Domenico Pozzovivo appreciation thread

[Sciatic]

Surely he is being celebrated by a lot of fans beside the road and in the Italian coverage of the race.

Indeed.

 

[SafeBet]

Most Italian sports fans will long remember him whether he wins a stage here or not.

In what way is this a counter argument to what I posted?

 

[Sciatic]

In what way is this a counter argument to what I posted?

Not really countering—just saying if he wants to ride for a GC placement rather than stage hunting, it’s not going to decrease his legacy.

 

[yaco]

He's always been an over-rated GC rider and has wasted part of his career seeking this goal - He is a a 6-10 GC rider and once you know your level, then you need to pivot your goals.

 

[search]

I actually think it's the other way around. Pozzovivo has never been very explosive, and it's gotten a lot worse over the past couple of years. He knows he can't win a stage anyway, and therefor goes for a realistic goal instead, which is a decent GC position.

 

[Anderis]

I actually think it's the other way around. Pozzovivo has never been very explosive, and it's gotten a lot worse over the past couple of years. He knows he can't win a stage anyway, and therefor goes for a realistic goal instead, which is a decent GC position.

This is an issue that doesn't get enough attention. Too often people complain about riders going for GC over stages but not everyone has a skillset to be a good stage hunter. + if everryone thought like that, there would be so many riders going for stages and so few for GC that going for GC would be statistically a far better return.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

He's always been an over-rated GC rider and has wasted part of his career seeking this goal - He is a a 6-10 GC rider and once you know your level, then you need to pivot your goals.

He has been very close to the podium in multiple grand tours.

 

[Sciatic]

He's always been an over-rated GC rider and has wasted part of his career seeking this goal - He is a a 6-10 GC rider and once you know your level, then you need to pivot your goals.

Why? He’s got his PhD and still wants to race to his level of satisfaction.

 

[Sciatic]

I actually think it's the other way around. Pozzovivo has never been very explosive, and it's gotten a lot worse over the past couple of years. He knows he can't win a stage anyway, and therefor goes for a realistic goal instead, which is a decent GC position.

Yup.

 

[Mayomaniac]

He has been very close to the podium in multiple grand tours.

I wouldn't call him overrated, but rather fragile and bad at positioning himself. Too often at the wrong end of a split or involved in a crash and he get sick rather easy once the weather is bad.

Should have peaked for the Giro and not for Trentino in 2012, he could have podiumed without big problems and would have been fighting for the overall win.

 

[RedheadDane]

Why? He’s got his PhD and still wants to race to his level of satisfaction.

I honestly think that's as big part of what makes him awesome.
Also, didn't he also take some other course a few years ago, because... reason?

 

[TourOfSardinia]

I think he has the drive of later-life Rebellin
but missing the chip-on-the-shoulder.

 

[Rob5091]

He's hoping for top 10 & helping the "kids" -
https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...-ditalia-it-would-be-nice-to-reach-the-top-10
"It would be nice to reach the top 10, a result that at my age would be a great pleasure. Furthermore, a presence in that part of the ranking would be a source of pride and visibility for the team. I will have many young teammates at my side, I think that during the three weeks I will be a point of reference for them. In particular, I think I can teach Pellizzari a lot."

"It's his first Giro d'Italia, but in a very different type of cycling compared to my debut in the Corsa Rosa. I had to worry about staying up and finishing the three weeks of the race. Pellizzari, on the other hand, arrives ready and with every possibility of aiming for a stage victory. Having me at his side will take some pressure off him and he will be able to pedal lighter."

L'Equipe have an article on Pozzovivo today- behind a paywall I'm afraid -
https://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur...ovivo-j-ai-compris-ce-qu-etait-la-vie/1467171

 

[Sciatic]

He's hoping for top 10 & helping the "kids" -
https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...-ditalia-it-would-be-nice-to-reach-the-top-10
"It would be nice to reach the top 10, a result that at my age would be a great pleasure. Furthermore, a presence in that part of the ranking would be a source of pride and visibility for the team. I will have many young teammates at my side, I think that during the three weeks I will be a point of reference for them. In particular, I think I can teach Pellizzari a lot."

"It's his first Giro d'Italia, but in a very different type of cycling compared to my debut in the Corsa Rosa. I had to worry about staying up and finishing the three weeks of the race. Pellizzari, on the other hand, arrives ready and with every possibility of aiming for a stage victory. Having me at his side will take some pressure off him and he will be able to pedal lighter."

L'Equipe have an article on Pozzovivo today- behind a paywall I'm afraid -
https://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur...ovivo-j-ai-compris-ce-qu-etait-la-vie/1467171

Thanks for posting that.

 

[SafeBet]

I'm happy he got in the break today. That's his best shot at a top10 in my opinion, especially if Pog keeps giving breaks some room.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Still 15th in GC despite gaining almost 2 mins

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Still 15th in GC despite gaining almost 2 mins

Giro is long. To make the first 10 days without major crash and in the top 20 is already an achievement which could set him up nicely for a top 10 if things go well. We still didn't hit the stages with multiple hard climbs yet.

 

[will-10]

Still 15th in GC despite gaining almost 2 mins

no need to get too close to Pogi just yet

 

[Rob5091]

So good ride in the break and made back the time he lost on stage 9 into Naples (when he got a mechanical (again!) near the finish), so with Uijtdebroeks leaving the race, he'll move up to 14 th on GC, 7 and a half minutes behind Pogi, but only just over 2 minutes from Rubio in 10th.
Sticking with the top guys and following wheels might not get top TV ratings but this is a 3 week race and it's only stage 11 today. Go Domenico!

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Ah well...
Edit: still in 14th but now needs to take back ~3 mins in the mountains to get in the top 10.

 

[Rob5091]

All things considered, it was n't a bad performance by Pozzovivo - infact it could have been a lot worse! Anyway, barring the weather messing things up, it's time to get climbing in the mountains.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

There is live in the old dog yet

In the break again maybe ?

 

[Rob5091]

There is live in the old dog yet

In the break again maybe ?

I would not think so - follow the GC favourites and hope some guys have a bad day.

 

[tobydawq]

All things considered, it was n't a bad performance by Pozzovivo - infact it could have been a lot worse! Anyway, barring the weather messing things up, it's time to get climbing in the mountains.

Yes, it was bad.

 

[Salvarani]

I like that him and Quintana finished within like 1 second from each other in the TT.