2013 Giro D'Italia Field Discussion

[movingtarget]

Nibali is always fairly unspectacular, but he's also quite consistent, and he knows how to save energy in a three week race. He has also shown steady progression whereas Gesink's progress has been halted and, in my view, set back by the legbreak. In the only "real" mountain stage of the Vuelta with multiple cols you could see Gesink suffered like hell, and he was dropped really early, from a 20 man group. To the "old" Gesink this would never have happened. And the Giro has more stages like this.


Nibali is not that explosive at all. Gesink used to be better on hills than him.

But nowhere do I say that Nibali will be the main contender... I think Hesjedal and Wiggins have an equal or bigger chance.

When all is said and done I thought Nibali's ride in the Tour was impressive. It remains to be seen in 2013 whether he will continue on the same level or improve again but I agree that he will have to be at his best to have any chance against Ryder and Wiggins. I think the team change will only help him as well. It's hard to line up Ryder against Wiggins or even Nibali. Great win in the Giro but how good was the opposition ? It's hard to compare when the riders don't compete against each other regularly. Although looking at Rodriguez's ride in the Vuelta it becomes even less clear as to which GT had the more impressive performances.

 

[Ferminal]

If you mean last year, it was 14 kms at 7% or so. Hardly a short climb.

Just the hardest MTF outside the GTs.

 

[Eshnar]

Just the hardest MTF outside the GTs.

ehm... really?
Damn cycling is just getting worse and worse

EDIT: But you could argue that Punta Veleno was almost a MTF.

 

[Leendert82]

Nibali is always fairly unspectacular, but he's also quite consistent, and he knows how to save energy in a three week race. He has also shown steady progression whereas Gesink's progress has been halted and, in my view, set back by the legbreak. In the only "real" mountain stage of the Vuelta with multiple cols you could see Gesink suffered like hell, and he was dropped really early, from a 20 man group. To the "old" Gesink this would never have happened. And the Giro has more stages like this.


Nibali is not that explosive at all. Gesink used to be better on hills than him.

But nowhere do I say that Nibali will be the main contender... I think Hesjedal and Wiggins have an equal or bigger chance.

If you mean last year, it was 14 kms at 7% or so. Hardly a short climb.

Hmmm... i guess my memory is not that sharp anymore after turning 30

 

[Ferminal]

True, for some reason I didn't think of Trentino when thinking of mountainous stage races.

 

[Eshnar]

True, for some reason I didn't think of Trentino when thinking of mountainous stage races.

lol
But you were spot on anyway. I guess that that little descent after the top made it a descent finish

 

[Netserk]

lol
But you were spot on anyway. I guess that that little descent after the top made it a descent finish

Does that mean that Angliru isn't a MTF?

 

[taiwan]

I haven't read through the entire thread but I'm very surprised Hesjedal has so few votes as defending champion. It took a long time during the race last year before he was taken seriously as a contender, the consensus was he would be ganged up on and crack in the mountains, but he didn't. Am I missing something? Is the parcours particularly ill-suited to him? Or is who he's riding against?

That said, I voted for Wiggins

I dont have the feeling that Hesjedal will perform as well as he did last year. He is a capable rider, but some how I see his performance in the Giro as a one off

I think that Garmin's unpredictability could have something to do with it. They do swap leaders around quite often so you don't know who can/will do what. Having said that Hesjedal did top ten at the Tour so I suppose that made him a Giro contender. I wouldn't have picked him to win though.

A factor this year is the lack of options for a GC on that team with the USPS fallout. Pretty much just RH and Dan Martin. Of course maybe Tommy D will come back in peak condition and 'surprise'.

 

[staubsauger]

That Trentino stage was just the best mountain stage I've seen last year! And that little nasty descent was very nice too as it wasn't that long to bring everything together again. Hopefully that stage could get included into il Giro in the future.

 

[Eshnar]

Does that mean that Angliru isn't a MTF?

 

[theyoungest]

I think that Garmin's unpredictability could have something to do with it. They do swap leaders around quite often so you don't know who can/will do what. Having said that Hesjedal did top ten at the Tour so I suppose that made him a Giro contender. I wouldn't have picked him to win though.

A factor this year is the lack of options for a GC on that team with the USPS fallout. Pretty much just RH and Dan Martin. Of course maybe Tommy D will come back in peak condition and 'surprise'.

Dan Martin isn't a GC rider. But you did forget that little pitbull, name of Andrew T.

And I'm not sure what missing the Mallorca Challenge could do to harm the GC chances of Christian VDV or Tommy D this year.

 

[jens_attacks]

Does that mean that Angliru isn't a MTF?

 

[jens_attacks]

rujanito lab test:

12 W/KG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[taiwan]

Dan Martin isn't a GC rider. But you did forget that little pitbull, name of Andrew T.

And I'm not sure what missing the Mallorca Challenge could do to harm the GC chances of Christian VDV or Tommy D this year.

Apparently I'm not up to speed with happenings at Garmin. I won't rule out suicide.

 

[Eshnar]

rujanito lab test:

12 W/KG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just hope he stays upon his bike during the first week.
And I hope for a sunny May too.

 

[theyoungest]

Apparently I'm not up to speed with happenings at Garmin. I won't rule out suicide.

You didn't know Andrew Talansky?

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

rujanito lab test:

12 W/KG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

where does it say that? an article?

 

[theyoungest]

where does it say that? an article?

The Ryo Hazuki Gazette, perhaps.

 

[taiwan]

You didn't know Andrew Talansky?

I knew he was a climb and TT type rider, I didn't know he was one of the best options for a GT already. Also didn't notice/forgot him at the Vuelta, although I did watch a lot of it.

 

[The Hitch]

where does it say that? an article?

Lol. It came.from the same.poster who.before.the giro last year declared that "rujanito" was training hard "away from the police". i think.we should take it with a pinch of salt

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Lol. It came.from the same.poster who.before.the giro last year declared that "rujanito" was training hard "away from the police". i think.we should take it with a pinch of salt

Yea, Rujano probably do 14 W/KG....

 

[cineteq]

Anyone missing?

 

[Netserk]

Anyone missing?

Rujano and Garzelli

 

[theyoungest]

Yes, the omission of Scarponi is a bit strange. Or maybe Gazzetta also regards Basso and Scarponi as one person

 

[Eshnar]

Yes, the omission of Scarponi is a bit strange. Or maybe Gazzetta also regards Basso and Scarponi as one person

I know I had an awesome idea