2011 Giro d'Italia rumours

[The Hitch]

Wow. just wow.

down side, no serious Tour contender will ride the Giro on the basis of: it will absolutely screw you up beyond repair for the 2 months after...

I think what this Giro needs is Contador to NOT get a ban. With Contador out, people will let, just a whif of a chance at the Tour, direct them towards that. Its their best chance to win it.

But without Contador there a lot of riders that might decide this is a gt they can win.

Riders who know they wont challenge Schleck/ Contador, but dont want to retire without a gt.

I hope Cuddles and one of Anton/ Samu do the Giro. Menchov cant win this gt i dont think.

But even without these guys we have Ricco, Sella, Scarponi. Those 3 alone should animate this.

 

[The Hitch]

lol zomegnan makin fun of tour of california))

what did he say?

 

[issoisso]

I think what this Giro needs is Contador to NOT get a ban. With Contador out, people will let, just a whif of a chance at the Tour, direct them towards that. Its their best chance to win it.

But without Contador there a lot of riders that might decide this is a gt they can win.

Riders who know they wont challenge Schleck/ Contador, but dont want to retire without a gt.

I hope Cuddles and one of Anton/ Samu do the Giro. Menchov cant win this gt i dont think.

But even without these guys we have Ricco, Sella, Scarponi. Those 3 alone should animate this.

One lesson you can take from the past 20 years of cycling: 99.9% of riders are too dumb to make that reasoning and will just go for a "placing" at the Tour anyway, regardless of being up against Eddy Merckx or whoever.

 

[The Hitch]

2012: Stage finish on Alpe d'Huez

(I'm not joking, it's happening)

I know thats happening. 60th anniversary of Coppi winning there.

Ok so you have ALpe (which is minor compared to Finestre or Zoncolan).

Now give me 6 more mtfs

 

[Anonymous]

Whos starting the poll then, as to how epically the giro hasnt failed.

and based on the giro i would now like to re-score the tour a 3/10

 

[The Hitch]

What riders are there? Ive seen Michelle, Ale Jet, the prince and the shark/don. I know King Ivan has some race which was "organised before the presentation ". who else is there.

 

[The Hitch]

Whos starting the poll then, as to how epically the giro hasnt failed.

Thats what i was thinking. By the logic of ACF descender, this will be in the negatives because it has less (flat) itt than the tour.

 

[Lanark]

I think it's slightly easier than this year, but still incredibly hard. The stage to Gardeccia could be one of the most epic mountain stages in recent history.

 

[Michele]

Journalist: Do you like this Giro?
Modolo: No!

 

[Mellow Velo]

Now, we await the all important stage profiles.........

 

[Lanark]

Now, we await the all important stage profiles.........

No need to wait

http://twitpic.com/photos/giroditalia

 

[Zaschrona]

Now, we await the all important stage profiles.........

Here they are
http://www.steephill.tv/giro-d-italia/

 

[The Hitch]

Was ricco there?

So. Who will win pink. Who will win on Etna. Who will win the mountain Chrono. Who will win on the Zoncolan. Who will win Finnestre. Who will win -Gardeccia.

What side are they doing Zonc from?

 

[jens_attacks]

what did he say?

i don't speak italian but irony is universal i guess.
the presenter was talking about giro di california and zomegnan replied something like that:"giro di what?"

nice to see all those italian riders looking scared.too bad ricco wasn't there.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Here they are
http://www.steephill.tv/giro-d-italia/

This route is officially silly.

If anyone doesn't have to get off and push by the 3rd week I'm calling clinic on them.

 

[rmacek]

So, officially there are 7 MTFs, but with TT its 8 and maybe we can also count stages 5 and 11 with small hills at the end (at least it look like), so it is 10 MTFs? That is really nice!

 

[ingsve]

If you are a sprinter that usually gets dropped in any little climb then I count three stages that are completely flat. Then there are three or four other stages that could end up in a bunch sprint but have a small climb near then end where aggressive riders could stay away or where poorer sprinters could get dropped.

The team that brings a sprint train of four or something riders will have made a huge mistake. I could see almost all sprinters stepping off after half the race since there would be no point in finishing. With all the tough stages no sprinter is going to win the points jersey anyway.

 

[luckyboy]

Is it just me, or does looking at the route map not give any sense of what order the stages are in?

 

[ingsve]

I predict that there will be over 20 minutes between first and tenth rider.

 

[skidmark]

Is it just me, or does looking at the route map not give any sense of what order the stages are in?

Yeah, they've done a nice job of making it an actual 'tour', without insanely long transfers. I guess the 'Italian Unity' theme was important...

 

[roundabout]

there are transfers

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/giro-ditalia-2011-route-unveiled-in-turin-2/146382

it's 240k from Ravenna to Spilimbergo for example

230 from Sestriere to Milano

 

[El Pistolero]

Back when Italy still had great sprinters there wasn't a lack of flat stages.

Not that I'm complaining, but I still remember when Petacchi won like 9 stages in a single Giro.

 

[jens_attacks]

Not that I'm complaining, but I still remember when Petacchi won like 9 stages in a single Giro.

2004.that was the worst giro ever i think.but they learned from it.

riders shocked faces today at the presentation were priceless:

oh madonna mia!

 

[El Pistolero]

2004.that was the worst giro ever i think.but they learned from it.

riders shocked faces today at the presentation were priceless:

oh madonna mia!

Is that Menchov? Never saw his face without sunglasses and a helm.

Glad he wants to try the Giro then next year. He'll never win the Tour.

 

[Barrus]

Is that Menchov? Never saw his face without sunglasses and a helm.

Glad he wants to try the Giro then next year. He'll never win the Tour.

As far as I know that is Scarponi