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

[Red Rick]

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

Contador can have two reasons to attack imo: The first is when he knows he's the best and he wants to take the stage/lead or lock it up, when he attacks for this reason it's almost always a done deal. The second reason is when he has to attack to win the race and there are too few possibilities to wait for another day. He can win when he does this, but he can also just make others lose

 

[Red Rick]

By the way, i'm really starting to hate Basso for thinking he can win a GT on one particular stage

 

[Lexman]

By the way, i'm really starting to hate Basso for thinking he can win a GT on one particular stage

i have him in my cyclotorrents team so i want him to be top 3 at least but what a way to conceive it, not a great way to win a GT, hopefully Scarponi does something next week

 

[roundabout]

By the way, i'm really starting to hate Basso for thinking he can win a GT on one particular stage

He needs form and the gradient to get away.

 

[Lexman]

If Gadret wants to repeat his 2011 podium place (which he does) and with the ITT where he is a big fail, he really has to start attacking next week, maybe that will help the field to losen the legs a bit more and spread the main contenders ...

 

[The Hitch]

Contador can have two reasons to attack imo: The first is when he knows he's the best and he wants to take the stage/lead or lock it up, when he attacks for this reason it's almost always a done deal. The second reason is when he has to attack to win the race and there are too few possibilities to wait for another day. He can win when he does this, but he can also just make others lose

"Alberto, why did you attack 100k from the end?"

"For fun"

 

[WinterRider]

A lot steeper today, think Hesjedal will loose a LOT on e.g. stelvio.

He did OK on Tourmalet in 2010 TDF. Only lost time to Contador, Schleck and JRod, and Contador and Schleck were on another level in that Tour. If Jrod avoids a bad day in the mountains then I don't think Ryder can touch him, but he has a time advantage on everyone else, and is probably better off than everyone in the TT, so he's still in with a chance.

It's also worth noting that on his 2010 TDF run he said he felt stronger and stronger every day relative to everyone else. If that run of form repeats itself here, he could just get stronger as the days go on.

But of course these climbs are steeper here than in the TDF, so who can say for sure. All I know is I'm really looking forward to the last week. It's going to be a great show.

 

[WinterRider]

when did hesjedal become cancellara to regain the minutes he will lose on the mountains on basso, scarponi and purito?

i still think purito will pull his trademark bad day in the mountains somewhere on the next few days, so imo it's btw basso and scarponi.

Scarponi isn't a great descender either to be honest, if both him and basso reach the top of the giau together with 1 or 2 minutes on every one (which may happy) they will ride together to the finish, so i don't think basso is all that worried about rhe giau descent.

Ryder has a time advantage on Basso and Scarponi, and might be able to limit his losses in the high mountains. JRod may be beyond the reach of everyone unless he has a bad day.

And there is very little chance of Basso attacking before the final climb.

 

[Sciatic]

By the way, i'm really starting to hate Basso for thinking he can win a GT on one particular stage

I'm still not getting this "on one stage" premise--yes his wait-it-out strategy is boring, but there are 3 more stages left that have close to or more than twice the difficulty of today's or yesterdays stage. Please explain why you think only 1 will work? yes i know Giau ends in a steep descent but if some of the contenders crack big time on the climb they're not going to come all the way back on the descent...even on Basso!

 

[SafeBet]

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

Scarponi finished 9th in the final ITT (15km) two years ago, Basso 15th.
Even in a longer ITT (26km) last year Scarponi was 16th, losing 1'28" to David Millar.

There simply is no evidence that a good (not great like Millar, or Martin, or Cancellara) TTer would put massive time into these guys in the final TT of a Giro d'Italia.
Let alone an average TTer like Ryder Hesjedal, who managed to finish behind Andy Schleck in a 52km ITT in his best GT of his career.

 

[rhubroma]

He needs form and the gradient to get away.

That's right. Unfortunately the design of this Giro is, to put it mildly, perplexing.

We have not had a serious mountain in two weeks. As hard as these stages have been, there has not been that decisive course to see who has something more than the others. (I'm not saying Basso)

It has been all tactics among the contenders. And when it's all tactics the road doesn't give the verdict, but the little, punchy moves.

