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

[El Pistolero]

I'm not saying he's more like Gilbert than those guys, I'm not saying he has a great sprint either, I'm just saying he's punchy. If you need examples of that, there are plenty. Look them up.

But I was talking about Gilbert type of riders hence my examples include Cunego and Ballan and not a pure breed climbers like Scarponi(at least after his ban lol). Contador without his tt would also be a pure climber IMO and he's also very punchy.

I was complaining about the lack of puncheurs in this race with other words. Punchy climbers? Giro has enough of those this year. But a good puncheur can put in a lot more watts on hills like this.

An in form Pozzato, (doped up if we believe his dealer)Ballan and Cunego would have been favorites for this stage and would have added more dimension to this stage because unlike Scarponi they wouldn't be marked. Plus Cunego would set Scarponi in a seat. That's the lack of riders I'm talking about. You can add a good Cancellara as well.

 

[greenedge]

Since everyone is talking up GILBERT like riders what about Pozzato, if he can survive over a climb in a beak??? no other classics contenders.

 

[Delicato]

Since everyone is talking up GILBERT like riders what about Pozzato??? no other classics contenders.

Is he in Katusha roster for this race?

 

[just some guy]

10. 30 at 33 km for Kohler

 

[insideout leadout]

Pippo is saving himself for something big.

 

[dlwssonic]

Yes and that is a good thing. They are having a go as if you don't try you are never going to win. Don't be so negative.

Lelangue has said he has 6'50

its hard to be some times, but would have like some others to join him. At least he has no competition for the KOM. any possibilities of him getting the KOM jersey

 

[theswordsman]

I decided not to make a prediction last night, but I definitely wouldn't have predicted one guy riding off by himself again.

AS had an article about guys using special tubes and tires today, and teams putting guys along the stretch of Strade Bianche with replacement wheels and things. Luck could come into play - will guys have flats or mechanicals near a staff member, or with a domestique to swap with them?

Alberto Contador does not particularly looking forward to this stage: "I remember the Plan de Corones time trial in 2008, with a similar surface. As I left the last one, only I had a very narrow margin in which there was shot and making no others had passed. I hope that does not suffer problems and overcome it. "

http://www.as.com/ciclismo/articulo/giro-atraviesa-hoy-km-tierra/20110511dasdaicic_1/Tes

I'm not making a pick, but those last couple of ascents should be fun to watch.

 

[Lanark]

10. 30 at 33 km for Kohler

Nice, I would like to see the favorites battling for the win today, a strong group of ecapees definitely had a chance today, but with a single guy on the front, he'll certainly be caught.

 

[El Pistolero]

Nice, I would like to see the favorites battling for the win today, a strong group of ecapees definitely had a chance today, but with a single guy on the front, he'll certainly be caught.

Yeah, these one guy breakaways definitely play in the hand of GC favorites.

 

[will10]

The only gain i think he can get out of this is some mountain points.

And exposure for the team. Let's be honest, there'll be no BMCs in the final today or tomorrow.

 

[insideout leadout]

I think new breakaways will form that are way more dangerous than the early break that is usually formed by luck rather than strength.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

the 1 guy breaks means very low speed for peloton and favorites until final which I suppose suits the diesels and guys with lesser engines, which isn't favorable to the scarponi's and nibali's. who I think will prevail better with very hard race from beginning

 

[just some guy]

KM 44 and 12.10 for the lone ranger .

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

On a lesser gardient I would say ballan is quicker. Ballan is clearly better than Scarponi on cobbles.

I don't think Scarponi will be AC's main rival. I think Nibali, Menchov and Rodriguez are ahead of him on my list of threats.

Rodriguez? Not a chance...

F.ex in the Tour de France he wasn't even one of the 5 best climbers. Rodriguez is good in hanging on and accelerating in the very last km if he's still there. But usually he is dropped before that.
Plus his TT is very weak. I don't rate Rodriguez as anything more as a top 5-candidate (not even a certainty)

 

[El Pistolero]

Rodriguez? Not a chance...

F.ex in the Tour de France he wasn't even one of the 5 best climbers. Rodriguez is good in hanging on and accelerating in the very last km if he's still there. But usually he is dropped before that.
Plus his TT is very weak. I don't rate Rodriguez as anything more as a top 5-candidate (not even a certainty)

Well, I don't rate Rodriguez now as well, but only because he was so active in the Ardennes weekend and already past his peak at LBL.

But this course REALLY suits him well. Don't underestimate him to do very well in a couple of stages. And I'm talking about the hardest ones.

 

[roundabout]

Well, I don't rate Rodriguez now as well, but only because he was so active in the Ardennes weekend and already past his peak at LBL.

But this course REALLY suits him well. Don't underestimate him to do very well in a couple of stages. And I'm talking about the hardest ones.

I thought the official line was that he struggled with pollen allergy in Liege?

 

[Sophistic]

the 1 guy breaks means very low speed for peloton and favorites until final which I suppose suits the diesels and guys with lesser engines, which isn't favorable to the scarponi's and nibali's. who I think will prevail better with very hard race from beginning

well its the other way around, a "diesel" would prefer hours of tough racing before the final climb rather than a long easy ride before a short and therefore superintense fight.

Purito for the win, Millar to lose the jersey to Scarponi.

 

[Eshnar]

If it's true that Contador wanted to follow Millar last Monday, what if we get a good gc battle today?

 

[icefire]

Rodriguez? Not a chance...

F.ex in the Tour de France he wasn't even one of the 5 best climbers. Rodriguez is good in hanging on and accelerating in the very last km if he's still there. But usually he is dropped before that.
Plus his TT is very weak. I don't rate Rodriguez as anything more as a top 5-candidate (not even a certainty)

Rodriguez was 3rd in the Tourmalet.

1. Andy Schleck (Luxemburgo / Saxo Bank)
2. Alberto Contador (España / Astana)
3. Joaquim Rodriguez (España / Katusha)
4. Ryder Hesjedal (Canadá / Garmin)
5. Samuel Sanchez (España / Euskaltel)
6. Denis Menchov (Russia / Rabobank)
7. Robert Gesink (Dinamarca / Rabobank)
8. Chris Horner (EE UU / RadioShack)
9. Jurgen Van den Broeck (Bélgica / Omega Pharma-Lotto)
10. Roman Kreuziger (República Checa / Liquigas)

Not too bad for not being one of the 5 best climbers in the last mountain stage.

 

[insideout leadout]

I thought the official line was that he struggled with pollen allergy in Liege?

He did. Andy had problems with it at Fleche too. I don't think he past his peak,

 

[insideout leadout]

Rodriguez was 3rd in the Tourmalet.



Not too bad for not being one of the 5 best climbers in the last mountain stage.

He seems to have more problems in stages with mutiple climbs.

 

[El Pistolero]

He did. Andy had problems with it at Fleche too. I don't think he past his peak,

That's the official line, but he's going to suffer from pollen in the Giro as well.

 

[maltiv]

Can't wait for Lövkvist and Nordhaug to destroy the field!

 

[just some guy]

lead down to 10.50 after 59 km

 

[Sophistic]

Considering the GC, Rodriguez could get into troubles not only in the ITT but also stages like nr. 7,9 or 19 if Saxo Bank or anyone else sets a high early pace on these not so steep final climbs. He struggled in Morzine, struggled in Andorra, could struggle here.