94th Giro d'Italia May 7 - 29

[airstream]

That's a bit of a cheap shot. You could make similar comments about almost any of the contenders.

OK, using the same transfusion's technology like in 2005. Is if offical Rujano will contend for GC? I thought Androni will fight for stages. Rujano doenst dream more about 1 stage.

 

[Duartista]

From what I have seen Colombians just go all out in the mountains (understandable why you love them so). Not sure this is structured riding, maybe they make it more difficult the way they ride, but I highly doubt there is a higher tempo. Excuse me if I am skeptical with their claims

Anyway only time will tell.

As for the sevilla doping. Not relevant. I am sure he wasn't doping in Europe ey And yeah him being the best he has ever been because you say so, hardly convinces me. Maybe he has just found easier competition

The thing is the standard of time trialing in Colombia is so low that Sevilla totally dominates. He's like Ullrich or something over there. However, he usually gets dropped on the big climbs.

 

[Duartista]

Regardless, I think a healthy dose of scepticism regarding Rujano is in order. I wouldn't be surprised if he did well (and that includes winning the KOM and a stage, being top 5 or even on the podium), but he's blown many chances before, and not so long ago. He may have been stronger than ever in South America, but that's different from European cycling if only because of Rujano's own state of mind.

That's fair enough. He is no more than a wildcard, but he has looked in decent shape in Trentino.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

The thing is the standard of time trialing in Colombia is so low that Sevilla totally dominates. He's like Ullrich or something over there. However, he usually gets dropped on the big climbs.

not true. the level of timetrialing isn't hight but one look at castilla y leon timetrial and you know it's not too low either. just a little lower overall than spain I say save the contadors of course. sevilla won the final timetreial in vuelta colombias because he had a bloodtransfusion and was caught during that timetrial the same way mosquera was caught. only they couldn't proove it like with mosquera and in sevilla's case he's back racing again.

 

[El Pistolero]

Spain doesn't even have good time trial specialists besides Contador and Lulu.

 

[roundabout]

Last kms of each stage uploaded on the official site! Finally!
Edit: And the mountains details too

I think the profiles of the climbs are still to be added? But anyway it seems that there are enough tricky finishes to upset the sprinters. I like the surprise on the stage to Tropea. Not quite like 2005 but still good.

4-5 stages for sprinters at most.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Spain doesn't even have good time trial specialists besides Contador and Lulu.

again your lack of cycling knowledge is showing. spain has many good timetrialists that doesn't have to mean they win international itt's against tony martin. I;m not saying that. still suarez and infantino beat jerome coppel in castilla y leon itt and they were 3rd and 4th in national itt championships of colombia so it ain't that bad.

 

[hrotha]

not true. the level of timetrialing isn't hight but one look at castilla y leon timetrial and you know it's not too low either. just a little lower overall than spain I say save the contadors of course. sevilla won the final timetreial in vuelta colombias because he had a bloodtransfusion and was caught during that timetrial the same way mosquera was caught. only they couldn't proove it like with mosquera and in sevilla's case he's back racing again.

You think Sevilla was the only doper in a peloton of saints? Even though there were six positives at the 2008 Vuelta a Colombia alone?

 

[Ferminal]

Don't you love RCS... Good Friday but still updating. Stage finishes (and some of the climbs) are out, here are the interesting ones:

Stage 3:

A group might be able to attack hold the bunch off, but HTC will probably be too organised this early in the race.

Stage 4:

This is a proper ramp, but there is 16km to go from the top to the end.

Stage 5:

500m @ 11.9% starting at 2.5km to go. Should be a great finish for the break or reduced bunch which makes it to this point.

Stage 6:

Gradual 4.4% over 5km, then the final 500m at 4.0%. Will still be a bunch sprint but maybe a surprise winner.

 

[Ferminal]

Stage 8:

What looks like an easy sprint stage, has a little 650m surprise very close to the finish.

Stage 11:

Nice finish but probably not enough to bring the GC men out, should be a fun stage though with whatever break or reduced group is at the end.

Stage 13 (Grossglockner):

This is harder than I realised. I had thought a group would stay together because of the flat and lesser gradient at the top. But the steepness near Kasereck should see some earlier splitting.

 

[Ferminal]

Stage 14:

Monte Crostis, just in case anyone was expecting a large group at Ovaro.

Stage 15:

Gardeccia, 14% at the top! I just hope someone attacks before this climb, on Giau and Fedaia. In any case, they will all be destroyed by the end.

 

[Duartista]

not true. the level of timetrialing isn't hight but one look at castilla y leon timetrial and you know it's not too low either. just a little lower overall than spain I say save the contadors of course. sevilla won the final timetreial in vuelta colombias because he had a bloodtransfusion and was caught during that timetrial the same way mosquera was caught. only they couldn't proove it like with mosquera and in sevilla's case he's back racing again.

Come on... Sevilla wins nearly every time trial in which he takes part in Colombia. Unless my memory is failing me, he was never considered a particularly strong time trialist in Spain.

 

[El Pistolero]

again your lack of cycling knowledge is showing. spain has many good timetrialists that doesn't have to mean they win international itt's against tony martin. I;m not saying that. still suarez and infantino beat jerome coppel in castilla y leon itt and they were 3rd and 4th in national itt championships of colombia so it ain't that bad.

Spain can't even top 10 in the WC TT without Lulu, Contador and perhaps Gutierrez.

 

[Eshnar]

I think the profiles of the climbs are still to be added? But anyway it seems that there are enough tricky finishes to upset the sprinters. I like the surprise on the stage to Tropea. Not quite like 2005 but still good.

