Giro 2012 Field Discussion/Rumours

[El Pistolero]

It was a big letdown. Nothing happened, Gilbert and Scarponi found themselves in front a long way from the end and everyone knew what the result would be.

Of course for you since your fav won it was the best race ever, just like for you Contador winning the race in the first week at the 2011 Giro was way way more exciting than the 2010 giro with all the highs lows and twists.

The Giro was incredibly boring in the last week. Unlike you guys, I wasn't counting Scarponi out from the get go

The race was epic, not Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne 2010 epic, but still epic.

 

[Froome19]

He was saying that, but he was still up there on the mountain stages until the Gardeccia stage where he cracked and lost 8 minutes. After that he helped Nieve, esp. on the Sestriere stage when Nieve was sick. I guess it's a combination of the 2011 Giro being particularly tough and Anton being quite fragile. Even the normally tireless Purito didn't get back to his best in time for the Vuelta.

I wouldn't say that Purito was exactly tired after Giro... he went on to smash the Dauphine winning 2 stages and was one of the best climbers towards the end of the Giro.
It seemed to be that he could climb really well on the steep climbs in the vuelta; see the first couple of stages and angliru but then just bombed out.
Which was similar to what happened to Anton as well.

Anton still has not shown how he can cope competing for the full 21 days in a GT and I have my doubts he has the ability too atm. Just look how he bombed out after his Zoncolan win, even if he was not going for GC it wasn't good enough for a rider who want to win a 3 weeks stage race.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Stages in Denmark.
Stage 1
Giro d'Italia in Denmark, stage 1

Stage 2
Giro d'Italia in Denmark, stage 2

stage 3
Giro d'Italia in Denmark, stage 3

 

[issoisso]

I wouldn't say that Purito was exactly tired after Giro... he went on to smash the Dauphine winning 2 stages and was one of the best climbers towards the end of the Giro.
It seemed to be that he could climb really well on the steep climbs in the vuelta; see the first couple of stages and angliru but then just bombed out.
Which was similar to what happened to Anton as well.

Anton still has not shown how he can cope competing for the full 21 days in a GT and I have my doubts he has the ability too atm. Just look how he bombed out after his Zoncolan win, even if he was not going for GC it wasn't good enough for a rider who want to win a 3 weeks stage race.

That's almost always the case with Rodríguez. He's best in the third week. The past two Vueltas were abnormal in that he simply exploded from an extremely long season.

 

[trevim]

Just look how he bombed out after his Zoncolan win, even if he was not going for GC it wasn't good enough for a rider who want to win a 3 weeks stage race.

He wasn't that bad there. He was top-20. It was just a somehow unsual stage

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Stage 2 could have strong winds.

 

[analo69]

Yes, but it will most likely be in the middle third of the route. Near the west coast.

 

[The Hitch]

Scarponi Rujano and Gadret beware, Sylwester Szmyd will be crushing those mountains in Il Giro.

http://www.sylwesterszmyd.pl/?m=201201

The strange thing is he says that he will do Trentino and Romandie then rest 2 days before the Giro. Heavy scheudle. Then onto Duaphine presumably for himself.

The big news though is that hes doing the Vuelta and NOT the Tour.

So that means either Basso or Nibali will be doing the Vuelta.

However he wrote this in January so before it was known that Contador would likely do the VUelta so things may change.

 

[Eshnar]

Scarponi Rujano and Gadret beware, Sylwester Szmyd will be crushing those mountains in Il Giro.

http://www.sylwesterszmyd.pl/?m=201201

The strange thing is he says that he will do Trentino and Romandie then rest 2 days before the Giro. Heavy scheudle. Then onto Duaphine presumably for himself.

The big news though is that hes doing the Vuelta and NOT the Tour.

So that means either Basso or Nibali will be doing the Vuelta.

However he wrote this in January so before it was known that Contador would likely do the VUelta so things may change.

It's strange that he's not doing the Tour. Nibali will surely need him...

 

[The Hitch]

It's strange that he's not doing the Tour. Nibali will surely need him...

Actually I just read on and he says that from Szmyds schedule the only races Ivan will not do is Romanide and Dauphine.

So if he was told this in Jan, Liqui must have decided its Basso for Giro Vuelta.

His whole schedule is Lugano (which Basso obv won last year) Paris Nice, Vuelta Catalunya, Giro Appenino, Giro Trentino, Romandie Giro Dauphine Vuelta.

So if Basso is doing all but Romandie and Dauphine, - thats 80% of his schedule right there.

