Giro d'Italia Stage 9: Messina - Etna, 169km (let the race begin!)

[Ryaguas]

Who are going to be the big movers after Etna?

Le Mevel for sure... He wants his Maglia Rosa but maybe Scarponi has other plans for him...

 

[Ryaguas]

I have high expectations for Nibali tomorrow.

Me too... He is in home soil and the climb is tailormade for the "Diesels"
What about Lovkvist for tomorrow? He is not a threat for the GC men and He can turn on his diesel in that long climb...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Le Mevel for sure... He wants his Maglia Rosa but maybe Scarponi has other plans for him...

Le Mevel had his chance, and didn't get it. Now for sure Contador/Scarponi or perhaps even Nibali will gain pink.

Not that I have much trust in Nibali, but Etna isn't majorly steep, he's racing at home ground, with all his tifosi there, and might have a little extra on this day.
He'll stil lose minutes and minutes on zoncolan and other steep climbs though

 

[theyoungest]

The profile looks a bit like last year's Monte Terminillo, where about 10 GC contenders finished together (the stage Chris Anker won). Which is also what Rodriguez seems to expect for tomorrow.

The only problem could be that it's basically two Terminillos, but I don't think the real racing will start on the first ascent.

 

[maltiv]

I really hope we won't get another MTF where the favourites are just watching each other...

 

[Thomsena]

I'll be sadly dissapointed if we don't see any magma hurdles on the way up!

 

[zapata]

Le Mevel had his chance, and didn't get it. Now for sure Contador/Scarponi or perhaps even Nibali will gain pink.

Not that I have much trust in Nibali, but Etna isn't majorly steep, he's racing at home ground, with all his tifosi there, and might have a little extra on this day.
He'll stil lose minutes and minutes on zoncolan and other steep climbs though

Afraid you're right. Hope to see him win the Giro one day, but this year it's surely too hard. A win at home would be beautiful. And with the bonus seconds, he wouldn't need that much of a gap on Contador and Scarponi to get the pink jersey..fingers crossed.

 

[zapata]

I really hope we won't get another MTF where the favourites are just watching each other...

Wouldn't mind Scarponi and Contador watching each other, but I think Nibali really, really wants to win here. Otherwise, I hope to see attacks from Anton, Pozzovivo, Sella, etc.

 

[Kwibus]

I really hope we won't get another MTF where the favourites are just watching each other...

We all know what's still ahead of them and the riders themselves also know that. So it's very likely they will watch eachother. I do expect some attacks at the end of the climb, but without much confidence.
If Contadors wants he will win tomorrow, but I don't think he will tomorrow.
I'm hoping for Nibali. He won't be able to hold the lead till the end of the Giro anyways so he can have his pink for a few days, but I don't expect it really.

That's a lot of buts, which sums it up really... We shouldn't expect too much. We will get a better view of the GC tomorrow though. Weening won't be able to stay with the best, that's for sure.

 

[Kwibus]

General classment:

Weening
Sivtsov
Pinotti
Le Mevel
Contador
Scarponi
Lastras
Nibali
Kruijswijk
Serpa

Who are going to be the big movers after Etna?

Weening will be out of the top10 for sure.
Contador, Scarponi and Nibali will stay in the top10, if not the top3.
The others are harder to predict. They can go up a mountain pretty well, but it's hard to predict how well they will go up tomorrow.
Personally I really hope that Kruiswijk will still be in the top10

 

[ferryman]

I was thinking about that number too - with Weening and Lastras almost certainly losing some ground.

So that begs the question, who will be 'climbing' into the top 10 on GC?

Good question. You could just about make a case for any of the guys currently placed 11-20. Kreuziger for sure though. And Menchov. The jury is still out on Lovkvist but he should just about make it. Personally I would like to see Anton on a good day tomorrow. Then there's J-Rod and Sella...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Weening will be out of the top10 for sure.
Contador, Scarponi and Nibali will stay in the top10, if not the top3.
The others are harder to predict. They can go up a mountain pretty well, but it's hard to predict how well they will go up tomorrow.
Personally I really hope that Kruiswijk will still be in the top10

Yup if he rides well he should be able to stay in the top 10, some other contendors are still far behind and it's not like you will lose minutes on Etna if you lose contact close to the top. In the 10th-15th place area where Kruijswijk will probably finish...

 

[plooton]

I'm awaitting more significant gaps and selection between GC riders. Not oficially marketd at this points, but the real drop of both the Etna ascends exceeds 1500 meters and several riders (among them Nibali and Purito for sure) are to push the pace up hugely and far from the second summit/finnish.

 

[Ryaguas]

He'll stil lose minutes and minutes on zoncolan and other steep climbs though

Well is time for Il Squalo to prove us that He is improving and that He deserves the respect that a GT winner deserves...
The doubt that I have is that Will his diesel benefit him or be his curse in the real climbs?
Will he have the calm to stay in his rythm when Contador jumped like crazy in the real steep stuff?

Can't wait...

 

[Michielveedeebee]

any thoughts on Seeldraeyers?

 

[will10]

I thinK Seeldraeyers will join Kruiswijk in ~top 15

 

[taiwan]

Putting the GC guys aside for a minute, who might have a go at the stage win from the break?

 

[will10]

There's already quite a few notable climbers down on GC who could look at a breakaway tomorrow: Di Luca, Blanco, Betancourt, Hoogerland, Stortoni, Nocentini, Spilak, Possoni....

 

[UpTheRoad]

Putting the GC guys aside for a minute, who might have a go at the stage win from the break?

The Androni guys if they are not riding for Serpa.

An OPL guy will get in the break and will take a last ditch shot, even though they don't seem to have anyone who can really pour it on in the high mountains.

 

[taiwan]

Oh yeah, I suppose Bart De Clerq will attempt to defend the mountain jersey.

Euskaltel could do to put someone in the break this time. Apart from Anton and Nieve they're fully just roling around.

 

[boomcie]

any thoughts on Seeldraeyers?

Yes. I'm thinking he'll perform quite poorly.

 

[roundabout]

Yes. I'm thinking he'll perform quite poorly.

Why?

With you it's hard to tell how serious you are

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

any thoughts on Seeldraeyers?

Meh. 25th or something probably

 

[boomcie]

Why?

Quite simple. It's been a while since Seeldraeyers has performed (half) decently. I don't expect him to be up there tomorrow. Let him prove me wrong.

With you it's hard to tell how serious you are

Is it that hard to tell? That kind of sucks.

 

[c&cfan]

Quite simple. It's been a while since Seeldraeyers has performed (half) decently. I don't expect him to be up there tomorrow. Let him prove me wrong.



Is it that hard to tell? That kind of sucks.

machado for the win..
this is his kind of climb, one that goes uphill.

lol