The Great Grand-Tour-Game 2012

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Woohoo GUARDINI brings me the record.... WOW !!!

 

[Ferminal]

Where did Bennati finish?

 

[boomcie]

Where did Bennati finish?

Think he quit a few days ago.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Congrats to Boomcie and Waterloo Sunrise too, for this awesome pick. I think that finally saved the cut for you guys too.

P.S.:
All-Time-Leaders most correct stage win picks in one GT;
Cobblestoned 7 (unofficial) at TdF 2011
Foxxy 7 at Giro 2012
Boomcie 6 at Giro 2011
Mortand 6 at TdF 2011

p.s. P.S.: Tomorrow w/a great chance to cement the record for forever. Pozzovivo needs to attack & win, to have a podium chance.

 

[Froome19]

No. He wasn't inconsistent. He had a small fracture in his collar bone. And he only really showed himself on the Alpe d'huez stage and in the TT.



He didn't look thát good in the previous races. He did look impressive in that breakaway with Taaramäe, but the peloton didn't really contest him there. He stated many times that his form wasn't very good at the time. And how was he going to beat Westra there? Westra finished 2nd in the GC, only 8 seconds behind Wiggins?? De Gendt finished 29th, over 7 minutes down, with his breakaway neutralizing the time loss of the second stage.

Where on earth do you get your info?

I read an interview with him right after PN where he said that he was going really good there and he indeed looked really strong and he would have gone for GC if not for his loss of time on stag e2 and then he changed his tactic to losing time and then getting in a break. I dont think many normal riders can utterly destroy Taramae like that , he was constantly attacking throughout the race and imo looked as strong as his teammate if not stronger.

wiggins barely beat westra (who also couldnt match him on the climb) so I assume you mean tdg would have been better then wiggins also.

Very possibly

 

[boomcie]

Froome seriously. What are your sources? Grimms' fairy tales?

De Gendt was not on top of his game in PN (he was too heavy as well there) and he was never going to beat Wiggins or Westra.

 

[The Hitch]

I read an interview with him right after PN where he said that he was going really good there and he indeed looked really strong and he would have gone for GC if not for his loss of time on stag e2 and then he changed his tactic to losing time and then getting in a break. I dont think many normal riders can utterly destroy Taramae like that , he was constantly attacking throughout the race and imo looked as strong as his teammate if not stronger.


Very possibly

There were 3 major facts to take out from De Gendt's Tour

1 He crashed, injured his collarbone and people were asking how many days he would remain in the race
2 He, despite the injury, managed to 2 weeks later finish Alpe d huez (major alpine mtf) in a group with Schlekc Schleck Evans Cunego and Velits, 6th on the stage.
3 Despite this tremendous effort on a mtf, he pretty much shocked everyone, the very next day, producing an out of this world time trial to beat known time trial specialists like Richie Porte, Fabian Cancellara who had not spent themselves the day before like he had done, as well as 3rd week tt specialists into 4th place.

 

[gerundium]

Middle of the pack in the world division and now down to the wild card spots -_- How things change.

I got to hope Rujano wins today and Basso wins tomorrow because i failed epicly in the last TT, have basso down to win stage 21 :-$.

fingers crossed!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I read an interview with him right after PN where he said that he was going really good there and he indeed looked really strong and he would have gone for GC if not for his loss of time on stag e2 and then he changed his tactic to losing time and then getting in a break. I dont think many normal riders can utterly destroy Taramae like that , he was constantly attacking throughout the race and imo looked as strong as his teammate if not stronger.


Very possibly

if were to believe every rider when they say they have amazing form and can win this or that, well you get the point. Don't be so naive.

No doubt TdG is a massive talent, but really westra was excellent at PN, and it is unlikely TdG would have been better.

You always discuss speculation as if it were fact.

--

anyway I have jrod today, basso tomorrow and thomas for the tt.
would rather basso for both i think

 

[Froome19]

No....

Scarponi 4th, just pipped by Purito
This has already happened a number of times to me throughout this Giro

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

not feeling very confident despite getting 0.5 from jrod.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Congrats Rabo-Timmy. The only scorer today (w/JRod).

I´ll do the provisionals later. I guarantee, they´ll be more exciting than this BS-Giro. If not this game, rooting for Top-20 riders, i´d have fallen asleep...

