Sprinters Giro 2015 Discussion Thread

[johngoat]

I think that the fastest 10 sprinters in the Giro 2015 are: Matthews, Greipel, Mezgec, Pelucchi, Modolo, Lobato, Viviani, Nizzolo, Ferrari and Appolonio.

Do I miss anyone?
Will old Alejet surprise me?

 

[May0maniac]

Maybe Ruffioni, Hofland and Bole could also get a few top 5 or even top 3, but other than that you've mentioned everyone. As far as I know Greipel will drop out after 2 weeks. It will be interesting to see what Lobato can do in a GT. Viviani only has Puccio and no train, I don't know if he'll be able to deliver.

 

[Lexman]

Will Matthews do the full 3 weeks, he might go for the sprinters jersey?

 

[Ioslarra]

What do you think about Ferrari?Will he sprint?
In some races this year he has been Modolo´s lead-out man.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Griepel >> others

 

[fauniera]

Who is Griepel?

 

[Miburo]

Who is Griepel?

Really dude? Got the comedy of a 5 year old?

 

[PeterB]

This year's Giro is so sprinter-unfriendly that it is a little wonder that there are so many of them. Albeit relatively lesser names only. The better ones among them like Nizzolo, Modolo and Viviani are there mostly because they are Italians I guess. Well, probably 3-weeks sufferring is worth 1 GT stage win (someone must win those few flat stages after all), for those that participate, that is.

Given that the field is not that deep, some other names might try sprinting: Sabatini (with Boonen leading out?), Zabel, Haussler, Colli, Gerrrans, Belletti, several riders from Bardiani... It will be quite refreshing if some less usual names sprint for a victory in a GT stage.

What do you think about Ferrari?Will he sprint?
In some races this year he has been Modolo´s lead-out man.

Ferrari and Richeze are both Modolo's lead out. As long as Modolo is ok, I can not imagine they would reverse the order.

 

[fauniera]

Who is Griepel?

Really dude? Got the comedy of a 5 year old?

Apparently. Gets boring to see this name written wrong again and again.

 

[Badeend]

I dont see Greipel dominating the sprints, only if Lotto deliver him perfect he can do his job. When it's getting hectic or rainy Greipel is lost.

 

[pablohidalgo7]

Moreno hofland!!!
He is in the top 5 five sprinters of the giro for sure.

 

[gunara]

So few stages to win, will they even be enough to win points jersey since I don't think no one of them will be dominant enough. And who come with dedicated helpers? I see Mezgec have some men for him, maybe Greipel too, not sure about others, haven't seen all the teams.

 

[SafeBet]

Dillier could try for BMC?

 

[Netserk]

7 sprint stages now makes it "so sprinter-unfriendly that it is a little wonder that there are so many of them" I guess only the 2004 Giro will satisfy you.

 

[Gloin22]

Re:

Maybe Ruffioni, Hofland and Bole could also get a few top 5 or even top 3, but other than that you've mentioned everyone. As far as I know Greipel will drop out after 2 weeks. It will be interesting to see what Lobato can do in a GT. Viviani only has Puccio and no train, I don't know if he'll be able to deliver.

Siutsou and Kiryenka are stronger on flat than most riders at Giro. They will position him just fine, it'll be up to him to decide what wheel to follow in the final so there's always element of risk, but still.

 

[PeterB]

Re:

7 sprint stages now makes it "so sprinter-unfriendly that it is a little wonder that there are so many of them" I guess only the 2004 Giro will satisfy you.

Let's see how the racing develops. But I do not expect more than 4 full-bunch sprints. To me that seems quite a few, from the perspective of a sprinter who must survive all the climbing in between. Or can this be considered a typical number of sprints per Giro?

 

[Netserk]

Only 4!?

6 are full peloton bunch sprints (2, 6, 10, 13, 17, 21). If the sprinters want to win those stages, attackers don't stand a chance. I don't get which two of those stages you seem to think won't be sprints.

Then there's stage 7 which could be a break or it could be a sprint. If the break is caught I highly doubt attackers will be able to survive. 50-100 men big bunch sprint.

Then there's stage 3 which could be a reduced sprint, but still from a big bunch, but for that to happen several teams have to work hard to control it.

That is not just enough stages for the sprinters (one third of the race), it's more than enough. It's too much.

 

[PeterB]

Stage 17 looks to me more for win from a break. And strictly from a probability point of view, on one other stage from your list I expect either an unexpected break, last minute attack, echelons, or crash, or aliens - simply something preventing from a sprint.

But I agree that much will depend on how much teams with sprinters will want to work for the sprint to happen. Strong teams that often drive the peloton like EQS, Sky, Katusha, Tinkoff, BMC will probably have other priorities, so it will be up to likes of Trek, Lotto, Giant, or Lampre to chase breakaways.

 

[Velolover2]

I've the feeling that Lobato will do very well. He easily outsprinted Degenkolb on the two uphill sprints of Tour of Andalucia, and would have denied Degenkolb the win in Dubai if the was in a better position. Matthews is certainly a more serious competitor since he is a better climber than Degenkolb. But I still think Lobato has an advantage over Matthews in bumpy and slightly hilly stages.

On the pancake flat, Griepel should win most, if not all of them. Maybe Viviani or Pelucchi could challenge him.

 

[search]

So few stages to win, will they even be enough to win points jersey since I don't think no one of them will be dominant enough.

you get more points for coming 9th in a sprint, or for winning an intermediate sprint, than for winning a mountain stage - so the answer is: yes, definitely.

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

I dont see Greipel dominating the sprints, only if Lotto deliver him perfect he can do his job. When it's getting hectic or rainy Greipel is lost.

Yeah, after Turkey and Paris-Nice I have little faith in Greipel, i think he'll win one stage but he won't finish on the podium in the other ones, he's not the sprinter that he used to be, he still has his power, but now he's totally lost in a hectic sprint.

 

[Asero831]

Lobato for the green jersey

 

[fauniera]

Lobato hasn't raced since the Ronde van Vlaanderen. He is really weird with his preparation, was the same before San Remo.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

Lobato for the green jersey

There is no green jersey in the Giro

 

[johngoat]

Lol,

I've forgotten Bardiani; maybe Ruffoni or Zardini will show us nice things.