Captain Obvious needs to make a statement.

[Ibanez]

This giro has been spectacular. Best GT I have seen by a mile since I started following the sport in 06. So many memorable days every rider finishing that race can be proud.

Apologies if there is already a topic saying pretty much just this.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

This giro has been spectacular. Best GT I have seen by a mile since I started following the sport in 06. So many memorable days every rider finishing that race can be proud.

Apologies if there is already a topic saying pretty much just this.

Now you have an idea how racing was before Lance and boredom came in. Pretty much GT racing like this

 

[Lion of Flanders]

This giro has been spectacular. Best GT I have seen by a mile since I started following the sport in 06. So many memorable days every rider finishing that race can be proud.

Apologies if there is already a topic saying pretty much just this.

I was about to make a post to say the exact same thing and you beat me to it. Well Said.

This race has been one of the best GTs that I have ever seen. Absolutely fantastic racing on a brutal course. Favorites racing boldly, and generally terrific action every day.

..and Jesus H Christ if someone hasn't also managed to try to hijack the thread into a "I hate Lance Armstrong" thread. Take your venom elsewhere, please. This is a thread about how great this year's Giro is/was.

 

[erigre]

Now you have an idea how racing was before Lance and boredom came in. Pretty much GT racing like this

This started way before Lance, Big Mig and Banesto perfected this

 

[maltiv]

Imagine how crazy this race would've been if there wasn't a super-team like Liquigas here! Would've been attacks all the time

 

[CiclismoDeCalifornia]

This giro has been spectacular. Best GT I have seen by a mile since I started following the sport in 06. So many memorable days every rider finishing that race can be proud.

Apologies if there is already a topic saying pretty much just this.

Testify Brother Ibanez!

I agree, this Giro has been pretty exciting. The Vino and cadel dual on stage 7 was spectacular, I was literally off the couch and rooting loud in front of my TV. Basso's attack on the Mortirolo was also great to watch. Vino, Basso, Cadel and LIQUIGAS have done a great job at making this Giro suspenseful.

 

[mr. tibbs]

Imagine how crazy this race would've been if there wasn't a super-team like Liquigas here! Would've been attacks all the time

The green team is a potential Astana killer. In a year or two, Nibali will be number two in Paris. And in two or three years, he might be number one.

 

[analo69]

Imagine how crazy this race would've been if there wasn't a super-team like Liquigas here! Would've been attacks all the time

Or you could say imagine some of the other teams brougt a proper team instead of bringing young guys and out of shape guys. The giro is not only preparation for the tour. All the DS should be forced to learn that.

 

[Jamsque]

Liquigas targeted this race in a big way and it worked out perfectly for them, they sent a really strong squad and have been the only team that has managed to defend the Maglia Rosa in this Giro, even though they failed the first time.

 

[icefire]

Thanks God that Liquigas failed a couple of times and had to recover by riding aggressively. I doubt the race would have been as interesting if they had stayed at the front in the stages to Montalcino and L'Aquila. I would have wished Arroyo to preserve the Maglia Rosa yesterday to watch more attacking today, but I guess that's asking too much.

I can't compare to previous Giros as I haven't followed them as closely as this. But comparing this to the Tour, and excluding the crazy 2006 edition, I have to go back to the 89 and 87 to find something similar.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The green team is a potential Astana killer. In a year or two, Nibali will be number two in Paris. And in two or three years, he might be number one.

I don't think Nibali can win the Tour. I think he is too limited as a climber.
If anything, Kreuziger is their best bet for the future. Kreuziger was sick during the Tour last year, far off his best, and still finished 9th, just 2 spots behind Nibali. He is also 2 years younger.
Imagine in 2 years they will have a formidable train with Nibali, Basso, Kiserlovski (very strong climber), Szmyd, perhaps even Sagan, Pellizotti (if he gets cleared?)...and then Kreuziger as last man...

 

[dgodave]

This giro has been spectacular. Best GT I have seen by a mile since I started following the sport in 06. So many memorable days every rider finishing that race can be proud.

