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

[craig1985]

I think this will be a good opportunity for Visconti, but failing that, Garzelli could do a good ride. He won't win pink overall, but could be given enough space to go FTW.

 

[Ryaguas]

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.

But this time He has to worry about the GC and not to burn himself in this kind of stages... Michele - Alberto - The Pope - Il Squalo will just mark each other... but who knows if this time We will have some fireworks? maybe this time Fisher won't stop Alberto from attacking and stretch his legs a bit?

 

[flicker]

Leopard drops out.

I am very dissapointed that Leopard dropped out of the GIRO. These men are warriors, and when one falls, another picks up the sword. I can see Farrar dropping out he already has safety concerns with sprinting last year, his dad having an accident, emotional dude. I never met a "kind" sprinter. I do not think the man who passed away would have wanted them to quit. He would have wanted them to battle on, as the "warriors they are?"
What is it with cycling? superstition?An accident can happen to anyone, they needed to carry on in the spirit of competition+ to me, honoring a sprinter,(never say die attitude)they should have gone in and kicked bootie in his honor.

 

[auscyclefan94]

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...

You can be a good bike handler, but other are pretty strong on these terrains and you can easily crash on these types of surfaces. btw, I don't agree that Alberto lost time because of the crash.

Scarponi will win this. He's very punchy and has a good sprint.

 

[aahmadhu]

I am very dissapointed that Leopard dropped out of the GIRO. These men are warriors, and when one falls, another picks up the sword. I can see Farrar dropping out he already has safety concerns with sprinting last year, his dad having an accident, emotional dude. I never met a "kind" sprinter. I do not think the man who passed away would have wanted them to quit. He would have wanted them to battle on, as the "warriors they are?"
What is it with cycling? superstition?An accident can happen to anyone, they needed to carry on in the spirit of competition+ to me, honoring a sprinter,(never say die attitude)they should have gone in and kicked bootie in his honor.

like most of the people in here agreed upon, there is no correct or incorrect decisions when it comes to this sort of tragedy. nobody can blame them for what they would do in the aftermath of all this. let's leave it at that.

 

[flicker]

like most of the people in here agreed upon, there is no correct or incorrect decisions when it comes to this sort of tragedy. nobody can blame them for what they would do in the aftermath of all this. let's leave it at that.

Actually, I don't blame them. I jus compare it to say the Olympic bobsled, where a guy racked up into a column in training. I am sure that most in bobsledding the Olympics had competed or was friends with the guy. No one quit.
Another, Ayrton Senna, F- 1 Brasil. Another, Jim Clarke, F-1 Scotland.
I understand, Farrar, he has serious personal issues, multi-faceted.
But the Leopard team, come on.

 

[Eric8-A]

Pinnoti? .

Well he's better placed GC wise than Le Mevel. But the thing is that before the Giro started, I had this one feeling that Christophe was gonna wear pink. It didn't matter if it was just for a day.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Actually, I don't blame them. I jus compare it to say the Olympic bobsled, where a guy racked up into a column in training. I am sure that most in bobsledding the Olympics had competed or was friends with the guy. No one quit.
Another, Ayrton Senna, F- 1 Brasil. Another, Jim Clarke, F-1 Scotland.
I understand, Farrar, he has serious personal issues, multi-faceted.
But the Leopard team, come on.

You forget to take into account the fact that these riders spent an aweful lot of time together during training, races and training camps. The ones you mention don't spend anywhere near that much time together.

 

[woodie]

I am very dissapointed that Leopard dropped out of the GIRO. These men are warriors, and when one falls, another picks up the sword. I can see Farrar dropping out he already has safety concerns with sprinting last year, his dad having an accident, emotional dude. I never met a "kind" sprinter. I do not think the man who passed away would have wanted them to quit. He would have wanted them to battle on, as the "warriors they are?"
What is it with cycling? superstition?An accident can happen to anyone, they needed to carry on in the spirit of competition+ to me, honoring a sprinter,(never say die attitude)they should have gone in and kicked bootie in his honor.

These men are bike racers not soldiers or warriors. A teammate and a friend died and the last thing they would be thinking about is racing their bikes.

I'm sure they will honour Wouter in their own way. They made a decision, you should respect it as opposed to questioning it

 

[Publicus]

You can be a good bike handler, but other are pretty strong on these terrains and you can easily crash on these types of surfaces. btw, I don't agree that Alberto lost time because of the crash.

Scarponi will win this. He's very punchy and has a good sprint.

Sure, but so can the guys that pretty strong on these terrains. It's not as if they are IMMUNE to punctures, mechanicals or crashes or that AC is PRONE to crashes, punctures or other mechanicals any more than anyone else. I'm simply pushing back against this notion that anything short of a freshly paved 4 lane road puts AC at an automatic disadvantage compared to any of the other GC candidates. Unless someone has an example of AC performing poorly on dirt roads, etc. compared to other GC candidates, then it's largely conjecture.

