First Timers in GC Top 10 - Grand Tours

[Cance > TheRest]

One of the pleasures of this giro, for me, has been to witness Dennis going for GC. How do you all see Dennis' chances of a top 10 this giro? I'm guessing he'd be quite happy if anyone had told him at the start he was going to lie 7th in GC halfway into the giro. Even if he loses a couple of minutes on Zoncolan, he'd still be in contention if (when) he gains that time back in the ITT, or how do you see it?

 

[alexix7]

I don´t believe him. Zoncolan will kill him and don´t forget about brutal 19th and 20th stage.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

One of the pleasures of this giro, for me, has been to witness Dennis going for GC. How do you all see Dennis' chances of a top 10 this giro? I'm guessing he'd be quite happy if anyone had told him at the start he was going to lie 7th in GC halfway into the giro. Even if he loses a couple of minutes on Zoncolan, he'd still be in contention if (when) he gains that time back in the ITT, or how do you see it?

I fear he'll be a lot worse on multi climb stages than on one climb stages as that is just usually the case for TT specialists like him. I don't think he'll finish in the top ten but I won't completely rule it out.

On another note, Konrad just zubeldiad himself back into the top ten overall and is now sitting in 9th position. Considering he improved towards the end in last years giro I think a top ten might actually be possible for him, but obviously I'm biased so I don't know whether anyone will agree with me.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

One of the pleasures of this giro, for me, has been to witness Dennis going for GC. How do you all see Dennis' chances of a top 10 this giro? I'm guessing he'd be quite happy if anyone had told him at the start he was going to lie 7th in GC halfway into the giro. Even if he loses a couple of minutes on Zoncolan, he'd still be in contention if (when) he gains that time back in the ITT, or how do you see it?

I fear he'll be a lot worse on multi climb stages than on one climb stages as that is just usually the case for TT specialists like him. I don't think he'll finish in the top ten but I won't completely rule it out.

On another note, Konrad just zubeldiad himself back into the top ten overall and is now sitting in 9th position. Considering he improved towards the end in last years giro I think a top ten might actually be possible for him, but obviously I'm biased so I don't know whether anyone will agree with me.

Isn't he a bit too explosive to be a Zubeldia?

Though I have to admit, he is the only rider in the top 30 I can't recognise when I see him.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Re:

One of the pleasures of this giro, for me, has been to witness Dennis going for GC. How do you all see Dennis' chances of a top 10 this giro? I'm guessing he'd be quite happy if anyone had told him at the start he was going to lie 7th in GC halfway into the giro. Even if he loses a couple of minutes on Zoncolan, he'd still be in contention if (when) he gains that time back in the ITT, or how do you see it?

I fear he'll be a lot worse on multi climb stages than on one climb stages as that is just usually the case for TT specialists like him. I don't think he'll finish in the top ten but I won't completely rule it out.

On another note, Konrad just zubeldiad himself back into the top ten overall and is now sitting in 9th position. Considering he improved towards the end in last years giro I think a top ten might actually be possible for him, but obviously I'm biased so I don't know whether anyone will agree with me.

Isn't he a bit too explosive to be a Zubeldia?

Though I have to admit, he is the only rider in the top 30 I can't recognise when I see him.

That's what makes it so impressive. He has a skill set perfect for going for stage wins but manages to not do so anyway.

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

One of the pleasures of this giro, for me, has been to witness Dennis going for GC. How do you all see Dennis' chances of a top 10 this giro? I'm guessing he'd be quite happy if anyone had told him at the start he was going to lie 7th in GC halfway into the giro. Even if he loses a couple of minutes on Zoncolan, he'd still be in contention if (when) he gains that time back in the ITT, or how do you see it?

I fear he'll be a lot worse on multi climb stages than on one climb stages as that is just usually the case for TT specialists like him. I don't think he'll finish in the top ten but I won't completely rule it out.

On another note, Konrad just zubeldiad himself back into the top ten overall and is now sitting in 9th position. Considering he improved towards the end in last years giro I think a top ten might actually be possible for him, but obviously I'm biased so I don't know whether anyone will agree with me.

