2012 Giro dÂ’italia May 13 Stage 8: Sulmona- Lago Laceno

[MrRoboto]

It was. And Ryder was clearly in trouble today. He won't stay in pink for long.

 

[roundabout]

Top 15 with a support of the team I'd say.

No idea why everybody hyped Barta so much. Huzarski was 2nd behind in Settimana Coppi e Bartali and looked better on climbs than Barta. He's defitnely got a shot.

I get the feeling that Huzarski likes climbs like today more than the big mountains.

I'd rather see him try for a stage like Falzes or Sestri Levante instead of hanging on for a top 30.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Though Ryder might've been struggling, fortunately last two years when he was doing the TDF he was strongest in the last week. Not saying Hesjedal is going to win il Giro or something; but despite being the type of rider that performs best in the 3rd week of a GT he's al ready in pink. We'll see where he ends up.

 

[Lexman]

they had to eliminate Hesjedal and Cunego today at least temporarily for some stages and driving up the tempo even more or otherwise they were all near breaking point except for Pozzo

 

[rhubroma]

they had to eliminate Hesjedal and Cunego today at least temporarily for some stages and driving up the tempo even more or otherwise they were all near breaking point except for Pozzo

Or they aren't too concerned about Hesjedal. Cunego is riding for Scarponi.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Difficult to say, since he wasn't there. With a finish like today's, Contador would have attacked if he had the legs. Which makes him an exceptional champion: his audacity, because he can lay it on the line like that at the end of the first week, while not being a Pozzovivo thinking of a stage win, but to establish the pecking order towards overall victory.

At any rate, what I thus didn't like about the other Bigs today is that they all were racing with their minds on the last week. Sure, it's tactically correct, but spineless.

Pozzovivo is quite possibly the strongest rider in the race right now. You're in for a surprise if you think he's just another stage hunter.

 

[Pippo_San]

Pozzovivo has been too much in form too soon (see Trentino). He will fade during the 3rd week. Mark my words.

 

[El Pistolero]

Pozzovivo has been too much in form too soon (see Trentino). He will fade during the 3rd week. Mark my words.

In the meantime, he won his biggest victory of his career.

 

[hrotha]

Pozzovivo was ridiculously good today. The final result doesn't come close to doing it justice. I think Contador would have struggled against that

Really? I got the distinct feeling that Pozzovivo rode away easily because no one even tried to follow him, and Liquigas wasn't pulling very hard. When Intxausti went the gap remained stable.

Truth is this was a terrible stage.

 

[Havetts]

Really? I got the distinct feeling that Pozzovivo rode away easily because no one even tried to follow him, and Liquigas wasn't pulling very hard. When Intxausti went the gap remained stable.

Truth is this was a terrible stage.

Seemed like Szmyd put a pretty tough pace, not giving 110% but still it was not as if they stood still.

 

[hrotha]

Seemed like Szmyd put a pretty tough pace, not giving 110% but still it was not as if they stood still.

Disagreed. 25 guys made it in that group (including the 2 ahead of it, who wouldn't have been dropped), including other Liquigas domestiques like Capecchi and Caruso. It couldn't have been a very tough pace. It certainly wasn't meant to drop any important rider.

 

[Havetts]

Disagreed. 25 guys made it in that group (including the 2 ahead of it, who wouldn't have been dropped), including other Liquigas domestiques like Capecchi and Caruso. It couldn't have been a very tough pace. It certainly wasn't meant to drop any important rider.

It certainly was enough to stop any other than Pozzovivo and Intxausti from attacking. So it couldnt have been a stroll in the park, you surely would expect from Rujano and Gadret who have lost so much in the two TTs that they'd take any opportunity to take back time..

I didnt think this stage was too bad though. I expected a bit more, but Liquigas and Astana had too much domestiques so the leaders didnt have to do it themselves.

 

[hrotha]

It certainly was enough to stop any other than Pozzovivo and Intxausti from attacking. So it couldnt have been a stroll in the park, you surely would expect from Rujano and Gadret who have lost so much in the two TTs that they'd take any opportunity to take back time..

I didnt think this stage was too bad though. I expected a bit more, but Liquigas and Astana had too much domestiques so the leaders didnt have to do it themselves.

Ah, but you assume other riders wanted to attack. See, that's the issue. They didn't.

If they had wanted to attack, they would have. Or are Intxausti and Pozzovivo just superior to everyone else? We might have our Giro podium already: 1. Pozzovivo, 2. Intxausti, 3. Szmyd.

edit: also, Rujano is an attackig rider, generally, but Gadret is not Txurruka.

