Stage 7: Innsbruck - Chiavenna (244 km)

[Anonymous]

bertonlini is scaring the hell out of me.. christ.. blow the whistle now and give the man the stage.. he deserves it for that descent...

i still think columbia, lpr, got any sense they will keep out the way, avoid accidents and worry about the gc.. its not worth affecting your overall chances by crashing in the last couple of K...

 

[ingsve]

The break will make it I think. EBH takes it...

 

[Cobblestones]

Boasson Hagen in the lead group

 

[Anonymous]

wheres my live coverage.. lol...

i still fancy one of the garmin boys in breakaway, maybe EbH to have a run out in one as well...

and out of those 5 in the break now..

if EbH goes at about 1k then its easy for him..
anythng beyond that robbie all the way...

but i hope berto can hang in there.. he deserves something..

 

[Bala Verde]

I say Hunter...to keep the prediction interesting!

 

[ingsve]

I have a feeling EBH might be faster than Hunter even in a fair sprint. Hard to say for sure though.

 

[Bala Verde]

I guess you might be right, but perhaps hunter's experience tips the balance. I think much depends on who comes around the corner first..

 

[Anonymous]

I have a feeling EBH might be faster than Hunter even in a fair sprint. Hard to say for sure though.

i think he just needs to jump early.. EbH gets quicker as he goes, if he jumps at 1/1.5km i cant see them stopping him, if he leaves it under 1k i think he plays into robbies hands and robbie over a short burst will do him..

 

[Bala Verde]

Hunter is already playing poker

 

[jaylew]

Vigano can sprint as well.

 

[Cobblestones]

Yessss. EBH.

 

[ingsve]

Barneskirenn!!!

 

[Bala Verde]

I have a feeling EBH might be faster than Hunter even in a fair sprint. Hard to say for sure though.

Congrats... He was much better than Hunter... He didn't even give it a try =(

 

[kjetilraknerud]

That's the easiest win I've seen from a break

 

[Anonymous]

That's the easiest win I've seen from a break

like i say, EbH and Cavvy are the future of Team Columb*cough*Sky

His improvement over the last couple of years has been great, i think his improvement over the next few years could be even more.. start thinking about what classics he wont win..

 

[Bala Verde]

like i say, EbH and Cavvy are the future of Team Columb*cough*Sky

His improvement over the last couple of years has been great, i think his improvement over the next few years could be even more.. start thinking about what classics he wont win..

LBL; AGR and Fleche Wallone I guess...

 

[Mellow Velo]

A stage that matched the weather.........

 

[jaylew]

like i say, EbH and Cavvy are the future of Team Columb*cough*Sky

Why do you say that? Know something we don't?

 

[ingsve]

LBL; AGR and Fleche Wallone I guess...

I wouldn't be surprised if he can win a few of those as well. It depends what type of training he will focus on. Wether he will become a pure sprinter or if he will get even better at staying with the leaders over thougher climbs.

 

[ingsve]

Why do you say that? Know something we don't?

EBH was named early as one of the possible riders that Sky wanted.

 

[Bala Verde]

I wouldn't be surprised if he can win a few of those as well. It depends what type of training he will focus on. Wether he will become a pure sprinter or if he will get even better at staying with the leaders over thougher climbs.

Yes, like a bit like Haussler perhaps. The reason for me saying this, is that I think there will always be a better climber in any of those races, who would normally drop him, or drain enough of his energy so that he's not strong enough at the finish line. Staying with the leaders is something else than having the prowess to force the decision. Nonetheless, he is very strong and talented, but for now, if he wants to win those races, he'll have to be in that once in a lifetime 'lucky breakaway'.

 

[franciep10]

I always thought he could develop into that jens Voigt mold or a better version of him.

 

[ingsve]

My thoughts have been in the lines of Michele Bartoli or someone like that.

 

[gonchar]

I guess you might be right, but perhaps hunter's experience tips the balance. I think much depends on who comes around the corner first..

Then again. Boasson Hagen knows how to win races, cyclingbase have him at 30 before today. That's almost the same as Hunter. Of course mostly in smaller races, obviously. But still, he seems to know how to get there (look at Tour of Britain from last year (YouTube), he knows how to manage himself well in smaller groupes and technical finishes.

Nevertheless. Boasson Hagen did very well here, although he should share the bottle of bubbly with Pavel Brutt who chased down Bertolini. That was the real important moment in today's finish.

I hope Boasson-Hagen can deal with the amount of attention and increasing pressure there will be.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Trivia:
EBH became the third youngest rider to win a stage in the Giro, only 21 years and 363 days old. The second youngest ever was Filippo Casagrande in 1995 (21 years - 293 days), and the youngest was Leonardo Sierra in 1990 (21 years - 236 days)