Giro D'Italia: Stage 5: Piombino - Orvieto 191 Kms

[cyclingfanatik]

Alberto will be losing some time up that dirt road, that is for certain.

 

[El Pistolero]

Alberto will be losing some time up that dirt road, that is for certain.

He has ridden on dirt roads before you know.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

You know for all of this talk of AC losing time tomorrow, he's a pretty dam good bike handler. I mean look at the expectations going into the cobbled stage at last year's TdF. Most folks were predicting he would lose time or crash out of the TdF. Save the crash that provided the separation for Andy, he gained time on everyone of the other contenders.

I'm not saying he's going to win, but I don't think he's at any more risk of falling back/losing time than any of the other contenders. I would, however, suggest he steer clear of Menchov...

I agree. He's certainly not out of his depth on a stage like this but he is out of his comfort zone. Nibali and Scarponi surely have to have targetted this stage as an opportunity to put him under pressure because it's only going to get harder for them in the high mountains and against the clock

 

[UpTheRoad]

Alberto will be losing some time up that dirt road, that is for certain.

He has ridden on dirt roads before you know.

He has also ridden uphill before. Some would even say it is a strength.

Don't see AC losing any time unless he has a crash or mechanical at an inopportune time.

 

[benpounder]

Di Luca, Le Mevel or Pineau - same as I picked on stage 3.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

real beautiful stage profile this is...

 

[mewmewmew13]

My apologies. I didn't realize it would become the 'official' thread.

If an admin can then that would be great.

As far as Leopard ....I am a huge Rohregger fan. I wonder if he would be up for this!

Thanks for stepping up and posting this. I think many of us are still a little dazed, and it helps to start talking cycling.

Wegmann would be a great winner, but he like many may not be sleeping so well and therefore not physically quite there....
This may be a contest between Nibali and Contador...with Scarponi thrown in.

 

[M Sport]

Alberto will be losing some time up that dirt road, that is for certain.

It wouldn't surprise me if he won this stage. I will go for Rodriguez ftw though.

AC top 5.

 

[Parrulo]

i can't wait for this stage!!!!

rain or no rain the profile and terrain will make it a great stage anyway.

should also be a first show of strength by then GC contenders.

i will tip machado for this one

 

[The Hitch]

i can't wait for this stage!!!!

rain or no rain the profile and terrain will make it a great stage anyway.

should also be a first show of strength by then GC contenders.

i will tip machado for this one

Could be. Hes in a good position and I dont think the contenders see him as a major threat for the overall in Milan, so they might let him go. Hes good enough to win this or at least take pink considering his position.

 

[Parrulo]

Could be. Hes in a good position and I dont think the contenders see him as a major threat for the overall in Milan, so they might let him go. Hes good enough to win this or at least take pink considering his position.

thats a good point. i must admit i only tipped him because from now i will tip him for every single medium/high mountain stage on the hope that eventually getting one right

 

[El Pistolero]

Seems like a perfect stage for a Gilbert kind of rider by the way. But there aren't any cyclists of that caliber in the Giro sadly.

 

[lukinox]

Perfect stage for chancers this one. As for the main gc contenders I think is too early in the giro for them to fight it out, they will probably all control eachother. The real cg fight will start on mount Etna this weekend.
Maybe someone from Androni will try something.

 

[Publicus]

Could be. Hes in a good position and I dont think the contenders see him as a major threat for the overall in Milan, so they might let him go. Hes good enough to win this or at least take pink considering his position.

I could see Machado winning for just the reasons you note. And it would shift the burden of chasing down the breaks going into the first "real" mountain stages later this week.

 

[meandmygitane]

Lofqwist for the win. Nibali to gain time on GC guys. Some Euskas to crash and one Pozzovovio Rujano Anton and of course Purito to lose time.

I agree that it could very well be Löfkvist, only Montepaschi Strade Bianche-winner to ride this Giro, and the courses is certainly very alike, same gravel roads and same steep finish.

Hard to say if someone like Löfkvist who is in it for a GC-placing will risk that much this early though, both in terms of crashes and extra fatigue later down the line.

 

[Ferminal]

Will be mixed GC/Puncheurs at the finish, maybe a few don't make it at the front. Certainly lots of attacks on that unpaved climb.

Lampre should bring it back together. Scarponi or Serpa to win.

 

[royalpig180]

I think this will end up somewhat similarly to the stage that Cuddles won at T-A. A strong rider who can get up the last climb and pull off an uphill sprint (Scarponi) will win, but any time gaps that there are will be minimal. With that said, it's early in the race, so I wouldn't be surprised if the GC contender's teams aren't willing to work to bring back a non-threatening break. The right break could stay away, but they'll need a sizeable gap at the foot of the last climb(s).

 

[seaby71]

Scarponi or rodriguez will have a dig here

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

lovkist is a good shout.

 

[jobiwan]

Picked Petacchi for my fantasy game, but that was before I knew this was Strade Bianche, so I personally have no idea who will win. Pineau? Visconti?

REALLY looking forward to this stage, as we can get back to some sense of normalcy.

I hope Dave Millar can somehow keep La Maglia Rosa, as he has handled himself admirably, like a GT leader should.

 

[Ryaguas]

BTW, what do you guys about the fact that nearly all of SBS's roster were dropped on yesterday's climb. Do Navarro and Hernandez just saving themselves for brutal mountains or really are out of shape?

Manolo Saiz was concerned about it... He wrote somethings in his twitter acc about that...

hope rujano keeps his losses to a minimum. si far most perfect giro for him

LOL? Rujano wont lose time here... I can see him attacking instead! Maybe Androni playing the card Sella - Serpa - Rodriguez and Ochoa pacing Rujano...

Lampre should bring it back together. Scarponi or Serpa to win.

Sella is the most likely to attack... but I can see Serpa attacking hard then when they teams bring him back Sella attacking big time...

My tips for this stage:
Sella
Visconti
Purito

Really I'd like to see a "back to back" from Androni

 

[Eric8-A]

I think the maglia rosa will stay within the Garmin team. Should Millar crack, chances are Le Mevel will take over if he has a good day.

 

[dlwssonic]

ah back to racing, im sure if jrod and can stay with the pack on the strade bianche. He must be a fav for the final climb, I dont see any other explosive climbers other than contador and him. maybe scarponi too. Pity there is no ballan he would have been a fav for this one. Im scared that anton, menchov and sastre will lose time. Contador is pretty good with handling all these dirt roads. And oh no! watch out for the columbians hope they dont all go crashing.

 

[The Hitch]

I think the maglia rosa will stay within the Garmin team. Should Millar crack, chances are Le Mevel will take over if he has a good day.

Pinnoti?

Seems like a perfect stage for a Gilbert kind of rider by the way. But there aren't any cyclists of that caliber in the Giro sadly.

Well ive seen the words "mini Giro Lombardy" to describe this stage a few times, and there is someone who only finished 10 seconds back on Big Phil last time round.

 

[dlwssonic]

Well ive seen the words "mini Giro Lombardy" to describe this stage a few times, and there is someone who only finished 10 seconds back on Big Phil last time round.

and wasnt it because he slipped off his pedal while trying to react to gilberts attack