Contador to win the Giro overall by...

[Ryaguas]

Interesting theory, but he still has to burn his team to control the race from stage 13 onwards-and some key domestiques riding Il Giro are set to go to France too......

He will have the Sorensens, Larsson and Noval (OFC He is not that good climbing but is an awesome domestique!)... He will have a better team for Le Tour than this one in Il Giro!

I know he is the strongest now, but the Giro is 3 weeks long and it is still to early to tell.

Yep and there is a lot of descent and mountains where you can have a really bad day!

 

[saganftw]

how much time he ll gain depends on nibali,scarponi,rujano and some others...they will fight for podium and contador will go with anyone of them,im guessing he ll win one more mountain top finish and possibly TT so 3-4 mins overall...his abilities are 10+ minutes but with tdf later he has to save energy

 

[Climbing]

He ought to chase Basso's mark of 9'18" from 2006

Yes... with probably the same consequences of Basso.

 

[El Pistolero]

I hope we'll see a stage similar to the one last year in which a break got 12 mins. Just this year, the break should consist of everyone but Contador. Then we would have a fair fight, though Contador would probably still win.

What makes you think the break would survive with Contador chasing?

 

[dlwssonic]

contador to go crashing on the crostis descent with the shark diving down the cliff with a bunch of time.

 

[AussieGoddess]

If he is serious about the TdF as well, I think he might just mark challengers for the rest of the Giro, use either of the time trials if he needs to consolidate. No need to destroy the field again, keep the double possible.

So about 2 minutes; any more is shooting himself in the foot.

sorry - totally disagree.

I think he wants to smash it to the point of embarrassment for everyone else.

He knows he is in trouble come June, so he wants the record books to show he trounced everyone ....

 

[boomcie]

Seven is my guess.

 

[Angliru]

sorry - totally disagree.

I think he wants to smash it to the point of embarrassment for everyone else.

He knows he is in trouble come June, so he wants the record books to show he trounced everyone ....

Or it could be that, having been released from the shackles of Bruyneels management, and being close to top form, he felt the need to put that good form to use and actually race. This is how he races. We have all known that for years. To assume that he's attacking and going for the jugular primarily to embarrass his opponents is to ignore his race history.

 

[Marcus135]

Yeh i went with seven. There is a few MTFs were i think he will take a min or so on the others, as well as the time trials and stage win bonuses. More than 7 is quite a big gap, bit inhuman if it was to big.

 

[AussieGoddess]

true enough - he certainly likes being on the front foot.

I just cant see him sitting back and just defending what he has .... its not his style of ride. He will go all out for whatever he can get.

 

[will10]

I think he was keen to get a stage win - he hasn't got one before here. Now he can afford to let the breaks go to the finish on the huge stages and consolidate his lead behind.

 

[will10]

true enough - he certainly likes being on the front foot.

I just cant see him sitting back and just defending what he has .... its not his style of ride. He will go all out for whatever he can get.

You say that but that's exactly how he has ridden the Dauphine over the last couple of years. He's clearly been in good shape but not wanted to go in the red prior to the Tour. i don't think it's unrealistic to expect much the same on the huge stages this week and next.

 

[Andre.J]

If he wins he will win by 3 or 4 minutes maximum. He doesn't need to pour it on; never has. He will conserve.

Andre

 

[just some guy]

If he wins he will win by 3 or 4 minutes maximum. He doesn't need to pour it on; never has. He will conserve.

Andre

Conserve for what ?

There is a fair chance that he will have a forced Holiday soon.

 

[AussieGoddess]

You say that but that's exactly how he has ridden the Dauphine over the last couple of years. He's clearly been in good shape but not wanted to go in the red prior to the Tour. i don't think it's unrealistic to expect much the same on the huge stages this week and next.

yeah but there is a big difference between riding the Dauphine as a warm up event for the Tour, and riding the Giro under circumstances where there is a good chance of not riding the Tour anyway.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

If Basso can win in 9+ mins (2006) then I'm going to make a wild guess AC does better... 10-15 mins.

 

[Ferminal]

Simoni has the Zoncolan (West/Ovaro) record doesn't he? Or did Basso beat it last year?

Something to aim for... breaking the record. Contador will be well handicapped by an epic stage, when Gibo did it things were relatively easy.

 

[maltiv]

Perhaps Contador already will start to think about the TDF? He could just ride defensively for the rest of the Giro in order to save energy...

 

[GroupDK]

Contador & Saxo & Sungard will take the time he needs, no more..

The Giro is not the main objective, in regards to the Tour´

But no doubt that Alberto is one incredible rider and his ride yesterday is one of the best answers he can give his critics in regards to the comming CAS judgement, because its obvius that there are big focus on his lab-values these days and then hes still performs like this....

And Im pretty sure that Bjarne Riis couldt have written a more ideel manuscript in regards to yesterdays performance from Contador, and from that all the press and sponsor-focus that brings to the rest-day.-

Can only imagine the strength of Saxo bank & Sungard if Bjarne Riis didnt have let Cancellara leave, it would have been to much for one team- ....

 

[Angliru]

contador to go crashing on the crostis descent with the shark diving down the cliff with a bunch of time.

That's right, wish the worst on a rider. That is always a good and classy plan.

 

[UpTheRoad]

contador to go crashing on the crostis descent with the shark diving down the cliff with a bunch of time.

???
What has golf got to do with this?

 

[benpounder]

If he is serious about the TdF as well, I think he might just mark challengers for the rest of the Giro..

I suspect this is correct, with the caveat that on one of the three monster stages (Zoncolon, Val di Fassa, or Nevegal) he will seek to put a bit more time on the others, just in case. That way, the last week all he has to do is mark.

 

[Ferminal]

???
What has golf got to do with this?

He has a point. Contador would need to choke as well as the Shark to lose this one.

 

[For The World]

???
What has golf got to do with this?

Is the Shark in a Team Le0pard golf shirt? Sure looks like it.

 

[leftover pie]

is the shark in a team le0pard golf shirt? Sure looks like it.

i smell a conspiracy!!!