So the first Giro has ended under the new era of Michele Acquarone. It can be described as a fairly defensive and boring Giro. With a surprise winner and a surprise 3rd place finisher what will Acquarone have to do different next to year to make it more attractive?
Of course it is the riders who make the Giro but were the stages just too dull?
2010 Giro was amazing. People will not forget that one soon. The 2011 edition was too hard according to the riders. It was overshadowed by the death of Weylandt and by the dominant display of Contador, who should not have been allowed to start. The riders were fighting for 2nd place since Contador was above everyone else
But the 2012 edition offered something new. The start in Denmark was nice, I enjoyed it. How ever the thing people will continue to debate about is the wild cards. The italian wild card teams animated the race and delivered some stage wins, but was Net App's inclusion over Acqua & Sapone a good outcome? In my opinion A&S should have been there. But stages 19 and 20 were definitely worth watching.
Then the situation of bonus seconds come into play. In 2011 under Zomegnan all stages, excluding TT's, had bonus seconds. But 2012 the mountain top finishes did not offer bonus seconds. In my opinion either all or none of the stages should have them. The outcome could have been different with mountain top finish bonus seconds because the riders could have animated the race a little more knowing that they could gain more time. But Hesjedal was a deserving winner nonetheless.
What are your thoughts and conclusions about Acquarone's first Giro? Zomegnan will be missed but can Acquarone come up with a better, more spectacular edition next year?
Of course it is the riders who make the Giro but were the stages just too dull?
2010 Giro was amazing. People will not forget that one soon. The 2011 edition was too hard according to the riders. It was overshadowed by the death of Weylandt and by the dominant display of Contador, who should not have been allowed to start. The riders were fighting for 2nd place since Contador was above everyone else
But the 2012 edition offered something new. The start in Denmark was nice, I enjoyed it. How ever the thing people will continue to debate about is the wild cards. The italian wild card teams animated the race and delivered some stage wins, but was Net App's inclusion over Acqua & Sapone a good outcome? In my opinion A&S should have been there. But stages 19 and 20 were definitely worth watching.
Then the situation of bonus seconds come into play. In 2011 under Zomegnan all stages, excluding TT's, had bonus seconds. But 2012 the mountain top finishes did not offer bonus seconds. In my opinion either all or none of the stages should have them. The outcome could have been different with mountain top finish bonus seconds because the riders could have animated the race a little more knowing that they could gain more time. But Hesjedal was a deserving winner nonetheless.
What are your thoughts and conclusions about Acquarone's first Giro? Zomegnan will be missed but can Acquarone come up with a better, more spectacular edition next year?
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