Giro d'Italia Stage 4: Savigliano - Cuneo (TTT) 32.5km

[stefrees]

Just look to yesterday for which teams will be on the front and which, off the back of the TTT finishing order.

Let's put it this way, I don't fancy Domenico Pozzovivo to be clawing back any time.

Cadel? He's already struggling to keep his Mr Happy mask in place, both with Sky and more crucially, his team:

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...ed-in-giro-d-italia-blames-sky-for-crash.html

i thought his comments about his team were pretty thoughtless, and his comments about sky werent ideal either.

 

[powderpuff]

Just look to yesterday for which teams will be on the front and which, off the back of the TTT finishing order.

Let's put it this way, I don't fancy Domenico Pozzovivo to be clawing back any time.

Cadel? He's already struggling to keep his Mr Happy mask in place, both with Sky and more crucially, his team:

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...ed-in-giro-d-italia-blames-sky-for-crash.html

quoting cycling weekly:

Frustration from the lack of support and the crash showed as Evans lashed out at a TV journalist at the finish. He laughed it off later, but it had been his first trying moment of this Giro d'Italia.

If you read Cadel's Diary entry he was having a go at the press because they were hassling Porte and he was trying to protect Potre; nothing to do with him at all.
Come on, his comments were valid and far from complaining, just stating the facts.

 

[Francois the Postman]

i thought his comments about his team were pretty thoughtless, and his comments about sky werent ideal either.

I though the comment about his team was nothing more than stating the obvious, expressing clear concern rather than assigning blame. Saying that you think they are disappointed with themselves is, to me, the thing to do if you want to motivate them to do better, rather than have a dig at them. It's what you say if you are in a happy team (or want it to be) that underperformed on the day. I'm sure I'm-so-happy Cadel has a bit of a wake-up call though. Long 3 weeks ahead for him if they aren't up to scratch.

The Sky comment is daft though, you don't gain anything from a dig like that, rightly or wrongly (wrongly I think). But it does illustrate the lack of control he has over his mouth and emotions when the adrenaline still pumps through his body just after a race. It also sets you up for self-inflicted poo-flinging when someone from BMC goes flat on his face, or Cadel himself.

 

[Fourier]

1: Team Vino
2: Team Ground
3: Leaky-gas

 

[auscyclefan94]

i thought his comments about his team were pretty thoughtless, and his comments about sky werent ideal either.

Everyone on here was commenting that he had no body with him in the finale. All of you were also commenting on his team being weak before this. But when he says it you jump on him like a pack of dogs. The hypocrisy...

 

[Galic Ho]

ttt contributions of individual riders are not always best indexed by a riders tt record or performances. in a tt, ideally, a rider keeps/tries to keep his effort at a steady threshold, say 90% of VO2 max watts. in a ttt the effort is about 100-105% vO2 max for 30-40 seconds at the front and 80-90% whilst off the front.

riders with anaerobic talents do well. dyacheko is one.

dyachenko is considered by vino the greatest kazakh talent, his replacement if he works hard.

That sounded silly. 100% is your maximum. There is no more. Ever. There is your maximum and then you collapse. VO2 max is an exhaustion test, not a threshold test. TTT's are ridden at threshold. The TT and TTT are about gauging your threshold and at times touching close to your exhaustion. You go over 95% of your maximum effort before the last section and you blow out. Always, no exceptions.

Now to who to expect strong stuff from.

1. Garmin - sure they lost CVV but they have Millar so close to the leaders jersey. I think he'll be in pink and I'll cheer for that. Also they had bobridge and Meyer drop out the back of yesterdays stage. To the uninformed, those boys can do a killer chrono and get better when in a squad. Garmin will be fine and will either win or come in the first three by a small margin.

2. Saxo - Sure they don't have Spartacus but Gustav Larson is a great rider in his own right. Saxo still have a lot to offer. They should do well. Porte could be in Pink because he is close.

3. Liquigas - The other team I expect something from. Had no hiccups and are doing well. The TTT is their chance to prove they are serious contenders. If they don't make an imprint on stage 4 I can pretty much discount them doing anything else serious for the remainder of the Giro.

