Giro d'Italia 2025, stage 2: Tirana - Tirana (13.7k ITT)

[Brullnux]

It was the worst route imaginable for Pogacar.

This TT, for starters. Even if he hangs on, he and the rest of the blob (to the extent they are present) are very bunched up. Without the wind picking up he would probably have lost to Vacek too.

You have an axe to grind: the route matters when it favours Tarling, but is ignored when it doesn't favour him.

Look at the opening pages of this thread, where very few people picked Tarling, and all were questioning his prospects given the hill/turns which flatten differences between riders. I'm not even sure if Ganna smashes this course, in all honesty – maybe a handful of seconds?

 

[Salvarani]

1 second good or bad here

Lets see

bad

 

[Red Rick]

Extremely generous, Primoz

 

[Peyroteo94]

Poor Ayuso, he is gonna learn Roglic is the third GT alien, not on pair with the other 2 but miles ahead him

 

[titan31]

Miss like all the end of Roglics run cos of ad breaks. Incompetent coverage

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Too fast from Roglič. Now he might have to wear pink tomorrow.

 

[Miha81]

Extremely generous, Primoz

Looks like prime shape

 

[YavorD]

Great time by Roglic, he’s going to destroy follow the opposition this Giro

Fixed that for you.

 

[Didinho]

Wout and Mads to make it even more exciting for the stage and/or pink.

 

[Cycling111]

Isaac Del Toro very good.

This Giro will be important to see if Del Toro has a future as a GT winner.
We'll see if Ayuso has anything to worry about.

 

[Sciatic]

I'm not really sure what role Nairo plays now on the team but as long as he has one and isn't taking faster riders' spot I'm still glad to see him.

He still made the front group without difficulty yesterday. And I doubt he's been working on his ITT form

 

[tobydawq]

Tiberi very poor. I had him as an outsider for the stage win or at least stage podium.

Edit: Okay, he was not as bad as the GPS time indicated.

 

[Red Rick]

Sniper miles off target

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Wow, so close!

 

[Peyroteo94]

This Giro will be important to see if Del Toro has a future as a GT winner.
We'll see if Ayuso has anything to worry about.

Mark my words. Ayuso will not be on the podium

 

[Red Rick]

It looks to me that despite having the fastest T1 Roglic is one of the few who paced it well and didn't blow himself up on the hill with the headwind finale

 

[Boehmand]

Wout and Mads to make it even more exciting for the stage and/or pink.

Yep, the wind picking up favours the heavier riders.

 

[Peyroteo94]

It looks to me that despite having the fastest T1 Roglic is one of the few who paced it well and didn't blow himself up on the hill with the headwind finale

This TT was perfect for him. Almost like those he loves to race in PV

 

[Devil's Elbow]

You have an axe to grind: the route matters when it favours Tarling, but is ignored when it doesn't favour him.

That's nonsense, this is far more typical a TT than one with 0 metres of elevation gain and two turns. If one small hill that can be climbed in the big ring doesn't suit him, then the majority of TTs don't and then that's an argument in favour of him not belonging above the blob.

 

[postmanhat]

Poor Ayuso, he is gonna learn Roglic is the third GT alien, not on pair with the other 2 but miles ahead him

Just wondering if you're going to do more, or less than 100 posts slagging off Ayuso during this race?

 

[yaco]

Too fast from Roglič. Now he might have to wear pink tomorrow.

Well if this happens then riders will be desperate to get into the break to grab the pink.

 

[Cycling111]

Mark my words. Ayuso will not be on the podium

But who's going to beat him other than Roglic?
I think Landa could´ve complicated things for Ayuso in the mountains.

The Yates brothers? They're not reliable.

Tiberi was disappointing today; he won't be better than Ayuso in the mountains.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Too fast from Roglič. Now he might have to wear pink tomorrow.

Breakaway riders salivating already. Astana in particular would love to get the jersey offloaded to them.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Just wondering if you're going to do more, or less than 100 posts slagging off Ayuso during this race?

Yup, I will. I really dislike him so I want him to fail bad.

 

[Peyroteo94]

But who's going to beat him other than Roglic?
I think Landa could´ve complicated things for Ayuso in the mountains.

The Yates brothers? They're not reliable.

Tiberi was disappointing today; he won't be better than Ayuso in the mountains.

No one is going to beat Roglic.