Giro d'Italia 2020

[SafeBet]

He looked so fresh in the final Tour ITT that they thought another 3000+ km would be a walk in the park for him.

 

[Red Rick]

I mean it's just the typical Tour de Suisse 2 weeks after Giro x 3 thing

 

[Mayomaniac]

Лопес покинет «Астану» по окончании сезона

prosports.kz

According to this kazakh site M.A. Lopez seems to be coming to the Giro as co-captain with Fuglsang, if this was confirmed it would be positive for the startlist....
Honestly i do not understand this choice...
Even pcs has put him in the startlist

The provisional startlists on PCS are usually garbge, that doesn't say a lot.
Of course they also send Aru to the Vuelta right after the Tour when he was leaving, so it's possible.

 

[Gigs_98]

One thing about Yates that is still suspect to me isn't just how Yates will perform in the 3rd week, but in the 3rd week on extremely long and tough climbs and mountain stages. Yates seems to be at his best on punchy climbs and one climb stages and while this Giro offers a good amount of that in the first two weeks, Piancavallo, Madonna, Lago di Cancano and Sestriere are the exact opposite.

Some of those stages might come down to the last few kilometres but the attrition is gonna make them super tough anyway and make "punchyness" less important. Moreover considering the rather weak field, not only in terms of gc riders but also helpers, those stages might well be ridden hard from far out, with many attempts for long range attacks and such. I just don't know if Yates can thrive there.

 

[Climbing]

Maybe Astana thinks Vuelta isn't gonna happen...
Certainly not for GC.

 

[Red Rick]

One thing about Yates that is still suspect to me isn't just how Yates will perform in the 3rd week, but in the 3rd week on extremely long and tough climbs and mountain stages. Yates seems to be at his best on punchy climbs and one climb stages and while this Giro offers a good amount of that in the first two weeks, Piancavallo, Madonna, Lago di Cancano and Sestriere are the exact opposite.

Some of those stages might come down to the last few kilometres but the attrition is gonna make them super tough anyway and make "punchyness" less important. Moreover considering the rather weak field, not only in terms of gc riders but also helpers, those stages might well be ridden hard from far out, with many attempts for long range attacks and such. I just don't know if Yates can thrive there.

True, but he's basically had really strong performances up to 40 minute climbs, and I don't think he's had many chances on such length climbs to say much about them.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

After having a look at the provisional startlist, I must agree with you. That is very average, I don't even know who could mountain goat with their leaders. Maybe is that a good news. Open Giro incoming?

Recipe for the most exciting Giro

Purely looking at TA I'm not so sure why anyone would consider Thomas a favorite over Yates.

Purely looking at the pre Tour races, I'm not sure why anyone would consider themselves challengers to Roglic. I think INEOS may look to make amends of the Tour carnage.

 

[fuiers]

So the time has come. After I started following cycling more closely in 2017 there has been one thing on top of wishlist. A rider from Finland (Hännninen) is starting a Grand Tour. I dont expect big things yet, but it is gonna be fun to watch if AG2R will let him try out something. Also T-A showed promise that Giro could have a good GC battle if S.Yates and G are anywhere close to that form in Giro.

 

[Rollthedice]

True, but he's basically had really strong performances up to 40 minute climbs, and I don't think he's had many chances on such length climbs to say much about them.

What about the weather? Do we know how he handles over 40 min. climbs in wet, snowy, cold weather, rain? So many unknowns.

 

[Brumdog66]

What about the weather? Do we know how he handles over 40 min. climbs in wet, snowy, cold weather, rain? So many unknowns.

Also even in the Vuelta the stages with longer climbs he performed worse in- Covadonga and Gallina

 

[Billie]

THe opening timetrial will set the record for fastest TT ever?

Mostly I agree but the downhill in stage 1 is basically a 4 km straight with two hairpins in the middle. It's just pure power.

I just looked at the route for the opening TT. Surely the winner will break the record for fastest TT ever? Should be close to 60 kph.

 

[Red Rick]

THe opening timetrial will set the record for fastest TT ever?


I just looked at the route for the opening TT. Surely the winner will break the record for fastest TT ever? Should be close to 60 kph.

I don't know what the record is.

 

[Billie]

I don't know what the record is.

iirc it was the opening TT in the Tour won by Rohan Dennis a couple years ago. 55kph.

 

[klintE]

I think it's the ITT. These days if you see a GT with 65 km of time-trial overall it looks like the 1992 Tour or something.

Poga-tsar could have 2-3 min handicap there

 

[Red Rick]

iirc it was the opening TT in the Tour won by Rohan Dennis a couple years ago. 55kph.

Oh that should be easily doable.

 

[Eshnar]

THe opening timetrial will set the record for fastest TT ever?


I just looked at the route for the opening TT. Surely the winner will break the record for fastest TT ever? Should be close to 60 kph.

I doubt it, the initial small climb should be enough to lower the average. It's like 300m at 10% on cobbles.

 

[Red Rick]

I doubt it, the initial small climb should be enough to lower the average. It's like 300m at 10% on cobbles.

Followed by 2km at 75kph.

Unless you're talking solely about not hitting 60kph, in which case I agree.

 

[Earns1985]

I completely forgot about him. i very much hope he isn’t super strong. Unless Thomas sucks that is. Strong Sosa as a leader would be welcome. I just don’t want to see a single superdom all race

After their disappointment in this years tour, Ineos surely wants to win at least the second Grand Tour this year. So the possibility of a strong mountain train for Thomas still exists.
With Bernal, Sosa, TAO and Dunbar in front of him, it will be difficult to eliminate Thomas.
Let´s hope that Bernal will not ride..

 

[Lequack]

Thomas has this in the bag.

 

[fuiers]

Thomas has this in the bag.

I would like to see him win this because this might be his last year's as a leader and a pro rider to begin with. Ineos has lots of talent in their ranks. Yates will give him hard time in the mountains.

 

[JosephK]

All those time trials. Pogi should rest up for a few days and show up.

 

[Red Rick]

All those time trials. Pogi should rest up for a few days and show up.

Drop 2 minutes in prologue for the memes

 

[Krokro]

Baring any injury or fading, how much time can we expect Yates to lose over Thomas on the ITTs? 3'30? 4'?

 

[Red Rick]

Baring any injury or fading, how much time can we expect Yates to lose over Thomas on the ITTs? 3'30? 4'?

2'51. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Blanco]

That Vuelta had nowhere near as tough a week 3 or field though

Like last year's Vuelta also?