94th Giro d'Italia May 7 - 29

[The Hitch]

My plane got delayed today so as I was sitting all day at the airport I figured Id go check the newspaper store and see if I can find a cycling mag.

Did and theres a giro guide in there.

Wow those profiles are amazing.

Grosslekirchen (sorry i have no idea how to spell this) numbers underplay the severity of the climb because there is a 2k descent half way which brings the average gradient way down.


Whats also interesting is that in the nvegal tt the time check isw in tony martin tt territory - (after a few k of downhill, 500m of 6% and 2 k of flat). Its right at the time check that the clim hits 9.9% so we will have no idea how people are doing untill they reach the top.

On 15 there is absolutely no flats in between the 3 climbs, just climbs and descents. The average gradients are 8.4 8.3 and 9.2 so I wonder if people will just go from 60k. Especially Androni with Sella looking for stages maybe. Anyone out of it by week 2 but will be wise to save themselves as much as they can on Zoncolan and go here. Im starting to think this looks like the queen stage even if Crostis Zonc is hard to beat.

 

[Ferminal]

Maybe Larsson is the GC back-up, sort of, for Contador in the Tour? Of course if Contador is clear to ride it, then Larsson will be demoted to go for a TT-stage and being a domestique.

I know Larsson has a 14th place from the Giro but it's highly unlikely he'll fare any better in TdF, but Saxo doesn't have much cards to play in case of Conta-ban.

If all eggs go to the Giro basket should they get a chicken for TdF?

CAS will lead them in the Tour if not Contador or Porte.

 

[LarsAU]

CAS will lead them in the Tour if not Contador or Porte.

Yeah. CAS and Noval going for stages and KOM I guess.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Not like stages are controlled in the Tour, no. Giro has always been harder to control on the mountains and undulating stages.

dude they choose not to ride on one stage, let a break away go, and thus arroyyo got his 2nd. Vino was p!ssed at them.
Other then that Liqui owned the race last year.

 

[Mellow Velo]

dude they choose not to ride on one stage, let a break away go, and thus arroyyo got his 2nd. Vino was p!ssed at them.
Other then that Liqui owned the race last year.

Have to disagree there. Quite a number of the stages were a free for all, with little control. Not just in the mountains, either.

The dutch stages were pretty much every man for themselves and the strade bianche rain had Liquigas in the ditch, so the whole thing went retro mad.

I would agree that the Gavia stage was on a tight leash and consequently one of a tiny minority of disappointments.

 

[Eshnar]

Any idea why Rai Sport 2 don't appear to be showing any cycling next week?
Surprised we aren't getting replays of a load of classic tappi.

No idea. Sorry.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Have to disagree there. Quite a number of the stages were a free for all, with little control. Not just in the mountains, either.

The dutch stages were pretty much every man for themselves and the strade bianche rain had Liquigas in the ditch, so the whole thing went retro mad.

I would agree that the Gavia stage was on a tight leash and consequently one of a tiny minority of disappointments.

Even so, the gavia stage was still pretty good in relative terms to any mountain stage of any stage race.

 

[greenedge]

Cannot wait ( girlish scream )

 

[Eshnar]

Even so, the gavia stage was still pretty good in relative terms to any mountain stage of any stage race.

This applies to every single stage of the last 10 Giros.
Even the disgraced 2004 Giro was decided by an epic stage.

 

[The Hitch]

The entire team is:

Alberto Contador, Kasper Klostergaard, Jesus Hernandez, Daniel Navarro, Michael Mørkøv, Matteo Tosatto, Laurent Didier, Richie Porte og Volodymir Gustov

Not looking good for any of the other teams imo. The worlds best GT rider, plenty of experience, plenty of young talent, plenty of climbers, plenty of TT riders.

Is this the best team for the giro?

No. It just has the best rider. The rest of the team is nothing special.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

No. It just has the best rider. The rest of the team is nothing special.

yeah.

It isn't a bad team, and should be enough support for ac, but It isn't amazing.

 

[K-0tic]

yeah.

It isn't a bad team, and should be enough support for ac, but It isn't amazing.

AC got the riders he wants, that's more important to him than having top guys around him. Besides, which team does look very strong except for Geox?

