2015 Giro d'Italia Stage 15: Marostica–Madonna di Campiglio

[hfer07]

Contador claimed he went really hard & emptied the tank to get the results. I wonder how is he going to do in this very first real MTF..... Is logical that Aru is set to attack for sure with the poor ITT result he got-perhaps Uran might try something too-so we'll see a good stage after all. I believe a breakaway could make it, but Astana will be there to push hard, & Tinkov to counter & control. Richie should try something different from the SKY script since he's out of the GC game and should go from afar..... will see

 

[movingtarget]

Contador to watch Astana. Rogers and Kreuziger did not go all out in the TT. Landa and Aru may not be feeling too good either after yesterday. Should be a break of the usual suspects but they probably won't survive the final climb. Possibly another reshuffle of the top 10 but Contador looks in control.

 

[nepetalactone]

Re:

Contador claimed he went really hard & emptied the tank to get the results. I wonder how is he going to do in this very first real MTF..... Is logical that Aru is set to attack for sure with the poor ITT result he got-perhaps Uran might try something too-so we'll see a good stage after all. I believe a breakaway could make it, but Astana will be there's to push hard, & Tinkov to counter & control. Richie should try something different from the SKY script since he's out of the GC game and should go from afar..... will see

All of the GC riders went deep in the TT. That's what a TT is about and they would have lost a lot more time if they hadn't gone deep. Recovery will be key, and it is here that Contador is unparalleled.

 

[Sasquatch]

Re: Re:

if contador is any smart. he will not do anything anymore and save as much as he can

That has been his usual pattern in the past in similar circumstances. But I would still like to see him go for 1 stage. But yes, the smarter tactic is as you state and he has followed that.

He's definitely not going to go for a stage. The only way he'd win a stage is if the break was taken back and Aru and Porte and Uran and co attacked. He would just follow wheels. He may go away from them in the final km, but not worth it. He'll be following wheels all this week. I doubt he'll be attackign.

 

[indianfanboy]

Expect Contador to launch a big attack today in the last climb....

 

[Jspear]

Re: Re:

People has been talking about the isolation of Contador. LOL. That tactic has never ever work in a GT. There are several reasons why not but don't want to get into details. Anyway, Contador has this in the bag.

guess you didn't see the 2005 vuelta

I think he meant that has never worked on AC in a GT.

 

[lenric]

Astana isolates Contador. Then Contador attacks. Aru turns into diesel mode and Astana riders have to pace him. Contador waves goodbye to them. Contador just isolated Astana and *** them. End of story.

 

[Tank Engine]

Re: Re:

[
Saeco ganging up on Popovych when Cunego won the Giro is about the nearest thing to this I can think of. Super U couldn't beat LeMond when the only other guy that finished on his team was a sprinter, Planckaert (but then they didn't really have multiple threats). Astana are very strong, but Bertie is a different proposition to Popovych.

Liberty Seguros, 2005 Vuelta. That's the best example I can think of, with 4 Liberty guys in the attack moves, and them literally stopping by the side of the road waiting for Heras to ride across while Menchov's depleted Rabo team collapsed all around him.

Now I remember. Very good example. Actually, thinking about it Heras was involved in a similar ambush on Nozal in 2003 when riding for USP. Not so spectacular (but again led to Heras winning).

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

Beñat and Bananito in the break. I thought about maybe Kruijswijk, but he went surprisingly deep today so presumably isn't as interested in the GPM as I thought he might be. Geschke maybe, but I can't see him staying with the former two if they fight out Daone.

That is a given. The fight for the KOM shirt is heating up!!

Isn't it nice to have a couple of genuine climbers feuding over it day after day?

I am more excited about that than the fight for GC!

Then we shall have a friendly feud: I'm firmly pro-Beñat and will be gutted if he doesn't hold on to it.

So was I before that shameful performance in stage 8.

 

[jaylew]

Re:

Hi all, long time reader, first time contributor so bear with me, just curious why some of the "bigger" teams did not send their A list teams to this instead of le tour, are commercial obligations and visibility worth so much at the tour than having a potential podium at the giro. Have always loved the giro but for me despite great routes over last number of years it's almost as though it's getting less of an entrant field than even the vuelta., will nail my colours to the mast am a bmc fan but cannot understand their thinking of team selection this year. Van Garderen is a good cyclist, will be lucky to come top 10 in this years tour however due to route and quality of completion, however switch him to giro and I would put him at uran level with chance of podium and then go again at vuelta with competitors who were in Tour de France not as rested as he is for that. Sanchez if team leader in the tour would do as well as van garderen in a mountainous route I reckon, I just can't fathom logic behind this outside of commerciality, Caruso is doing a good job to be fair but TJ may be a level above, not just true of BMC mind, talansky is another cyclist but not elite, should he have not been entered to giro and vuelta rather than tour where he will be under pressure to come top 10, as this years tour is very elite cyclist heavy I thought for these guys and some others (I would love to see PInot in Giro but can understand as being French and team French he he has to go tour), Keldermann, 1 of Bardet or Peraud, etc.

I agree but two of the guys you mention are American guys on American teams. Sadly, only hardcore cycling fans pay attention to anything other than the Tour here. 99% of Americans have never even heard of the Giro d'Italia or Paris-Roubaix.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re: Re:

[
Saeco ganging up on Popovych when Cunego won the Giro is about the nearest thing to this I can think of. Super U couldn't beat LeMond when the only other guy that finished on his team was a sprinter, Planckaert (but then they didn't really have multiple threats). Astana are very strong, but Bertie is a different proposition to Popovych.

