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

[La Pandera]

I like him.

Me too! Most exciting rider there is in the sport when he's in his element.

 

[mr. tibbs]

he had that the other day when he failed to hold the wheel in the final sprint.

That was a crazy finish. The best GTer and the former best sprinter losing a stage finish to some guy. Nuts. Giro!

 

[0091paddy]

The new Peter Velits I guess. Amazing how HTC can take a random guy, say he is a GC contender, and suddenly he is.

To be fair though Sivtsov has won a stage at the Giro before, *been a World Champ (u23), 17th on GC at the TDF as well as previously being 16th in the Giro, so I'd say him being a GC contender isn't a case of 'suddenly' rather he is. Even though this race is now already won.

* had to wikipedia those, as I heard he'd done pretty well before now.

 

[Kwibus]

What's there to savour? A guy who tested positive for a banned substance is in the process of throttling the life out of the Giro.

bla bla. He's there now. gtfo with the doping bla bla.
It's not like the others are holy.

 

[auscyclefan94]

they came in the same group

still ahead of kruiswijk...#dekkertifosifail

 

[La Pandera]

what a shame that Rujano is already so much behind in the gc, if he can hang with Conti here i really wonder what hes gonna do at the Zoncolan.

Rujano's so inconsistent though. He's liable to lose time somewhere else but I'm hoping he puts up the good fight like today and shows his talents in all the moutainous stages. He was definitely impressive today. Imagine if he was riding a bike that fit and wasn't weight restricted.

 

[Granville57]

I think the difference today was that every other team had a playbook that they had drawn up in March: "Attack in the last two kms, but sit in the bunch until then," or somesuch. The only guy who was riding the race (as opposed to the plan) was Contador. He attacked when he thought best, not when he was supposed to, and it paid dividends while the team cars calculated grades and wind and time gaps on their TI-85s.

Maybe Contador is trying to win over the fans or something. The Bruyneel years must have eaten him up alive if that's his normal temperament.

This really is the first time we get to see Contador, at the top of his game, doing it "his way." Must be nice not having a DS and teammates telling him NOT to attack.

I'm guessing Riis is OK with it.

 

[spalco]

because you wouldn't like him either.

Maybe, I don't know. But there's something about Contador that annoys the **** out of me, and it's not just the Clinic stuff.

 

[auscyclefan94]

What's there to savour? A guy who tested positive for a banned substance is in the process of throttling the life out of the Giro.

I do agree, but it is what it is. We have to live with it.

 

[dlwssonic]

Ya, that's what I'm thinking... or HOPING... cuz if Conti races the Tour and Andy's not at that level it will be one boring Tour.

Im sure andy will be at top form for the tour because his whole season is peaked for that and he dedicates a lot for that. but bertie would have already rode a tiring giro and will be pretty exhausted after riding a 2nd gt in a row. So Im sure if contador gets to ride the tour he wont blow everyone off his wheel like today. It will be more like tdf2010.

 

[rzombie1988]

Ya, that's what I'm thinking... or HOPING... cuz if Conti races the Tour and Andy's not at that level it will be one boring Tour.

I think Andy's above the rest but definitely below Contador. Even if Andy would beat Contador on the mountains(without time bonuses mind you in the TdF), he's going to lose to him in the TT. I think Frank may hold back Andy some though.

 

[luckyboy]

Haha all the fans singing for Nibali

 

[Tuarts]

The new Peter Velits I guess. Amazing how HTC can take a random guy, say he is a GC contender, and suddenly he is.

He was mountains and GC leader at Barloworld. Not exactly some 'random'.

 

[Granville57]

What's there to savour? A guy who tested positive for a banned substance is in the process of throttling the life out of the Giro.

The race was interesting besides AC...how?

 

[La Pandera]

As if we needed any more proof that Contador was miles above anyone in that race. I can't stand Contador but I'd never bet against him in a GT. I knew he was going to attack early(he always does and then just defends for the rest of the days) in the Giro and I think he picked a great day to do it. He's got a guranteed 4-5 days in Pink and I'm sure he's going to take it all the way.

Lots of credit to Rujano for hanging there. No shame in losing to Contador at all. That was a big performance for him.

I never believed in Nibali and others being in Contador's league and today just proved it. The guy is just on another level. Really sucks to be guys like Menchov, Nibali and pretty much anyone else with GT aspirations, as they lost it here today.

I don't know why it sucks to be the rest of the contenders as you say. As long as they put in their best effort that is all that can be asked.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Rujano's so inconsistent though. He's liable to lose time somewhere else but I'm hoping he puts up the good fight like today and shows his talents in all the moutainous stages. He was definitely impressive today. Imagine if he was riding a bike that fit and wasn't weight restricted.

rujano isn't inconsistant when he's in topshape. giro 2005 was a testimony of that when he was just 23 in his first gt. also vuelta colombia 2009. it seems he is at his top level this giro so I don't expect weak days but he is vulnerable to cold, rain and sickness of course with that small body

 

[auscyclefan94]

Interesting what bertie will do with the mgalia rosa. His team ain't overly strong so he may let a break go away and take the jersey.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Rujano's so inconsistent though. He's liable to lose time somewhere else but I'm hoping he puts up the good fight like today and shows his talents in all the moutainous stages. He was definitely impressive today. Imagine if he was riding a bike that fit and wasn't weight restricted.

THAT's why I'm going to be pulling for Rujano now... I like underdogs

 

[thehog]

The race was interesting besides AC...how?

The race is not one day.


Remember that.


Up to the Italians to come up with a plan. Plenty of racing left.

A grand tour is not won in one day.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

still ahead of kruiswijk...#dekkertifosifail

that's like saying poop came ahead of turd... jesus

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

rujano in an interview on rai said I'mn so happy I can't believe it. I'm not even in topshape I will be next week in my vuelta colombia 2009 shape _O_

Oh god I can't wait!!

 

[rzombie1988]

I don't know why it sucks to be the rest of the contenders as you say. As long as they put in their best effort that is all that can be asked.

Well it just sucks for them if they have aspirations of winning.

 

[mulletCobra]

Plenty of racing left and plenty of things can go wrong. We cycling fans are the true winners.

 

[dlwssonic]

Interesting what bertie will do with the mgalia rosa. His team ain't overly strong so he may let a break go away and take the jersey.

Not quoting about your post, maybe frank for the jersey eh 10 points today. not that bad. Maybe Tschopp too. Frank has shown that he can be in a lot of breaks in consecutive days, as he has shown in tour de suisse. That is really good for the KOM jersey.

 

[La Pandera]

If I didnt dislike him so much I would love him.

Just a class above the rest

Hearing a lot of folks being torn by Contador's magnificence as if he's some type of axe-murdering cycling savant.