Giro Stage 12: ITT

[Bala Verde]

Going to be fascinating to see Levi/Astana having to have to attack in following stages. Not a usual role for them.

Nor for RAB to defend...

 

[Parrot23]

LOL, there's no one there!

 

[Bala Verde]

Di luca is holdingon to MR?

no beaten by 1:54 minus 1:20= 34s

no bonus seconds today?

 

[Ibanez]

Di luca is holdingon to MR?

Looks like he could. Menchov lost 20 seconds to Leipheimer on the descent and Im sure Di Luca will descend faster.

 

[mr. tibbs]

Nor for RAB to defend...

Luiquigas and Basso couldn't shed Menchov, and in fact he was so fresh after their team-attack that he sprinted and got the win. I don't know if Astana and Leipheimer have the chops to do any better.

 

[Ibanez]

Ok I was wrong. Kudos to Menchov. Great Ride.

Really cool TT that was.

 

[mr. tibbs]

Lol I just saw Di Luca blow his nose.

 

[Bala Verde]

Luiquigas and Basso couldn't shed Menchov, and in fact he was so fresh after their team-attack that he sprinted and got the win. I don't know if Astana and Leipheimer have the chops to do any better.

yes, but in a joined effort by AST, LIQ, and LPR, as well as Sastre... it'll be really interesting when they hit the mountains again...

 

[Zoncolan]

I love it. Three guys still in it. Only 40 secs separating top 3.
Di Luca is going to raise hell.
Sastre, Basso & Pellizotti must try get on the podium.
It will be interesting.

 

[lostintime]

Universal Sports online quit for the last of the TT.

Crappolla .

Suddenly it says "program not available in your area" !

Then it comes back......

wtf ?


At least I can replay it later !

 

[Parrot23]

Bruyneel's gonna be doing some new thinking now! New situation.

 

[Seth Bullock]

Awesome! Leading to a nail biting finale. 40 secs between the top 3 - cool.

 

[lookkg386]

Great race!
Menchov deserving winner!
Can't wait for the next twist in this race, surely will now come from Astana!

 

[DenisMenchov]

Yes!!! I`ve done it.

 

[Bala Verde]

YES!! Menchov won a garmin, proudly supplied by the Garmin Slipstream team!

 

[bianchigirl]

Di Luca still very much in it, with his favoured terrain to come - as is Sastre, and both are capable of putting in attacks that stick and cause damage.

Wonder what dinner will be like at the Liquigas hotel?

 

[Delicato]

Rabo is a joke team. Liquigas, LPR and Astana gonna rip them apart. And Menchov tends to have bad days in mountains.

Sastre looks good, but he only will be fourth.

Liquigas should do something very, very special.

 

[Bala Verde]

Di Luca still very much in it, with his favoured terrain to come - as is Sastre, and both are capable of putting in attacks that stick and cause damage.

Wonder what dinner will be like at the Liquigas hotel?

If they are staying with RAB they'll be sharing in the champagne as well. When Pettachi took a win, they stayed in the same hotel and offered RAB team two bottles...

erm i read LPR...

 

[Escarabajo]

Comments:

Menchov: Waooooo.

Sastre: Still quiet. But in contention.

Levi: Still there. Nothing new. I don't think he'll win it.

Pellizoti. has better chance than Basso.

Basso: 2 years off is just too much.

Armstrong: 4 years off is just too much.

Serpa, Simoni, Garzelli: Kudos.

Rogers: Bye, bye. Lost a big chance.

Di Luca: Still in there. And actually with the biggest chance.

Soler: Go and get the mountains now.

 

[ingsve]

I think the biggest test for the Rabobank team might be the Monte Petrano stage where there are though mountains before the final climb. If there are attacks in the two starting mountains then they will have their work cut out for them in chasing back before the final climb. Other than that I don't think the team deficit will be that crucial at the Vesuvio and Blockhaus stages...

 

[Parrot23]

So di Luca needs 2min, say, before the final TT/day? Should be fireworks in the next stages up until then.

The absence of Horner (tactical brains in the field) may hurt Levi in the next stages, perhaps.

Does Menchov have an edge over Levi in a flat TT?

 

[Mellow Velo]

Great result for the neutrals............if there are any.
Di Luca and Pellizotti like cobras, waiting to strike against the man in orange.
Rabo will have their work cut out.
Leipheimer will have to go "out of character" and de-suck, to go on the attack; still a major threat.
Basso and Sastre, lurking in the shadows!

Eyeballs out, on the rivet from Saturday, for the whole week.

 

[Bala Verde]

So di Luca needs 2min, say, before the final TT/day? Should be fireworks in the next stages up until then.

Does Menchov have an edge over Levi in a flat TT?

I think LL is better at the shorter flat TT. It's also pretty technical with lots of hairpins and corners, which Menchov, I think, does not like too much. On the other hand, it's the last day, so I don't know how strong LL will be...

 

[Delicato]

Depends on form.
Di Luca needs 1 min. TT is only 14 km long.

 

[lookkg386]

So di Luca needs 2min, say, before the final TT/day? Should be fireworks in the next stages up until then.

The absence of Horner (tactical brains in the field) may hurt Levi in the next stages, perhaps.

Does Menchov have an edge over Levi in a flat TT?

Di luca will certainly go for it.

TT wise Menchov and LL are similar but I would rate Levi if I had to...