 

[The Hitch]

AC got the riders he wants, that's more important to him than having top guys around him. Besides, which team does look very strong except for Geox?

Androni and Lampre look very very strong. On par with or just below Geox.
Liquigas looks very strong.
Astana looks quiite strong.

Also I hope Harmonn doesnt have to call the first 3 stages all by himself again. That was a nightmare.

 

[dlwssonic]

Androni and Lampre look very very strong. On par with or just below Geox.
Liquigas looks very strong.
Astana looks quiite strong.

Also I hope Harmonn doesnt have to call the first 3 stages all by himself again. That was a nightmare.

haha nice one its terrible without sean kelly and with that irritating scottish guy with that accent.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Androni and Lampre look very very strong. On par with or just below Geox.
Liquigas looks very strong.
Astana looks quiite strong.

Also I hope Harmonn doesnt have to call the first 3 stages all by himself again. That was a nightmare.

Lampre very very strong is maybe an over statement.
They have a good team (I especially like young Ulissi), but it isn't ground breaking. Enough to support Scarponi and control the race at times tho, I agree. Niemiec a great asset also.

Liquigas look pretty good also, movistar are solid without a leader
Androni do indeed have a great team, hopefully they use it wisely.

rabo are all-dutch and thus look amazing
But no really, very average team. Hopefully slagter can get in a break or two.
I can't see bos winning a stage, but whatever.

 

[dlwssonic]

bmc and leopard weakest gc teams. all are fat *** and cant climb but they can create havocs in breaks and can sprint

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Well, Nibali only knew he was going to make the Giro 1 week before it started, so he wasn't at his best.

lol, you actually believe that story?? liquigas were informed already in late march about pellizotti's bloodvalues and made sure nibali would be in shape just in case.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

The entire team is:

Alberto Contador, Kasper Klostergaard, Jesus Hernandez, Daniel Navarro, Michael Mørkøv, Matteo Tosatto, Laurent Didier, Richie Porte og Volodymir Gustov

Not looking good for any of the other teams imo. The worlds best GT rider, plenty of experience, plenty of young talent, plenty of climbers, plenty of TT riders.

Is this the best team for the giro?

you have to be kidding right??

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

bmc and leopard weakest gc teams. all are fat *** and cant climb but they can create havocs in breaks and can sprint

who exactly in bmc can sprint ?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

What about Kevin Seeldrayers from Quick-Step btw? He'll not make it up to the top-5 but he'll surely be their man for the GC. Any thoughts about him?

can maybe finish 21st in this field

 

[dlwssonic]

who exactly in bmc can sprint ?

krisstoff he can, a bit.

 

[K-0tic]

Astana is for me too much a 'maybe' case. Kreuziger has to show he can compete with the big boys in the mountains now and the other riders could be doing well but everything is doubtfull. Kiserlovski and Masciarelli are young and promising and Petrov and Tiralongo could ride decent but for me it all looks 'okay' and nothing special.

Androni seems good. Rujano,Sella and Serpa should cause some action uphill. But then again: Could someone really peek it and do more than just top-10?

I can't see past Geox as the best team. Menchov could easily ride for the podium , Sastre can do top-10 easily and then they even have Cobo,Duarte etcetera.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Maybe Larsson is the GC back-up, sort of, for Contador in the Tour? Of course if Contador is clear to ride it, then Larsson will be demoted to go for a TT-stage and being a domestique.

I know Larsson has a 14th place from the Giro but it's highly unlikely he'll fare any better in TdF, but Saxo doesn't have much cards to play in case of Conta-ban.

If all eggs go to the Giro basket should they get a chicken for TdF?

they should go for haedo in the tour then, he's only chance of them winning a stage. if he has a good train in pure speed jj is amazing. they don't have any other gc guys than contador

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I can see Seeldrayers making the top 20. (somewhere between 15th and 20th). Not everyone will deliver.

krisstoff he can, a bit.

lol.
the guy has done nothing all season, can't see his fortunes changing considering the quality of the sprint field.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

they should go for haedo in the tour then, he's only chance of them winning a stage. if he has a good train in pure speed jj is amazing. they don't have any other gc guys than contador

CaS is a guy who would get freedom to go for the polka, if he has form I think he could get amongst that.