2020 Giro d'Italia, Stage 1: Monreale – Palermo 15 km ITT

[Breezy1985]

How can you call that acceptable? He is clearly, openly, blatantly cheating! That is probably the reason he finished in that 1:54 bracket!

The biggest issue for me is Movi are not using electric bikes rather than fossil fuels

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

If you see someone get second or third in a GT time trial as a neo usually you would expect top youth categories results. Almeida at best has average results. If you look deeper Pressnitz Spa are two km prologues and that Triptyque 10th place, to pick one example, had Mobach, Wirtgen, Weemaes, Cullaigh, who ever these guys are, ahead. Almeida's results in the world's, the most important time trial, are 28th and 30th.

His results in the youth ranks - especially in shorter ITT's - were far better than "average". Today was a short ITT as well. It was also a very specific ITT. In no way, by whatever standard you wish to revert to, does this performance merit clinic insinuations.
If you want to ignore good/great results and only focus on the bad results, you can make anybody look bad. He hasn't been consistent, but he's shown on more than one occasion that he has great potential as an ITT'er. Not every junior is Evenepoel, Brenner or Simmons. Not even Ganna came close.

 

[BlueRoads]

Does anyone know more about Lopez?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

The biggest issue for me is Movi are.not using eclectic bikes rather than fossil fuels

Them using fossils shouldn't come as a big surprise. The question is, whether or not it is actually been extracted from Valverde.

 

[sir fly]

Does anyone know more about Lopez?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1312398291682947078

View: https://twitter.com/AstanaTeam/status/1312398291682947078

 

[oldcrank]

Lovely start to the Giro for INEOS and all their Italian partners: Pinarello, Castelli, Kask, Elite, Most and fi'zi:k. Fine Italian design is (more than) a marginal gain!

 

[Forever The Best]

Lol. The hardest Grand Tour in living memory, and you say this after 15 kilometres.

If all stages are raced without cancellations or shortenings, yes, a very very hard race. But it is a big if.

 

[Forever The Best]

Okay, now after a bit of thinking it is not as bad as I imagined, but still not the best start to the race.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Why does the combination of a Grand Tour and Jakob Fuglsang always result in disappointments?

 

[memyselfandI]

Very excited to see what Almeida and Knox can bring in the game. Both of these can tt and can hold on their own in the mountains as well. Let's see after two weeks.

Anybody know what's the story of the colourpick in Ganna Pinarello, must be something for choosing this green? (was it green after all)??

 

[RedheadDane]

Pretty cool little detail:
The entire top-3 are GT debutants.
Foss (5th) and Sobrero (7th) are also debutants.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Very excited to see what Almeida and Knox can bring in the game. Both of these can tt and can hold on their own in the mountains as well. Let's see after two weeks.

Anybody know what's the story of the colourpick in Ganna Pinarello, must be something for choosing this green? (was it green after all)??

At first I thought it was supposed to resemble gold but it appears to be a color-shifting yellow-green-blue chrome color. Chameleon bike.
It's for sure interesting and reminds me of a Trek bike Contador used a couple years ago which shifted from purple to teal. However Ganna's bike does look a bit pee-colored in some lights.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Almeida could grab pink tomorrow? What do you guys think?

 

[Amazinmets87]

So, Ganna should be a favourite to sweep the ITTs if he makes it to Milan, no?

 

[perico]

Some guys are forgetting that Almeida is second and he is really good!

He has no support for the mountains. Edit: I take that back. He’s got Knox and Masnada so not all that bad.

 

[SafeBet]

Almeida could grab pink tomorrow? What do you guys think?

I don't think Ganna will drop 20 seconds in this shape.

 

[memyselfandI]

I don't think Ganna will drop 20 seconds in this shape.

Actually Ineos should try to give jersey to DQS and put them to work right away.

 

[Avoriaz]

How can you call that acceptable? He is clearly, openly, blatantly cheating! That is probably the reason he finished in that 1:54 bracket!

Imagine how much faster he would have gone if his bike had had a rear wheel

 

[neevosh]

Based on previous performances and today’s results I feel that Thomas has already won. All he has to do is minimize losses in the mountains and not crash. He’ll end up taking minutes in the ITT’s. I know he hasn’t had much success in previous Giros, but he’s proven he can go three weeks without bad luck or mistakes

I think it’ll still be an entertaining Giro just more around the podium places.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Why does the combination of a Grand Tour and Jakob Fuglsang always result in disappointments?

Unlike Thomas he doesn't have the right initials. If he had just stuck to Jysk-Fynske Mesterskaber, he would have been an absolute legend by now

 

[Red Rick]

I don't think Ganna will drop 20 seconds in this shape.

I literally have no idea what he can do on hilly terrain?

I think I'd expect Cancellara to be there.

 

[thiscocks]

So was it mainly the wind why Nibali lost so much? If not it doesn't look too great for him for the rest of the race. Shame as I wanted him to be up there but expect he will be still in contention after two weeks.

 

[SarahtheDane]

Why does the combination of a Grand Tour and Jakob Fuglsang always result in disappointments?

Tale as old as time.

 

[SafeBet]

Actually Ineos should try to give jersey to DQS and put them to work right away.

Italian rider giving away the maglia rosa on purpose? Not gonna happen.

Spoiler

Don't you people quote and "not Ganna happen" me.

 

[Escarabajo]

Based on previous performances and today’s results I feel that Thomas has already won. All he has to do is minimize losses in the mountains and not crash. He’ll end up taking minutes in the ITT’s. I know he hasn’t had much success in previous Giros, but he’s proven he can go three weeks without bad luck or mistakes

I think it’ll still be an entertaining Giro just more around the podium places.

Oh dear. Are you serious? One bad move and all is leveled. This is just the first stage!