The Hitch said:Means for me it was the best moment of the season. For you it may be alberto getting a haircut and for someone else it could be Rabottini winning the giro stage but for me Purito winning a monument is the highlight of the year.
Miburo said:Now he just needs to win a GT.
Btw i've heard he'll try next year to reach the podium in all 3 GT's.
Bit crazy![]()
Afrank said:Where'd you hear that?
I think that would be a mistake, no one goes down in the history books for being 2nd or 3rd in a GT. He needs to stick to his current program, peak for the ardennes and the Giro then go to the Vuelta.
maxmartin said:With 55km ITT, will JR focus on Tour instead of Giro?
I would love to see JR battle with AC , AV and CF on less steep climb in France.
"I'll need to study it in a bit more detail, but it looks like a tough Giro, especially the last week." As ever, the final few days look extremely difficult and the stage to Tre Cime di Lavaredo is the one that I like the most."
"I'll just have to see if I can manage to stay close on general classification by then."
"I don't like the that some of the stages are so long and I'm not sure if too many people will be happy with a long final stage like that, but all told, it's a balanced route."
"we haven't decided everything yet for next season. But I always feel good when I race in Italy, with the tifosi chanting 'Purito' on the climbs."
Complaining about too long stages = FAILAfrank said:Rodriguez on the 2013 Giro.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/rodriguez-sets-sights-on-tre-cime-di-lavaredo
maxmartin said:With 55km ITT, will JR focus on Tour instead of Giro?
I would love to see JR battle with AC , AV and CF on less steep climb in France.
Netserk said:Complaining about too long stages = FAIL
Afrank said:I wonder if he might still be worried about his own consistency in GT's. Longer stages make it harder to stay consistent and it wasn't until this year that he managed to stay consistent in the mountains, and he still made a mistake on Fuente De.
The Hitch said:Dont know if it was a "mistake". What happens when Purito follows Contador?
Contador bridges with Purito to breakaway.
And then on the flat, Contador attacks again.
What does Purito do now? he managed to catch up with Contador on Ancares and Lagos de Covadonga, but now that flats and descents are in the mix its a different story. Purito only has Losada who wont last long. Contador has isolated Rodriguez and made it into a battle on his terrain.
Deciding to stay with his team, hoping they would bring the break back, imo was the correct option, even if in hindsight it failed.
At the time, his best option seemed like it was to stay with Contador, but he would have been isolated with few SBTB riders and Contador at some point. What are the odds that he would've stayed with them after his effort? Then again, looking back, this was his best option after seeing his Katusha teammates scattered all over the place.Afrank said:I think the best option for Purito would have been to try to stay with Contador or Valverde and try to minimize his losses, staying with his team was probably a smart move at the time but unfortunately didn't really work out.
Is that the same thing as saying he will settle for 3 rd if he can get it, because that would satisfy his goal of podiums in all 3 GT? Does he know what the 2013 TDF route will be like? I am sure it won't be favoring himcineteq said:Purito wants to ride the Tour 2013. He thinks the Giro is too complicated with a long TT, plus there are 6 stages over 200Km. He'd like to retire with podiums on all 3 GTs.
http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=56095
Hmmmm...with no time bonuses , and a weak team is going to be a hard thing to do.
roundabout said:He'll get another long TT in the Tour and then what?
18-Valve. (pithy) said:He can't win either race, so why not focus on the most prestigious one? It makes a lot of sense, actually. He could still win stages and aim for a podium or a top 5. No one would care if he finishes 2nd or 3rd at the Giro.
Dedelou said:Is that the same thing as saying he will settle for 3 rd if he can get it, because that would satisfy his goal of podiums in all 3 GT? Does he know what the 2013 TDF route will be like? I am sure it won't be favoring him
That's what I thought. Then you have Wiggins and Nibali saying they'd rather do the Giro.DenisMenchov said:Next year is the 100th Tour. Everybody will be there.
Ryo Hazuki said:how do you know?