Giro review!

[Ashtabula]

Moment: So many, but I'll mention the mountaintop TT, since it doesn't get mentioned often. Those crowds! Boo on Svein Tuft for dissing it.
Stage win: Evans' Montalcino, stands out for lots of people .
Disappointment: The moments where poetry, or opera failed, like Petrov coming around Arashiro, or Tschopp cresting ahead of Garzelli, served to reinforce reality, and aren't really disappointments looking back. That no one threw his helmet away on the Corona, where the rules would have permitted it. Do it for all of us!
Surprise: The success of Saxo Bank's "B" team: two stage wins, several days' defense of pink, Porte's white jersey. Good enough for their goals, especially when the "A" team's appearance at the same time was so clearly "training."

 

[ak-zaaf]

Moment: Too much. Vino's first week, Waaiers, Zoncolan, Arroyo, L'Aquila, Strade Bianchi, Kronplatz... /head spins

Stage win: Evans on strade bianchi.

Disappointment: Nothing. Well, maybe Sastre. Not the guy, but the fact he couldn't perform due to various reasons.

Surprise: Porte in the mountains.

 

[Jukebox]

Moment of the Giro: Arroyo's descent, he was flying
Best stage win of the Giro: Strade Bianchi, I loved when Evans was wiping the mud off of the stripes
Disappointment of the Giro: Sastre not having the ability to fight for the win, even after getting time in the big break
Surprise of the Giro: The white jersey competition, Porte rode a great race, Mollema was strong but didn't have the same luck(or tactics). Kiserlovski also rode very impressively

 

[dgodave]

Moment of the giro...
Best stage win of the giro...
Dissapointment of the giro
surprise of the giro...

I dont know if this^^^ thread format is your idea. But its great. So whats your take?
.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I think we should give more kudos to Nibali's amazing descent of Monte Grappa. It wasn't quite as breathtaking (or as important to the story of the race) as Arroyo's, but was just as impressive. The two of them should have got together to have a Savoldelli-off.

I demand a descent ITT, perhaps an MTF one day and then the following day descend back down the climb against the clock. I know it's not realistic, not safe (could you imagine trying to get the cars past as a rider overtook another on the way down?) but it would just be so good to watch. I could have watched that Mortirolo descent all day.

Not Basso's descent of it though. That was about as smooth as sandpaper. I've seen Juan Mauricio Soler do better.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I dont know if this^^^ thread format is your idea. But its great. So whats your take?
.

I'll have a guess at what acf might say.

Moment of the Giro: Evans pulling on the maglia rosa
Win of the Giro: Evans winning the strade bianche stage.
Disappointment of the Giro: Four people finishing ahead of Evans.
Surprise of the Giro: Evans not winning.

 

[Wallace]

I wouldn't list it as a huge disappointment, but Cunego's lack-luster performance was a bit of a let-down. He survived, took a few digs here and there, but wasn't able to do anything and didn't win any stages.

I'd put Garzelli's stage win up there with Evans, as the big thrill of the Giro.

 

[icefire]

Moment of the giro: 50 men in breakaway in stage 11; Arroyo's descent
Best stage win: Muddy Evans
Dissapointment: Sastre and Evans below peak form
Surprise: Porte not cracking, former Dr Fuentes' customers doing well

I think we should give more kudos to Nibali's amazing descent of Monte Grappa. It wasn't quite as breathtaking (or as important to the story of the race) as Arroyo's, but was just as impressive. The two of them should have got together to have a Savoldelli-off.

I demand a descent ITT, perhaps an MTF one day and then the following day descend back down the climb against the clock. I know it's not realistic, not safe (could you imagine trying to get the cars past as a rider overtook another on the way down?) but it would just be so good to watch. I could have watched that Mortirolo descent all day.

Not Basso's descent of it though. That was about as smooth as sandpaper. I've seen Juan Mauricio Soler do better.

You may suggest Mr Zomegnan that next time the Giro goes to Monte Zoncolan the stage should go up from Ovaro (as this year)... end then down on the other side to Sutrio

 

[Thee_chisa]

Moment of the giro...basso vs evans on the zoncolan and mortirolo
Best stage win of the giro...evans on the strada bianchi
Disappointment of the giro...the first stages in netherlands - dangerous, made the race a mockery.
surprise of the giro...richie porte/aroyo

 

[taiwan]

Moment of the Giro: the finale of the stage to Montalcino.
Stage win: Goss' stage 9 win.
Disappointment: Greipel not being competitive in the [edit] early sprints.
Surprise: Scarponi.

 

[Notso Swift]

Nothing new from me

Moment of the giro...
2
The breakaway, although I think it is really closer to a split in the peloton when there are 40 riders involved
The day the course was unvailed, kudos to needs to be given here too.

Best stage win of the giro...
Evans, Tough stage and finished with true class from someone who never attacks

Disappointment of the giro
Live TV coverage in Aus, we are almost there...

Surprise of the giro...
Porte, not that he got in to the White, or even holding it, but the way he actually put time into everyone else in the final few days, he put more than 5 min into the LiquiGas guy in the second half of the race

 

[craig1985]

I think we should give more kudos to Nibali's amazing descent of Monte Grappa. It wasn't quite as breathtaking (or as important to the story of the race) as Arroyo's, but was just as impressive. The two of them should have got together to have a Savoldelli-off.

I demand a descent ITT, perhaps an MTF one day and then the following day descend back down the climb against the clock. I know it's not realistic, not safe (could you imagine trying to get the cars past as a rider overtook another on the way down?) but it would just be so good to watch. I could have watched that Mortirolo descent all day.

