He can't have any more meltdowns and better come up with those Zoncolan climbing legs if he wants to bury Pozzovivo. Would be an embarrassment to not finish on the podium.
- Nov 25, 2012
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Do you think he will try a Contadoresque suicide attack? It's not like him and his team. I don't really believe he will dare to try on the Finestre. Moreover, if the weather is bad, he will be more likely to look vulnerable than the others.
Bardamu said:
Do you think he will try a Contadoresque suicide attack? It's not like him and his team. I don't really believe he will dare to try on the Finestre. Moreover, if the weather is bad, he will be more likely to look vulnerable than the others.
- Nov 25, 2012
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He is the most likely to go ballistic IMO, too. Truly, only Astana and Sky, to an extent, seem to have the numbers to try a long range attack. On the other hand, it's also possible that MS might find allies. I am not sure whether Domenico, for example, will want to put his podium place on the line. Will be happy to be proven wrong, though.
Red Rick said:
He is the most likely to go ballistic IMO, too. Truly, only Astana and Sky, to an extent, seem to have the numbers to try a long range attack. On the other hand, it's also possible that MS might find allies. I am not sure whether Domenico, for example, will want to put his podium place on the line. Will be happy to be proven wrong, though.
- Feb 20, 2012
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Pinot might try and go ballistic as well, he was at his best in the last mountain stages last year, and he has nothing to lose anymore.
I don't know about Froome. I don't know if he'll have the legs to do anything. Apart from the Zoncolan he hasn't been one of the 8 best climbers on any mountain stage.
In any case, Colle delle Finestre isn't an ascent where moves are followed all that strategically. You always need the legs to crest it with the best.
I would expect Pozzovivo to ride defensively. I basically expect him to do nothing unless Dumoulin cracks under someone elses pressure.Ivan_Basso_77 said:
Pinot might try and go ballistic as well, he was at his best in the last mountain stages last year, and he has nothing to lose anymore.
I don't know about Froome. I don't know if he'll have the legs to do anything. Apart from the Zoncolan he hasn't been one of the 8 best climbers on any mountain stage.
In any case, Colle delle Finestre isn't an ascent where moves are followed all that strategically. You always need the legs to crest it with the best.
- Mar 10, 2009
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Pricey_sky said:
You really think he will give up his Tour leadership for the Giro, passing the torch to Bernal, that easily? Or that you believe that Sky will do to Froome what they did to Wiggins and annoint Bernal as their next chosen one for the Tour?
- Feb 18, 2015
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MAL seem to really care about the white jersey, so I don't expect a suicide attack just like from Pozzo as he will be super happy in the situation where he is now. The thing is however, that if Carapaz shows any weakness on the Finestre Astana will try to use it.Red Rick said:
- May 12, 2015
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If Froome top 4s the Giro and wins Tour he'll own the most successful double attempt in modern cycling. A Giro podium and Tour victory would be a phenomenal achievement. Let's see how the next 2 days pan out!
- Feb 18, 2015
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Do not count him out just yet. He is still far behind pink but a comeback by him at this point looks way likelier than it did for Nibali in 2016. One guy in front of him seems to fade, one has cracked on the final mountain stages of a gt before and one is Pozzvivo (Nothing against Pozzo, but he has simply never been a first tier gc rider)
- Jun 1, 2015
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I think he'll end up on the podium, and I won't be surprised at all if it's at Dumo's expense. These next two stages are brutal. As a Contador fan, it's hard to like Froome, but he really earned my respect whichever year that was (2016?) when he went off with Sagan on a flat finish and attacked on a descent. And the way he's battled through the Giro and still has a very legitimate shot at winning the overall is impressive.
- Feb 20, 2012
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It's definitely slightly different, in terms of team compositions, competition, and specific skillsets of the riders. I think Nibali is specifically more suited to go big on a big climb far from the finish and still ride a strong finishing climb.
Froome has had a few good days, but he didn't put that much time into his opposition on those days, and I think that today was the stage best suited to him. He didn't really trouble either Pozzovivo or Dumoulin and if Yates bounces back tomorrow he'll have his hands full with all of them.
Nibali had the advantage of his good days being intrinsically better than 2 of his other opponents, and the other one he was able to ditch in the snow.
