Giro d'Italia Stage 6: Fidenza - Marina di Carrara (172km)

[Barrus]

Petacchi is climbing good though. Might have a chance at surviving. Old man or not.
When Cipo was an old man, he won San Remo and the Worlds, so I really don't see that as an argument, old men might be slower, but they are also thougher and can take more.

@Sasquatch: If Flens survives those climbs I'll win the Tour de France. No way. He is a rouleur/cobble guy and has too much weight to pull himself over the slightest bump

Oh, I'm going to hold you on that one
Althoug I myself don't think he'll survive, but this really makes me root for him all the more, even though I was already rooting for him, because well, he still is a person from the same village as me.

Anyway today: I'm hoping some of the riders who can climb and are low on the GC will attempt something. I have this feeling something will happen that won't make this the sleepy in-between race. Hell, nothing so far in this giro has been going according to the expectations beforehand, so why won't today be any different

 

[TRDean]

Call me crazy...Jack Bobridge takes it today...

 

[Winterfold]

now i know you're not a brit. he did it for ireland !

Do you have the right Sean one wonders?

This is Sean Yeats, from Surrey, England

in yellow in the stage mentioned.

This is another Sean, from Ireland, he preferred green, generally:

I guess if you are going to display ignorance, it is best to include it in all your posts, so well done for that. Unless you meant Boardman? I cant remember who was in yellow when it was in the UK, just before and after.

Back OT - those climbs do not look too bad, i would expect Farrar to be able to be able to finish this, and Pozzato so I dont see a breakaway being allowed to get away today. Unless they miscalculate again.

 

[python]

if you going to display your thickness i'll have to ignore you from now on. lighten up. i know who sean is.

 

[Anonymous]

Do you have the right Sean one wonders?

This is Sean Yeats, from Surrey, England

Is he related to Sean Yates?

 

[Spare Tyre]

Moondance, I'm loving your intros to each stage. Thanks.

 

[python]

Is he related to Sean Yates?

in the antiquity the words were related and synonymous. otherwise - no.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

I read that Farrar is considered a decent climber by a lot of people in here, but I can't remember him showing it, please enlighten me I only remember his forty-something place in San Remo.

 

[Potomac]

I read that Farrar is considered a decent climber by a lot of people in here, but I can't remember him showing it, please enlighten me I only remember his forty-something place in San Remo.

I think they mean it only relative to other sprinters and the ability to take some points on bumpy stages and also to even finish a Grand Tour.

 

[karlboss]

Call me crazy...Jack Bobridge takes it today...

you're crazy, not shown anything on the road this season. He may be in the break, may make finale, but will not win.

 

[Potomac]

So when does some coverage kick-off? I only need a ticker, but would love to find some english audio. The ESUK audio links are evidiently not working in the States.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

I think they mean it only relative to other sprinters and the ability to take some points on bumpy stages and also to even finish a Grand Tour.

I get that, but I would still like to see an example I wouldn't rate him higher than Petacchi, Bennati, Hushovd or Haussler for example, not even mentioning Freire.

 

[Potomac]

I get that, but I would still like to see an example I wouldn't rate him higher than Petacchi, Bennati, Hushovd or Haussler for example, not even mentioning Freire.

It is all relative to sprinters and relative to the group you mention I think TF passes as a "decent climber" as opposed to "best climber"

Other than Petachhi, who else is in this year's Giro? Aren't the TF comments based on his points jersey chances?

 

[Jamsque]

you're crazy, not shown anything on the road this season. He may be in the break, may make finale, but will not win.

Yeah, Bobridge has been finishing in the last group across the line fairly consistently.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I agree with our Dutch posters. Hard to predict, but chances are the peloton will be in control and won't get blown up too badly. I can't see anybody of note wasting much effort, given what is coming up next.
Greipel won't make it, if he's still unwell. Petacchi might, or might not, Farrar will, I think.
He is my pick, although I haven't picked a winner since Pais Vasco.

 

[theyoungest]

I agree with our Dutch posters. Hard to predict, but chances are the peloton will be in control and won't get blown up too badly. I can't see anybody of note wasting much effort, given what is coming up next.
Greipel won't make it, if he's still unwell. Petacchi might, or might not, Farrar will, I think.
He is my pick, although I haven't picked a winner since Pais Vasco.

I assume you didn't pick the overall winner? Otherwise: chapeau to you.

 

[TRDean]

Yeah, Bobridge has been finishing in the last group across the line fairly consistently.

I know where he has been finishing...and not a real serious pick...but I would love it if he did win.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I know where he has been finishing...and not a real serious pick...but I would love it if he did win.

If lloyd survives today and the break takes it i hope lloyd wins. Lloyd need to start stepping up as he has been touted as a real talent. A top 15 overall for him I think is a reasonable goal.

 

[issoisso]

If lloyd survives today and the break takes it i hope lloyd wins. Lloyd need to start stepping up as he has been touted as a real talent. A top 15 overall for him I think is a reasonable goal.

He'd have to drop everyone else who's in the break on a climb to have a chance. And the climbs seem too far out from the finish to do that and stay away.

He'd do better to save energy for a later occasion that suits him a lot better.

As for Bobridge, he's very young and in his first 3 week race. Let's give him time. If he makes it to the end of the second week before retiring, he's doing very well for his age and experience

 

[kurtinsc]

I get that, but I would still like to see an example I wouldn't rate him higher than Petacchi, Bennati, Hushovd or Haussler for example, not even mentioning Freire.

This is based on results, not memory of the actual races, but here are some results that might indicate he can get over some tougher hills to make a sprint.

2009 Giro, stage 3.

Farrar was second to Pettachi. Rest of top 5 was Gavazzi, Cataldo and Cunego. Davis at 84th. Cavendish at 85th.

2009 Vuelta, stage 11.... maybe.

Farror won the stage, 2nd was Gilbert and 3rd was Marcato. I have no recollection of the terrain... it may have been flat. Just saw Gilbert up there and thought it might have had some bumps.

2010 Ronde van Vlanderen.

5th place. Not sure if this shows cobbled ability rather then climbing... but there are some hills in that race.


I'd say he's not at Hushovd or Friere levels by any stretch... but he's probably a bit better then Greipel or Cav at getting over the hills.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I wouldn't rate Farrar above Petacchi on climbs, more the other way around. The way Petacchi handled the Cipressa and the Poggio is beyond awesome this year, only Freire did better. Farrar got dropped (maybe not in 100% shape, but still). And there are more examples.
In past Giri Petacchi even won a stage where the nr 2,3 and further were nearly all climbers (I believe Garzelli was second)

 

[kjetilraknerud]

It is all relative to sprinters and relative to the group you mention I think TF passes as a "decent climber" as opposed to "best climber"

Other than Petachhi, who else is in this year's Giro? Aren't the TF comments based on his points jersey chances?

I thought the comments was based on his chances in todays stage, and I don't think he has any. Petacchi has better chances IMO.

As for the points jersey, I agree he has a good chance on that, unless some of the climbers pick up a lot of points - which happens quite often in the Giro.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

This is based on results, not memory of the actual races, but here are some results that might indicate he can get over some tougher hills to make a sprint.

.....snip....

I'd say he's not at Hushovd or Friere levels by any stretch... but he's probably a bit better then Greipel or Cav at getting over the hills.

Which suggests he is quite average

 

[Mellow Velo]

Eurosport is live and they are on the first climb, with a long way to go.................

 

[python]

just heard that stage 7 will be rerouted because of rain damage. final route to be announced later today. looks like the finish is not affected.