Giro Wild-cards Monday

[kurtinsc]

I know that however their top guys without diabetes aren't really top guys in a giro field either. so the team doesn't deserve a shot and what almost angers me is that they seemingly have no idea. have you read the ridiculous projections for the tour of california southerland made?? he things he will be with the best in the mountainstages and itt. wtf!

Well... that projection is overboard... but I'm not sure it's completely unreasonable.

While better riders will be trying to do well in this race... TT1 will be peaking for it. Guys like Horner, Levi and Zabriskie will try hard, but their peaks will likely be elsewhere. They won't be at 100%.

Can Laszlo Bodrogi beat Leipheimer or Zabriskie at 100% if they are at 70%? Maybe... he had a top 10 at the D-L ITT last year and in 2007 finished 4th in the final ITT at the Giro. Predicting him to win the ITT isn't a totally idiotic statement.

As for Efimkin in the mountains... he's not horrible. He did okay in the Giro last year with a top 20 finish (would have still been top 20 even without the 12 minutes on Aquila). He's certainly not a favorite... but he's a good climber who'll be targeting his top form for this race instead of the TDF like many at the TOC would be. TT1 is overstating what they'll likely do at the TOC... but not by a whole lot. Efimkin could easily finish top 5. Valeriy Kobzarenko got 14th for TT1 last year, and Efimkin is significantly better then him.

 

[theyoungest]

I know that however their top guys without diabetes aren't really top guys in a giro field either. so the team doesn't deserve a shot and what almost angers me is that they seemingly have no idea. have you read the ridiculous projections for the tour of california southerland made?? he things he will be with the best in the mountainstages and itt. wtf!

Do you mean Rory Sutherland? If so, those expectations aren't completely unrealistic, because indeed he was with the best on the "mountain" stages last year.

Also, Sutherland isn't on Team Type 1.

 

[jaylew]

Phil Southerland is the head honcho at TT1, not a rider.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Do you mean Rory Sutherland? If so, those expectations aren't completely unrealistic, because indeed he was with the best on the "mountain" stages last year.

Also, Sutherland isn't on Team Type 1.

southerland, team director of type 1.