Not Basso's descent of it though. That was about as smooth as sandpaper. I've seen Juan Mauricio Soler do better.

If you are going to do that, then you would have to make Samuel Sanchez race. I've seen some of Sanchez's descending at the Vuelta on youtube

The guy has a death wish.

 

[Greenflame]

Moment of the Giro: Basso dropping Evans on the Zoncolan.
Stage win: Evans in the mud.
Disappointment: Sastre not in top form. I had expected him to be the closest challenger to Evans, but he wasn't even close.
Surprise: Well, the above, and Basso winning. I had never thought Basso would win again after returning, but I'm happy he did.

 

[microdose]

missing the Giro already..........

Moment: Arroyo's descent + riders struggling to see in the mud on Stage 7
Stage Win: Evans stage 7
Disappointment: Sastre - didn't look good at any stage, Evans losing 3 minutes on Stage 19 (really wanted to see it go down to the last stage...)
Surprise: Stage 11 - how so many riders were allowed to get 13 minutes is amazing

 

[dgodave]

Moment of the giro... Finish at Montalcino when riders dissapeared into narrow old streets.
.
Best stage win of the giro... Montalcino, again.
.
Dissapointment of the giro...The really lame basilicas en route to Brescia: just white windowless undecorated boxes.
.
surprise of the giro... Simoni's pink tie. There's nothing I expected less.
.

I'm changing my dissapointment from bad basilicas to the big zero that was the "points classification".
.
I dont remember a single moment when there was any real interest in the "fight" for this jersey, unlike in the TdF where the green jersey often has lots of intrigue.
.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Moment: The big "break" on stage 11

Stage win: Evans in the mud

Disappointment: Sastre

Surprise: Pinotti, amazing to see him in the top 10, and he wasn't in the big break either.

 

[Kusanagi]

Moment of the Giro : Strade Bianche. What a stage !
Stage Win : Basso on Zoncolan.
Disappointment : F Masciarelli, Uran, Pozzovivo...
Surprise : Porte for holding the white jersey.

 

[Anonymous]

roundup video of all stages

 

[cyclopeon]

I demand a descent ITT, perhaps an MTF one day and then the following day descend back down the climb against the clock. I know it's not realistic, not safe (could you imagine trying to get the cars past as a rider overtook another on the way down?) but it would just be so good to watch. I could have watched that Mortirolo descent all day.

And in case it's not raining, a fire truck at every hairpin hosing down the road as each rider approaches?

 

[auscyclefan94]

Moment of the giro: 50 men in breakaway in stage 11; Arroyo's descent
Best stage win: Muddy Evans
Dissapointment: Sastre and Evans below peak form
Surprise: Porte not cracking, former Dr Fuentes' customers doing well

You may suggest Mr Zomegnan that next time the Giro goes to Monte Zoncolan the stage should go up from Ovaro (as this year)... end then down on the other side to Sutrio

Like this prediction

 

[WinterRider]

I'm changing my dissapointment from bad basilicas to the big zero that was the "points classification".
.
I dont remember a single moment when there was any real interest in the "fight" for this jersey, unlike in the TdF where the green jersey often has lots of intrigue.
.

Take a look at Stage 20. Although everyone says there was nothing going on that is where the points jersy was won by Cadel's attack and eventual 2nd place. Quite thrilling indeed.

I thing everyone overlooks this since Cadel's main goal was the Maglia Rosa, but he put in a great ride to win the points jersey instead.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Great poll/thread. I give it a 9. Only because it was over by stage 19.

Moment: I'm going to say Arroyo bombing that descent. Though the huge split on Stage 11 was something to witness.

Stage win: Evans surging ahead in some of the worst conditions I've ever seen in cycling. For a guy who a year ago was criticized for never going for it and never attacking, it was a sight to see.

Disappointment: Simoni not wining the Cima Coppi. Or the way Basso took over at the Motirolo which meant the most exciting Giro ever to this point was essentially over.

Surprise: Aside from Porte, to see Arroyo on the podium. A great race for him overall.

 

[Spare Tyre]

Moments: the descending of Arroyo and Nibali

Stage win: Evans, the Strade Bianche stage. (What a fabulous, memorable and 'epic' stage!) Edit: Basso's on the Zoncolan stage was stunning too - what a display of strength...

Disappointment: Sastre not being in the mix for GC.

Surprise: Porte hanging on in the mountains and his positioning in the peloton to win the Maglia Bianca and Aussies also winning the Maglia Rossa and Maglia Verde, three stage wins and a temporary possession of the Maglia Rosa (Porte) and Maglia Rossa (Brown). I'm still finding it hard to believe.

The most surprising moment for me, though, was when I realized a break of 56 riders was far up the road and not going to be caught.

 

[JA.Tri]

Moments: The SPLIT stage 11, Vino Evans sprint out of the pack, Arroyo's descent

Stage win: Evans powering away

Disappointment: the final stage NOT deciding the victor, Simoni pipped for Cima Coppi; for Sastre (crash), for Greipel (illness)

Surprise: (Porte) the youngsters showing the future

 

[Hotbrakes]

Moment: Watching Vino's face on stage 7

Win: Stage 7...... Cuddles in the puddles.

Disappointment: Watching Nibali drag Basso's date to the line on stage 7.

Surprise: Finding out Evans had crashed and was in the drain with Basso on stage 7.

I turned the Giro into a one day spring classic in my mind. I also scored the Giro a 7.