2013 Giro D'Italia 04/05 - 26/05

[taiwan]

It must be a pretty special countdown if they are counting down to it.

Good post.

 

[Pantani_lives]

1. Nibali
2. Wiggins
3. Hesjedal
4. Scarponi
5. Betancur
6. Henao
7. Sanchez
8. Gesink
9. Evans
10. Uran

 

[manafana]

1. Nibali
2. Wiggins
3. Hesjedal
4. Scarponi
5. Betancur
6. Henao
7. Sanchez
8. Gesink
9. Evans
10. Uran

Can't see sky having 3 in top 10, Uran will have one dreadful day after setting a pace all day. Sky are 27/20 to be best team a steal if they can even get two in top 10 anyway

 

[Eshnar]

I added the start and estimated finish times on the stages list. As soon as someone spot the official bibs list let me know...

 

[Linkeballer]

I think Henao en Uran will completely sacrifice themselves for Wiggo.
So i don't expect a top 10 results for one of them.

1. Wiggins (will have a quite comfortable win in the end)
2. Nibali (Will deliver, but can't make up for the ITT and TTT)
3. Hesjedal (only one besides the first two, that can actually challange them)
4. Scarponi (will perform very well in the mountains, showed allready a lot this year)
5. Gesink (If he can still climb. More seriously, he looks good, is still 26, and will deliver with his new TT, and his climbing won't be as bad as many people might think it is.)
7. Intxausti (Good TT, Solid climber, showed really good things last year, before he got ill in il Giro, and don't forget his top 10 spot in the Vuelta being a 'gregario'.)
8. Santambrogio (The big questionmark of this Giro. Anybody an idea?! He truelly can't timetrial. At all. But that might be in his advantage after all, because he will start the mountain stages with at least 5 minutes back from Wiggins. Therefore he will get space to take some time back and deliver a top 10 spot.)
9. Pellizotti (no need to explain, right?)
10. Sanchez (Participates, will be there, will fail, takes a stage + a bit of time, will perform decent in TT, but i won't be enough for a top spot. 10th)

As you might see, no Evans. Evans will test himself, but won't go all in. He probably takes a stage, that's all.
Furthermore i think that Betancur won't be able to maintain his form for another 3 weeks. At last i expect Kiserlovski to do very well. But might be dropped out of the top 10 by Sanchez.

Anyway, to anybody: Enjoy!

 

[Ruudz0r]

I think Henao en Uran will completely sacrifice themselves for Wiggo.
So i don't expect a top 10 results for one of them.

1. Wiggins (will have a quite comfortable win in the end)
2. Nibali (Will deliver, but can't make up for the ITT and TTT)
3. Hesjedal (only one besides the first two, that can actually challange them)
4. Scarponi (will perform very well in the mountains, showed allready a lot this year)
5. Gesink (If he can still climb. More seriously, he looks good, is still 26, and will deliver with his new TT, and his climbing won't be as bad as many people might think it is.)
7. Intxausti (Good TT, Solid climber, showed really good things last year, before he got ill in il Giro, and don't forget his top 10 spot in the Vuelta being a 'gregario'.)
8. Santambrogio (The big questionmark of this Giro. Anybody an idea?! He truelly can't timetrial. At all. But that might be in his advantage after all, because he will start the mountain stages with at least 5 minutes back from Wiggins. Therefore he will get space to take some time back and deliver a top 10 spot.)
9. Pellizotti (no need to explain, right?)
10. Sanchez (Participates, will be there, will fail, takes a stage + a bit of time, will perform decent in TT, but i won't be enough for a top spot. 10th)

As you might see, no Evans. Evans will test himself, but won't go all in. He probably takes a stage, that's all.
Furthermore i think that Betancur won't be able to maintain his form for another 3 weeks. At last i expect Kiserlovski to do very well. But might be dropped out of the top 10 by Sanchez.

Anyway, to anybody: Enjoy!