Liberty Seguros, 2005 Vuelta. That's the best example I can think of, with 4 Liberty guys in the attack moves, and them literally stopping by the side of the road waiting for Heras to ride across while Menchov's depleted Rabo team collapsed all around him.

Except Heras, as the attacker, was the strongest in 2005 which eventually gave his attack a greater likelyhood to succeed. This time Contador, as the attacked one, is the strongest, and he has a stronger team than Menchov did back in 2005.

 

[ILovecycling]

Re:

Contador to watch Astana. Rogers and Kreuziger did not go all out in the TT. Landa and Aru may not be feeling too good either after yesterday. Should be a break of the usual suspects but they probably won't survive the final climb. Possibly another reshuffle of the top 10 but Contador looks in control.

I think Kreuziger went full gas, just his tt is a ***.Rogers surely not, but it all depends on Astana strategy, I hope they try something unusual

 

[SeriousSam]

Re:

Hi all, long time reader, first time contributor so bear with me, just curious why some of the "bigger" teams did not send their A list teams to this instead of le tour, are commercial obligations and visibility worth so much at the tour than having a potential podium at the giro.

Yes

 

[Von Mises]

Re: Re:

[
Saeco ganging up on Popovych when Cunego won the Giro is about the nearest thing to this I can think of. Super U couldn't beat LeMond when the only other guy that finished on his team was a sprinter, Planckaert (but then they didn't really have multiple threats). Astana are very strong, but Bertie is a different proposition to Popovych.

Liberty Seguros, 2005 Vuelta. That's the best example I can think of, with 4 Liberty guys in the attack moves, and them literally stopping by the side of the road waiting for Heras to ride across while Menchov's depleted Rabo team collapsed all around him.

Except Heras, as the attacker, was the strongest in 2005 which eventually gave his attack a greater likelyhood to succeed. This time Contador, as the attacked one, is the strongest, and he has a stronger team than Menchov did back in 2005.

Exactly. It succeeded only because Menchov was weak (or too diesel) and was not able to follow Heras. But Aru attacking and Contador not able o follow? No.

 

[markene2]

I dont know why. But i woke up today feeling Cunego will win, hope it turns out to be true

 

[jens_attacks]

Re: Re:

[
Saeco ganging up on Popovych when Cunego won the Giro is about the nearest thing to this I can think of. Super U couldn't beat LeMond when the only other guy that finished on his team was a sprinter, Planckaert (but then they didn't really have multiple threats). Astana are very strong, but Bertie is a different proposition to Popovych.

Liberty Seguros, 2005 Vuelta. That's the best example I can think of, with 4 Liberty guys in the attack moves, and them literally stopping by the side of the road waiting for Heras to ride across while Menchov's depleted Rabo team collapsed all around him.

Except Heras, as the attacker, was the strongest in 2005 which eventually gave his attack a greater likelyhood to succeed. This time Contador, as the attacked one, is the strongest, and he has a stronger team than Menchov did back in 2005.

for me, heras wasn't the strongest. menchov was
but rabobank was weak as hell, only kolobnev ok. liberty seguros super strong
people shouldn't forget that heras didn't drop menchov on coladiella! he drop him only on the descent while risking his carrer and life to do that. he gapped him there

i think astana should try and at least go for the stage wins
today i expect tiralongo to destroy the peloton on daone and mikel landa to get the stage win

 

[jens_attacks]

Re:

I dont know why. But i woke up today feeling Cunego will win, hope it turns out to be true

i actually dreamt that alberto attacked on la fricca(which was of courder harder than in reality) and had at one point 2 minutes on the peloton. lol

 

[Eyeballs Out]

On British Eurosport yesterday they were talking about stories in Italy that Aru had been suffering with stomach trouble in week 2. That would certainly tie in with what we were seeing (and hearing given the unconvincing official explanations). Contador obviously sensed Aru's weakness on the two mid mountains stages and was attacking even when there was no prospect of any success. If he senses the same today then there is surely no question that he will be out to finish Aru off before he has a chance to recover with the rest day

 

[bassano]

Re:

I dont know why. But i woke up today feeling Cunego will win, hope it turns out to be true

Agree, I think Cunego is one that will be in today break

Also Astana actions depends from Aru legs today, not sure how much energy he spent in TT, but last 4 days he did not seemed so great and weather is also problem for him
I hope he will be OK after small problem few days ago and there will be some nice action from Astana on Daone climb

 

[Beacon Hill]

Re: 2015 Giro d'Italia Stage 15: Marostica–Madonna di Campig

Pirazzi in an epic win, outsprinting Betancur

Either that or Contador crushing the lesser mortals before going onto cruise mode for the rest of the Giro.

 

[Alcanelo]

I think Contador will follow wheels and if he spots a little hurt on the last climb he'll attack, otherwise he'll force Aru/Uran/whoever to set the pace and then he'll attack regardless towards the finish...he wants stages and he wants to entertain the fans but the Tour is on his mind no doubt about it...he has learned from his last Giro...he went crazy and destroyed everyone just for the sake of it and it costed him the Tour...he's not that naive any more...he'll be conservative. He can easily do repeat stages of the Vuelta here.

 

[Marco Pantani]

I'm getting more and more excited. Can't keep my eyes from the Daone profile.
Today, il Giro will heat up again.


How is the weather over there?

 

[Jagartrott]

If it's wet, perhaps the descent of the Daone will be more important than the climb.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Re:

I dont know why. But i woke up today feeling Cunego will win, hope it turns out to be true

Great dream - count me in too.

 

[Eshnar]

Stage is starting. For now it's live on RAI.