here. If HTC win this lets say the do it in the fastest predicted speed which is 55km/hr which would mean they would complete the course in 21 minutes. For them to catch BMC, BMC would have to ride the course at an average of 46km/h. I think they will definetly go faster than that. Unless lets say Saxo bank crashes and Alberto goes down, they weren't going fast initially and it takes a while for them to get back going again then a team may catch them. It is very unlikely.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Agreed, I was so excited when I woke up this morning!



Lets do the math hear. If HTC win this lets say the do it in the fastest predicted speed which is 55km/hr which would mean they would complete the course in 21 minutes. FOr them to catch BMC, BMC would have to ride the course at an average of 46km/h. I think they will definetly go faster than that. Unless lets say Saxo bank crashes and Alberto goes down, they weren't going fast initially and it takes a while for them to get back going again then a team may catch them. It is very unlikely.

I knew there was no way they would be passed unless there was a crash or something. 4 minutes over such a short course is ludicrous.

It was just a gentle dig at BMC's lack of strength in their lineup here, compared to HTC's tendency to buy up TT specialist after TT specialist.

 

[WindLessBreeze]

il Tifosi

Looking at the parcours, and today's pics of the Geox team climbing over some snow covered mountains, I wonder who's more on drugs: The top riders;
or Mister Zomegman, or whatever

 

[Parrulo]

i had a vision. . . . the shack to attack tomorrow and machado to take the la maglia rosa!!!!

 

[jsem94]

I really hope Euskaltel doesn't lose too much.

 

[type001]

341 From Torino http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.199903463355164.52238.193248997353944

 

[taiwan]

Oooh, hot pink for Lampre. Sweet!

 

[Havetts]

Contador's bike looks way slicker than the Lampre ones .

 

[Parrulo]

tbh i love the whole "leaders have yellow bikes" going on at lampre. is such a cool way to distinguish the riders.

but we can't blame them for going all pink during the giro

 

[lukinox]

Hi everyone first ever post for me !
Finally the giro is here, I've been reading every possible news I could find this week.
I think htc is the best squad for the ttt, the teams with the main gc contenders won't be too far apart, maybe 30/40 sec max.
I'm curious to see what geox can do and I hope androni doesn't lose too much.
Buon giro a tutti

 

[lukinox]

Contador's bike looks way slicker than the Lampre ones .

I think Contador's bike on the picture is not his TT bike

 

[Libertine Seguros]

i had a vision. . . . the shack to attack tomorrow and machado to take the la maglia rosa!!!!

Machado to attack his teammates during the TTT!

Personally, I DO hope Androni lose a bunch of time, means they have to make it hard for people in the mountains. Antón keeps being talked up for GC, I just don't see him doing it. Vuelta is much more on Euskaltel's radar for him, the support squad isn't the strongest and he has to descend Monte Crostis, and in fact do lots of descents in poor weather. How un-Igor Antón is that?

I see him being either stagehunting à la J-Rod in 2008, or losing enough time to be the guy that starts the mountains off early every time to win time back.

 

[lukinox]

With all the climbs and uphill finishes Anton can do a good giro but he said is only looking for stage wins

 

[Eric8-A]

I'll be rooting for Garmin to come away with the win. They were a dissapointment at the Vuelta when they didn't win the TTT then. But they seem motivated to win this one. They showed good teamwork at Tirreno, but that was a different group of guys. I don't know what happened to the times when they won pretty much every TTT they entered.

The riders they have on their roster seem to be on good form. So we'll see what happens with them.