2012 Giro Di Lombardia 29/09/2012

[MartinGT]

Bah, I suppose we should be happy like, but Eurosport only have 75mins of this on Saturday

 

[jens_attacks]

Jens you think il Delfino still has the form? I've seen him declining after the Italian nationals.

absolutely.he's peaking only for the big ones.
this is the biggest goal of his season,he said

 

[burning]

Lombardia always saddens me I hope that riders will make a great race, regardless of whoever wins at Saturday

 

[Panda Claws]

It's hard to look past Gilbert, does he have a strong team?

 

[search]

I wonder if Cunego is riding? It's been a bad year for Lampre and he could salvage some pride in his favourite race.

yep, he is - he is also doing Milano - Torino on wednesday

 

[The Hitch]

phil will win this because he's back in 2011 form.the only chance for the others is to drop him on sormano(what a climb,beautiful!).of course they can drop him on valcava too but i doubt they will go fast there

Im getting real sceptical about any teams ever bothering to isolate gilbert. Weve seen that no matter how big a favorite he is most are content to just ride with him to the finish than moan that he was too strong.

Thankfully, in Nibali and Contador we have 2 riders who have proved themselves willing to attack from far out, on something like Ghisalo or even Sormano.

Nibali may have bad memories of last year so it could require Contador to instigate.

If neither does anything, this will be Gilbert all the way.

 

[wollollo]

A few squads:

Lotto Belisol:
Gert Dockx
Bart De Clercq
Gianni Meersman
Joost Van Leijen
Jelle Vanendert
Dennis Vanendert
Frederik Willems
Tim Wellens

Sky:
Sergio Henao
Thomas Löfkvist
Lars-Petter Nordhaug
Danny Pate
Richie Porte
Salvatore Puccio
Rigoberto Urán
Bradley Wiggins

AG2R La Mondiale:
Guillaume BONNAFOND
Jean-Christophe PERAUD
John GADRET
Matteo MONTAGUTI
Maxime BOUET
Rinaldo NOCENTINI
Romain BARDET
Sylvain GEORGES

Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank:
Manuele Boaro
Alberto Contador
Rafal Majka
Sérgio Paulinho
Bruno Pires
Chris Anker Sørensen
Nicki Sørensen
Matteo Tosatto

Vacansoleil:
Tomasz Marczynski
Thomas de Gendt
Stefan Denifl
Rob Ruijgh
Rafa Valls Ferri
Mirko Selvaggi
Matteo Carrara
Marco Marcato
Marcello Pavarin
Johnny Hoogerland
Frederik Veuchelen
Björn Leukemans

All from the team websites, and presumably the last is a long team.

 

[El Pistolero]

Im getting real sceptical about any teams ever bothering to isolate gilbert. Weve seen that no matter how big a favorite he is most are content to just ride with him to the finish than moan that he was too strong.

Thankfully, in Nibali and Contador we have 2 riders who have proved themselves willing to attack from far out, on something like Ghisalo or even Sormano.

Nibali may have bad memories of last year so it could require Contador to instigate.

If neither does anything, this will be Gilbert all the way.

Lol, there was tailwind(right after the Cauberg) and headwind(at the Cauberg) at the WC all day, never crosswind. Breaks were never going to last.

 

[Afrank]

A few squads:
Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank:
Manuele Boaro
Alberto Contador
Rafal Majka
Sérgio Paulinho
Bruno Pires
Chris Anker Sørensen
Nicki Sørensen
Matteo Tosatto

Saxo looks strong, They have the guys needed to make the race hard. Contador can't beat Gilbert in a sprint so they will have to make it a hard race and try to drop him.

 

[luckyboy]

Only hope is for rain and Contador/Nibali to attack a lot

 

[thehog]

No way Wiggins races.

And little Richie Porte??

 

[TheEnoculator]

Gilbert wins it in rainbow. Gesink with outside chance.

 

[the asian]

Why? Nordhaug is a climber, who happens to be quite good on hills, Gilbert is a hills specialist.

