"The Damiano who won the Giro no longer exists"

[Alexzulle]

When your team manager says this it is pretty evident that something you had before isn't there anymore.

 

[ak-zaaf]

When your team manager says this it is pretty evident that something you had before isn't there anymore.

Youth. Innocence. Gilberto Simoni.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Well, the answer seems fairly obvious. From his fairly candid statements this past May, he's now riding clean when he wasn't in the past.

I personally like the way he races a bit more now. He won't win a GT, but he is exciting to watch, and I think he's matured as both a tactical racer, and a person. Gibo even seems to get along with him again.

 

[issoisso]

I've been saying this since he won that Giro. Until about 2007 the fanboys used to call me names. Then they stopped. I wonder why

He won a Grand Tour thanks to tactical and route circumstances that were a major coincidence and will likely never be repeated. Good for him, but it's pointless to insist. He's realized that just because he won the lottery once, he won't win it again no matter how hard he tries to.

Good for him that he's stopping the "I wanna be a GC guy" nonsense. By focusing solely on the classics, there's a chance he can become the world's number one at them.

Should be interesting to follow

 

[issoisso]

I've been saying this since he won that Giro. Until about 2007 the fanboys used to call me names. Then they stopped. I wonder why

He won a Grand Tour thanks to tactical and route circumstances that were a major coincidence and will likely never be repeated. Good for him, but it's pointless to insist. He's realized that just because he won the lottery once, he won't win it again no matter how hard he tries to.

Good for him that he's stopping the "I wanna be a GC guy" nonsense. By focusing solely on the classics, there's a chance he can become the world's number one at them. It's the same transition that worked well for both Rebellin and Bettini. They too did well as GC riders before they finally realised their strengths lay elsewhere.

Should be interesting to follow

 

[craig1985]

I mean even McGee finished 8th. WTF?

 

[ludwig]

Well, the answer seems fairly obvious. From his fairly candid statements this past May, he's now riding clean when he wasn't in the past.

While I hate to be a negative nelly, I don't see how one arrives at this conclusion. When people talk about his transition they speak about him turning into a Bettini or a Rebellin...those are clean riders? Cunego won Lombardia the same year he won the Giro. If he was dirty then what makes you think he's clean now?

 

[blaxland]

I've been saying this since he won that Giro. Until about 2007 the fanboys used to call me names. Then they stopped. I wonder why

He won a Grand Tour thanks to tactical and route circumstances that were a major coincidence and will likely never be repeated. Good for him, but it's pointless to insist. He's realized that just because he won the lottery once, he won't win it again no matter how hard he tries to.

Good for him that he's stopping the "I wanna be a GC guy" nonsense. By focusing solely on the classics, there's a chance he can become the world's number one at them. It's the same transition that worked well for both Rebellin and Bettini. They too did well as GC riders before they finally realised their strengths lay elsewhere.

Should be interesting to follow

+1 agreed......and maybe some others should follow his lead..say cadel evans maybe?

 

[blackcat]

he also won the white jersey in the Tour, and when Frank won Alpe d'Huez he beat Cunego in the last km.

He has shown alot since the Giro, just not as consistent as a guy on a big program. I reckon he is on a small maintenance program.

Basso is on a medium program, Cunego just maintenance.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I've been saying this since he won that Giro. Until about 2007 the fanboys used to call me names. Then they stopped. I wonder why

He won a Grand Tour thanks to tactical and route circumstances that were a major coincidence and will likely never be repeated. Good for him, but it's pointless to insist. He's realized that just because he won the lottery once, he won't win it again no matter how hard he tries to.

Good for him that he's stopping the "I wanna be a GC guy" nonsense. By focusing solely on the classics, there's a chance he can become the world's number one at them. It's the same transition that worked well for both Rebellin and Bettini. They too did well as GC riders before they finally realised their strengths lay elsewhere.

Should be interesting to follow

+1
I think he could still do well in 1 week tours like Rebellin did e.g. Paris nice.

