94th Giro d'Italia May 7 - 29

[Eshnar]

15 days, 16 hours and 15 minutes to go
Can't wait for May 7th

Queen stage is 14th hands down

 

[Eshnar]

However, the lineup is pretty impressive. And to think that when the route was presented everyone complained that with such a hard parcour all the big guns (but the italians) would have gone to California...

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I just like to ruin your fun.

 

[The Hitch]

However, the lineup is pretty impressive. And to think that when the route was presented everyone complained that with such a hard parcour all the big guns (but the italians) would have gone to California...

Who said that. On this forum I recalled it was Polish and Spartacus Rox and both deliberately ignored my response that last year only 1 of the top 5 and 3 of the top 10 used California as a warmup race (the latter 2 being such notable gt contenders as Ryder Hejsedal - 7th and Chris Horner -10th).

People generally arent warming up for a July race in May.

 

[Eshnar]

Who said that. On this forum I recalled it was Polish and Spartacus Rox and both deliberately ignored my response that last year only 1 of the top 5 and 3 of the top 10 used California as a warmup race (the latter 2 being such notable gt contenders as Ryder Hejsedal - 7th and Chris Horner -10th).

People generally arent warming up for a July race in May.

I perfectly know that, and I'm not referring directly to this forum. What I meant was that many people said that. And other people complained that the stars would have stayed at home instead of f*ck their legs in Italy... Very few people would have believed a lineup like this. Plus, with Contador probly out of the Tour, I would have bet all the other big boys to focus on July.

 

[Archibald]

Great work Ferminal!

It's interesting going through the lineups to see (or get an idea of) who's out to do what - those looking at GC, stage wins (flat/break/mtf), or just making up numbers.

It is a great line up of top riders. Can't wait for this one to kick off. Menchov and Sastre together could be interesting.

My vote for the "Boot the rubbish out" awards goes to OPL, LEOTARD and El Shack.

yeah, not sure what OPL are up to, but I'd take a punt that the other two will be looking at trying for a sprint win with McEwen, Hunter, Bennati(?)
sky have me scratching my head a little too, in terms of what their aim would be...

 

[El Pistolero]

Great work Ferminal!

It's interesting going through the lineups to see (or get an idea of) who's out to do what - those looking at GC, stage wins (flat/break/mtf), or just making up numbers.

It is a great line up of top riders. Can't wait for this one to kick off. Menchov and Sastre together could be interesting.



yeah, not sure what OPL are up to, but I'd take a punt that the other two will be looking at trying for a sprint win with McEwen, Hunter, Bennati(?)
sky have me scratching my head a little too, in terms of what their aim would be...

Belgian team hoping to have another Belgian doing well in a GT ---> Jan Bakelandts.

But yeah, Belgian teams don't give a sh*t about the Giro because it's too hard to combine with the spring classics.

 

[Sparta]

Geox does look good, which I think shows it was a good decision not to award them a protour licence. They are now sending there best 9 riders to the giro so they will be really competitive - if they had been going to the tour their team here would have been poor as the rest of their squad is awful.

 

[The Hitch]

Belgian team hoping to have another Belgian doing well in a GT ---> Jan Bakelandts.

But yeah, Belgian teams don't give a sh*t about the Giro because it's too hard to combine with the spring classics.

Ah Bakelands and the Giro. Reminds me of Laquilla when he crashed on the corner. Horrid coniditions.

Geox does look good, which I think shows it was a good decision not to award them a protour licence. They are now sending there best 9 riders to the giro so they will be really competitive - if they had been going to the tour their team here would have been poor as the rest of their squad is awful.

Duarte and Sastre would probably be given the Giro, with Menchov the Tour so still very good.

 

[jaylew]

My prediction for the all-important team classification:

Androni
Geox
Astana
Liquigas
Movistar
Lampre
Katusha
Saxobank
Quickstep
Colnago
Radioshack
Ag2r
Euskaltel
Acqua & Sapone
HTC
Farnese
Sky
Rabobank
BMC
Vacansoleil
Garmin
Omega Pharma
Leopard

 

[Parrulo]

My vote for the "Boot the rubbish out" awards goes to OPL, LEOTARD and El Shack.

sorry but the shacks has a guy who can contend for a top 5. so its much better then opl and leopard

 

[The Hitch]

sorry but the shacks has a guy who can contend for a top 5. so its much better then opl and leopard

Yeah. People dont like Shack on here. Mellows posts are always quality but i feel he is a bit hasty to mock them in this case. Machado is enough for the Giro. Last year some of us wished that RS had got an invite for the Vuelta because Machado should have been given a gt.