Though hes probably already said that somewhere.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Liqui must have decided its Basso for Giro Vuelta.

Yeah, that's what Nibali said.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Basso has said in a radio interview that he like the vuelta route, he says it suits him the best out of the 3 gts this year and earlier in the season iirc he said that he wants to do two gt. But after senor velasco's ban, a litlle mind changeing might have happened already .

 

[The Hitch]

What are OPQS doing this Giro?

 

[The Hitch]

Eshnar (and Zam and others) help me out here.

I was with this Italian friend of a friend waiting for a train, and it was awkward conversation wise, so I took the lead and asked him what sports were popular in Italy (hoping he says cycling in like 3rd place)

And he lists like 50 sports including like skiing but not cycling.

So I ask him about cycling and he says nope, just old people.

So I pushed it, like, "but Ive seen Rai sport and they show cycling all the time", and hes like, "no seriously cycling gets a bit of coverage during the Giro ditalia, but no one really watches it".

He said it was something in the past, 20 years ago, these days no one even rides bycicles and no one watches it.

So Im like "well i think they watch it in the north were the mountains are" and then he reveals hes from lake cuomo.

I feel like crying man. Help me out.

 

[Parrulo]

Eshnar (and Zam and others) help me out here.

I was with this Italian friend of a friend waiting for a train, and it was awkward conversation wise, so I took the lead and asked him what sports were popular in Italy (hoping he says cycling in like 3rd place)

And he lists like 50 sports including like skiing but not cycling.

So I ask him about cycling and he says nope, just old people.

So I pushed it, like, "but Ive seen Rai sport and they show cycling all the time", and hes like, "no seriously cycling gets a bit of coverage during the Giro ditalia, but no one really watches it".

He said it was something in the past, 20 years ago, these days no one even rides bycicles and no one watches it.

So Im like "well i think they watch it in the north were the mountains are" and then he reveals hes from lake cuomo.

I feel like crying man. Help me out.

while i think he is exaggerating a lot and that cycling certainly isn't as unpopular as he makes it look, he is right on the part that most fans are old people. at least in portugal it is, none of my friends cares about cycling but every time i go out for a ride and pass an old man he most always claps and yells "go, you are the first" or something among those lines, it happened today like 10 times on a 2 hour ride. ofc the fact that i ride on small villages and say hello to every1 i pass by prolly helps

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

the few italians I know (who travelling in aus etc) have said to me;
like the giro, dont care about tdf and other cycling races.

 

[thehog]

the few italians I know (who travelling in aus etc) have said to me;
like the giro, dont care about tdf and other cycling races.

Oh those Italians. Vox Pop, yeah?

 

[Eshnar]

Eshnar (and Zam and others) help me out here.

I was with this Italian friend of a friend waiting for a train, and it was awkward conversation wise, so I took the lead and asked him what sports were popular in Italy (hoping he says cycling in like 3rd place)

And he lists like 50 sports including like skiing but not cycling.

So I ask him about cycling and he says nope, just old people.

So I pushed it, like, "but Ive seen Rai sport and they show cycling all the time", and hes like, "no seriously cycling gets a bit of coverage during the Giro ditalia, but no one really watches it".

He said it was something in the past, 20 years ago, these days no one even rides bycicles and no one watches it.

So Im like "well i think they watch it in the north were the mountains are" and then he reveals hes from lake cuomo.

I feel like crying man. Help me out.

He's really exaggerating, but it's definitely true that interest in cycling here is dropped a lot with respect to 80's or 90's. Pantani effect I guess. It is also true that young people are less interested than old ones... but this has the same reason. Cycling is still the 6th-7th sport probly... in May it becomes 2nd or 3rd.
For about 90% of people here cycling is Giro-only, that's fu*king true. Not even MSR or GDL can make it.

It's like this (roughly):
1. Football (or soccer, whatever)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
2. Motorsports
.
.
3. Basketball
4. Tennis
5. Rugby (growing)
6. Cycling
7. Volleyball

Point is that the difference between the 3rd and 30th is smaller than between 1st and 2nd alone

EDIT: Please note that the differences of ranking from 3rd vary greatly by region.

