2013 Giro d'Italia: Maglia rosso passione

[J-King]

Who will win the maglia rosso passione - the points jersey in this years Giro d'Italia?

Seems to be a very open competition, especially because there won't be many opportunities for the pure sprinters (3 opportunities, maybe 4?)!

Last year:

1 Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP) Team Katusha 139
2 Mark Cavendish (GBR) Team Sky 138
3 Ryder Hesjedal (CAN) Garmin-Barracuda 113
4 Michele Scarponi (ITA) Lampre-ISD 81
5 Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA) Colnago-CSF Bardiani 80
6 Thomas De Gendt (BEL) Vacansoleil-DCM 76
7 Ivan Basso (ITA) Liquigas-Cannondale 58
8 Alexander Kristoff (NOR) Team Katusha 58
9 Geraint Thomas (GBR) Team Sky 53
10 Andrey Amador (CRC) Movistar Team 52

Past 10 years:

2003 Gilberto Simoni (ITA)
2004 Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
2005 Paolo Bettini (ITA)
2006 Paolo Bettini (ITA)
2007 /
2008 Daniele Bennati (ITA)
2009 Denis Menchov (RUS)
2010 Cadel Evans (AUS)
2011 Michele Scarponi (ITA)
2012 Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP)

Rules:

As of 2009, the winner of each stage receives 25 points, independent of the type of stage (unlike the better known points classification in the Tour de France, where winning a mountain stage gives fewer points than winning flat stage). The next cyclist receives 20 points, the next ones 16, 14, 12, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, until the fifteenth cyclist who receives one point. Every stage (excluding time trials) also has an intermediate sprint. The first to cross that sprint receives 8 points, the next one 6 points, the next ones 4, 3, 2, until the sixth cyclist who receives one point.

If two or more cyclists have the same number of points, the ranking is determined by the most number of stage victories, followed by the most number of intermediate sprint victories, followed by the lowest time in the general classification.

 

[l.Harm]

Nibali. Won't go to a sprinter and Nibali will end higher in most of the stage classifications than Wiggins wil.

 

[cineteq]

OP be serious. It's already a poll for this.

 

[jens_attacks]

santambrogio/di luca

 

[SafeBet]

Santa is a good choice indeed. But I wouldn't rule Cav out, considering how poor the sprinters field is.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Bouhanni, he should be able to get 2-5 in the real flat stages + in the slightly harder stages he can sprint a few times aswell.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Hoping a sprinter will take it. Gonna be really difficult. Any of these two will do for me:

 

[Wallenquist]

Hard to say. Could be climber with an ability of sprint (di Luca, Hesjedal, Sanchez) or sprinter with an ability of surviving some of the harder stages (Bouhanni). But my bet is that it will be taken by a most consistent gc man meaning Nibali. Dark horse: Phinney

 

[Peccio89]

In my opinion it will be a GC guy, since not many sprinter will be willing to continue the race after first week.
I voted for Santa just because i think he will be far behind after the TTT and the first TT( i think 5 or 6 minutes behind Wiggins) and so he will be given more space in mountain stages.

 

[Afrank]

Nibali, he'll be consistent in the mountain and hilly stages. And will be going for stage wins in both as well, in order to gain time on Wiggins. Bouhanni to be the highest placed sprinter.

 

[bestelaget]

Will Bouhanni survive the 3 hilly stages after the TTT? Guess the rider in maglia rosso after those 3 stages, will keep fighting for it...