2013 Giro D'Italia, Stage 1: Napoli - Napoli, 130 km

[theyoungest]

Not true.

The Giro created year after year of cheap wins for Cipo and Pettachi, and now Cav is going for his rightful place with the most wins, they pull the draw bridge up with a route like this.

Lol. The organizers alter the course of the first stage in order to have Cav in pink (and, sadly, to make it little more than a crit race) and still it's not enough for his fans.

 

[Netserk]

Huge crash in the final 3km. Carnage as the sprinter trains look for their men. Another crash in the final km. Di Luca wins.

I'd faint if that happened. _O_

 

[Pentacycle]

Dehaes and Modolo have a chance here imo, that is if OPQS mess up their train again.

 

[UselessToo]

Who will be lead-out man for Blythe? Oss or Phinney?

Who will be main sprinter for tomorrow stage in the team Ag2r? Belletti or Appollonio?

 

[search]

Who will be main sprinter for tomorrow stage in the team Ag2r? Belletti or Appollonio?

usually AG2R doesn't care, everone sprints for himself and they end up somewhere between 12th and 15th

 

[Dazed and Confused]

It would be a great day if an Italian gets into pink immediately.
Could be carnage.

Big chance for this man:

Notice the gap to the other super sprinters.

 

[postmanhat]

Cavendish usually ****s up the first sprint of a GT, so I'm going with Goss.

Yah. Though, I'm hoping Viviani has finally graduated from finishing school to take this one

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

why wouldn't he?

Tour de France hopes. Nothing has been decided between him and Demare. At least not officially, that I know of. They could even start both, in theory.



http://www.cyclisme-mag.com/Actualites/Route/Articles/Madiot-choisit-Bouhanni-pour-le-Giro-19022/

^ The most recent "information" that I'm aware of was only based on Bouhanni's Giro selection. The writer ran with that. But it's clear that's all he had.

(edit: although he notes the possibility that Bouhanni could still be selected for the Tour)

 

[ElChingon]

Stage almost looks like the typical USA Crit Course, just need more right turns and hay bales. Which USA based rider is there anyway, except Phinney he's not a crit monger.

 

[Afrank]

It's finally here! Stage 1 of the Giro d'Italia! 3 weeks of epic Italian racing!

Cav and Goss the big favorites for the stage, I'll go with both of them and their teams screw up the lead out which opens the door for an Italian sprinter. But which Italian? Hmm, Nizzolo, Chicchi, Viviani, Ferrari, Modolo; I'll go with Gatto. I'm hoping (and expecting) a few wins from him.

 

[The Hitch]

usually AG2R doesn't care, everone sprints for himself and they end up somewhere between 12th and 15th

I don't usually look at the lower placings but if true is funny considering that Roche was taking part in bunch sprints for uci points at the tour for them, kadri has filled a similar role and Gadret came in 4th in a pv sprint a few years ago. All without no leadout of course.

 

[search]

I don't usually look at the lower placings but if true is funny considering that Roche was taking part in bunch sprints for uci points at the tour for them, kadri has filled a similar role and Gadret came in 4th in a pv sprint a few years ago. All without no leadout of course.

somehow there must be some pecking order of course, but usually they don't build up a train anyway and their sprinters end up trying their luck and sprinting for themseves. It's the same for Vacansoleil, which leads to results like this

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=22076

 

[taiwan]

It's finally here! Stage 1 of the Giro d'Italia! 3 weeks of epic Italian racing!

Cav and Goss the big favorites for the stage, I'll go with both of them and their teams screw up the lead out which opens the door for an Italian sprinter. But which Italian? Hmm, Nizzolo, Chicchi, Viviani, Ferrari, Modolo; I'll go with Gatto. I'm hoping (and expecting) a few wins from him.

On a totally flat stage they (Vini Fantini) must work for Chicchi, otherwise why have him on the squad

 

[burning]

somehow there must be some pecking order of course, but usually they don't build up a train anyway and their sprinters end up trying their luck and sprinting for themseves. It's the same for Vacansoleil, which leads to results like this

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=22076

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/team_palm.asp?year=2013&teamcode=vcd&podium=1

 

[greenedge]

Cav
Goss
Viviani.

 

[King Boonen]

One of what, two proper sprint stages in a GT? Massive pile up.

 

[Afrank]

On a totally flat stage they (Vini Fantini) must work for Chicchi, otherwise why have him on the squad

True, I expect them to work more for Chicchi then Gatto. But I would like and hope to see Gatto up there and place well in the sprint (for CQ reasons )

 

[HiCadence]

Heart says Nacer Bouhanni head says Mark Cavendish.

 

[Konfronto]

Kangert from a breakaway takes maglia rosa and holds it for long.

 

[movingtarget]

Looks like Cavendish unless someone can bring Goss back to life.

 

[Random Direction]

I'll say the twitchiness gets to them and there are a few crashes and a second tier sprinter wins.

 

[Roude Leiw]

With the massive amount of sprint stages in the next week, the run in of this one will look like the Picadilly on Monday morning.

Cav should take it if he will avoid the pile up



....but I hope for Nacer

 

[taiwan]

True, I expect them to work more for Chicchi then Gatto. But I would like and hope to see Gatto up there and place well in the sprint (for CQ reasons )

I'm sure he will given the chance.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

What an awful route. This is supposed to be a GT. The first weekend couldn't BE any more insulting. "Oh, we're going to have a short, waste of time stage to make sure a sprinter gets to wear the maglia rosa like they don't already get too much glory, then we're going to have a TTT to make sure that the guys who are normally disadvantaged anyway are disadvantaged MORE just in the sake of sating those foolish enough to be sucked in by the argument that "it looks kinda cool".

I don't think I've ever felt so apathetic to the start of the Giro. It's the Giro! It should be about drama, epic battles in the mountains, excitement! Instead we start with a worthless parade, and I don't know if I can even be bothered to tune in. That's a really sad indictment of professional cycling in 2013.

 

[Ferminal]

What an awful route. This is supposed to be a GT. The first weekend couldn't BE any more insulting. "Oh, we're going to have a short, waste of time stage to make sure a sprinter gets to wear the maglia rosa like they don't already get too much glory, then we're going to have a TTT to make sure that the guys who are normally disadvantaged anyway are disadvantaged MORE just in the sake of sating those foolish enough to be sucked in by the argument that "it looks kinda cool".

I don't think I've ever felt so apathetic to the start of the Giro. It's the Giro! It should be about drama, epic battles in the mountains, excitement! Instead we start with a worthless parade, and I don't know if I can even be bothered to tune in. That's a really sad indictment of professional cycling in 2013.