I think the high mountains are probably too much for Konrad, but top 10 in the Vuelta should be doable for him.
Last year they made a mistake by sending him to the TdS after the Giro, he faded durning the 2nd half of the Tour de Suisse and was bad for the rest of the season.
Still, a top 10 in the Giro would be pretty good.
Rohan lost his best chance to get a top 10 last year when he crashed out of the Giro there was only 1 really hard mountain stage where he'd loose a ton of time and 70km of ITT.

 

[DNP-Old]

Quite late to this thread, but I voted Egan, Buchmann and Carapaz. Roglic not yet. Jumbo is being cautious with him and don't want him to GC for at least another year. Kruijswijk's their man (no idea why tbh).

 

[del1962]

Carapaz, Bilbao looking OK in Giro for this, possibly Konrad, O;Conner or Oomen

 

[TMP402]

Re:

I can't see Carapaz or Wellens doing it on this Giro, except if there is a LOT of DNF, or more probably if they manage to be on several 10+ minutes breakaways.

I don't get this. Carapaz has a minute over 11th place. He's surely the most likely option?

 

[May0maniac]

He could still loose time in the high mountains, but atm Rohan Dennis is doing pretty respectable for a TT specialist on such a route.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

I can't see Carapaz or Wellens doing it on this Giro, except if there is a LOT of DNF, or more probably if they manage to be on several 10+ minutes breakaways.

I don't get this. Carapaz has a minute over 11th place. He's surely the most likely option?

The situation was a bit different on the before the race started, though.

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

I can't see Carapaz or Wellens doing it on this Giro, except if there is a LOT of DNF, or more probably if they manage to be on several 10+ minutes breakaways.

I don't get this. Carapaz has a minute over 11th place. He's surely the most likely option?

The situation was a bit different on the before the race started, though.

You're right. Of course. What a fool I am.

 

[jaylew]

So, barring anything strange happening on the final stage:

Carapaz, Bilbao, Konrad, Oomen.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Three of them not in the poll.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

So, barring anything strange happening on the final stage:

Carapaz, Bilbao, Konrad, Oomen.

Cool

 

[jaylew]

Re:

Three of them not in the poll.

I guess Bilbao would be the most unexpected of the four.

 

[Pantani_lives]

I only notice now that Carapaz was misspelled. His name recognition is growing.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I honestly never ever expected that of Pello
Pretty amazing

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

I honestly never ever expected that of Pello
Pretty amazing

Zubeldia managed to pass his Ninja skills down to the next generation, pretty cool.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Re: Re:

I honestly never ever expected that of Pello
Pretty amazing

Zubeldia managed to pass his Ninja skills down to the next generation, pretty cool.

He managed to finish 6th without a top 8 in any stage. He's a mathematician. :geek:

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

I honestly never ever expected that of Pello
Pretty amazing

Zubeldia managed to pass his Ninja skills down to the next generation, pretty cool.

He managed to finish 6th without a top 8 in any stage. He's a mathematician. :geek:

That might just be the truly most impressive thing from this Giro. He and/or his team are good mathematicians.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

I honestly never ever expected that of Pello
Pretty amazing

Zubeldia managed to pass his Ninja skills down to the next generation, pretty cool.

He managed to finish 6th without a top 8 in any stage. He's a mathematician. :geek:

He was 6th in Jerusalem.

Perhaps you belong to the segment not counting the opening three stages as part of the Giro?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

I honestly never ever expected that of Pello
Pretty amazing

Zubeldia managed to pass his Ninja skills down to the next generation, pretty cool.

Indeed, he has been super anonymous. His climbing style is weird, but he is basque so I have to cheer for him to some extent!

Nice with so many newcomers, mainly because some of the bigger stars have collapsed. Konrad was a nice surprise.

 

[Sestriere]

Re: Re:

I honestly never ever expected that of Pello
Pretty amazing

Zubeldia managed to pass his Ninja skills down to the next generation, pretty cool.

Indeed, he has been super anonymous. His climbing style is weird, but he is basque so I have to cheer for him to some extent!

Nice with so many newcomers, mainly because some of the bigger stars have collapsed. Konrad was a nice surprise.

It's weird, a few years ago I thought he was more of a durable sprinter. But step by step he developed into a climber..

 

[Gigs_98]

I'm incredibly happy that after many dark years for Austrian cycling Patrick Konrad got such a superb result. I really didn't believe he was capable of doing this. Chapeau.