Giro d'Italia 2011 Stage 20: Verbania - Sestriere 242km

[Tornadin]

If you guys all discuss tomorrow's ITT here,
why don't you start a separate thread for it, because it really doesn't belong in this thread!

 

[The Sheep]

Hitch's OP was better than the race

 

[Flamin]

How good, bad or indifferent is Nieve at TTs?

He's got 33 seconds over Sivtsov to hold on to his top 10 placing.

Is he likely to do this? I'm guessing it will be close but thinking that Sivtsov might edge him.

Sivtsov will crush him. Totally.

 

[roundabout]

While I don't really like him as a rider I feel I must apologize to Rodriguez (even if he doesn't read this forum). He really rode his heart out today and was one of the few people (together with Rujano) to really try. Chapeau.

Other than that it was a pretty indifferent stage unless you're a Kiryienka fan.

Forgot to mention Kreuziger for losing so little time after it looked pretty bad for him at one point. Well done to him.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Other than that it was a pretty indifferent stage unless you're a Kiryienka fan.

As I said previously, I don't think I care about the lack of GC action. This was a great stage for the same reason as I can put down all of my preconceptions about Armstrong and always enjoy his win in tribute to Casartelli. This was a very emotional win for a team that have had a horrible week. And for that, it was a great stage.

 

[rides like a girl]

thanks for that tip. that will get me by. I still really would like to learn some Italian & more Spanish too tho

Very basic language lessons can be found on about.com.

Try Italian.about.com for very basic lessons online. I used it to get French pronunciation last year and a bit of vocabulary before my trip last year.

 

[metaCYCLE]

finally a mtf where ac didnt attack. i guess this made the stage less boring for a lot of people...

 

[roundabout]

As I said previously, I don't think I care about the lack of GC action. This was a great stage for the same reason as I can put down all of my preconceptions about Armstrong and always enjoy his win in tribute to Casartelli. This was a very emotional win for a team that have had a horrible week. And for that, it was a great stage.

True. I should have mentioned Movistar as well for obvious reasons.

 

[maxmartin]

So after tomorrow it will be...

AC
Nibali
Scarponi
Gadret
Menchov
Kreuziger
Rujano
Rodriguez
Sivtsov
Nieve/Kruijswijk

not sure nibali can get one minute back

 

[thirteen]

As I said previously, I don't think I care about the lack of GC action. This was a great stage for the same reason as I can put down all of my preconceptions about Armstrong and always enjoy his win in tribute to Casartelli. This was a very emotional win for a team that have had a horrible week. And for that, it was a great stage.

beautifully put.

i've watch hundreds of stages and victors crossing the line. there are only a handful i know i will always remember and this is one.

 

[Ryaguas]

Kiryienka is a moron. This is the day when he attacks, when he has zero chance to get a win?

Care to apologize to him?

Don't trust GPS. It's more like 2:42.

WOW... Lance Armstrong here?? Wonder where is wonderlance these days...

kreuziguer wins the il falco of the giro award?

Totally!!!

I doubt Contador will have any interest in this.

Wasnt He sleeping in his bike?? Until Michele's attack He was like "Ibiza or Tenerife?? mmmm joder... I'm pretty sure that Riis will make me go to Denmark... Saxo this... Saxo that... a$$..."

 

[Mellow Velo]

hitch's op was better than the race

2005>>>>2011

Great rides by Kiryienka and young Mr Kruisjwick.

Nibs and Kreuziger:-Liquigas have produced the natural Shack replacements for Leipheimer and Kloden.

 

[Maxiton]

That may have been the best intro to a stage I've ever read. Outstanding work, Hitch. Thanks!

 

[rmacek]

So, Astana boys (Kreuziger, his masseur and Tiralongo) took helicopter after todays stage to transfer to Milano.. And they had one free place.. Guess who did they take with them?

Yes, you are right, they took Alberto Contador..

 

[Mshengu]

Millar is very likely to win this one.

1. Millar
2. Nibali + 16sec
3. Kreuziger + 25sec

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Watch Gazzetta.tv along with a live (your native language) ticker. It is surprising how understanding the context will enable you to pick up a language.
....

Good idea.

Very basic language lessons can be found on about.com.

Try Italian.about.com for very basic lessons online. I used it to get French pronunciation last year and a bit of vocabulary before my trip last year.

Bingo. Lots of stuff there on about.com... that should keep me occupied for a while.
thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Nobody is now ever going to convince me of Nibali's climbing qualities. If he has days where he is worse than Kruijswijk and even Kreuziger than no way are you even near Gesink/Basso/Sanchez/Vandenbroeck

 

[greenedge]

Nibali what happened? I think he and Kreuziger peaked too early for this race. Nice ride by Rodriguez on the one climb that matters.

 

[Havetts]

Really glad Rodriguez actually had his attack succeeded, he attacked on alot of stages eventhough they were usually late on the climb.

Finestre was epic but disappointed compared to 2005, shame Szmyd had a good day. Not that I dislike Szmyd, but everyone hid behind Szmyd except for Rujano.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Kruiswijk was great last night. If the final climb was much harder then I think he may have gotten into reaching distance of Kreuziger . I personally think they way he has ridden he deserves a higher spot on gc. He should come back next year to the giro and look for a top 5. I found myself barracking for him.

Kiriyenka's tribute to Tondo was really cool.

I am also happy that Tschopp moved from 19th to 16th on gc

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Don't think Szmyd had a particularly good day; he did his job, but his job wasn't the usual 'ride flat out and break the GC men' job he does. Nibali cracked as soon as Szmyd did. The GC men were perhaps content to ride the pace with Szmyd on the front, perhaps his reputation meant they expected more to crack and that they could follow him meant they were doing well, but Szmyd was riding within himself for his leader since Nibali wasn't on a good day. Kiryienka gained time while Szmyd was on the front.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Rabobank and Kruijswijk said that he could have gone much harder at the Finestre but he was too afraid to try because he feared nobody would react and he would have to do a large ride alone, then get caught and passed

 

[Havetts]

Then why didnt he try on the Sestriere climb ?

 

[auscyclefan94]

Dave McKenzie and Mike Tomalaris were saying that John Gadret is a good time trialler. I nearly fell off my chair.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Then why didnt he try on the Sestriere climb ?

because that climb is way too easy