I dont really see Santa do attacks from far out, its his first time riding for a GC in a GT + from what we have seen he was a follower in the mountains not an attacker (except for a jump from 1K out). I dont think he will use some possible freedom he might get.
I expect a lot of attacks from Vini Fantini in the giro but not from Santa.

 

[taiwan]

Furthermore i think that Betancur won't be able to maintain his form for another 3 weeks.

I'm not so sure. Evans was riding as strongly in the Ardennes etc. In 2010 and held on for 5th.

 

[Ruudz0r]

I'm not so sure. Evans was riding as strongly in the Ardennes etc. In 2010 and held on for 5th.

Di Luca 2007

 

[taiwan]

Yup that is a better example.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

5. Gesink (If he can still climb. More seriously, he looks good, is still 26, and will deliver with his new TT, and his climbing won't be as bad as many people might think it is.)

"Many people" still rate him as a Giro & Tour top-10 contender, actually. Not for that much longer, though, I'm guessing. Give it a week or two.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Fantastic that it's now less than twenty-four hours until the Giro gets underway

With the free to air telecast, we are very lucky in Australia. In recent years we have gotten to see the eight weekend stages of the Giro and Vuelta (every stage of TDF), and this year it's eight stages again, but sensibly the broadcaster is not showing the first couple of stages and instead showing stages 18 and 19 (especially happy about the latter). So the only major GC stage that we miss is stage 10. Stages 14, 15, 19 and 20 should be awesome.

Go Giro!

 

[theyoungest]

"Many people" still rate him as a Giro & Tour top-10 contender, actually. Not for that much longer, though, I'm guessing. Give it a week or two.

You certainly voice the opinion of the average Dutchman very well on this forum. Props for that.

Or are you a caricature?

I'm not so sure. Evans was riding as strongly in the Ardennes etc. In 2010 and held on for 5th.

But that was Evans, by all means a proven GC rider, unlike Betancur. And Evans wasn't that strong for the whole three weeks.

 

[jens_attacks]

Di Luca 2007

santa i think will do a di luca 2005 in this giro

i gave up for any chance for il killer in this giro, he said he won't be competitive not even at pescara stage

santa, delfino, juanjo vai vai!! it is then

 

[Ruudz0r]

santa i think will do a di luca 2005 in this giro

i gave up for any chance for il killer in this giro, he said he won't be competitive not even at pescara stage

santa, delfino, juanjo vai vai!! it is then

Do you have the link to the article or video where Di Luca said that? I still think he will show himself a few times this giro. He was really strong last saturday and sunday, he did quite some work on both days and still finished strong.

Edit: although the field was pretty weak obviously

 

[SafeBet]

i gave up for any chance for il killer in this giro, he said he won't be competitive not even at pescara stage

I do not believe him.

 

[jens_attacks]

i've read it on il centro newspaper

mayber a lucky breakaway that's all i guess. but firenze should be the biggest target

 

[Zam_Olyas]

i've read it on il centro newspaper

mayber a lucky breakaway that's all i guess. but firenze should be the biggest target

A lucky breakaway would be a success if we are to keep it real but delfino and juanjo will animate the race, fo sizzle...i am betting on them to do well call me deluded

 

[taiwan]

But that was Evans, by all means a proven GC rider, unlike Betancur. And Evans wasn't that strong for the whole three weeks.

True I think Evans was top favourite for that Giro where Betancur is an unknown quantity. However Evans did have a similarly successful Ardennes and did get 5th at the end of the day.

Plus Betancur's 4th in the final mountain stage of his previous Giro looks good for his GT potential.

 

[Ruudz0r]

i've read it on il centro newspaper

mayber a lucky breakaway that's all i guess. but firenze should be the biggest target

He first needs to make the selection wont be that easy. He needs to have some strong performances, and where better to show then in the giro! But its obviously hard with such a late season start.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

You certainly voice the opinion of the average Dutchman very well on this forum. Props for that.

Or are you a caricature?

I'm not Dutch. Besides, most Dutch don't even know that the Giro is on, much less that Gesink is starting and aiming for a podium. This ain't the Tour, sweatpea.