Apologies if there is already a topic saying pretty much just this.

How much is it due to the ITT kms being at such a rock bottom in this race?
.

 

[icefire]

How much is it due to the ITT kms being at such a rock bottom in this race?
.

Much less than it is due to rain and mud

 

[ingsve]

It's going to be interesting to see what happens in the Tour. One thing I'm looking forward to seeing is how the strongest rider, Contador, manages without a strong team to help him. I dare say that Evans might very well have won if he had been on a team like liquigas and the fact that Evans didn't have a strong team is part of what made this race even more exciting.

 

[zapata]

I don't think Nibali can win the Tour. I think he is too limited as a climber.
If anything, Kreuziger is their best bet for the future. Kreuziger was sick during the Tour last year, far off his best, and still finished 9th, just 2 spots behind Nibali. He is also 2 years younger.
Imagine in 2 years they will have a formidable train with Nibali, Basso, Kiserlovski (very strong climber), Szmyd, perhaps even Sagan, Pellizotti (if he gets cleared?)...and then Kreuziger as last man...

kreuziger agrees with you. said something in an interview about nibali being capable of top five in the tdf, but no more, because he has a "small engine". made me wonder if this is kreuziger's subjective evaluation, from watching nibali on training, or if he knows his numbers, vo2 max and whatnot, and knows it won't do? kreuziger seems to think he himself can win it, though..

 

[Archibald]

been a fantastic Giro.
almost an anti-climax when evans blew yesterday and couldn't stay with basso on mortirolo. would have made for a cracker today and maybe brought it all down to tomorrow's TT...

otherwise it's been a great tour.

 

[la.margna]

Now you have an idea how racing was before Lance and boredom came in. Pretty much GT racing like this

couldn't agree more. sorry for hijacking.

 

[zapata]

And yes, to state the obvious, it has been a wonderful race, and I'm sorry it's almost over. Only bad thing, liquigas was maybe to strong. today's stage might have been more exciting if liquigas was more like an average team.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

The giro has had more entertaining stages, then the 3-4 tours have had put together lol. I might be being kind with that statistic also

 

[LukeSchmid]

The first Giro I have followed and it has been great, absolutely loved it. Liquigas have done an excellent job of using their strength as a team, but Evans with absolutely no team in the mountains and Scarponi without much help have fought hard against them and done extremely well as well. We have had two big surprises in pink in Arroyo and Porte. Rabobank have done brilliantly with their young group of riders. Almost every stage has had some drama, excitement and been highly entertaining. Hopefully the Tour can produce something like this.

 

[Ferminal]

Superb racing on all but a few days.

Even of the stages won by sprinters there were only a couple which were genuinely uninteresting.

Don't think I'll bother with every stage of the Tour after that.

 

[No Chain]

Great race! All clean?

 

[Hugh Januss]

I was about to make a post to say the exact same thing and you beat me to it. Well Said.

This race has been one of the best GTs that I have ever seen. Absolutely fantastic racing on a brutal course. Favorites racing boldly, and generally terrific action every day.

..and Jesus H Christ if someone hasn't also managed to try to hijack the thread into a "I hate Lance Armstrong" thread. Take your venom elsewhere, please. This is a thread about how great this year's Giro is/was.

I think someone was just trying to point out why GTs might have been less entertaining in the recent past.
Didn't take long for the Lance ball suckers to show up though, did it?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

The first Giro I have followed and it has been great, absolutely loved it. Liquigas have done an excellent job of using their strength as a team, but Evans with absolutely no team in the mountains and Scarponi without much help have fought hard against them and done extremely well as well. We have had two big surprises in pink in Arroyo and Porte. Rabobank have done brilliantly with their young group of riders. Almost every stage has had some drama, excitement and been highly entertaining. Hopefully the Tour can produce something like this.

I wouldn't count on it

 

[LukeSchmid]

I wouldn't count on it

If you mean the Tour, well yes I am not counting on it. I expect Contador to win fairly comfortably but one can always hope.