Il Piccolo Principe

[Jungle Cycle]

i've just heard a podcast that had Andrea Tonti but in spnish(!?) and he described the discomfortable dinner at Saeco after the team decided to go for Cunego for the stage and Gibo "saved" in the peloton. He was in the break and said he practically stopped to wait for Cunego and then worked so well they got the stage but miscalculated(!?) the gap to the leader and Cunego ended with the rosa.. or so he says..

 

[SafeBet]

I don't think Gibo would have won that Giro even if riding for another team honestly. He had troubles dropping Honchar uphill most of the times, there were simply not enough tough mountain stages. He also didn't have the same legs he had in 2003, when he would drop anybody on 5 % slopes at will.

Cunego was a very gifted athlete. He probably had some issues with recovery and struggled with health for some years but he could climb with the very best in his best days.

 

[skippo12]

I don't think Gibo would have won that Giro even if riding for another team honestly. He had troubles dropping Honchar uphill most of the times, there were simply not enough tough mountain stages. He also didn't have the same legs he had in 2004, when he would drop anybody on 5 % slopes at will.

Cunego was a very gifted athlete. He probably had some issues with recovery and struggled with health for some years but he could climb with the very best in his best days.

Kinda agree. Don´t think Cunego would have won either. Saeco was by far the strongest team in the mountains but they never drilled it and protected Cunegos position instead of forcing splits for Simoni. Cunego was nearly 2 minutes behind Honchar after the TT and he basically never dropped him uphill. Only collected bonus seconds.
The other favorites (including Simoni) gifted him 2:30. Just don´t think that happens with Simoni riding for another team.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I don't think Gibo would have won that Giro even if riding for another team honestly. He had troubles dropping Honchar uphill most of the times, there were simply not enough tough mountain stages. He also didn't have the same legs he had in 2004, when he would drop anybody on 5 % slopes at will.

Cunego was a very gifted athlete. He probably had some issues with recovery and struggled with health for some years but he could climb with the very best in his best days.

Cunego himself has said that he regrets that the team always wanted him to ride the Giro for the gc, so he couldn't prepare 100% for the Ardennes classics.
When he didn't ride the Giro afterwards he was able to win Amstel, so there's probably some truth behind that statement.
I think he could have won more as a one day racer, as a gc rider he pretty much did what he could after 2004/2005. Never riding the Vuelta for the gc is maybe a flaw, but he always used it to get ready for the Autumn classics and the WC.

 

[Red Rick]

Cunego himself has said that he regrets that the team always wanted him to ride the Giro for the gc, so he couldn't prepare 100% for the Ardennes classics.
When he didn't ride the Giro afterwards he was able to win Amstel, so there's probably some truth behind that statement.
I think he could have won more as a one day racer, as a gc rider he pretty much did what he could after 2004/2005. Never riding the Vuelta for the gc is maybe a flaw, but he always used it to get ready for the Autumn classics and the WC.

Cunego is a little funny. Definitely a better one day racer yet won the Giro while having to settle for 2nd at the Worlds after his teammate.

Seems like a cool guy overall

 

[Bardamu]

He won Amstel defeating an elite group containing Valverde, F Schleck, Rebellin, T. Dekker and....Christian Pfannberger.

 

[Scarponi]

I have a massive photo on my wall at home of Cadel Evans leading the chase of Shleck n 2011 TDF, in that group of Frank, Basso and Contador was Cunego. Last great GC climbing legs pretty much?

 

[Red Rick]

I have a massive photo on my wall at home of Cadel Evans leading the chase of Shleck n 2011 TDF, in that group of Frank, Basso and Contador was Cunego. Last great GC climbing legs pretty much?

GIro 2012 was okay. He was funnily the one most animating the mountains stages and finished one spot below his team leader Scarponi.