If we're talking Dutch cycling fans, however, then it's all over the place, really. There is still a large group of Blanco fans out there who believe in a great overall performance. Top-5 or better. It's also apparent on pro cycling sites like Wielerflits. Plenty of love for Bobby G. around, strangely enough.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Time for a Giro Song by ll Pirata


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBEBJzA5XZk

lyrics

Milano -Sanremo a rotta di collo/ Milano-Sanremo at breakneck speed
Liegi-Bastogne andata e ritorno/ Liegi-Bastogne round trip
stare davanti senza mai mollare/ always ahead, never giving up
nessuno oramai mi riesce a cambiare/ no one can change me now
son nato dal mare ma scalo montagne/ i was born by the sea but i climb mountains
cerco illusioni invece trovo emozioni/ seeking illusions instead i find emotions
col fiato del tempo sempre sul collo/ with time always hustling me

Nessuno ti giuro mi cambierà/ no one, i swear, will change me
tappe intermedie mai/ no halfway stages
e ti porterò con me lassù/ and i will bring you with me up there
la bici io e tu in maglia rosa sempre più/ the bike me and you, more and more with my maglia rosa

e adesso pedala/ and now get a move on
sulla mia sella ----/ on my saddle ---
per inseguire il cielo e poi/ to chase the sky and then
perduto nella dolce scia / lost in the sweet trail
a tutta birra e così sia/ at full speed and so be it
Apro gli occhi e sono su/ i open my eyes and I'm up there
il gruppo e lontano non lo vedo già più/ the group is distant, I can't see it anymore
pedalo pedalo arrivo alla cima/ I keep pedaling, I get to the top
al Tour e alla Vuelta penserò domattina/ tomorrow I'll think about the Tour and the Vuelta
la rabbia mi spinge mi porta distante/ anger pushes me, takes me far away
in salita e in discesa mi mangio un tornante/uphill and downhill, I eat a hairpin turn up
dietro e davanti mi applaudono in tanti/ behind and ahead many are cheering me on

Vorrei restar sempre così/ I'd like to be like this forever
in maglia rosa e poi/ wearing the maglia rosa (pink shirt)
in mezzo le moto sorpassano/ in the middle the motorcycles overtake
la fatica tocca solo a me/ I'm the only one who's sweating
ma ho voluto la bici e adesso..../ but I wanted the bike and now

E adesso pedala/ and now, get a move on!
la bici l'ho voluta io/ I wanted the bike
e tiro la volata ormai/ and now I start the final sprint

 

[theyoungest]

I'm not Dutch. Besides, most Dutch don't even know that the Giro is on, much less that Gesink is starting and aiming for a podium. This ain't the Tour, sweatpea.

If we're talking Dutch cycling fans, however, then it's all over the place, really. There is still a large group of Blanco fans out there who believe in a great overall performance. Top-5 or better. It's also apparent on pro cycling sites like Wielerflits. Plenty of love for Bobby G. around, strangely enough.

You're not Dutch? Caribbean, or something?

Many hardcore cycling fans (the kind that visit cycling websites) certainly still support him to some extent, but the average Joe doesn't, I get the feeling. Could be wrong though. Maybe it's time for Maurice de Hond to step in.

A sweat pea sounds really gross, BTW. Perhaps you mean sweet pea?

Plus Betancur's 4th in the final mountain stage of his previous Giro looks good for his GT potential.

Yeah but the fact that he did f.ckall in the rest doesn't

 

[classicomano]

You're not Dutch? Caribbean, or something?

Many hardcore cycling fans (the kind that visit cycling websites) certainly still support him to some extent, but the average Joe doesn't, I get the feeling. Could be wrong though. Maybe it's time for Maurice de Hond to step in.

All you have to do is read the comment section from non cycling orientated media, I dont think youll find a Gesink fan anywhere (quite the opposite actually).

 

[ILovecycling]

Only outside of Europe

What?Nooo,i wanna gazzetta coverage,their commentators n interviews are very good

 

[Eshnar]

Official startlist in post #2, finally.