2017 Tour of the Alps / Giro del Trentino 17/04 - 21/04

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

Classic Tibopino.

Still the best French GT rider though .

Romain and I disagree.

 

[Tonton]

Re: Re:

Classic Tibopino.

Still the best French GT rider though .

Romain and I disagree.

I responded to the "classic Tibopino" comment, which comes from Alexandre, known Romain fanboy . You can cheer for your guy and not be out there bringing the other guy down, like Pinot had a terrible day, squandered his opportunity. He had an average day, yes, but that has to be expected for a guy who doesn't have his thread in The Clinic.

3-2-5 after two weeks off, that's not bad. "classic Tibopino": I hope he top-5s every race he ever enters .

Longer climbs work best for him, Il Giro offers that, I'm not concerned one bit. But Quintana, of course, is the arch-favorite.

In the meantime, Bardet was beaten by two FDJ riders at the FW . Including David Gaudu, a champ in the making.

There are few opportunities left to win this, Geraint Toofast probably has it in the bag, but you never know. "Classic Tibopino" was 4th in every GC after the '14 TdF. So far this year, two podiums, probably one more coming...

See what tomorrow brings. '17 is a good year for cycling.

 

[HelloDolly]

Re: Re:

What happened to Dennis?

Posted yesterday I'm surprised Dennis isn't riding races like AG and LBL - He should be focusing on TT, classics and one week stage races - Doubt he'll ever be a GT rider.

Dennis. Thomas, Dumoulin ...every one wants to be a GT winner ...they have been watching too many Bradley Wiggins youtibe videos

I wouldn;t get too carried away about Thomas or Landa form ...remember Pozzo was right up there too

Though would admit Landa is coming into form and Thomas as a co/leader may help him ...

But Quintana ,Nibali & SK are the men to beat imo

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Thomas must pray that Landa doesn't suddenly turn SuperSaiyan3 in the Giro.

The Spaniard/Basque is quite particular: He doesn't seem to have the very best attitude or proffessionalism when training, he is very irregular, but he also seems to have an ultra high climbing potential when all things fall in his place: attitude, inspiration and good "fuel".

His Giro 2015 was special in many ways. The feeling was that if the race had a 4th week, he would've won it by 15 minutes.

No doubt that he was benefiting by a very well "charged" Astaná team that year, but I tend to find a pattern with the Sky riders that were incorporated to the team in 2016. Last year they seemed to be finding difficulties with the "training methods" of the British juggernaught, but this year they seem to be adapting better...

But Landa can't TT to save himself.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

What happened to Dennis?

Posted yesterday I'm surprised Dennis isn't riding races like AG and LBL - He should be focusing on TT, classics and one week stage races - Doubt he'll ever be a GT rider.

Written off just as he makes the switch ? Maybe he was riding with the Giro in mind as well. I don't expect anything special in the Giro because for him as a GT rider he's still learning and the high mountains will be too much for him at this stage. He is still young and BMC must see some possibilities there not to mention running out of patience with TJVG as well. Caruso would be a better GT leader than TJVG at the moment.

 

[Escarabajo]

Mountain gradients for stage 4 anyone?

 

[Jspear]

Re:

Mountain gradients for stage 4 anyone?

Sorry for the mouthful...just to lazy to pull out the data.

From cyclingquotes

This year's stage contains a total of 3459 altitude meters above the 165.3 km, leading the field from the city of Bolzano close to the border with Austria to Cles, where the well-known final awaits. After a flat slope that leads south through the valley, you turn north into the mountains to drive up the category 1 increase Passo Mendola, which rises 6.8% over 14.8 km and is an extremely regular increase that Never gets very steep. The top comes after 40.1 km, after which it goes further downhill to the west before a slightly rising valley leads to the city of Cloz, reaching 66.7 km.

