Official thread: Giro d'Italia

[Martin]

I wouldn't write LA off. He's a smart fox and his face is many times showing something else then his legs feel. I think you rather shouldn't be surprised if he wins a stage in a Giro

 

[Leopejo]

It's easy for me to sit here at my computer and ask "why aren't these guys attacking?" But when they say they would, and then really, only Soler's short bursts at the end yesterday is all we're seeing, I have to wonder if they have a serious plan for the future stages to attack and splinter the group even if they blow up - and Simoni has definitely ridden this way in the past, as has Soler.

Yesterday was the first real mountain stage. Nobody knew how their legs would answer. I'm sure if Simoni had the legs, he would have attacked. The truth is that they all were at their limit, apart perhaps from enigmatic Menchov.

But the lack of mountains also makes this difficult. Stage 10 looks like another perfect day for DiLuca. This leaves Stage 16, which is perfect for a multi-tiered attack. We'll see.

My pet peeve is also stage 15. But I am biased, as I am going to watch stage 15 (and 16) live and hope for some action.

 

[Leopejo]

Stage 10 looks like another perfect day for DiLuca.

The last climb on that 262 km stage comes 10,5 km before the finish. In the Giro official profile map it looks like a very easy one: 416 m elevation gain, 6,7 km length, average slope a disappointing 6,2 %.

On the other hand the salite.ch (*) profile tells a different story, with false flats and sections up to 17 %. For sure, it's a short climb and only the stage length could make it hard for some GC contenders.

(*) salite.ch is a database of over 10 000 climb profiles, mostly in Italy, France, Spain and Belgium, submitted by cyclists who have altimeter functions on their HRM or GPS. Everybody can submit a climb - and often the quality and accuracy of those profiles is quite bad.

 

[Mellow Velo]

My pet peeve is also stage 15. But I am biased, as I am going to watch stage 15 (and 16) live and hope for some action.

Stage 10 finish is another that favours the hilly classics riders, over the heavy duty climbers and GT specialists.

These are the pair of stages that I said will break some of the contenders.

I've also noticed that Di Luca turns up, when the year is an odd number: '05, '07, now '09.
He might face harder opposition, this year, but he couldn't ask for more favourible parcours.


Btw: I use Salite.ch as my main climbing reference!

 

[Leopejo]

Btw: I use Salite.ch as my main climbing reference!

For climbs in Italy, I always hope that Giro d'Italia has been there recently, as the official Giro climb profiles are the best possible, precise and beautiful too.

Salite.ch is useful, but often the altitude values are off or the distances between two altitude points are over a km. And they are - for my taste - ugly.

As an example, I prefer this and this to this.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I use bike route toaster and go to the place the climb is, and track it, then I save as GPX data and load it into a gpx analyser. Then the climb is even more detailed then the giro profiles

 

[Leopejo]

Two firsts

Yesterday was Rabobank's first victory ever at the Giro.
Today was Scarponi's.

Both surprising news to me.

 

[Dedelou]

scarponi wasn't a surprise

One of yesterday's posters ( Grater?) named him rightfully as a possible winner if, as many of us expected, the break was "allowed" to go to the end. I think the bunch respected his effort and at the last minute choose to no gobble him down. I supposed even with computer and radio communications de-romanticizing the racing tactics, there is still a spirit of rewarding some epic efforts when the standings on the cg are not challenged by the finishes.
Good going Scarponi.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I agree. Always use the Giro profiles for the Giro.

As for todays stage, I do a forum "pick" elsewhere.
Who did I go for, today? Vasili Kiriyenko

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

So I was watching Eurosport...Kelly was pretty brutal in his assessmnet that in his experience when you start adjusting your position in this way it is usually more a sign that you are struggling to find your form...

...I would not be surprised if he drops out of the Giro before the end.

He needs the racing miles, but I could see this as well. At some point he's going to have to evaluate where this training is helping him, or harming his preparation for the Tour.

I noticed today he Tweeted that the speeds were shocking. He couldn't believe all of the attacks, and speed of descents. Not to say this is a clue he'll give in. I don't think the guy is a quitter. But his goal is the Tour, to perform well there, and maybe win it. So does it benefit him to give his all on Stage 12 for a good showing, then drop somewhere, like after Stage 15. Then go to France and start training for the Tour?

 

[Bala Verde]

He needs the racing miles, but I could see this as well. At some point he's going to have to evaluate where this training is helping him, or harming his preparation for the Tour.

I noticed today he Tweeted that the speeds were shocking. He couldn't believe all of the attacks, and speed of descents. Not to say this is a clue he'll give in. I don't think the guy is a quitter. But his goal is the Tour, to perform well there, and maybe win it. So does it benefit him to give his all on Stage 12 for a good showing, then drop somewhere, like after Stage 15. Then go to France and start training for the Tour?

He's always been a great poker player, so it wouldn't surprise me that he is intentionally trying to downplay his chances/performance...

 

[ronlavalle]

Astana

They all better watch out for Astana. They still had 6 riders in the front group with 6k to go.

 

[ukpaul]

He needs the racing miles, but I could see this as well. At some point he's going to have to evaluate where this training is helping him, or harming his preparation for the Tour.

I noticed today he Tweeted that the speeds were shocking. He couldn't believe all of the attacks, and speed of descents. Not to say this is a clue he'll give in. I don't think the guy is a quitter. But his goal is the Tour, to perform well there, and maybe win it. So does it benefit him to give his all on Stage 12 for a good showing, then drop somewhere, like after Stage 15. Then go to France and start training for the Tour?