As for your disagreement, save it for last year. I offered the point as an example of folks automatically assuming because he never rode Flanders or Paris-Roubaix he would be at a disadvantage on the cobbles. He did fine. That was the point.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

This is one of the stages I've been looking forwar to the most. The landscape is so beautiful and of course the stage can create some havoc as we saw last year.

This year the sun will be shining and the riders will be passing some of the most beatiful nature of Europe - a perfect way to get on with the Giro after Weylandt's death.

I think most of the favorites for the stage win has already been mentioned. I think we could easily see one of the top GC contenders win the stage with an attack on the last climb. One shouldn't look pass Anton and Rodriguez if it's all together (among the favorites) on the last climb.

All in all I just hope for a great stage, which I'm sure it will be - hopefully with a lot of attacks after the very easy day yesterday. Hope we'll see Androni do a lot of damage today.

 

[zigzag wanderer]

Actually, I don't blame them. I jus compare it to say the Olympic bobsled, where a guy racked up into a column in training. I am sure that most in bobsledding the Olympics had competed or was friends with the guy. No one quit.
Another, Ayrton Senna, F- 1 Brasil. Another, Jim Clarke, F-1 Scotland.
I understand, Farrar, he has serious personal issues, multi-faceted.
But the Leopard team, come on.

I believe they've left the race, not the sport.

 

[No_Balls]

Sure, but so can the guys that pretty strong on these terrains. It's not as if they are IMMUNE to punctures, mechanicals or crashes or that AC is PRONE to crashes, punctures or other mechanicals any more than anyone else. I'm simply pushing back against this notion that anything short of a freshly paved 4 lane road puts AC at an automatic disadvantage compared to any of the other GC candidates. Unless someone has and example of AC performing poorly on dirt roads, etc. compared to other GC candidates, then it's largely conjecture.

As for your disagreement, save it for last year. I offered the point as an example of folks automatically assuming because he never rode Flanders or Paris-Roubaix he would be at a disadvantage on the cobbles. He did fine. That was the point.

This. But the wishful thinkers can´t handle these kinds of logical conclusions.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

This is one of the stages I've been looking forwar to the most. The landscape is so beautiful and of course the stage can create some havoc as we saw last year.

This year the sun will be shining and the riders will be passing some of the most beatiful nature of Europe - a perfect way to get on with the Giro after Weylandt's death.

I think most of the favorites for the stage win has already been mentioned. I think we could easily see one of the top GC contenders win the stage with an attack on the last climb. One shouldn't look pass Anton and Rodriguez if it's all together (among the favorites) on the last climb.

All in all I just hope for a great stage, which I'm sure it will be - hopefully with a lot of attacks after the very easy day yesterday. Hope we'll see Androni do a lot of damage today.

androni shoudl keep their losses to a minimum today. rujano's most vulnerable on this stage

 

[Sasquatch]

Lovkvist will take this!

 

[craig1985]

Sit back ladies and gentlemen and watch flicker slowly dig himself into a hole.

 

[greenedge]

I think A. Schleck will try win doubly hard at the tour, that would be a fitting tribute.

I shall say Millar will hold on unless pineau gains enough time. Expect to see SBS doing tempo again. Porte is seeming to be stronger however it's worrying about navarro and hernandez, fingers crossed they can gather form before Etna. I think protagonists will be Tschopp, Pineau and some other rider. I expect to also see riders like Minguez putting in a good ride for Anton and Moreno for Rodriguez.

 

[jens_attacks]

androni will go again for the win,my guess is that this time is serpa's turn.
if someone really wants to beat alberto this year,they have to go for the bonus seconds,that's what riccardo did in 2008,of course he was a helluva sprinter but these guys can beat too alberto in an uphill finish.
danilo di luca wants a stage win,but that will be probably the stage he won before,montevergine.

 

[theyoungest]

I think A. Schleck will try win doubly hard at the tour, that would be a fitting tribute.

I shall say Millar will hold on unless pineau gains enough time. Expect to see SBS doing tempo again. Porte is seeming to be stronger however it's worrying about navarro and hernandez, fingers crossed they can gather form before Etna. I think protagonists will be Tschopp, Pineau and some other rider. I expect to also see riders like Minguez putting in a good ride for Anton and Moreno for Rodriguez.

I don't see how in a stage like this, Tschopp and Pineau should be the main protagonists. I think this is the first time we'll see some action from Scarponi and Nibali, who are more likely to gain time on Contador in this stage than on Montevergine.

 

[greenedge]

ok but if they survive the SB they could get up the climb if the GC riders do not attack. Though if Contador does lose touch they might. However he will have some good roulers pacing him and will probably rely on Garmin to do some work at the early part of the race.

 

[Finbouy]

Garzelli
Scarponi
Rodriguez
Le Mevel
And possibly Sastre.. I know, I know but he's worth a punt surely.

Glad they're in "my" territory.. I love this place.

 

[craig1985]

This forum will go into meltdown if Serpa and/or Rujano do very very well in this stage. It should be great watching it, I have nothing else to do tomorrow.

 

[Eshnar]

And possibly Sastre..

 

[Eric8-A]

Sastre's old

 

[dlwssonic]

sastres not a very good bike handler either