Surprises: Katusha, Cervelo and Astana. All should do well. I don't think Vino will be in pink after this stage but the Kazakh squad and the Russian squad along with Sastre's mob should do well enough to not have the GC time blown apart on stage 4.

I don't rate Sky at all for the win or top 3. It would be nice to see them all fall over again. Can we get a 3 from 3. Three falls in three consecutive stages! I can hope. Hopefully BMC can pull something out to avoid putting Evans in dire peril. That guy deserves a lucky break.

 

[stefrees]

Everyone on here was commenting that he had no body with him in the finale. All of you were also commenting on his team being weak before this. But when he says it you jump on him like a pack of dogs. The hypocrisy...

Good point. But he didn't need to say it for his teams sake. Sky weren't great but wiggins defended them and they have a lit if experience ANC perhaps shouldn't have been making the mistakes they did. Bmc could have done with Evans putting some positive spin in it give them a gee up before tomorrow

 

[auscyclefan94]

Good point. But he didn't need to say it for his teams sake. Sky weren't great but wiggins defended them and they have a lit if experience ANC perhaps shouldn't have been making the mistakes they did. Bmc could have done with Evans putting some positive spin in it give them a gee up before tomorrow

Yes, he probably did not need to say it but he has had problems like this throughout his career so it sometimes must get frustrating.

Evans and co recon or course, 15mins ago

 

[Francois the Postman]

Yes, he probably did not need to say it but he has had problems like this throughout his career so it sometimes must get frustrating.

Evans and co recon or course, 15mins ago

I suspect the flip-side of that coin is in operation too, that some team-riders were getting fed up being stuck with (and criticised by) a lead man who wasn't delivering wins.

You are always very quick to spot the generous Evans POV, but are less able to make the equal backflip.

I was pleased to see how hard he was pulling the other day though, more or less solo. Having that rainbow across his chest is making him a more determined rider, it seems. That bodes well.

 

[theyoungest]

Yes, he probably did not need to say it but he has had problems like this throughout his career so it sometimes must get frustrating.

He could have chosen to move to a decent team rather than a bunch of continentals...

 

[auscyclefan94]

I suspect the flip-side of that coin is in operation too, that some team-riders were getting fed up being stuck with (and criticised by) a lead man who wasn't delivering wins.

You are always very quick to spot the generous Evans POV, but are less able to make the equal backflip.

I was pleased to see how hard he was pulling the other day though, more or less solo. Having that rainbow across his chest is making him a more determined rider, it seems. That bodes well.

Criticised? i remember after the ttt last year he was quite complimenting about his team after their woeful peformance. 2007 and 2008 he had a right to criticise them as the peformance was not just up to it. Probably putting that out there in the press was not the best idea but I think you need to re think your post.

He could have chosen to move to a decent team rather than a bunch of continentals...

What team did you propose he move to?

 

[stefrees]

So your happy to see a team crash risking serious injury?

That sounded silly. 100% is your maximum. There is no more. Ever. There is your maximum and then you collapse. VO2 max is an exhaustion test, not a threshold test. TTT's are ridden at threshold. The TT and TTT are about gauging your threshold and at times touching close to your exhaustion. You go over 95% of your maximum effort before the last section and you blow out. Always, no exceptions.

Now to who to expect strong stuff from.

1. Garmin - sure they lost CVV but they have Millar so close to the leaders jersey. I think he'll be in pink and I'll cheer for that. Also they had bobridge and Meyer drop out the back of yesterdays stage. To the uninformed, those boys can do a killer chrono and get better when in a squad. Garmin will be fine and will either win or come in the first three by a small margin.

2. Saxo - Sure they don't have Spartacus but Gustav Larson is a great rider in his own right. Saxo still have a lot to offer. They should do well. Porte could be in Pink because he is close.

3. Liquigas - The other team I expect something from. Had no hiccups and are doing well. The TTT is their chance to prove they are serious contenders. If they don't make an imprint on stage 4 I can pretty much discount them doing anything else serious for the remainder of the Giro.

Surprises: Katusha, Cervelo and Astana. All should do well. I don't think Vino will be in pink after this stage but the Kazakh squad and the Russian squad along with Sastre's mob should do well enough to not have the GC time blown apart on stage 4.

