Rumour: Zomegnan to be fired

[Descender]

These are just rumours, but word around the journalists circle in the Giro is that RCS Sport are planning to dismiss Angelo Zomegnan from his position as director of the Giro as soon as this Giro is over.

I read it on the twitter page of this Spanish El Mundo journalist, who quotes Italian sources from the newspaper Tuttosport: http://twitter.com/#!/FernandoLlamas

 

[Michielveedeebee]

These are just rumours, but word around the journalists circle in the Giro is that RCS Sport are planning to dismiss Angelo Zomegnan from his position as director of the Giro as soon as this Giro is over.

I read it on the twitter page of this Spanish El Mundo journalist, who quotes Italian sources from the newspaper Tuttosport: http://twitter.com/#!/FernandoLlamas

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last 3 Giro's were focking epic !

 

[El Pistolero]

Owned.

Could care less though.

 

[Descender]

Owned.

Could care less though.

Well then DO care less!

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Paying for the Crostis fiasco or choosing a parcours that has given too many wins to the Spaniards?

 

[The Hitch]

Horrid news. Ruins my day.

 

[roundabout]

This Giro was a failure but the conflict must run deeper than that.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

The sound of a thousand Forum dwellers screaming.

Personally it makes sense - he clearly mismanaged the situation to allow it to be taken over his head, and for the long term, his recent routes have left him with nowhere to go now that he's tried to defne excitement in terms of sheer volume of MTFs.

He's discounted his product too much, and undermined the pure value.

 

[Benotti69]

Paying for the Crostis fiasco or choosing a parcours that has given too many wins to the Spaniards?

there is a reason the Spaniards are winning and it isnt Zomegnan's fault

 

[King Of The Wolds]

He's discounted his product too much, and undermined the pure value.

Definitely some truth in this. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. MTF are supposed to be anticipated, not become the norm.

 

[El Oso]

If true this is a shame. The Giro has generally been the most exciting race over the past few years. He actually has the huevos to make a challenging course. I hope the riders and directors whining about his courses hasn't caused his downfall. Granted this year might not be the most exciting Giro due to Contador being extraterrestrial (see Basso, Ivan, 2006), and other issues, but I don't think they are Zomegnan's fault.

The 2009 and 2010 Giro's were some of the better stage races I've seen and this year's had the same promise.

 

[The Hitch]

Definitely some truth in this. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. MTF are supposed to be anticipated, not become the norm.

There were as many stages for the sprinters as MTF's.

MTF's if numerous allow, some other riders to actually contest as well. See Weening, De Clerq, Gadret flying off, giving it all for their moment of golry. See yesterday and today. Other riders given a chance to show thesmelves.

= more teams happy. More riders happy. They earned it.

The fans are happy as they see excitement.

If Cav Pettachi and a few others just divide 12 srints between them then thats just wrong.

Oh its pretty obvious which 2 or 3 stages Schleck and co will contest at the Tour while softpedaling the rest. The only difference between the TOur and the Giro is that instead of another 3 Cav sprints "yey how fun" we get mountain stages instead.

 

[riobonito92]

He's discounted his product too much, and undermined the pure value.

Disagree

Until a few years ago the giro was in danger of becoming the Italian championship / warm-up race for the TdF.

Now it has unique appeal as the hardest, most mountainous, most exciting race on the calendar. Winning the giro has regained its significance. And only one or two of this year's stages have not been gripping to watch.

And any idea that the Tour of California could be a serious rival is dead.

 

[Polish]

The 2011 route was designed way back when to attract Alberto.
Not sure if Alberto was paid a fee to show up.
In hindsight, maybe not a great idea.
Although an Italian may still end up winning 2011 by default.

Not inviting Radioshack in 2010 a minor snafu.
2009 was a Great Edition. Maybe a bit dangerous though.

 

[The Hitch]

Idont get this "if its too good then you cant improve hence its bad" line of reasoning.

So what? They should aim for mediocrity?
Just to have room for imporvement every year.

No. people have the Tour and Vuelta to remind themselves what mediocrity is then when the Giro comes a long they can see greatness again.