The profiles of most of the climbs are already there, in "Dettaglio Salite".
As for Tropea, I was trying to post the image but I failed... very interesting finish. 2005 was much shorter but near to the finishing line.

 

[hrotha]

Spain can't even top 10 in the WC TT without Lulu, Contador and perhaps Gutierrez.

How many countries could if they took away their three best time-trialists? Aside from Contador, Luisle and Iván Gutiérrez, there's also Plaza and Irízar, others who can time-trial quite a bit without being specialists, like Barredo, Zubeldia or Tondo, and one name you'd do well to keep in mind in the future: Jonathan Castroviejo.

 

[roundabout]

The profiles of most of the climbs are already there, in "Dettaglio Salite".
As for Tropea, I was trying to post the image but I failed... very interesting finish. 2005 was much shorter but near to the finishing line.

D'oh!

They are there. Didn't notice that you can flip through the page.

 

[Eshnar]

Stage 14:

Probly all of you already know it, but the combo Crostis/Sterrato/Descent/Zoncolan is something more than awesome
Pretty sure those are the hardest 50 Kms ever

 

[Ferminal]

As for Tropea, I was trying to post the image but I failed... very interesting finish. 2005 was much shorter but near to the finishing line.

Was that the day Bettini won?

Great attack.

 

[Eshnar]

Was that the day Bettini won?

Great attack.

With Petacchi(!) second if I remember well

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Come on... Sevilla wins nearly every time trial in which he takes part in Colombia. Unless my memory is failing me, he was never considered a particularly strong time trialist in Spain.

he was 3x top 6 in sopanish itt championships and could give you many good results of him in itt and I show you one here from 2009:

1 Hector Guerra (Spa) Liberty Seguros 18.11 (46.86 km/h)
2 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0.07
3 Angel Vicioso (Spa) Andalucia Cajasur 0.10
4 Tiago Machado (Por) Madeinox Boavista 0.12
5 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Rock Racing 0.14
6 Branislau Samoilau (Blr) Amica Chips - Knauf
7 David Herrero (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 0.18
8 Andrei Kunitski (Blr) Amica Chips - Knauf
9 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Rock Racing 0.25
10 Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Orbea 0.26
11 José Herrada López (Spa) Contentpolis-Ampo 0.28
12 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Fuji-Servetto 0.34
13 Grega Bole (Slo) Amica Chips - Knauf 0.40
14 Jose Joao Mendes (Por) Liberty Seguros 0.41
15 Javier Moreno Bazán (Spa) Andalucia Cajasur 0.42

 

[El Pistolero]

How many countries could if they took away their three best time-trialists? Aside from Contador, Luisle and Iván Gutiérrez, there's also Plaza and Irízar, others who can time-trial quite a bit without being specialists, like Barredo, Zubeldia or Tondo, and one name you'd do well to keep in mind in the future: Jonathan Castroviejo.

Just saying take these guys away and you have pretty average time-trialists. It's not like the Colombians have beaten them, so I can leave them out.

In Colombia it's mostly Colombians and some people from other south American countries that ride in the time trials(+ some Spaniards with doping past). In Europa, that's not the case. It's way more international here and Spaniards don't belong to the international top level in time trials besides perhaps Alberto Contador.

Spain just doesn't have that time trial tradition like Germany or the UK for example and since South America has an enormous big Spanish influence it doesn't surprise me that they don't either(of course both Spain and South America are mountainous which is the biggest reason)

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

what stage is the dirt stage again?? is it after etna??

 

[Duartista]

he was 3x top 6 in sopanish itt championships and could give you many good results of him in itt and I show you one here from 2009:

1 Hector Guerra (Spa) Liberty Seguros 18.11 (46.86 km/h)
2 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0.07
3 Angel Vicioso (Spa) Andalucia Cajasur 0.10
4 Tiago Machado (Por) Madeinox Boavista 0.12
5 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Rock Racing 0.14
6 Branislau Samoilau (Blr) Amica Chips - Knauf
7 David Herrero (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 0.18
8 Andrei Kunitski (Blr) Amica Chips - Knauf
9 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Rock Racing 0.25
10 Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Orbea 0.26
11 José Herrada López (Spa) Contentpolis-Ampo 0.28
12 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Fuji-Servetto 0.34
13 Grega Bole (Slo) Amica Chips - Knauf 0.40
14 Jose Joao Mendes (Por) Liberty Seguros 0.41
15 Javier Moreno Bazán (Spa) Andalucia Cajasur 0.42

OK, I was exaggerating slightly. But the fact remains that you would never see Sevilla and Rujano sharing the podium in a flat time trial in Europe. You are right that there are some talented time trialists in Colombia, but the overall level is not great.

 

[Duartista]

what stage is the dirt stage again?? is it after etna??

Stage 5, before all of the mountain stages. It looks like there is less dirt than last year, though.

 

[Squire]

Just saying take these guys away and you have pretty average time-trialists.

The point is you can do that with almost every country.

France, take away Chavanel, Peraud
Italy, take away Pinotti, Malori, Nibali - only Quinziato, Bruseghin left
Belgium, take away Monfort, Devolder, Rosseler
Netherlands, take away Stamsnijder, Boom, Westra
Russia, take away Menchov, Gusev, Karpets - only Ignatiev left
Germany, take away Martin, Grabsch, Klöden - only Lang, Gretsch left
UK, take away Millar, Wiggins, Thomas - only Dowsett left
Australia, take away Porte, Rogers, Bobridge - still very good in depth
USA, take away Zabriskie, Leipheimer, Phinney

You can actually argue that Spain is a quite decent time trial country. At least most countries will struggle to top10 the Worlds without their three best TTers.

I know I'm very off topic. And this is as much of an exercise in identifying TT strength as an attempt to prove you wrong.