I really dont like LA and I'd think alot less of him if he did quit. The attitude of "If I cant win I'll quit" would just show his true colours. Instead of say sacrificing himself for his teammates he'd rather quit.
He'd be an amazing domestique but I dont think his ego would allow it.

 

[*G*K*S*]

I really dont like LA and I'd think alot less of him if he did quit. The attitude of "If I cant win I'll quit" would just show his true colours. Instead of say sacrificing himself for his teammates he'd rather quit.
He'd be an amazing domestique but I dont think his ego would allow it.

“If Levi is leading the race after the time trial, then my personal ambitions have to be put aside and we have to work together. If he's in the pink jersey, then everyone has to work for him. My prediction is that he'll be in the pink jersey…”



http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/Armstrong_sees_Leipheimer_in_pink_article_282602.html

 

[*G*K*S*]

He needs the racing miles, but I could see this as well. At some point he's going to have to evaluate where this training is helping him, or harming his preparation for the Tour.

I noticed today he Tweeted that the speeds were shocking. He couldn't believe all of the attacks, and speed of descents. Not to say this is a clue he'll give in. I don't think the guy is a quitter. But his goal is the Tour, to perform well there, and maybe win it. So does it benefit him to give his all on Stage 12 for a good showing, then drop somewhere, like after Stage 15. Then go to France and start training for the Tour?

You're correct Snow.

“I need this Giro in order to good in the Tour de France, there's no doubt about that,” he said.

“I couldn't train well enough to get the same condition. I could do other races but I think this race is critically important for my build-up.”

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/Armstrong_sees_Leipheimer_in_pink_article_282602.html

 

[Mellow Velo]

So, the official Giro D'Italia thread is now the official Lance training via twitter for the Tour thread.

Having a team that's been invited to the Tour is also critical preparation.
New team, but no PT license = no race.

Besides, I thought he said he was only riding as Alberto Contador's domestique?

Get out of Dodge, Bertie, quick and invest in Caisse.

 

[Jasper]

So, the official Giro D'Italia thread is now the official Lance training via twitter for the Tour thread.

There is really nothing safe around here

 

[BIKETUM]

Levi goes for first!!

Levi Is the big favourite to win the Giro!! no doubt about it. Tell me who is going to beat him in the TT and tell me who is going to drop him big time in the mountain stages....Hes really strong. Levi Will get the firts place to make it two for Astana.
Lance will give it a try in the TT and then all minds to the Tour.

 

[Rupert]

Levi

I'm thinking Levi hasn't shown as many of his cards as some of the others (Basso, Diluca,...). After the TT it will be interesting to see what happens between him and Mick Rogers, if the conventional wisdom about the TT is correct.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

You're correct Snow.

I hath been outed!

So, the official Giro D'Italia thread is now the official Lance training via twitter for the Tour thread.

Well, that is what they are showing on the TV/webcast. No?

Having a team that's been invited to the Tour is also critical preparation. New team, but no PT license = no race.

Connections to UCI = Race.

Get out of Dodge, Bertie, quick and invest in Caisse.

I would certainly have them on speed dial with the contract attorneys ready. But I don't know if he does.

Levi Is the big favourite to win the Giro!! no doubt about it. Tell me who is going to beat him in the TT and tell me who is going to drop him big time in the mountain stages.

The ITT, he has to be the favorite. But by how much over Menchov? The other TT guy here. And Basso, who knows how well he'll ride? As to the climbing, Stage 14's sharp finish may mean a more than a few seconds, but I'd say Stage 16 is not built to Levi's style. I'd almost guess that Basso may have the ability to ride people off his wheel with pure speed alone on some of these climbs. But Levi does do well in the third week of GT's, so the neutered Blockhaus, and Vesuvius climbs may be ones he can manage.

Lance will give it a try in the TT and then all minds to the Tour.

I think you may be right. He may decide to drop after 15 and head to France to train. But we'll see.

 

[benpounder]

tactics...

"I'm a little bit angry that the rider away wasn't caught once we reached the finish,"Boasson Hagen said.

Then perhaps he and his teammates should have worked to catch Scarponi.

__
Note to CyclingNews - how about adding permalinks to your news stories.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Team Columbia only had Hagen, Løvkvist, Rogers and Siutsou in the first group. You can hardly expect that the riders placed second and third in GC will spend energy on catching Scarponi. Hagen's job was to keep Løvkvist near the front. That leaves Siutsou, and I don't really think he would have made a difference.

Edit: Siutsou was probably working to keep Rogers near the front as well.

 

[Brimich]

So, the official Giro D'Italia thread is now the official Lance training via twitter for the Tour thread.

Having a team that's been invited to the Tour is also critical preparation.
New team, but no PT license = no race.

Besides, I thought he said he was only riding as Alberto Contador's domestique?

Get out of Dodge, Bertie, quick and invest in Caisse.

LA never committed to riding for anybody ahead of time. When the tour comes around, he will be the strongest rider. If he's not, then he's riding for whoever is. He's shown that in California, and the Gila and he would have ridden the same way in castilla and trentino. I think we'll see him ride for levi in the giro but the tour is his. I think he'll die before losing that race and he has the team to support him, even without contador.

 

[franciep10]

LA never committed to riding for anybody ahead of time. When the tour comes around, he will be the strongest rider. If he's not, then he's riding for whoever is. He's shown that in California, and the Gila and he would have ridden the same way in castilla and trentino. I think we'll see him ride for levi in the giro but the tour is his. I think he'll die before losing that race and he has the team to support him, even without contador.

Wow have you been watching the Giro at all

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Only 12kg more to lose!