Are you basing it on Paris Vasco?

I may be wrong but IMO he won't be a favourite at Lombardia.

"No way" is too strong, I admit.

 

[Pippo_San]

Gesink with outside chance.

Outside the time limit. Yeah definitely.

 

[Panda Claws]

Im getting real sceptical about any teams ever bothering to isolate gilbert. Weve seen that no matter how big a favorite he is most are content to just ride with him to the finish than moan that he was too strong.

Thankfully, in Nibali and Contador we have 2 riders who have proved themselves willing to attack from far out, on something like Ghisalo or even Sormano.

Nibali may have bad memories of last year so it could require Contador to instigate.

If neither does anything, this will be Gilbert all the way.

Isolating a top-form Gilbert isn't something you just 'bother with' either.

 

[theyoungest]

Are you basing it on Paris Vasco?

I may be wrong but IMO he won't be a favourite at Lombardia.

"No way" is too strong, I admit.

He got quite close in the Worlds as well... if the finish were on top of the Cauberg, he'd have gotten 4th or 5th.

And this climb should suit him more, and Gilbert less.

 

[cineteq]

Good team!

Movistar
Alejandro Valverde
Giovanni Visconti
Marzio Bruseghin
Rui Costa
Andrey Amador
Nairo Quintana
Pablo Lastras
Iván Gutiérrez.

 

[Afrank]

Radioshack
BAKELANTS Jan
BENNETT George
HERMANS Ben
HORNER Christopher
POPOVYCH Yaroslav
ROHREGGER Thomas
ZAUGG Oliver
ZUBELDIA AGIRRE Haimar

FDJ
CASAR Sandy
ELISSONDE Kenny
FEDRIGO Pierrick
JEANNESSON Arnold
PINEAU Cedric
PINOT Thibaut
VEIKKANEN Jussi
VICHOT Arthur

Radioshack doesn't look too bad, will depend on if their riders are in good form. Hopefully Thibaut Pinot does something.

 

[ILovecycling]

Before you start predicting, take a good look at the second part of your signature

So what?...I dont think that Alberto has a big chance.So,yeah...my bet is Alejandro.

 

[Red Rick]

So what?...I dont think that Alberto has a big chance.So,yeah...my bet is Alejandro.

I never thought Alejandro would ride in Italy so soon

 

[SafeBet]

So what?...I dont think that Alberto has a big chance.So,yeah...my bet is Alejandro.

How long can Valverde peak?

 

[LaFlorecita]

So what?...I dont think that Alberto has a big chance.So,yeah...my bet is Alejandro.

No he does not have a big chance, Alejandro has a bigger chance for sure maybe he is not the biggest favorite but he is a bigger favorite than Alberto

 

[ultimobici]

I don't see the Valcava or the Muro di Sormano in either of the Giri di Lombardia I've seen Phil win either. Sagan would have a better chance on the parcours Phil won on than on this one, in my opinion.

If the Muro di Sormano was on its own, fine, but it comes off the back of a long climb. Sagan hasn't proven himself over genuine long climbs as tough as that yet. I wouldn't say it's outside the realm of possibility, but if it's raced hard then Nibali is a much better Liquigas bet than Sagan.

2010 had the Sormano in it. Phil attacked on the descent to Nesso while Nibali's descending skills deserted him.

Bearing in mind Il Muro hasn't been used since the early sixties it's a bit much to expect him to have ridden it in anger!

 

[ultimobici]

Muro di Sormano is huge. 2k @ 15%.

That's just the average gradient. It has a fair bit over 24%.

Didn't stop this guy riding the whole climb on his back wheel though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9Z6D157QfA

 

[Descender]

2010 had the Sormano in it. Phil attacked on the descent to Nesso while Nibali's descending skills deserted him.

Bearing in mind Il Muro hasn't been used since the early sixties it's a bit much to expect him to have ridden it in anger!

I'm not sure how to understand your post. You do know in 2010 they didn't climb the Muro di Sormano, but rather the whole Colma di Sormano, right?