2013 Tirreno - Adriatico

[LaFlorecita]

Nibali has proven to be a very good ITTer on shorter courses, probably better than the post-ban Alberto and knows this race very well.
It might be closer than you think.

Don't know about Froome. Has he ever performed at a reasonable level in march?

what short tts has Alberto ridden post-ban.... 1 in Eneco tour and one in San Luis and both were much longer than 9 km. The best distance for Alberto in a tt is less than 10 km, so I expect him to do well.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Froome will be only a opponent 21 days per year. Hes like Armstrong.

 

[Miburo]

Nibali has proven to be a very good ITTer on shorter courses, probably better than the post-ban Alberto and knows this race very well.
It might be closer than you think.

Don't know about Froome. Has he ever performed at a reasonable level in march?

You gotta be kidding right?

Don't you tell me you based yourself on san luis?

 

[LaFlorecita]

That might happen, depends on sky's team. I hope it's not more than 25 sec though.

I just don't get it why you're putting a TTT in a week stage race

And 17 km is pretty damn long knowing it's only a 1 week race.

last year

4 Team Sky + 00:23
5 Team Astana + 00:30
6 Saxo Bank + 00:38

191 CAVENDISH Mark GBR
192 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald NOR
193 EISEL Bernhard AUT
194 HUNT Jeremy GBR
195 HAYMAN Mathew AUS
196 LÖVKVIST Thomas SWE
197 STANNARD Ian GBR
198 SUTTON Christopher AUS
vs

201 TANNER David AUS
202 MAJKA Rafal POL
203 CHRISTENSEN Mads DEN
204 BOARO Manuele ITA
205 SÖRENSEN Nicki DEN
206 PAULINHO Sergio Miguel Moreira POR
207 PIRES Bruno POR
208 TOSATTO Matteo ITA

Sky will probably have a better team but so will saxo.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

You gotta be kidding right?

Don't you tell me you based yourself on san luis?

exactly, what a load of ****

 

[Eshnar]

The final circuit of stage 6

 

[Eshnar]

Stage 5 finish

 

[SafeBet]

what short tts has Alberto ridden post-ban.... 1 in Eneco tour and one in San Luis and both were much longer than 9 km. The best distance for Alberto in a tt is less than 10 km, so I expect him to do well.

Which is actually a very good distance for Nibs as well.
What has Contador shown so far to prove he's still the same TTer he was before ban?
And where did I say he won't do well?

Don't you tell me you based yourself on san luis?

On everything I've seen from Contador after he came back.
Nibbles being on the same level, or slightly better, than Contador, on a short ITT seems likely.

 

[SafeBet]

exactly, what a load of ****

Pantani would be proud of Nibs.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Which is actually a very good distance for Nibs as well.
What has Contador shown so far to prove he's still the same TTer he was before ban?
And where did I say he won't do well?

And why should he not be? He's been a tter since his first days as a pro. Why should a six month ban change that? Off-season is six months too, for Alberto. After every off-season he loses some of his tt skills?

On everything I've seen from Contador after he came back.
Nibbles being on the same level, or slightly better, than Contador, on a short ITT seems likely.

No it doesn't since Alberto has always been better.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Froome will be only a opponent 21 days per year. Hes like Armstrong.

21 + 1 day
Remember the Olympics.

 

[Miburo]

Which is actually a very good distance for Nibs as well.
What has Contador shown so far to prove he's still the same TTer he was before ban?
And where did I say he won't do well?


On everything I've seen from Contador after he came back.
Nibbles being on the same level, or slightly better, than Contador, on a short ITT seems likely.

Once again, on what? I'm sure you're smart enough to not base yourself on san luis.

On the vuelta ITT where he only was second? And was first in the first time check on the first 10 flat km? Cause that's your argument, short TT's.

Oh yeah the eneco tour where he only was 6th (or 7th) after his return, yeah ok

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Parasites from bilharzia normally stay in your body after the treatment, so it's normal to experience the disease ciclically.
That said, what are his doctors doing? Everybody knows this disease must be periodically monitored. He should have been treated weeks before this whole thing could affect his training.

Frrome with those pesky worms. He will be ready.

 

[Eshnar]

Stage 3 finish

 

[TeoSheva]

Horner ftw

 

[jens_attacks]

just praying that majka won't crash in front of him again....obvious winner we'll then.

if not the abruzzo wonder, then i'd go with alberto. froomey's bilharzia is not something to worry about,but the other way around. if he won't have again other problems(lungs last year i think?) and the staff will give him the green light to go full-gas he might demolish everyone.

anyway, the route is good.hope the weather will be fine. and can't wait for this

 

[Carols]

Anyone have a source link for Froome's worm reoccurance? How disappointing

Still it will be a great race! Nibbles defending; good course for him. May the best man win!!

 

[jens_attacks]

how is bilharzia disappointing?it's rather great news. he will give alberto a run for his money big time in the tour.

 

[Carols]

how is bilharzia disappointing?it's rather great news. he will give alberto a run for his money big time in the tour.

Because I don't want to see him ill I want to see great battles!!!

 

[jens_attacks]

it's just his shtick don't be worried about. if you wouldn't be healthy, you won't ride the tour. chris will be fine and ready to face alberto. god forbid any crashes

 

[serfla]

Because I don't want to see him ill I want to see great battles!!!

Do you really believe we can talk about illness in Froome's case?

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Froome is highly motivated to win T-A. Hell, he already wants to stick it to Contador in Oman. Or at least, he seemed to imply as much in a very recent interview he did. I may have misread that, though. Either way, I wouldn't write him off just yet.

I don't believe most of that Bilharzia talk, anyway.

 

[maltiv]

Because I don't want to see him ill I want to see great battles!!!

I think what jens is trying to say is that his Bilharzia allows him to...you know, fix them blood values. So it might be an advantage in that case.

 

[Lexman]

T-A will be the first really interesting race of the year.

Contador, Froome, Nibali...

Will Evans be able to get some decent level again or might it if Evans doesn't do anything at all, already be an indication for the TDF : TJVG as leader?

 

[Carols]

I think what jens is trying to say is that his Bilharzia allows him to...you know, fix them blood values. So it might be an advantage in that case.

Ahhh, I am naive LOL!!!