Prediction Game

[Merckx]

Awesome, so everyone has given me their picks for the overall classifications (except skidmark who said he would have difficulty sending his picks this week). This is the format we will be using for all Grand Tours, as well as the 3 small stage races. Keep sending in your picks for stage 2, if you haven't already done so.

Good luck to all!

 

[marshan]

Before the KOM competition starts, I'd like to point out El Imbatido's choice of J.Rodriguez. I believe there are 2 JRods - Jackson & Joaquin and both of them can climb well...just a thought.

Congrats to the TTT podium - Columbia, Garmin, Astana!

 

[Merckx]

Good point. Both players indicated they wanted Jackson Rodriguez.

 

[Merckx]

First page has been updated with tomorrow's predictions! Seems like most of us believe Cavendish will back his "smack talking" by dominating on the road

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I'll second that pick. The stage is tailor made for him, and having that jersey on his back will give him a tiny boost as well.

It may be too late, but I think GC will be Basso, Levi and Menchov. Soler for Maglia Verde, and the Ciclimino either Cav or Petacchi, if they can survive Stage 16 mostly. Other than that, they should be able to keep up with the autobus. Young rider will be Lovkvist.

The real guessing stars on Stages 4 & 5.

 

[ak-zaaf]

i chose bennati for stage 2 and the points jersey. i should really start paying attention

 

[Kirsten Robbins]

Giro d'Italia stage 2

Sweet, scored four of the top five and two in the correct place. Missed out big time not playing Fleche last month, maybe I'll move up a little bit.

 

[Cosette]

Well, we can safely say that Cavendish was the hot favourite for this stage, and Petacchi for 2nd. Unfortunately, for pretty much all of us, they finished the other way around.
But no real surprises, as a lot picked correct names, whether or not in the correct place...

Right now I'd say titan_90 is the top scorer of this stage, with Petacchi, Cavendish and Davis in the correct spot.

 

[Merckx]

Standings have been updated!

Not much change on the leader board, although it seems that the top three have begun pulling away from the pack (especially with Titan_90 amassing a huge 28 points on the day). As far as the rest of the field is concerned, the scores are beginning to tighten up - with a vast majority of the contestants scoring between 48 and 65.

Congrats to everyone today, and please remember to send your picks for Stage 5 soon!

Cheers,

Merckx.

 

[180mmCrank]

On reflection - I wonder if the '3 additional points for a rider in the right order' rule makes sense. It seems a bit of a lottery - especially for the minor placings - you could identify 2 of the top 5 but if you put the 2 riders you pick in the right places you could get the same points as if someone had correctly identified 4 out of 5 but in the wrong order

Anywy a number of us have benefited from the rule - and certainly we should not change it now.

 

[ingsve]

Just wondering...How strict have you been with the 24 hour rule? For the stage 5 prediction it's a huge diffrence if you do predictions before knowing the results of stage 4 or not. I'm guessing you are strict at holding to the deadline so I'm sure there is no problem but I think this is a stage where it may be extra important.

 

[jaylew]

Just wondering...How strict have you been with the 24 hour rule? For the stage 5 prediction it's a huge diffrence if you do predictions before knowing the results of stage 4 or not. I'm guessing you are strict at holding to the deadline so I'm sure there is no problem but I think this is a stage where it may be extra important.

It's obviously not up to me, but I think we should change it to a 12 hour rule. You could at least watch the previous days stage, which is important, especially if people crash out or something. 12 hours should still be plenty of time to put everything together.

 

[Kazistuta]

Agree with jaylew for stage races.

Anyway I think the deadline on 24 hours was set to avoid people rushing their picks in. As long as the picks are made before the race starts, Merckx should obviously accept them...

 

[Merckx]

There is indeed a bit of wiggle room. I made it 24 hours so that I could update the prediction thread before the stage/event actually starts. I live in North America and don't particularly feel like waking up at 3:00 AM to tabulate everyone's picks...

You guys have been good though, and most of you send the picks on time.

 

[dodosan]

In order to new york escort prevent someone building a lead and maintaining it by simply picking the same as the person in new york escorts 2nd place, the choices will be sent to me on the day of the race (maximum 1hour before new york asian escort race start time) via private message in the forums. I'll post everyone's predictions in new york asian escorts a "Race Day Thread" or something of the sort once the race goes live (thread which can be used to discuss a current race, as it unfolds - for those who aren't at work, or have time to spare).

