Giro d'Italia | 2nd Rest Day Thread

[SafeBet]

So the old fighters are not fighting much these days.
And the kids are not fading as expected.
We're all waiting for those tests to come out negative and those weather forecast to keep looking as bright as they do now.

The Giro magical third week is coming. Who's gonna win this race?

 

[Mayomaniac]

So the old fighters are not fighting much these days.
And the kids are not fading as expected.
We're all waiting for those tests to come out negative and those weather forecast to keep looking as bright as they do now.

The Giro magical third week is coming. Who's gonna win this race?

No idea, pretty much everyone in the top 10 could suddenly blow up in the high mountains.

 

[ice&fire]

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[spalco]

Kelderman is clearly the favourite, but there's no way to know if he won't lose 5-10 minutes somewhere. Almeida has had an excellent race, really impressive, but he can't hold on anymore imo. Ineos surprise or even McNulty is still possible too.

If we take away the top 2 there's only just over 2 minutes between #3 Hindley and #12 Fuglsang, it's an open race. I have no idea. I guess I'll go with Nibali, just on 3rd week experience.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Kelderman has the chance of a lifetime to win a GT. He was a bright young talent several years ago, but he fell a bit off the radar due to injuries. Now, in a Giro with lots of problems he's all of a sudden back at his very best.

Hart will probably be his main rival, but I don't think he can take two minutes back. Of course on Thursday and Saturday a lot is possible if the course stays as planned, but I think Kelderman will have enough strength and support to take and keep pink. Almeida might stay in the top 5 or so, but he's bound to lose more time in the high mountains. Nibali and Fuglsang won't have a miraculous third week. Yesterday's trend will just continue.

 

[SafeBet]

Meanwhile an update on my ninja watch.

Aurelien Paret-Peintre (from now on APP) has climbed all the way to the 18th place in GC while never finishing a stage in the top20.
Antonio Pedrero is currently 13th and never finished a stage higher than 13th.
Attila Valter looks like a possible outsider but might fancy his chances in a break later in the race.

 

[matteof93]

Given the stages in the 3rd week, anything can still happen.
Someone could crash on a descent, someone else could loose time on a climb, someone could just suffer because of low temperatures or because of altitude.

I think that experience will play a key role in the 3rd week. Consider, for example, a stage like the Alba-Sestriere (20th stage). 5000 m of elevation gain, 200 km, 4 climbs, 2 climbs well above 2000 m, 19 days of fatigue already in the legs, low temperatures, long descents.
When they will reach the Agnello at 2744 m, the temperature will be just above freezing (and they will be lucky, usually at the end of October the temperature is well below freezing) so they need to plan carefully what to wear, when to slow down or stop to put on a jacket and/or other clothes, when to drink and eat something even if it's freezing. Moreover, the descent is 21 km long (2744 m to 1350 m) so they will be exposed to cold windchill for quite a long time.
Now consider that the same thing will happen on the Izoard, even though in less extreme conditions (the Izoard is 400 m lower than the Agnello). Then you have 2 more climbs to go, they are not particularly difficult but if you made some mistake on the Agnello or the Izoard you will pay the consequences.

If a GC rider blows out on the Agnello (kind of like Yates on the Finestre) he could loose at least 20 minutes. Same for Izoard (10 minutes) and Monginevro (5 minutes).

 

[will-10]

I'm going Almeida. Something will happen to Kelderman, I don't know what, but something.

 

[gregrowlerson]

You are missing the Fuglsang/Vino option.

 

[Kainabru]

I really hope for some Landa-Aru type of action with Hindley being stronger than Kelderman and ultimately going for the win, while his leader fades on Stelvio/Agnello, ideally because of Nibali attacks.

 

[rghysens]

Kelderman or TGH.
Voted kelderman.

 

[gunara]

I really hope for some Landa-Aru type of action with Hindley being stronger than Kelderman and ultimately going for the win, while his leader fades on Stelvio/Agnello, ideally because of Nibali attacks.

I'd welcome it but I have a feeling this season's irregularities are not for veterans. So maybe Hart will just play Contador and make it awkward for Hindley until he decide to take it head on, leave Wilco and never look back, and we'll get Tao vs Jai showdown in the sky.

 

[Red Rick]

Mostly I would think Hindley is the 2nd favorite right now.

How is the descending of these guys?

 

[RedheadDane]

You are missing the Fuglsang/Vino option.

No no no! The "Random Husband" option.

 

[Red Rick]

Alright guys. The Bag is dead. Long live the Bag.

We only need one meme for the 3rd week of Il Giro d'Italia




#FREEHINDLEY

 

[RedheadDane]

#FREEHINDLEY

I am totally on board with this. Given the CQ game!


(Some people might argue that I'm getting a little too much into this.)

 

[italoc]

Kelderman will win.
Nibali will podium.
Almeida will finish outside the top-10.

 

[Rollthedice]

Mostly I would think Hindley is the 2nd favorite right now.

How is the descending of these guys?

Hindley waits untul it's too late for Wilco who cracks. Pozzo, Zaka and Nibali crest Stelvio together. The rest is history.

 

[Red Rick]

Hindley waits untul it's too late for Wilco who cracks. Pozzo, Zaka and Nibali crest Stelvio together. The rest is history.

RIP Zaka

RIP Stelvio, never to be seen again.

 

[topcat]

Can Kuss win a gt?
Can hindley win a gt?
Can Kelderman win a gt?
Can Roglic win a tdf?
Can Nibali come back from the dead?

 

[Climbing]

At this point real voodoo is needed, to stop these youngsters coming out from the *** walls and Keldermercx.

 

[JosefK]

Fed-Ex package with Orleans Parish Voodoo Doll Co. shipping label sighted at Trek hotel room.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Voted Almeida because I want him to win.
I also believe Remco can control this race from Belgium and make things happen that Nibali could only dream off.

 

[johnymax]

If Nibali wins again after some misfortune happens to his opponents who are looking clearly better than him right now, that would seriously be some crazy supernatural ***. On the other hand, among them, Kelderman is the only one who showed consistency on this level in the past. If for example Almeida loses 20min on one of the remaining stages, nobody should be surprised.

I'm really intrigued in how will it unfold.

 

[Bolder]

I went with Hart. Just having Ganna to pull in the flats is a huge help. Plus, I hadn't really realized this, but all the time he lost was helping GT on stage 3. So he's been as strong as anybody, and still has a strong team around him that knows how to win a GT.

I'm still pulling for Nibali to make a comeback. If Kelderman wins, good job by Sunweb. My dark horse was McNulty but after yesterday I'm afraid he's not yet at the GT podium level.

Given the three huge mountain stages and ITT ahead, though, it's like we're starting fresh! I would not be shocked to see any of the top 11 or so win, frankly.