 

[profff]

i think eshnar is right, interest in pro cycling has dropped in the last years.
on the other hand, people practising cycling in the northern part of italy are increasing and the gran fondo are making good numbers.
these people are middle aged, in their late 30s and 40s.
people like riding, they are not interested in pro road races.
no young people interested in cycling, the number of team doing races for juniors is dramatically dropping.
no parents want their children practising this sport because of traffic and doping.teenager are not interested, too much tiring and very few fashion.

in certain areas like tuscany, veneto, romagna cycling is very popular, probably the second sport, the same in certain areas of lombardia- completely the opposite in big towns and generally in the south.

giro is still beloved,but it is needed anyway a champion who can turn interested the media and the whole audience, like pantani, competing for giro and tour.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

This could be the "third triumvirate" because i agree with Eshnar and Profff

 

[Michele]

He's really exaggerating, but it's definitely true that interest in cycling here is dropped a lot with respect to 80's or 90's. Pantani effect I guess. It is also true that young people are less interested than old ones... but this has the same reason. Cycling is still the 6th-7th sport probly... in May it becomes 2nd or 3rd.
For about 90% of people here cycling is Giro-only, that's fu*king true. Not even MSR or GDL can make it.

It's like this (roughly):
1. Football (or soccer, whatever)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
2. Motorsports
.
.
3. Basketball
4. Tennis
5. Rugby (growing)
6. Cycling
7. Volleyball

Point is that the difference between the 3rd and 30th is smaller than between 1st and 2nd alone

EDIT: Please note that the differences of ranking from 3rd vary greatly by region.

Basketball and tennis so high in your ranking? Wow.
Honestly donno how Id rate a top10 sports here in Italy but I guess it depends where you live (basketball is not that popular in my area).
Anyway the point is true that after golden-pure-innocent soccer there's a giant gap to motorsports and still a big one to all the others.

I do live in Veneto and I often have foreigner friends surprised to see so many road cyclists on the road (compared to their Countries).

 

[Eshnar]

Basketball and tennis so high in your ranking? Wow.
Honestly donno how Id rate a top10 sports here in Italy but I guess it depends where you live (basketball is not that popular in my area).
Anyway the point is true that after golden-pure-innocent soccer there's a giant gap to motorsports and still a big one to all the others.

I do live in Veneto and I often have foreigner friends surprised to see so many road cyclists on the road (compared to their Countries).

I tried to be as neutral as possible, but it's almost impossible. Basketball gets a better coverage in every newspaper (compared to all other sports, except in Gazzetta that hypes cycling for obvious reasons). Really regions play a huge part in the ranking. For istance here in Liguria volleyball is rated high (especially in small towns) and cycling is definitely underrated. (Not to mention in Genova is really difficult using a bike)
PS:
But when there's a big cycling event (MSR, Giro and even the Italian championship which was held here a while ago) the roads get full of fans I dunno where they come from

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Eshnar (and Zam and others) help me out here.

I was with this Italian friend of a friend waiting for a train, and it was awkward conversation wise, so I took the lead and asked him what sports were popular in Italy (hoping he says cycling in like 3rd place)

And he lists like 50 sports including like skiing but not cycling.

So I ask him about cycling and he says nope, just old people.

So I pushed it, like, "but Ive seen Rai sport and they show cycling all the time", and hes like, "no seriously cycling gets a bit of coverage during the Giro ditalia, but no one really watches it".

He said it was something in the past, 20 years ago, these days no one even rides bycicles and no one watches it.

So Im like "well i think they watch it in the north were the mountains are" and then he reveals hes from lake cuomo.

I feel like crying man. Help me out.

ugh you are such a fool. you believe basically anythign anyone ever tells you? go to netherlands and everyone will tell you they hate cycling here too. this guy simply hated cycling. it's not as popular a sit was in the 90s and early 2000s with pantani and cipo of course as italy have no hero's anymore but it's still popular and has a huge history.

and nobody racing bikes anymore? lol. I was in tuscany last year and saw more bikes than in amsterdam chained to rails. cycling is one of the 5 biggest sports in italy. football is biggest and then comes motorsports and cycling. keep in midn this also differs in regions, in north italy and especially toscane cycling is way bigger than in the south

 

[El Pistolero]

What are OPQS doing this Giro?

Nothing, they don't care anymore after Bettini left. They'll probably send some of their Italians to it.

 

[gustienordic]

Nothing, they don't care anymore after Bettini left. They'll probably send some of their Italians to it.

My best guess: CHICCHI Francesco, BANDIERA Marco, CATALDO Dario, TRENTIN Matteo, TERPSTRA Niki, VERMOTE Julien, STEEGMANS Gert, & GOLAS Michal..

Most Italians & Younger guys for the experience.