I don't rate Sky at all for the win or top 3. It would be nice to see them all fall over again. Can we get a 3 from 3. Three falls in three consecutive stages! I can hope. Hopefully BMC can pull something out to avoid putting Evans in dire peril. That guy deserves a lucky break.

 

[theyoungest]

What team did you propose he move to?

Don't know... Garmin?

 

[movingtarget]

Giro stage 4

To state the obvious, this is a crunch stage for Evans. His comments about Sky were valid. It would be nice to see them stay upright for at least half a stage. You can't blame him for being frustrated. Cunego has had a shocker and you have to feel sorry for Van De Velde.

I hope that it's not Tour de France 09 all over again for Evan's re the team time trial. I think BMC will respond. They may surprise. The team knows they let Evan's down yesterday. They left him isolated on a flat stage and they knew the dangers of the stage beforehand. If they cannot hack it now what will happen in the third week which is incredibly hard. Evan's has time on Sastre but cannot afford to lose much more against Vino, Basso and Nibali, this early in the race. But I still believe that Sastre and Evans will make up time in the third week.

 

[Galic Ho]

quite a few riders there come from a team pursuit background - wiggins, cumminhs, henderson, sutton. barry and possoni have come from htc squad who won last years ttt, and sky have been aiming for this for a while.

although if hayman takes them through any corners, theyll lose

Please! HTC's squad at last years Tour did not have Greipel, Hansen and half the boys they have there right now, let alone Possoni or Barry. Don't make me laugh. Those boys won jack $h1t last year at the Tour because they were not good enough (Greipel excluded) to make the Tour squad. So how that extended logic transfers to Sky is beyond me.

Sky have Wiggins and that is it. HTC at last years Giro at least won the TTT. What have Sky won other than the award for most falls in 3 days? I'll believe it when I see it. Which means for them to be taken seriously, by me, with that squad in the TTT, will mean they have to win. Astana should wipe the floor with them. Garmin too. BMC will probably do better.

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

Vino's comments about their plans for TTT have been ... how should i put it ... very cautious so far.

He admitted that this Giro roster has never rode TTTs together, and the only chance to work out their order and the whole procedure would be ... today right before the actual stage.

He also said "at the very least, we will doing our bests to not lose to mountainous riders' teams".

So i don't know about you all guys putting Astana so high.
________
Housewives Cams

 

[Galic Ho]

So your happy to see a team crash risking serious injury?

I thought I was clear. Sky shouldn't even have a pro license but that is so 2009. If Sky have such an averse reaction to injury why is it that they keep falling over? I think it is pathetic. Either stay upright or clear out and stop messing up the GC for guys like Cunego, Sastre and Evans. Vino has been given a major advantage, which he will need. Basso also needs that advantage. If Sky hadn't have had a hard on for bitumen then that advantage would not exist. I believe Evans and Sastre can each pull two minutes back but don't see why they should have to when it was not their fault they lost time. It was Sky's fault yesterday.

So as I said. Why not 3 crashes from 3 days and have Sky take their team out of the race. They won't be near any other teams to stuff them up tomorrow. Maybe they can take themselves out of the race or get the crap out of their system and stay upright. Their choice. I won't complain if the choose the former.

 

[happychappy]

So your happy to see a team crash risking serious injury?

He's still sore over his beloved piti getting popped, ha ha ha. Don't be too hard on him, he's got a lot of humble pie left to eat

 

[stefrees]

Brilliant logic. Didn't realise sky were only in the giro to fall over.

I thought I was clear. Sky shouldn't even have a pro license but that is so 2009. If Sky have such an averse reaction to injury why is it that they keep falling over? I think it is pathetic. Either stay upright or clear out and stop messing up the GC for guys like Cunego, Sastre and Evans. Vino has been given a major advantage, which he will need. Basso also needs that advantage. If Sky hadn't have had a hard on for bitumen then that advantage would not exist. I believe Evans and Sastre can each pull two minutes back but don't see why they should have to when it was not their fault they lost time. It was Sky's fault yesterday.

So as I said. Why not 3 crashes from 3 days and have Sky take their team out of the race. They won't be near any other teams to stuff them up tomorrow. Maybe they can take themselves out of the race or get the crap out of their system and stay upright. Their choice. I won't complain if the choose the former.