 

[auscyclefan94]

+1 agreed......and maybe some others should follow his lead..say cadel evans maybe?

-2000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

evans has always been consisten in gt's, cunego has won a giro and after that his best has been the bottom half of the top ten.

 

[forty four]

in fairness cadels gt results are not comparable to cunego. cadel is consistently almost there with the big win cunego does not have the same gt ability.

 

[auscyclefan94]

in fairness cadels gt results are not comparable to cunego. cadel is consistently almost there with the big win cunego does not have the same gt ability.

at that stage, people thought cunego was going to be the next big thing in world cycling with the classics and the grand tours. he's had a few top tens at giros but the past few years have been dry from him. i remember LA saying last year that cunego was too small to be a gt rider. i think in a GT cunego good be a good super domestique for a gt rider.

 

[issoisso]

at that stage, people thought cunego was going to be the next big thing in world cycling with the classics and the grand tours. he's had a few top tens at giros but the past few years have been dry from him. i remember LA saying last year that cunego was too small to be a gt rider. i think in a GT cunego good be a good super domestique for a gt rider.

In all fairness, I also remember Armstrong saying Cunego would be the next big thing for Grand Tours

 

[blackcat]

Armstrong says alot of things to court the respective national tifosi 'cross the conitinent.

Like that media ***** Megan Fox whenever she goes to a new foreign country she always says something provocative like how she thinks this <insert national icon> is sexy.

Just a pr strategy.

 

[skidmark]

Well, the answer seems fairly obvious. From his fairly candid statements this past May, he's now riding clean when he wasn't in the past.

Can you remind me what those comments were? I was away from computers in May and I don't remember hearing about this. Thanks.

 

[Digger]

Can you remind me what those comments were? I was away from computers in May and I don't remember hearing about this. Thanks.

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2009/may09/may21news

"there are stage classifications and then there is life's classification."

 

[Anonymous]

Perhaps the 2004 Giro was not the most competitive, and it's good that he and his manager have acknowledged his GC days are over, and now he can refine himself as one of the best current one-day racers.

I have to agree with others that he could still target week-long stage racers along with his obvious hilly classics talent.

Oh and comparing his GC success to Cadel Evans' GT consistency, and implying assistance... , you can't be serious?

 

[luckyboy]

in fairness cadels gt results are not comparable to cunego. cadel is consistently almost there with the big win cunego does not have the same gt ability.

I would rather have a single GT victory than a load of 2nd places

 

[workingclasshero]

Armstrong says alot of things to court the respective national tifosi 'cross the conitinent.

Like that media ***** Megan Fox whenever she goes to a new foreign country she always says something provocative like how she thinks this <insert national icon> is sexy.

Just a pr strategy.

or perhaps she is a slút and actually does find someone in every country sexy (still not had her on my door or bed mind)

 

[issoisso]

or perhaps she is a slút and actually does find someone in every country sexy (still not had her on my door or bed mind)

She looks like you can catch STDs just from looking at her

 

[blackcat]

She looks like you can catch STDs just from looking at her

I used the well worn aphorism "meedja hore"

 

[workingclasshero]

She looks like you can catch STDs just from looking at her

i'm in trouble then

going off the amount of time danielle lloyd's spent with her in my head she check herself as well

 

[samb01]

He has shown alot since the Giro, just not as consistent as a guy on a big program. I reckon he is on a small maintenance program.

Basso is on a medium program, Cunego just maintenance.

Once again you confirm that your beliefs are unfalsifiable.

 

[BikeCentric]

+1 agreed......and maybe some others should follow his lead..say cadel evans maybe?

No, Evans IS a Tour rider - he does have the consistency for 3 weeks and has shown it several times now in solid podiums. Also, Evans does not have much of a sprint at all while Cunego does. You pretty require a decent finishing sprint to be successful at one day races or you will just finish in the lead group a lot like Evans does.