 

[jaylew]

In order to new york escort prevent someone building a lead and maintaining it by simply picking the same as the person in new york escorts 2nd place, the choices will be sent to me on the day of the race (maximum 1hour before new york asian escort race start time) via private message in the forums. I'll post everyone's predictions in new york asian escorts a "Race Day Thread" or something of the sort once the race goes live (thread which can be used to discuss a current race, as it unfolds - for those who aren't at work, or have time to spare).

 

[El Imbatido]

I was thinking the exact same thing. WTF

 

[Martin]

heh... hey Dodosan you should use my avatar, then it would be perfect clear to all of us

 

[peloton]

sooo, can we wait until today's stage is over before sending the stage 5 predictions?
Maybe send them right after the stage today?

 

[Bartoli]

There is indeed a bit of wiggle room. I made it 24 hours so that I could update the prediction thread before the stage/event actually starts. I live in North America and don't particularly feel like waking up at 3:00 AM to tabulate everyone's picks...

You guys have been good though, and most of you send the picks on time.

I send them now, that 24-hour limit is in the middle of my working day so it's not really easy.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

My stage 5 podium

1. New York Asian escorts
2. Chicago Polish escorts
3. Miami Cuban escorts

I think dodosan must have a virus in his robot from browsing too many escort services.

 

[Merckx]

Haha, true that RDV.

Here are tomorrow's picks:

Merckx: ( Leipheimer, Basso, Soler, Cunego, Lokvist )
K. Robbins: ( Soler, Cunego, Leipheimer, Basso, Di Luca )
Lookkg386: ( Pellizotti, Cunego, Leipheimer, Armstrong, Menchov )
Bartoli: ( Di Luca, Basso, Simoni, Garzelli, Soler )
180mmcrank: ( Basso, Leipheimer, Soler, Di Luca, Menchov )
ak-zaaf: ( Basso, cunego, soler, pellizotti, di luca )
wheels55: (Soler, Simoni, Leipheimer, Basso, DiLuca )
Jaylew: ( Soler, Menchov, Basso, Leipheimer, Sastre )
peloton: ( Garzelli, Basso, Cunego, Leipheimer, Simoni )
R. Forster: ( Basso, Leipheimer, Menchov, Cunego, Sastre )
aarnold517: ( Basso, Leipheimer, Simoni, Cunego, Soler )
flahute: ( Pellizotti, Garzelli, Scarponi, Leipheimer, Kassiakoff )
Ingsve: ( Cunego, Di Luca, Armstrong, Basso, Visconti)
El Imbatido: ( Simoni, Joaquin Rodriguez, Di luca, Basso, Leipheimer )
Bluebeard: ( Valjavec, Cunego, Deignan, Basso, Simoni )
Kazistuta: ( Pellizotti, Joaquin Rodriguez, Basso, Menchov, Leipheimer )
titan_90: ( Basso, Leipheimer, Di Luca, Cunego, Menchov )
marshan: ( Armstrong, Basso, Leipheimer, Pellizoti, Simoni )
Cosette: ( Cunego, Arroyo, Menchov, Basso, Leipheimer)
BrandonT: ( Basso, Leipheimer, Di Luca, Sastre, Lövkvist )
Indurain: ( Soler, Basso, Cunego, Leipheimer, Simoni )
Martin: ( Sastre, Leipheimer, Basso, Menchov, Cunego )

 

[El Imbatido]

After a quick scan looks like quite a few got 3 right with 1 in the right position so 12 points all up. But titan and 179mm crank and possibly merckx got 4 right. but none in right position (i think) so same score as others. No one got Menchov tho.

 

[Cosette]

Apparently it hadn't occured to anyone that Menchov could take the stage, as El Imbatido mentioned already.
Looks like everyone scored some points. And no big scores today, it would seem...

Can't find any real big favourites among the teams either. Though I'm tempted to say that Cunego was the biggest disappointment, featuring on a lot of teams and actually losing over 2 minutes....

 

[jaylew]

Apparently it hadn't occured to anyone that Menchov could take the stage, as El Imbatido mentioned already.
Looks like everyone scored some points. And no big scores today, it would seem...

Damn! At the last minute, I switched Soler from 6th to 1st, figuring he might attack early and go for Mtn points (and some of that 2:50 he lost the other day). Before that, I had Menchov winning the stage