Giro d'Italia - Stage 7 - Maddaloni → Montevergine di Mercogliano - 110km

[El Pistolero]

This is only the 7th stage, the climb was easy, I'm pretty sure Freire could have won this and Duarte lost 15 minutes. Duarte is not some random schmuck, he's an u23 world champion and he recently won a mountain stage in Trentino ahead of people like Scarponi. Expectations weren't the problem.

Boohooo. Give him a golden medal already.

Oh wait, he did get one.

 

[The Hitch]

Id like to think my prediction was at least partially right

I predict a similar stage to Terminillo last year with a none gt rider going off as everyone marks eachother.

 

[El Pistolero]

He is not that young, pretty much the same age as Gesink and Kreuziger, who have multiple top-10 under their belt, and were pretty consitent in their first GC (at a younger age). But they probably are more talented of course.

Like I said, expectations. This is his first GT. It's not the freaking Giro del Trentino.

 

[Escarabajo]

Id like to think my prediction was at least partially right

Everyone knew that Hitch.

 

[maltiv]

Bart De Clercq will win the Tour de France this year.

 

[hrotha]

no he's just inconsistant and I mean really inconsistant in colombia he could switch days with riding everyone on minutes to losing 30 minutes in a stage. could also be a crash or sickness I don't know let;s wait

I don't think it's physiologically possible to be *that* inconsistent unless you regularly forget to eat.

But there is a type of rider that hates these false flattish endlessly long uphill slogs. Maybe he belongs to that type.

Sure, but he arrived with the sprinters.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Now, that was a bit of a surprise.

Weak sprint by Contador, but he'll be there at Etna.

Rujano - Contador in mountain stages 1-0

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I don't think it's physiologically possible to be *that* inconsistent unless you regularly forget to eat.

Sure, but he arrived with the sprinters.

problem was that he was very lazy and didn't train much so his basis wqas never strong and he could really blow. I think this year he trained better. so must be something else perhaps

 

[Escarabajo]

I don't think it's physiologically possible to be *that* inconsistent unless you regularly forget to eat.

Sure, but he arrived with the sprinters.

+1. I agree. Being so talented one day and so irregular the next is very strange. I would actually accept it in the third week but not in the first. Actually that was the worst he has done this year so far. So that tells you something.

Maybe something happened.

 

[Wergeland]

At least he made the time limit (hopefully)

Time limit should be about 24 minutes today.

 

[Duartista]

Duarte does have form for doing this, as Ryo says. Other possibilities - knee flaring up from his crash the other day; under team orders to target specific stages/ save energy to help Menchov.

 

[will10]

Whad'dya know. De Clercq takes the mountains jersey.

Shame about that, BMC...

Ha, I laughed when I noticed that on the classement just now.

 

[theyoungest]

I don't think it's physiologically possible to be *that* inconsistent unless you regularly forget to eat.

Ask Tony Martin

Sure, but he arrived with the sprinters.

At one point he didn't try anymore, probably.

 

[therhodeo]

under team orders to target specific stages/ save energy to help Menchov.

And why not. If you have no shot of being up there in GC why not sit back and ride in with the bus and be that much more fresh next time.

 

[No_Balls]

Yes, very poor sprint by Contador. It's not much, but it's definitely a sign of weakness.

No it is a sign of "waiting-for-the-stage-which-matters".

 

[jens_attacks]

hmm it seems that a lot of you guys have expected a favourites battle here.this is not possible,this is just like super besse in france,sprint with something 20-30 guys(it was always like this).no surprise.
first of all:

pirazzi....damn he's crazy.
rujano:he will eat crostis and zoncolan like no one else
alberto:might happen like in 2008,italians to drop him.scarponi is looking like a god,he even put a gap on him.
kreuziger:might be a new man,my opinion is that he never pushed his limits too far.2011 is the moment,although i've always mocked him saying tiralongo will become astana's leader.
de clercq-kudos,hard worker.
duarte-to fight for general in his first grand tour is way too crazy.those veterans can eat you alive,the speeds are very very high.a stage win is still totally possible,even tomorrow.

anton-he is this year the real silent killer.he adopted a good strategy,"i'm not here for general,just a stage win".still he's up there and he risked a lot on strade bianche.

on etna,it will be an enormous battle.

tomorrow,perfect for michele to snatch a few bonus seconds again.that's how you can beat alberto,riccardo did well too this way in 2008.

 

[will10]

Haha Duarte to win tomorrow?? Are you serious?

 

[maltiv]

There's no way Anton is not going for the GC, since he was up there on the strade bianche. I hope he has tricked some of the GC contenders by his "I'm just going for a stage" talking. I think he's just saying it so that his (rather week) team doesn't have to take any responsibility whatsoever.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Haha Duarte to win tomorrow?? Are you serious?

Yes, Duarte will convert to a sprinter and solidly beat Cavendish by at least 2 bike-lengths

 

[roundabout]

Haha Duarte to win tomorrow?? Are you serious?

He will rocket up the final hill.

 

[El Pistolero]

There's no way Anton is not going for the GC, since he was up there on the strade bianche. I hope he has tricked some of the GC contenders by his "I'm just going for a stage" talking. I think he's just saying it so that his (rather week) team doesn't have to take any responsibility whatsoever.

Have you seen Contador's team do anything so far?

And he's not making it a secret he wants to win this.

 

[jens_attacks]

Haha Duarte to win tomorrow?? Are you serious?

haha have you seen davide cassani's daily reconnaissance on rai?have you read robbie's twitter?the finish is for anton,purito,scarponi.with 1600 m to go 8-10% ramps.it's very very tricky.scarponi will go again for the win mark my words my friend.

 

[El Pistolero]

He will rocket up the final hill.

Looking at all these profiles, Gilbert could win the lot of them lol.

 

[theyoungest]

No it is a sign of "waiting-for-the-stage-which-matters".

Ah right. So having to get back on the wheel of your rivals in a sprint is less tiring than staying on the wheel.

Looking at all these profiles, Gilbert could win the lot of them lol.

Is it your goal to mention the name Gilbert at least 10 times in every thread?

If so, you have succeeded.

 

[Ryaguas]

Scarponi has super form

Yep! also Il Squalo... I'm afraid that They will have a mediocre 3rd week...

and Zoncolan!

And Glossknocker...

We know that, but it's still remarkable when Contador leaves a gap somewhere.

Yes, very poor sprint by Contador. It's not much, but it's definitely a sign of weakness.

I no way He could have stayed with Scarponi and Il Squalo that have super form and have a very very good sprint... but He defended it very well...

But moving from Liquigas was good. He seems to be his old self at Astana again.

Vino is a great teacher... Roman has changed a lot this year, attacking, going in the breakaway and winning...

Well today I was expecting an attack from Rujano but seems like He just dont want to lose more time and target an stage that suits him better to gain time and go FTW... I didnt expecting to finish in the top 10 today... BTW good attack from Ochoa today! a shame that Michele and Lampre had others plans today

I think that today We could see that Michele and Il Squalo are advanced with their forms... Purito and Contador looks to be right in the schedule... The Pope as always very silent...