It's 2018, I don't see Froome magically getting much stronger than this, and he can't really create a bit of magic on a descent like Nibali can.
But we'll see. I guess a wet Finestre will favour Froome and Dumoulin over Yates and Pozzovivo. It is the bottleneck of this Giro. That is the place to make up minutes. If Yates and Dumoulin survive the Finestre, it's between them.
Froome has had a few good days, but he didn't put that much time into his opposition on those days, and I think that today was the stage best suited to him. He didn't really trouble either Pozzovivo or Dumoulin and if Yates bounces back tomorrow he'll have his hands full with all of them.
Nibali had the advantage of his good days being intrinsically better than 2 of his other opponents, and the other one he was able to ditch in the snow.
It's 2018, I don't see Froome magically getting much stronger than this, and he can't really create a bit of magic on a descent like Nibali can.
But we'll see. I guess a wet Finestre will favour Froome and Dumoulin over Yates and Pozzovivo. It is the bottleneck of this Giro. That is the place to make up minutes. If Yates and Dumoulin survive the Finestre, it's between them.
- Feb 18, 2015
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The thing with Pozzo is, he isn't a wheel sucker, he is simply a very clever rider. I think one of the main reasons why he is so popular despite not being aggressive is that when he is wheelsucking or not attacking it almost always makes sense. Remember when he was constantly on Zakarin's wheel in the final week of last years giro and he hardly ever took any turns? That wasn't exactly a spectacular tactic but it never backfired.
In other words, I don't expect him to be the main aggressor in the coming stages but if he senses that he can actually win the giro, he'll try to do that.
In other words, I don't expect him to be the main aggressor in the coming stages but if he senses that he can actually win the giro, he'll try to do that.
- May 11, 2013
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All Pozzovino wants is a podium place, nothing can make him change his mind, though following Froome might lead to interesting things.
- Aug 20, 2017
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Re:
To be honest, that wasn't impressive at all. There was also another guy, Maciej Bodnar.
And Sagan's intend was to give this win to Bodnar, his domestique and.. friend.
But Froome didn't allow to do it, and Sagan had to crush Froome at finish.
Sagan was not happy at all at the finish line.
VayaVayaVaya said:
To be honest, that wasn't impressive at all. There was also another guy, Maciej Bodnar.
And Sagan's intend was to give this win to Bodnar, his domestique and.. friend.
But Froome didn't allow to do it, and Sagan had to crush Froome at finish.
Sagan was not happy at all at the finish line.
- Jul 12, 2012
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In the post race interview of that stage, Sagan said he was actually happy to have guys that actually wanted to work with him in Froome and Thomas, and yes while he wanted to give Bodnar the win, there was no way Froome was going to gift the chance of a stage win, and more bonus seconds.
EDIT: here’s the Sagan interview from the finish:
"In that situation, you don't have too enough breath to talk, you just say 'Go, go, go,'" Sagan explained afterwards. "It was a good group, with the yellow jersey. I was going for the stage, they were working to take seconds. It was unbelievable, it just happened. You cannot plan that. Thank you to Bodnar and also to Team Sky, because they worked with us. I'm very happy to win a stage that was maybe for sprinters. It was a crazy day, but for us it was very nice."
Bot. Sky_Bot said:
In the post race interview of that stage, Sagan said he was actually happy to have guys that actually wanted to work with him in Froome and Thomas, and yes while he wanted to give Bodnar the win, there was no way Froome was going to gift the chance of a stage win, and more bonus seconds.
EDIT: here’s the Sagan interview from the finish:
"In that situation, you don't have too enough breath to talk, you just say 'Go, go, go,'" Sagan explained afterwards. "It was a good group, with the yellow jersey. I was going for the stage, they were working to take seconds. It was unbelievable, it just happened. You cannot plan that. Thank you to Bodnar and also to Team Sky, because they worked with us. I'm very happy to win a stage that was maybe for sprinters. It was a crazy day, but for us it was very nice."
- May 9, 2014
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Gigs_98 said:
Worth noting that yesterday pozzo worked with dumo and froome on his wheel to distance Yates once poels went into the side alley
- Aug 28, 2012
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- May 9, 2014
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