CERA ReMatch...Cobra vs Killer 2011 Giro

[Polish]

Who do you think will do better in the action packed 2011 Giro?

Ricco or DiLuca?

Here are some recent stats for the Giro competition between the 2:
______DiLuca______Ricco_____
2007......1st.............6th........
2008......8th.............2nd........
2009......2nd.............DNS.......
2010......DNS............DNS........
2011........?................?..........

 

[flicker]

Obviously Ricco has a more favorable response to Cera therefore a Ricco win is predicted. This is what makes the Giro the best GT on the calender, two top fuelers on the uphill sprints. Just to bad Rebellen, Betini and Piepoli won't be there to hot things up. Perhaps we will see a few more newcomers pushing the parameters of the chemical Giro.

 

[Ferminal]

Di Luca non starter, but the Cobra would smoke him anyway.

 

[Mondrian]

According to Ricco the Cobra is dead, his attitude & body language is also different so should be interesting to see how he performs. With 40 climbs the old Ricco would have smoked even contador & schleck on such a course.

 

[Finbouy]

Shame you had to bring dope into it but I think Ricco has way more to prove than Di Luca at this moment in time.

 

[theswordsman]

Ricco. Vacansoleil will be really motivated to work after missing all three grand tours this year. I hope they're wrong, but Aldo Sassi has said that his doctors have given him until July, so the Giro is Ricco's time to repay his kind gesture. He's got the one big race to prove he can do well clean.

Since CERA was mentioned, there were only 30 some samples from the 2010 Tour de France tested for CERA, and that was with Independent Observers watching and reporting. I can't imagine testing being more stringent at the Giro unless Zomegnan makes a fuss about being told he needs to invite the 18 pro teams.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

If Zomegnan doesn't 'quarantine' di Luca, he's a hypocrite after quarantining Sella and Riccò this year.

Not to mention that Zomegnan has complained about di Luca stitching the Giro up in 2007 and then again in 2009, so Il Tue is not the most popular man with RCS.

 

[Vonn Brinkman]

Di Luca will not start, all this "tough-talk" about him returning with a ProTeam seems untrue.
I can see him returning to a team like Miche, but not Geox, or Lampre, for example.

 

[Benotti69]

Di Luca with his 'blessing' from the Italian anti doping might be in a position to weasel a contract with a big team. why not? for them he served his ban got it reduced for helping so he is a 'reformed' rider

I imagine Di Luca will want a stage win if he rides the '11 Giro but nothing more and probably play little mouse in the peloton to try and get the ride.

But it will be interesting to see what team gives him a contract. Remember in Italy for the cycling community Di Luca has not done much wrong. He should start training with Sassi

 

[Polish]

I am going to pick DiLuca to finish ahead or Ricco....

Firstly, it appears Diluca is going to be able to pick amonst multiple teams that are bidding for his services according to this CN Article:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/di-luca-to-decide-on-2011-team-in-coming-week
"The Italian rider is understood to have been in talks with Lampre, Quick Step, Astana and Geox in recent weeks. His desire to ride in cycling’s first division would appear to rule Mauro Gianetti’s team out of the equation after Geox failed to win a ProTeam licence."

Secondly, DiLuca is a true Thoroughbred. I get the impression Ricco is a donkey turned thoroughbred, a "garter snake" turned "cobra". Ricco clean may not be as lethal.

Third, DiLuca will be turning his wheels in anger. I do not get that same feeling from Ricco...

Should be a GREAT Giro!