2012 Giro d'Italia, May 23rd, stage 17: Falzes → Cortina D'Ampezzo, 186 Kms

[hfer07]

I only know one thing......





I must come up with a good excuse at work to be able to watch it

 

[ElChingon]

I only know one thing......





I must come up with a good excuse at work to be able to watch it

Testing the companies internet connection, there's been reports of an issue with streaming data and here's my test, I'll get back to you when I finish my data gathering.

 

[ElChingon]

Maybe this stage ending in a descent is the real reason Frank exited?

 

[Eshnar]

The best drawn stage in GTs in recent years.

Been waiting for it for months.

Too bad we will have to wait until this stage (stage 17 ffs, 17!!!) to see some real action.

I respectfully disagree.
It's certainly a great stage, but it's not the best imho.

 

[profff]

Am I the only one who think Cunego will win this?

He said he is at the Giro for stage win. Tomorrow will probably be for breakaway, Thursday is either breakaway or Cavendish, Friday and Saturday are MTF so he will need to work for Scarponi and Sunday is a ITT. It's his last chance and I think he will take it.

giau is very hard climb and i do not think that cunego will be able to stay with the best.
if they put the hammer down, at the top of the giau there will be big differences.
if he escapes in the duran descent ( the climb is very hard too) he will have to stay away on the staulanza that is a climb where domestique and a team working can really bring back their captains to the escapee of duran.

imho cunego will not be able to stay away on the staulanza if he goes away on the duran ( uphill or downhill).

to me this stage is the ideal scenario for ivan the terrible to repeat the monte grappa stage of two years ago.

passo giau is very selective at the end of such a stage and the big will have to fight for GC.
evrybody always talks about fedaia in the dolomites because of the punitive straight 4 km to reach capanna bill, but giau is not easier then fedaia.
it will create big damages if somebody decides to put the hammer down.
and considering that stelvio is still in doubt, i do think that basso should try something, scarponi has to regain on rodriguez, pozzo has to try to come back , as gadret , uran and the others climbers.

 

[Descender]

I respectfully disagree.
It's certainly a great stage, but it's not the best imho.

Show me better ones, we might have an interesting discussion.

 

[airstream]

Show me better ones, we might have an interesting discussion.

What special do you expect from the descent and what can it provoke?

I completely agree with Eshnar.

 

[Gloin22]

What special do you expect from the descent and what can it provoke?

I completely agree with Eshnar.

Usually stages with no MTF and descent at the end prove to be the most interesting if you followed cycling last year

Tour de Suiise Tour de Suisse, Stage 3 : Brig-Glis - Grindelwald spritns to mind

As well as that it forces riders not as good on descents to attack and get some sort of the gap before the desecent starts. Basso & Pozzovvio instantly spring to mind too as not great descenders

 

[XlandaluzeX]

Rujano-Nieve 1-2 punch on Duran !!!

 

[burning]

What special do you expect from the descent and what can it provoke?

I completely agree with Eshnar.

You didnt enjoyed first one because andy lost the tour there basically but both stages were good if only there was no flat in second one before finish

edit:

this one was pretty good as well

 

[airstream]

What your expectations? Are Liquigas ready to start peaking up the pace starting from Duran or it will another defensive stage by them when 6-7 big guns will finish together? I hope something to happen. Basso and Scarponi should feel some inspiration. Their mountains come.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

How good is Henao in descending?

very good. see california last year for instance

 

[burning]

Someone will definitely try something at the descent, for example Hesjedal is from mountain bike, he should be good in descents and I expect something from him

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

maybe i'm wrong but he really wasn't a good descender in colombia.in europe though until now,excellent.when astana went crazy on san pietro descent,he was there.basso was dropped for a little bit and other guys too.
in this stage it will be pretty important

i still expect the androids to put a show in this stage.maybe rujano getting in the break of the day with 3 other collegues.he has to fight back.these are no hills these are the real mountains.but i'm afraid the weather will be against him again.

let's just all pray szmyd will be dropped on duran otherwise it can be a snoozefest which will be a disgrace in a stage like that

he was initially not a great descender but botero and his teammates in antioquia who are excellent downhillers like acevedo and rodas have taught him a lot in the past 2 years

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I hope to see Rujano show his face, perhaps he will look for an Azzurra to go with his Verde from 2005.

Basso will lose the Giro on the Giau descent.

I hope he goes rampant again like in 2005 and take many minutes tomorrow. thbey will let him go for sure. I heard it will be dry tomorrow which is good

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Someone will definitely try something at the descent, for example Hesjedal is from mountain bike, he should be good in descents and I expect something from him

hesjedal maybe an mtb rider but he's not a great descender. scarponi for instance is better

 

[roundabout]

Hesjedal is very good downhill. Especially for such an ungainly looking rider.

 

[airstream]

Basso will lose the Giro on the Giau descent.

How?? Basso can lose the giro on the descent only in case lose contact with the best ones on Giau which is almost impossible. That's foolish to say about the great champion's descending skills as though he is a cycling school trainee.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Hesjedal is very good downhill. Especially for such an ungainly looking rider.

he is a very good downhiller, but not one of the best or better than some guys like scarponi for instance

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

How?? Basso can lose the giro on the descent only in case lose contact with the best on Giau which is almost impossible. That's foolish to say about the great champion's descending skills as though he is a cycling school trainee.

basso drops at every downhil that's done seriously. in rain it's even worse. remember that stage piepoli won?

 

[airstream]

basso drops at every downhil that's done seriously. in rain it's even worse. remember that stage piepoli won?

Yes, but only when he counters specialists descenders or other contenders are ready to take an additional risk. I don't expect it to happen.

Then Basso literally led his bike perpendicular. To him, it didn't matter how much he put into Simoni and others. There was the only goal - to avoid of falling.

 

[hrotha]

If this stage isn't epic I might have to kill somebody.

 

[airstream]

If this stage isn't epic I might have to kill somebody.

you thought the same about Plateau de Beille stage?

 

[jens_attacks]

Yes, but only when he counters specialists descenders or other contenders are ready to take an additional risk. I don't expect it to happen.

Then Basso literally led his bike perpendicular. To him, it didn't matter how much he put into Simoni and others. There was the only goal - to avoid of falling.

that's true.he's a bad descender but the only guy probably who really can put him in danger in this giro in that aspect is kreuziger.and he will be long gone at the top of the climb

basso's level is troubling though.i've also read a il diablo chiappucci interview where he said basso wants to hide his bad form with this defensive approach.
man he couldn't keep up at 21 km/h on piani de resinelli with god damn joaquim rodriguez.
i think he is even below the 2010 giro form...
don't even dare to compare with that robobasso slaughtering everyone on duran....oh good days:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuTrtyF-rAw


tomorrow it will be the day of truth

 

[roundabout]

Basso is not great downhill, but that stage in 06 was probably his worst performance downhill (well, apart from crashing and hurting himself), normally he is better than that.