Il Lombardia, sunday, october 6th, 2013

[del1962]

Imo top three riders of year

1. Froome
2. Sagan
3. Nibali

 

[Netserk]

Sagan hasn't won a monument nor a stage race...

 

[barmaher]

Froome has had a great year (Dauphine, Romandie, Le Tour, 2nd in T-A)
Cancellara has had a great year (E3, RVV, P-R)
So has Nibali (T-A, Trentino, Giro, 2nd in Vuelta)
So has Sagan (GW, BP, Green Jersey in Le Tour, lots of stage wins and 2nd in RVV, MSR, E3 and Strade Bianche)

I would rank them like I did above, but I find it very hard to be dogmatic about who had the better season. You could arguably flip the top 3 and it would be easy to defend.

I think Purito would need to win at the weekend to get up with those four.

 

[SKSemtex]

LOL this calls for the pool . Somebody should make it after the last monument.

 

[jsem94]

Top riders of the year so far:

1. Froome

2. Nibali
3. Sagan

4. Cancellara
5. Costa

Something like this. Honestly, had Nibali won the worlds, he would be #1 imo. He can still rectify it if he wins Lombardia.

 

[SafeBet]

Back on topic, is Nairo Q riding this?

 

[The Hitch]

**** Purito. I had £5 at 20-1 on Froome to win World Tour. And now Purito is going to do Beijng just for it. Christ, I can't catch a break.

 

[SKSemtex]

Back on topic, is Nairo Q riding this?

Yes.
http://velonews.competitor.com/2013...-out-of-lombardia-after-worlds-crashes_304748

I wonder if we going to see Cannondale top team for the first time in this year. Who is going to be leader? Basso, Sagan?

 

[Angliru]

I'm surprised anyone's really bothered about this, to be honest, least of all a Pro cyclist. Froome's the rider of the year, however many points Purito may scrape together in China.

I'd suspect it gives him negotiating leverage come time for a new contract. It's good that he's continually striving to add to his palmares, instead of giving up on the season. He's maintained an elite level of performance for quite a long period of time this year.

 

[alspacka]

Yes.
http://velonews.competitor.com/2013...-out-of-lombardia-after-worlds-crashes_304748

I wonder if we going to see Cannondale top team for the first time in this year. Who is going to be leader? Basso, Sagan?

Read that as Boasson Hagan and that you'd completely lost it.

I imagine it's going to come down to a full on sprint up the final climb, so will be a similar situation to the worlds for Sagan.

 

[del1962]

Sky Team for Race

Dario Cataldo
Chris Froome
Sergio Henao
Christian Knees
Salvatore Puccio
Rigoberto Uran
Xabier Zandio

Only 7?

 

[Parrulo]

Movistar:

Costa
Quintana
Valverde
Amador
Herrada
Intxausti
Visconti
Capecchi

God what a team

 

[Rollthedice]

Sky Team for Race

Dario Cataldo
Chris Froome
Sergio Henao
Christian Knees
Salvatore Puccio
Rigoberto Uran
Xabier Zandio

Only 7?

Wiggins heard something about raining.

 

[BigMac]

Movistar:

Costa
Quintana
Valverde
Amador
Herrada
Intxausti
Visconti
Capecchi

God what a team

Wonder who will start as lead.

Hope for Rui showing he can do well in steep climbs.

 

[Eshnar]

Wonder who will start as lead.

very easy. As forecasting what their tactic will be

 

[BigMac]

very easy. As forecasting what their tactic will be

Hold on the wheels and sprint to the line?

Nah, Costa will clearly do a Col de Manse, Col de la Croix Fry impression.

 

[Eshnar]

Hold on the wheels and sprint to the line?

exactly

 

[ferryman]

Sky Team for Race

Dario Cataldo
Chris Froome
Sergio Henao
Christian Knees
Salvatore Puccio
Rigoberto Uran
Xabier Zandio

Only 7?

Got to like Uran to go deep here.

 

[greenedge]

Uran
Jrod
Nibali

Quintana could solo

 

[42x16ss]

Hold on the wheels and sprint to the line?

Nah, Costa will clearly do a Col de Manse, Col de la Croix Fry impression.

Would love to see them go all Euskaltel on climbs, but I'm guessing Valverde will be doing his usual sit-in-until-the-winning-attack-has-already-been-made routine.

 

[phanatic]

I thought Valverde always rode for Costa?

 

[Arredondo]

No Mollema for Lombardia next sunday. Too much pain in his knee. So Bobby Gesink will be the only captain.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...05476170.33604.145388992276538&type=1&theater

 

[theyoungest]

No Mollema for Lombardia next sunday. Too much pain in his knee. So Bobby Gesink will be the only captain.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...05476170.33604.145388992276538&type=1&theater

There's also Nordhaug, who seems to handle tough circumstances a little better.

 

[maltiv]

No Mollema for Lombardia next sunday. Too much pain in his knee. So Bobby Gesink will be the only captain.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...05476170.33604.145388992276538&type=1&theater

Really? I don't think it'd be wise to disregard Nordhaug, who was 6th over La Fiesole despite crashing together with Nibali and not using cars to get back

 

[Arredondo]

Really? I don't think it'd be wise to disregard Nordhaug, who was 6th over La Fiesole despite crashing together with Nibali and not using cars to get back

Yeah, i forgot him, Nordhaug and Gesink both can finish in the top 10. With the weather Nordhaug perhaps a bigger threat to the big guys.