New Challenge for AC

[mORGAN]

Considering there is a strong chance that AC will win both GC and Points jersey, perhaps he needs a new challenge to get him thru the rest of the Giro by winning the Mountains Jersey as well. He is now in 3rd place, but with some strategic riding could win all three. He will put more time into rest of the riders in the ITT and other stages if required, so why be content with just winning a couple of jerseys - go for the hat trick, I say.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

If he wins tomorrow and takes the mountain points at both Finestre and Sestrière, that's 45 points. These are reasonable things to go for without having to actually go out of your way for. That would take him to 83. Garzelli currently has 62. Garzelli will probably have to get into at least one break to hold the jersey.

I've been thinking Contador's been after doing all 3 jerseys throughout. Hope he doesn't.

 

[yetanothergreenworld]

Considering there is a strong chance that AC will win both GC and Points jersey, perhaps he needs a new challenge to get him thru the rest of the Giro by winning the Mountains Jersey as well. He is now in 3rd place, but with some strategic riding could win all three. He will put more time into rest of the riders in the ITT and other stages if required, so why be content with just winning a couple of jerseys - go for the hat trick, I say.

Contador was actually leading all three competitions just a day or two ago. But today he let Garzelli mop up all the mountain points and gain a commanding grip on that jersey. So it looks like he's decided not to go for the jersey trifecta. Considering that virtually all the remaining stages are crucial to the GC competition, though, it's unlikely that he'll stop gaining points in the points competition, which means that (barring the unfortunate) he'll probably come away with two jerseys.

 

[roundabout]

Rather he decided not to waste the team chasing down threatening breaks for the 3rd most important jersey.

 

[theswordsman]

It's a crazy 6 stages ahead. I really want him to win the mountain TT, because there's no one to play games with, and no reason to hold back, or anyone to share work with and reward. Sestriere would also be a great one to win. The downhill finish is a scary one where he'll have to mark Nibali and the rest. But I'm afraid a lot of points will be used up by breaks. There's just no reason to chase them unless he wants the stage win.

Actually, after today, I think it might be fun to watch Nieve and Garzelli duke that one out as a side show, with teammates rushing up to scoop up points, etc..

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Garzelli has 23 points over Nieve, and Nieve is 5th in the GC, probably not likely to go for it.

There's 15 points available in tomorrow's time trial.
Then 14 points available on Wednesday.
9 available on Thursday.
20 available on Friday.
24 available on Saturday.

I think Garzelli will go in the break on Wednesday and Friday. Especially if Contador wins the ITT tomorrow, which would mean he would be just 9 points shy of Garzelli. Garzelli can viably pick up all the points on Wednesday, but only the first 15 on Friday (the last 5 are an MTF).