2012 Giro d'Italia; Stage 15: Busto Arsizio - Lecco/Pian dei Resinelli (169km)

[El Pistolero]

Contador attacks when he has the form to attack. When he doesn't have the form to attack he doesn't attack. Same as most other riders. The only difference is that he is occasionally few percent superior than the rest and with a combination of explosiveness and endurance it is easier for him to attack.

Here the riders do seem to be very close in level.

Contador constantly attacked in the Tour 2011 even if his best form was far away.

 

[Froome19]

Too bad Slagter dropped in the descend, he seems really disappointed when he crossed the finish line

I get the feeling, Slagter is going to be more of a short steep stuff kind of climber rather than a mountain climber.

 

[roundabout]

Contador constantly attacked in the Tour 2011 even if his best form was far away.

Not in the Pyrenees. Not on the Galibier 1 stage.

 

[hrotha]

Contador constantly attacked in the Tour 2011 even if his best form was far away.

As much as I hate Contador, I have to admit this is true.

The 2011 Giro wasn't all that great, but at least we had Contador and Nibali. And a better Rujano, too.

 

[Bumeington]

not to bad for a first year pro...

31 BULGAC Brian NED LTB 5:19:30 4:00

He put 10 seconds into Rujano, surely he will destroy everyone in 19 and 20

 

[The Hitch]

I'd prefer to focus on Henao though. Now that he won't have to take care of Urán (inconsistent!), what's his limit? Better to take it slowly, what with this being his first GT and all, but he could get even better.

Henao is from Medellín suburbs 2100m above sea level. So when the race hits Giau and in particular when it hits stelvio, i expect to see him cope better than others.

 

[hrotha]

Henao is from Medellín suburbs 2100m above sea level. So when the race hits Giau and in particular when it hits stelvio, i expect to see him cope better than others.

He'll cope fine with the altitude, yes, but I'm more concerned about stuff like the Mortirolo, since he has a relatively heavy build for his height and Ryo says he doesn't like the super steep stuff.

Still, it's not like he's actually heavy, and if he can keep this form up he should be good enough there.

 

[meandmygitane]

good move by Ryder temporarily giving up the jersey to relieve the pressure. He will grab it back in the TT.

I wouldn't call it a good move, I would call it the only move he could make, he was dropped outright. He was lucky that Liquigas rode the way they did, he looked really tired in the middle of the race, knees pointing outwards (I think it was the uncategorized climb after the Valico di Valcava.) Then he looked stronger again until he was unceremoniously dropped.

 

[ghostofjoy]

I guess I must know nothing about cycling because I am finding this Giro pretty entertaining.

Do the velominati who are finding it boring long for the good old days of blood thicker than oil and elite athletes dying of heart attacks in their prime? But at least they'd attack from 10k out with a week still to race eh?

No way was that a gift btw

completely agree with this whole. this weekend has seen very dramatic racing.

j-rod had obviously gone anaerobic several times during his attack, and didn't have enough recovery at the end to out-kick rabottini. rabottini, on the other, had been riding tempo the entire day, and only had to go anaerobic once for the win.

 

[Magnus]

This Riis School of GT Winning is seriously flawed.

I think you should think of another name for the 'one attack wins GT'-school, considering TdF '96 and '08. Even in '10 Riis' strategy was to attack, it was Andy who didn't dare.

 

[woodburn]

Say goodbye white jersey competition.

63 STETINA Peter USA GRM 5:32:40 17:10

 

[Havetts]

Say goodbye white jersey competition.

63 STETINA Peter USA GRM 5:32:40 17:10

Worked on the front for Hesjedal, too bad though .

 

[McLovin]

after two weeks of Giro, I have to say it will be very hard for le Tour (even with this year route) to be worse than Giro. Only sprint finals with six stages left. Anyway, let's hope we'll see some good stages next week.

 

[Sciatic]

Just to put this weekend's racing in perspective:

Yesterday total climbing: 3300 m
Today's stage total: 3760
Wed. Cortina d'Ampezzo: 5280 m
Fri. Alpe di Pamepago: 6020 m
Sat. Stelvio: 6500 m (add appropriate exclamation)

And those numbers don't take into account the differences that altitude, the unevenness of the climbs, and total fatigue will play in opening big gaps. This Giro maye be 2/3 over by the calendar, but not in terms of racing. I don't like the conservative riding either, but the teams playing a waiting game must know
There are LOTS more opportunities to take time.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Both this weekend's stages have delivered 95% of their entertainment, via the breakaways.
Chapeau to all those concerned.

The GC "battle" for want of a better word, shows how the new organizer's "more balanced route" has, in fact produced a "less balanced course".
We have a group of "contenders" who are too terrified to move, because of the race's final three stages.

We spend all winter looking forward to May and the Il Grande Giro, then the whole race, waiting until it is just about over; for it to begin.

In reality, while we joke about Rujano, weather excuses etc, he could still pull a podium spot out of the hat, given he's 7 minutes down and we have a a load of guys doing more with their eyes, than their legs.

 

[Sophistic]

seems like Hesjedal has already taken Kreutsingers #1 spot as the most overrated time trialist.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Eros the love had a hunger knock today at 6 km to go today. useless fact.

 

[The Hitch]

Gesink would have won this stage and his first GT if he had started this years Giro.

Uh what?

 

[Fidolix]

Gesink would have won this stage and his first GT if he had started this years Giro.

looooooooooooooooooooooooooooool

 

[Magnus]

Uh what?

Well, since the premise of the implication is false it trivially holds true...

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Well, since the premise of the implication is false it trivially holds valid...

Logic win.

 

[woodburn]

Worked on the front for Hesjedal, too bad though .

Good to know. Missed the stage. He finished well last year so maybe he can still come up with strong placing.

 

[maltiv]

seems like Hesjedal has already taken Kreutsingers #1 spot as the most overrated time trialist.

You don't even have to be a good time trialist to put massive time on the GC guys here.

 

[Fidolix]

Nice logic.

sure is, what else could it be...

 

[Fidolix]

He gave up those 6 seconds so the favourites would let him go today. Or something like that.

It¨s a mastermind working shhhhhh....