Giro d'Italia 2011: Stage 14 Lienz to Monte Zoncolan

[nvpacchi]

Why is today only Thursday? I got real sad after I realized there were still two more stages to go until the weekend.

Maybe listening to Rebecca Black all day will make the weekend approach quicker.......

 

[jaylew]

I really, really hope he will go on the Crostis, but I doubt it. Neither he nor any of the other contenders will want to be without at least 1 team-mate on the top of the Crostis, this mainly due to two reasons. 1 the chance of flats or other mechanicals on the part of unpaved road. 2 the lack of team cars on the Crostis and the Crostis descent.

If you have any sort of problem on the top you will need to wait very long for any help, if you are isolated and if you have no teammates you are dependant on the help of the neutral mechanics. You will really want a teammate there, just in case you'll need a new bike

This is my worry. The difficulty of the climb will certainly cause some gaps but I wonder if anyone will really go for it before Zoncolan with the above in mind. Contador is certainly going to hope Hernandez brings his Etna form.

 

[iZnoGouD]

epic stage is epic

 

[The Hitch]

Seems to me that a good tactic for Lampre (Niemiec) and Liquigas (Szmyd Angoli) and maybe Androini and Krueziger (Kiserlowski) is to push the pace hard enough that Contadors domestiques gets dropped, but not themselves.

If Contador then feels like attacking thats his perrogative and they might welcome it as there is a chance he will crack.

If he doesnt, then well he just better hope he doesnt get any flats at the top.

 

[just some guy]

Seems to me that a good tactic for Lampre (Niemiec) and Liquigas (Szmyd Angoli) and maybe Androini and Krueziger (Kiserlowski) is to push the pace hard enough that Contadors domestiques gets dropped, but not themselves.

If Contador then feels like attacking thats his perrogative and they might welcome it as there is a chance he will crack.

If he doesnt, then well he just better hope he doesnt get any flats at the top.

Got to be how they play it. Sort of like csc did to Evans. Get Contador on his own and then attack and attack until something breaks.

The only problem is that Contador might attack them and ride off into the pink sunset

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

 

[Climbing]

Seems to me that a good tactic for Lampre (Niemiec) and Liquigas (Szmyd Angoli) and maybe Androini and Krueziger (Kiserlowski) is to push the pace hard enough that Contadors domestiques gets dropped, but not themselves.

If Contador then feels like attacking thats his perrogative and they might welcome it as there is a chance he will crack.

If he doesnt, then well he just better hope he doesnt get any flats at the top.

Szmydt and Agnoli both suffering of bronchitis (Szmidt since Orvieto, so maybe he recovered a bit - have been under heavy medication).
That's why we saw the polish so little.

 

[gilbertador]

Contador is very defensive once hes taken the lead in grand tours in the past i agree with the prediction of a contador win on this occasion though with rujano 2nd and anton 3rd and nibali 4th, Nibali should definitely attack down the crostis, hed be stupid not to....no extra energy used for him no flat before zoncolan so nibali will start his time trial early on the zoncolan as theres clearly no real drafting....

 

[Ledge71]

What's the over/under that Cavendish even starts this stage?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

What's the over/under that Cavendish even starts this stage?

He has already said that he won't.

 

[jens_attacks]

damn i just got a bad knee tendinitis.i guess that preview made by hitch helped to increase my pain right now.fucc that hurts.this will be epic.

androids for the win!contador won't go with them,wrong decision.

 

[hfer07]

@The Hitch: are you loosing sleeping time lately? great introduction.

Contador has already targeted the Monster-so unless he has a mechanical failure, gets in a crash descending the Crostis, or somehow has a bad day.... I doubt anyone can even challenge him TBH....

although I'd love to see Purito, Antor & Rujano giving him a hard time...

 

[theswordsman]

What's the over/under that Cavendish even starts this stage?

It was announced days ago that Cav & Renshaw would leave after Stage 12. Cav is gone, and Petacchi is expected to be as well.

I can't make a prediction here until Stage 13 is played, because I expect circumstances to change. Really, I need to just savior the next 4 stages one at a time

 

[thirteen]

i'm thinking of going to a nice cycling bar to watch this...

any recommendations on how to stay somewhat sober so i can walk home without getting lost?

 

[El Pistolero]

i'm thinking of going to a nice cycling bar to watch this...

any recommendations on how to stay somewhat sober so i can walk home without getting lost?

Go to a fritkot before you start drinking

 

[thirteen]

Go to a fritkot before you start drinking

lol! there's actually one on the way if i cross the river a little sooner

which works better -- meat or frites?

 

[El Pistolero]

lol! there's actually one on the way if i cross the river a little sooner

which works better -- meat or frites?

Both

The most greasy food works best

I'm hungry now

 

[Michielveedeebee]

i'm thinking of going to a nice cycling bar to watch this...

any recommendations on how to stay somewhat sober so i can walk home without getting lost?

obviously a Bicky royal, medium/large fries and bitterballen
You have a cyclingbar in your neighbourhood ?

 

[BYOP88]

Lets just hope the stage is as great as Hitch's thread for it.

 

[thirteen]

obviously a Bicky royal, medium/large fries and bitterballen
You have a cyclingbar in your neighbourhood ?

i'd never be able to walk after all that but yum!

many bar bars in my neighborhood but not cycling ones... someone here, though, recommended i check out Café De Karper (owned by Iljo Keisse's father), but i don't know for sure...

i will be recording the stage, regardless, so if it doesn't pan out i can get home before the good stuff happens... i'm just sick of watching with a boyfriend that allows me, but truly has no interest in cycling.

as lovely as the forum is, sometimes it's nice to actually watch with others who are interested

 

[Anonymous]

great post .....really looking forward to it, i hope contador is 1:30 min down on somebody after the previous stage then saxo attack would be awsome

 

[icefire]

Safety nets in the descent of Crostis. The pic is a bit large to embed it in a post.

http://www.elpais.com/fotografia/de...so/Crostis/elpdiadep/20110519elpepudep_8/Ies/

 

[Ryaguas]

And he wasn't even trying there!

Dont lie to yourself... He was trying and very hard!

Hitch you b@stard! I wanted to create this post! Damn YOU! but Good work!

so guys are you prepared for this in Zoncolan Podium?

 

[Michielveedeebee]

:

i will be recording the stage, regardless, so if it doesn't pan out i can get home before the good stuff happens... i'm just sick of watching with a boyfriend that allows me, but truly has no interest in cycling.

as lovely as the forum is, sometimes it's nice to actually watch with others who are interested

I feel your pain.. GF just allowed me to watch a stage with her by my side for the first time (guess I've been a good boy or something )
good thing is my little bro and mom love cycling

 

[Angliru]

Just amazing. Breathtaking. Can almost feel the sting of air intake at altitude. Could a person get a nose bleed just looking at Hitch's intro?

I believe in all honesty that Hitch's intro belongs in a cycling forums hall of fame (if such a thing was to exist). Reflects all of our passion for the sport and for this year's Giro and it's participants. Actually better than most pre-Giro magazine articles. Great job Hitch!