At any rate looks like we have to wait till Friday to have any chance of seeing real bloodshed.

 

[RHRH19861986]

1min30 of advantage for Rodriguez isn´t too bad... However, I think Basso has still space to improve.
JRod will fear the 31.5 km time trial.

To be honest, Basso´s still my Nr 1 favourite for the overall win, but Chapeau to Rodriguez, who has become a real podium contender also in GTs. Wouldn´t have expected this regarding his age.

 

[Parrulo]

Ryder has a time advantage on Basso and Scarponi, and might be able to limit his losses in the high mountains. JRod may be beyond the reach of everyone unless he has a bad day.

And there is very little chance of Basso attacking before the final climb.

what makes you believe he will manage to limit his losses to only a few seconds on those guys?

Scarponi finished 9th in the final ITT (15km) two years ago, Basso 15th.
Even in a longer ITT (26km) last year Scarponi was 16th, losing 1'28" to David Millar.

There simply is no evidence that a good (not great like Millar, or Martin, or Cancellara) TTer would put massive time into these guys in the final TT of a Giro d'Italia.
Let alone an average TTer like Ryder Hesjedal, who managed to finish behind Andy Schleck in a 52km ITT in his best GT of his career.

shhhhhhhh no need to be so harsh as to bring some back to reality yourself, you could let time do it slowly, fist dropping time on the mountains and then not winning any significant time on the itt.

 

[Eshnar]

That's right. Unfortunately the design of this Giro is, to put it mildly, perplexing.

We have not had a serious mountain in two weeks. As hard as these stages have been, there has not been that decisive course to see who has something more than the others. (I'm not saying Basso)

It has been all tactics among the contenders. And when it's all tactics the road doesn't give the verdict, but the little, punchy moves.

At any rate looks like we have to wait till Friday to have any chance of seeing real bloodshed.

what about wednesday?

 

[rhubroma]

what about wednesday?

Ahh, Wednsday, right....perhaps, but there is a 20 k decent to the finish.

 

[Eshnar]

Ahh, Wednsday, right....perhaps, but there is a 20 k decent to the finish.

Very fast and technical. It could provide as much difference as the climb.

 

[rhubroma]

Very fast and technical. It could provide as much difference as the climb.

All the more reason to get over it first.

 

[Frosty]

J-rod's 2nd place today means he is now 26 points behind Cavendish in the points classification.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Hope Mica improves his act next year By the way Ivan basso race data 15 tappa km 169 T 5 h 15 WM 270 KJ 5125

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Seems like I was the only one who enjoyed that.

Right up until the end, I really enjoyed the fact that I gave Rabbotini, the chasing group and the peloton pretty much an equal chance each to get to the line first. And then what a finish.

 

[Escarabajo]

common folks!!! The stage was really entertaining if you weren't concentrating on the gc riders-i agree with the so called "basso train" weeping the pace with super szmyd, but heck that's his job & it's the only way ivan is going to get results. Cunego did provide entertainment, so pirazzi, amador & all the riders in the chasing group. Rabottini put a great show-so losado & purito-thanks a lot for breaking away & give the gc contenders a lesson.

+1.

...................

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

for me when a mountain stage doesn't deliver a thing for the GC it's boring, sorry

 

[Flamin]

101 DE CLERCQ Bart BEL LTB 5:42:19 + 26:49

a week ago he was talking about how he wouldn't target a particular stage because he wanted to conserve energy so he can do top 20 in the gc

Good that he lost time. idiot.

 

[Delicato]

101 DE CLERCQ Bart BEL LTB 5:42:19 + 26:49

a week ago he was talking about how he wouldn't target a particular stage because he wanted to conserve energy so he can do top 20 in the gc

Good that he lost time. idiot.

I wonder why some riders make making Top-20 in GT as their primary target for the race. I thought it is something...unspectacular.

 

[Wergeland]

And Contador. On some press conference held on Saxo Bank headquarters he said he attacks whens his legs are hurting because others will be hurting even more.

This is cycling 101. Everybody knows it, but you have to tough mentally to do it. And those who do win races.