 

[Frosty]

Really? I got the distinct feeling that Pozzovivo rode away easily because no one even tried to follow him, and Liquigas wasn't pulling very hard. When Intxausti went the gap remained stable.

Truth is this was a terrible stage.

Yeah, i mentioned earlier that i was surprised that no-one else tried after no-one responded to Pozzovivo's attack and he was able to pull out a big lead quickly. Guess all the top GC guys thought it would be a wasted effort as people would chase them down, and all the lesser GC guys were too close to the limit to attack.

 

[Havetts]

Ah, but you assume other riders wanted to attack. See, that's the issue. They didn't.

If they had wanted to attack, they would have. Or are Intxausti and Pozzovivo just superior to everyone else? We might have our Giro podium already: 1. Pozzovivo, 2. Intxausti, 3. Szmyd.

edit: also, Rujano is an attackig rider, generally, but Gadret is not Txurruka.

I expected them to attack and wanting to attack. But it seems they didnt. Theres no need to be so sarcastic, of course the podium isnt known yet.

I just stated Rujano and Gadret because theyve lost so much time already and if there isnt a high pace, why wouldnt they try?

 

[The Hitch]

WTF are those idiots at Liquigas doing. Szmyd doing all the work while Caruso and Cappechi role sweetly behind Basso even?

Use up those domestiques before someone like Szmyd. They could have used Szmyd as a decoy.

Top 15 with a support of the team I'd say.

No idea why everybody hyped Barta so much. Huzarski was 2nd behind in Settimana Coppi e Bartali and looked better on climbs than Barta. He's defitnely got a shot.

Huzarski lost time yesterday

 

[Libertine Seguros]

WTF are those idiots at Liquigas doing. Szmyd doing all the work while Caruso and Cappechi role sweetly behind Basso even?

Use up those domestiques before someone like Szmyd. They could have used Szmyd as a decoy.



Huzarski lost time yesterday

Not sure what's gone on with Caruso, but it seems like Liqui have decided to use Eros as the personal minder for their leaders, it was the same in the Vuelta last year.

It's a bit like, if you watch the 2009 Vuelta again, the hierarchy at Caisse is clearly Valverde > Rodríguez > Moreno > Kiryienka. However, Kiryienka does not go to the front; Moreno and even J-Rod go on the front on the climbs, but Kiryienka is used at almost all times with Valverde, either just in front or just behind.

It seems that though Szmyd may be considered the superior mountain domestique, they want Eros to watch Ivan's back at all times.

 

[rhubroma]

Pozzovivo is quite possibly the strongest rider in the race right now. You're in for a surprise if you think he's just another stage hunter.

Now, now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Strongest in the race today doesn't mean much, until further proof, in the final week. I expect him to have a great Giro. Perhaps even a superlative one.

For Pozzovivo that means podium.

I meant stage hunter, because he himself said he marked this stage for months in advance. Guys going for the overal from the beginning, don't mark this stage as a must go for it opportunity. He may dare to think big now, but he's the first to admit he needs to see for himself how far he can go in the last week with pressure on his shoulders.

The only surprise I'd be in for after today is 1st of 2nd.

 

[Escarabajo]

Sella - 5 minutes down, Serpa - 14

We need to forget about Serpa. They are lucky that he is still in the race.

 

[Fetisoff]

We need to forget about Serpa. They are lucky that he is still in the race.

You're right. He's injured, isn't he? Suprised to see Sella struggle this mightily though

 

[jens_attacks]

You're right. He's injured, isn't he? Suprised to see Sella struggle this mightily though

intestinal problems.androni is in trouble

 

[will10]

intestinal problems.androni is in trouble

They have time before Cervinia

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

You're right. He's injured, isn't he? Suprised to see Sella struggle this mightily though

Sella had gastroblablabla problems

 

[blaxland]

Well that was another wasted stage in that no real contenders did anything of note"but lets face it this giro has become a little quiet atm.Can't wait for stage 12 and onwards,when they start to climb.Only 4 flat boring stages left"Cavendishx2,Gossx1 and some random breakaway....

 

[wirral]

Where did Cataldo appear from? Was there a regrouping of sorts after the summit? I didn't see anything of him all day. Then he pops up and takes fifth place.

Pauwels was shown a lot and he ended in the next group at 1'24". I am beginning to suspect they swapped numbers.