In Cloz you take a hole on a 55.5 km long round, which does not contain categorized increases, but is not flat. Thus, it contains two long, even slopes with subsequent descents, and thus there is a significant number of altitude meters along the way. Today's interrogation comes on the first of these increases after 78.3 km.

After 122.2 km, you are back in Cloz, which signals the start of today's most challenging challenge. From here, you get ahead of the category 1 climb Forcella di Brez, which rises by 10.2% over 5.9 km km and has a peak of just 34.8 km to the finish. The driveway is disgusting and gives no chance of recovering, as the percentage of climbs is almost over 10.

From the top it goes down towards the goal town Cles, where a small hill leads the last part up to the finish line. Here is a tour of the 14 km long roundabout in the area south of the city. It is small-scale without very flat terrain, but there are no real increases. There is a 2 km long hill which rises by 3.1% and has 700 m with approx. 11% and it's top with 3km again. Then it drops easily until you hit the last 500 m that is flat. There is no turn within the last 3 km.

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

Classic Tibopino.

Still the best French GT rider though .

Romain and I disagree.

I responded to the "classic Tibopino" comment, which comes from Alexandre, known Romain fanboy . You can cheer for your guy and not be out there bringing the other guy down, like Pinot had a terrible day, squandered his opportunity. He had an average day, yes, but that has to be expected for a guy who doesn't have his thread in The Clinic.

Oh, I know. I don't really have anything against Pinot even if I prefer Bardet. Your clinic comment is lame though. Who has and doesn't have a thread in that place means absolutely nothing. Honestly I'm a little surprised he doesn't. I assumed everyone who has won a few races has one.

 

[rhubroma]

Re:

Surprised to see Buchmann doing so well, I was talking to him at the start and he told me the he dislikes the cold weather and that he just can't produce the usual wattage under this kind of conditions.
Having a Co-leader that takes away most of the media attention is actually a good thing for Landa, less pressure and hype around him.
I was there at the start and after 50m I just walked into Francesco Moser, that was rather unexpected.
I talked with Zeits (he was really surprised by the fact that someone was actually cheering for him and wanted to talk to him), Buchmann(he said that he won't ride the Giro, probably once again Dauphine and TdF), Torres, Larry Warbasse (a nice guy, I didn't ask for anything and he gave me a bidon) and Pozzovivo (he was really nice, a calm, polite, soft spoken guy and I've always been a big Pozzovivo fan).
Many if the big names had to give interviews, so I wasn't able to talk to Landa.
Bernal and Dani Martinez seem to be close friends, they were talking with eachother, laughing and had a great time before the start of the race.

Pozzo came to ride the Terminillo Granfondo a couple of years ago and, in typical southern manner, was soft spoken and gentlemanly as certain southerners go. At any rate, he really lit up the finish and is clearly in good form. He has always lacked that bit of "star" panache to grab that extra status his otherwise climbing abilities, when on form, merit. It appears he opened up the throttle a tad too early, then Landa played a bit of a cat and mouse game. Nonetheless Thomas to close that gap the way he did and then still have reserves to attack Pozzo perhaps made his win inevitable, but Pozzo will be very good at the Giro. He should dream big and be cunning, especially the latter.

 

[Singer01]

Re: Re:

Thomas must pray that Landa doesn't suddenly turn SuperSaiyan3 in the Giro.

The Spaniard/Basque is quite particular: He doesn't seem to have the very best attitude or proffessionalism when training, he is very irregular, but he also seems to have an ultra high climbing potential when all things fall in his place: attitude, inspiration and good "fuel".

His Giro 2015 was special in many ways. The feeling was that if the race had a 4th week, he would've won it by 15 minutes.

No doubt that he was benefiting by a very well "charged" Astaná team that year, but I tend to find a pattern with the Sky riders that were incorporated to the team in 2016. Last year they seemed to be finding difficulties with the "training methods" of the British juggernaught, but this year they seem to be adapting better...