 

[Moviefan1203]

Probably a smart move, the Giro can do much better than him. While he has made exciting races, there is much more to grand tour success than exciting races.

 

[roundabout]

There's a lot to improve about this Giro but Zomegnan would just find a climb with even more insane percentages instead of focusing on the things he failed at this year.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

If Cav Pettachi and a few others just divide 12 srints between them then thats just wrong.

Nobody wants that either. A GT should have variety and the big mountain stages should be the centrepieces. The stage (great as it was) that Nieve won should have been anticipated for days - but it felt like an afterthought after the Zoncolan stage the day before. To have nothing for the sprinters to stick around for after Stage 12 is just wrong also.

 

[hrotha]

Fernando Llamas cites several reasons, and honestly after reading them this is perfectly understandable:
1. Long and pointless transfers. Recurring complaint by pretty much everyone.
2. The Crostis fiasco. Lots of money spent for nothing.
3. The change in the Milan TT course, when the circumstances surrounding the stage were known at the time the Giro was designed.

Now the more or less BS reasons:
4. Zomegnan criticized the RAI guys after Orvieto.
5. Too tough of a course, and badly balanced (the first half I consider BS, but the second half I'd say is true)
6. They don't think the route was fitting for the Giro of the 150th anniversary.

The most damning of these points IMO is #1, since it's the only one that isn't just about the 2011 Giro and frankly those transfers are getting out of hand.

 

[thirteen]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last 3 Giro's were focking epic !

my thoughts exactly.

really upset if this is true...

 

[The Hitch]

There's a lot to improve about this Giro but Zomegnan would just find a climb with even more insane percentages instead of focusing on the things he failed at this year.

He included strade bianchi he included TA type stages he included stages by the coast. He should have included another flat itt yes but there are 2 major city time trials.

We all know the failure of the Giro was down to Contador coming and beating up on everyone else. Much like 2009 Tour. Without him it would have been an epic Giro. Also because of what happened with poor Wouter.

But that had nothing to do with organization.

And what brings out the fans? A sprint stage a hilly stage or a new Hors Hors Hors Catergory Giro climb?

Which stage has everyone been getting off on? Umm stage 2? Stage 10. Stage 12? Stage 6.

Or stage 15?

Theres a reason why he went for the climbs. It works.

 

[UpTheRoad]

This Giro was a failure but the conflict must run deeper than that.

How so? The parcours was awesome and there is still some great stages to come. Just because AC is running away with it doesn't mean AZ is to blame in the least.

The WW death was a tragic accident and the Crostis section would have been amazing. Recall how tired everybody was on stage 15? Imagine how tired they would have been if they had to do the Crostis before Zoncolan the day before.

This Giro doesn't stack up to last year's in terms of the actual racing, but that is not AZ's fault.

I agree that if this rumor is true, the true conflict is something else.

 

[Bala Verde]

They must hate excellence.

 

[The Hitch]

Fernando Llamas cites several reasons, and honestly after reading them this is perfectly understandable:
1. Long and pointless transfers. Recurring complaint by pretty much everyone.
2. The Crostis fiasco. Lots of money spent for nothing.
3. The change in the Milan TT course, when the circumstances surrounding the stage were known at the time the Giro was designed.

Now the more or less BS reasons:
4. Zomegnan criticized the RAI guys after Orvieto.
5. Too tough of a course, and badly balanced (the first half I consider BS, but the second half I'd say is true)
6. They don't think the route was fitting for the Giro of the 150th anniversary.

The most damning of these points IMO is #1, since it's the only one that isn't just about the 2011 Giro and frankly those transfers are getting out of hand.

Why do people always need to go for the red button. Yes those were mistakes.

A friendly word. An ultimatum. From now on less transfers. No more crap like Milan and Crostis (though latter wasnt his fault anyway).

But no, they got to go and fire him

 

[thirteen]

the man is as passionate as the tifosi about cycling and it shows in the course and hoards of fans road side. he fought for what we wanted.

plus, he has class. he showed up to Wouter's funeral even though he really didn't need to (the course was not the cause).

passion and class, what am i thinking? obviously he can't be involved in the current hierarchy of cycling

bah, humbug!