I dont think Machado will get top 5 - weve been through this before. Even if you place limitations like only counting people who have won a gt, or only counting people who have won stages at the Giro, or only counting people who have won a race this year, or only counting people who are looking on good form, we can quite easily name 5 people in each case who should beat Machado. But I think he will be like John Gadret last year -beating the heads of state on some of the major stages. And of course beating all but the Great One in the itt(s)

Thats more than enough.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Geox does look good, which I think shows it was a good decision not to award them a protour licence. They are now sending there best 9 riders to the giro so they will be really competitive - if they had been going to the tour their team here would have been poor as the rest of their squad is awful.

no it wouldn't duarte would've been their leader in giro which meant more spectacler than now with coward menchov

 

[Parrulo]

he has never ridden a GT so we can't truly count him out of the top 5 fight nor can we totally count him in to finish as it can happen that he just doesn't has 3 weeks in him. but since every1 seems to be allowed to hype the riders they like *cough ryo cough i feel like i can do the same

besides its not like i am saying he will dominate every1 XD

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

my hype actually comes true though with duarte and rujano

I also believe in machado like an azevedo in his first year with once. but top 5 will be hard in this field

 

[Parrulo]

my hype actually comes true though with duarte and rujano

I also believe in machado like an azevedo in his first year with once. but top 5 will be hard in this field

ya top 5 will be hard but i can always dream about it

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Belgian team hoping to have another Belgian doing well in a GT ---> Jan Bakelandts.

But yeah, Belgian teams don't give a sh*t about the Giro because it's too hard to combine with the spring classics.

Jan was awesome last year, shame he fell in that corner
He's not a GT guy though, more the hills type of guy

 

[maltiv]

A bit surprised by the Sky team, not bringing any of their top sprinters (Swift, Sutton, Henderson - are they all doing TDF or what?) and no timetrialists for the TTT. Pretty strong team for the mountains though, they might be serious about Löfkvists GC chances. Also, the Leopard team is a disgrace for the race and they shouldn't even be there.

I'm a bit confused as to whether I should include Duarte or Machado in my feltet.dk manager game. Machado is more expensive, because Duarte might just be a domestique for Menchov, although I consider him to be stronger than Machado. Any inputs?

 

[theyoungest]

A bit surprised by the Sky team, not bringing any of their top sprinters (Swift, Sutton, Henderson - are they all doing TDF or what?) and no timetrialists for the TTT. Pretty strong team for the mountains though, they might be serious about Löfkvists GC chances. Also, the Leopard team is a disgrace for the race and they shouldn't even be there.

I'm a bit confused as to whether I should include Duarte or Machado in my feltet.dk manager game. Machado is more expensive, because Duarte might just be a domestique for Menchov, although I consider him to be stronger than Machado. Any inputs?

WTF? They're bringing multiple Giro stage winner Bennati. And I'd rate Zaugg higher as a GT rider than Löfkvist, TBH. Wegmann is a decent finisher on an uphill kick. Not a terrible team at all.

Belgian team hoping to have another Belgian doing well in a GT ---> Jan Bakelandts.

But yeah, Belgian teams don't give a sh*t about the Giro because it's too hard to combine with the spring classics.

Belgian teams don't give a **** about anything, if you are to be believed.

 

[maltiv]

WTF? They're bringing multiple Giro stage winner Bennati. And I'd rate Zaugg higher as a GT rider than Löfkvist, TBH. Wegmann is a decent finisher on an uphill kick. Not a terrible team at all.

I'm exaggerating a bit of course but considering the team they've got I find this squad quite weak. I kinda expected them to send Bennati + some randoms and I was right. They got quite a lot of GT guys who are better than Zaugg.

 

[theyoungest]

I'm exaggerating a bit of course but considering the team they've got I find this squad quite weak. I kinda expected them to send Bennati + some randoms and I was right. They got quite a lot of GT guys who are better than Zaugg.

Zaugg managed to get a top-10 on the Angliru once, I think he also snuck into the top-10 on GC, I'm not certain. Actually I think only Fränk and Andy are clearly stronger GT riders, Monfort and Fuglsang have the potential but they haven't realized it (yet).

 

[palmerq]

Looks like a good course, nice to see that it all seems to be in italy too. Looks like there is a few good stages for my favourite pippo pozatto to start saving his season(and katusha career :S). I didn't realise it was so close too... great news.

 

[El Pistolero]

WTF? They're bringing multiple Giro stage winner Bennati. And I'd rate Zaugg higher as a GT rider than Löfkvist, TBH. Wegmann is a decent finisher on an uphill kick. Not a terrible team at all.


Belgian teams don't give a **** about anything, if you are to be believed.

At least they care about their home races unlike another failure of a team.

When was the last time you saw one of the better Belgian cyclists at the Giro? 2009 is all I can think of.

And that "multiple Giro stage winner" hasn't won a GT stage since 2008.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Yeah. People dont like Shack on here. Mellows posts are always quality but i feel he is a bit hasty to mock them in this case. Machado is enough for the Giro. Last year some of us wished that RS had got an invite for the Vuelta because Machado should have been given a gt.

Maybe I should have qualified this by saying given the respective squad strengths.
Certainly, in this respect, the Shack are bringing a couple of useful riders.
What Machado achieves in his first GT brings something to the race.

 

[theyoungest]

At least they care about their home races unlike another failure of a team.

Don't say they don't care

When was the last time you saw one of the better Belgian cyclists at the Giro? 2009 is all I can think of.

And 2008 saw the birth of the great GT rider Jurgen VDB.

And that "multiple Giro stage winner" hasn't won a GT stage since 2008.

A lot of teams wish they had a rider as strong as Bennati on their Giro squad (Lotto, anyone?)