But Landa can't TT to save himself.

he was 20th in a similar TT last year, beating Kruiswijk, losing a couple of seconds to Nibali.

 

[jens_attacks]

Landa must attack on brez and bondone to get his stage win
He is getting in monster shape.

 

[railxmig]

Snap! Trentino changed its format and includes Autria. That's awesome! Normally you can be sure, that the mountain stages will be nicely designed with variety of challenges and pass names. And now, with Austria, it might be the best mountain tour around. Checking out the stages...

This is a big letdown. Austria has the hardest climbs in Europe. Innervillgraten is not far from Lienz and there are a lot of hard roads around Lienz. I don't really know Austria well, but if i remember correctly, not all hard roads in Austria are high altitude and the race is not a Tour de France sized monster. Even the Italian stages are awful.

Brez is steep but short and the potential impact of it is nullified by an useless lap around Cles. Bondone is always fun, but it's the easier side with 30km to go. I assume with this Novaline hill just outside of Trento it could have a punch, but i'm worried the 10km flat in between will kill any actions.

Landa must attack on brez and bondone to get his stage win
He is getting in monster shape.

I admire your positveness.

 

[manolo57]

Why such a hype about Landa on this forum ? Just asking.

 

[tobydawq]

Probably because his level in the Giro 2015 was above insane. And then he has just been disappointing since (and he has been sick a lot).

It's a little like the unproportional interest in Betancur.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re: Re:

Mountain gradients for stage 4 anyone?

Sorry for the mouthful...just to lazy to pull out the data.

From cyclingquotes

...Passo Mendola, which rises 6.8% over 14.8 km ...Forcella di Brez, which rises by 10.2% over 5.9 km km ....

Thanks.

 

[loge1884]

Snap! Trentino changed its format and includes Autria. That's awesome! Normally you can be sure, that the mountain stages will be nicely designed with variety of challenges and pass names. And now, with Austria, it might be the best mountain tour around. Checking out the stages...

This is a big letdown. Austria has the hardest climbs in Europe. Innervillgraten is not far from Lienz and there are a lot of hard roads around Lienz. I don't really know Austria well, but if i remember correctly, not all hard roads in Austria are high altitude and the race is not a Tour de France sized monster. Even the Italian stages are awful.
....

I guess you should not forget to consider this being purely a prep race for THE Giro (at least for the World Tour riders and teams) ---- no big name will bring himself to top-form just for Giro del Trentino / Tour des Alpes (or whatever name they fancy to call themselves) ... so if you make devastingly hard stages chances are riders will either skip the race entirely or take it easy - they have to be ready on 5 May not yet today

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

Probably because his level in the Giro 2015 was above insane. And then he has just been disappointing since (and he has been sick a lot).

It's a little like the unproportional interest in Betancur.

Landa actually reminds me a lot of Brajkovic. One really good performance and then nothing since.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

Probably because his level in the Giro 2015 was above insane. And then he has just been disappointing since (and he has been sick a lot).

It's a little like the unproportional interest in Betancur.

Landa actually reminds me a lot of Brajkovic. One really good performance and then nothing since.

I don't entirely agree with this. Landa won the extreme Andorra stage in the Vuelta that same year and he was pretty awesome in Trentino last year.

Of course, you could argue that Brajkovic also impressed with a ninth place in the Tour a couple of years after his Dauphiné win but that was based on a pretty anonymous performance and was not at all comparable to his Dauphiné win. I would say that Landa has at least shown glimpses of his greatness a couple of times after his one-off performance.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

P i r a z z i
attack

 

[capuldemetal]

guerilla warfare! nice to see the bot train derailed )

 

[Escarabajo]

Pinot on the attack!!!

 

[Escarabajo]

Here comes the problem, Pinot's descending skills!!!

 

[DBotero]

These guys are a joke.Pirazzi still on the front from the initial break.

 

[sir fly]

Have you seen "The place to be" commercial?

I can't believe!

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Scarponi down