 

[Jamsque]

Galic Ho, just an aside, does showering in Haterade help with your dandruff? I've been trying all sorts of products but I just can't seem to fix my flaky scalp.

 

[python]

That sounded silly. 100% is your maximum.

it sounded silly only because you need to do some catching up.

physiological loads are often described in terms of multipliers of VO2 max. it is used to characterize load intensity vs. short duration. read up some a. lim's work when he prepared garmin for ttt.

for example a professional with VO2 max power at 600 watts can deliver well over 1000 watts for 5-10 seconds. that's above 100% power at VO2 max

 

[Galic Ho]

He's still sore over his beloved piti getting popped, ha ha ha. Don't be too hard on him, he's got a lot of humble pie left to eat

At least I don't live in a country that had Gordon Brown as PM. Our PM is a tool but not as bad as your PM. You lot should have taken him out into the street with Downing and shot both. Now you can't even vote properly. So who has the humble pie to eat? Not me...my country hasn't been the laughing joke of the western world for the past 3 years. Plus I sit comfortably in Australia, where I am very confident, that even though it is almost Winter, the weather here is better than anything the UK can dish out in summer. Did the English not learn a thing about taking on Aussies? We are the lucky country after all.

Racing note: On the plus side Valverde won last week. Plus he's still racing. Going to cry? Not that I care if he gets banned. I've said many times he should be and posted just the other day that after the Spanish court ruling the odds of CAS extending the ban went up. Plenty of other Spaniards like Contador, LLS, Samu and Rodriguez to cheer for. Am I sore? Why should I be? Vino's supporters aren't sore...but the ignorant ***** on and on and on about evil dopers racing and winning. Wigans is a doper too and Cav. Have a cry. Oh, the whole British track team too. Sorry champ...who next to pick on...Lewis Hamilton? Nah, too easy. I do like Jensen Button though. Not a tosser like half your lot.

So if you feel like coming back for another whipping, bring your Pommie friends with you (strength in numbers). Australia always wins against your tiny little island. Always. Plus on a side note, it is the British team Sky that is sore. Falling on the road has that effect. There ends my free advice. Do tell Sky to keep upright and stop embarrassing your country.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Please! HTC's squad at last years Tour did not have Greipel, Hansen and half the boys they have there right now, let alone Possoni or Barry. Don't make me laugh. Those boys won jack $h1t last year at the Tour because they were not good enough (Greipel excluded) to make the Tour squad. So how that extended logic transfers to Sky is beyond me.

Perhaps the fact that HTC won the TTT at last years Giro, and Possoni and Barry was on the team? Not that those two are great time triallers at all, but that doesn't take away the fact that they was on the team that won last years TTT.

 

[Bala Verde]

This is the Giro TTT thread, not the UK v Australia thread. Stay on topic.

 

[Roland Rat]

At least I don't live in a country that had Gordon Brown as PM. Our PM is a tool but not as bad as your PM. You lot should have taken him out into the street with Downing and shot both. Now you can't even vote properly. So who has the humble pie to eat? Not me...my country hasn't been the laughing joke of the western world for the past 3 years. Plus I sit comfortably in Australia, where I am very confident, that even though it is almost Winter, the weather here is better than anything the UK can dish out in summer. Did the English not learn a thing about taking on Aussies? We are the lucky country after all.

Racing note: On the plus side Valverde won last week. Plus he's still racing. Going to cry? Not that I care if he gets banned. I've said many times he should be and posted just the other day that after the Spanish court ruling the odds of CAS extending the ban went up. Plenty of other Spaniards like Contador, LLS, Samu and Rodriguez to cheer for. Am I sore? Why should I be? Vino's supporters aren't sore...but the ignorant ***** on and on and on about evil dopers racing and winning. Wigans is a doper too and Cav. Have a cry. Oh, the whole British track team too. Sorry champ...who next to pick on...Lewis Hamilton? Nah, too easy. I do like Jensen Button though. Not a tosser like half your lot.

So if you feel like coming back for another whipping, bring your Pommie friends with you (strength in numbers). Australia always wins against your tiny little island. Always. Plus on a side note, it is the British team Sky that is sore. Falling on the road has that effect. There ends my free advice. Do tell Sky to keep upright and stop embarrassing your country.

What the hell are you on about?