 

[Sylvester]

I should make the cut, I guess. 3,5 points now.

stage 20: Basso - 0 points plausible, 0,5 possible, 1 unlikely
21: Bennati - 0

Final GC:

1 Scarponi - 1 point
2 Rujano - 0
3 Basso - 1 or 2
4 JoRodriguez - 1 or 2
5 Kreuziger - 1
6 Cunego - 1
7 Gadret - 1 or 2
8 Pozzovivo - 1
9 Hesjedal - 1
10 Szmyd - 0 or 0,5
11 Uran - 1
12 FSchleck - 0
13 Tiralongo - 0,5 likely, unless he cracks big time tomorrow
14 Cataldo - 1 or 2
15 Serpa Perez - 0
16 Dupont - 0,5 or 1 (or even 2)
17 Henao - 1
18 Nieve - 1
19 DMoreno - 1
20 Ulissi - 0,5 or 1 (or even 2)

18 points would be a worst-case scenario, and even then I might just make it.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

I should make the cut, I guess. 3,5 points now.

stage 20: Basso - 0 points plausible, 0,5 possible, 1 unlikely
21: Bennati - 0

Final GC:

...

18 points would be a worst-case scenario, and even then I might just make it.

That looks pretty save.
------------
Intxausti lost 41 mins today what a devastating blow...

 

[cycladianpirate]

I'm in freefall and long gone!

However, just one thing. Isn't Mortand the defending champion? Maybe it's just a 'chess' thing - but it doesn't seem right that he doesn't get through to, at least, Le Tour.

Your decision Foxxy, but thanks for everything. If only the riders in the Giro had your work ethic.....

 

[aarnold517]

I'm going to have a great score tonight with gadret, nieve, and moreno all in the right spot....problem is that sets me up to lose 3 points the next two days

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

I'm in freefall and long gone!

However, just one thing. Isn't Mortand the defending champion? Maybe it's just a 'chess' thing - but it doesn't seem right that he doesn't get through to, at least, Le Tour.

Your decision Foxxy, but thanks for everything. If only the riders in the Giro had your work ethic.....

Yes he is and he´ll do qualify w/o help . He always comes back late like Rabo-Timmy

I'm going to have a great score tonight with gadret, nieve, and moreno all in the right spot....problem is that sets me up to lose 3 points the next two days

Correct. You look pretty well placed today...

Provisionals after 19 stages;

As said earlier, this game is more exciting than this boring Giro. Lots of ups and downs. I was victim too. Lost big, b/c all my correct placed riders dropped to some other place and i lost Intxausti.

It´s gotten even tighter with todays stage, thanks to the action behind the dull racing of the leaders.

At least 41 of 44 players still have a chance to make the cut. That´s even more thrilling than the usual wild card race for NFL-Playoffs.

Europe;
24,0 The Hitch
22,0 Froome19
22,0 minessa
21,5 FoxxyBrown1111
21,0 jsem94
20,0 Kazistuta
20,0 Sylvester
19,5 Eshnar
19,5 search
18,5 DominicDecoco
18,0 Hartog*
18,0 mortand (WC)*
--------------------------
18,0 cycladianpirate*
18,0 Ruudz0r*
17,5 spalco
17,5 AntonioRossi
17,5 Dekker_Tifosi
17,0 jens_attacks
16,5 al_pacino
16,5 vladimir
15,0 Bavarianrider
14,5 The Amateur
* Hartog w/20 scores, beats mortand (19), cycladian (19) and Ruud (17).
Mortand w/15 Top-20´s beats cycladian (14) for the final direct qualifier.

World;
23,5 Jakob747
23,0 Timmy-loves-Rabo
22,0 aarnold517
21,0 roundabout
20,5 barmaher
20,5 Tuarts
20,0 Ferminal
20,0 kirill-loko
19,5 18-Valve. (pithy)
19,5 boomcie
19,0 gerundium
19,0 gooner
---------------------
18,0 FF'Wilco
17,5 Duartista
17,5 Vitapen
17,0 Jan the Man
17,0 Mellow Velo
17,0 Waterloo Sunrise
16,5 macnir
16,5 Sasquatch
16,5 sucotash
10,5 Eric8-A

Wild-Card-Standings;
18,0 FF'Wilco
18,0 cycladianpirate
18,0 Ruudz0r
17,5 Duartista**
17,5 spalco**
17,5 Vitapen**
--------------------------
17,5 AntonioRossi**
17,5 Dekker_Tifosi**
** Duartista & spalco w/20 scores each beat Vitapen (19), Antonio (19) & Dekker (18).
Duartista w/6 stage scores is ahead of spalco (4).
Vitapen w/6 stage scores beats Antonio (4) for the final wild card qualifier.

 

[Ferminal]

Looking a bit safer now.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Yeah. Was always having an eye on your placings since i called you the pre game favourite. As you said (somehow) last year "only the final standings counts"...

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Oh man looking safe but I suspect it is because my riders are in the right place. I bet next two days will be a disaster :-D

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Some of them maybe, but since you are Mr. Comeback-from-laterne-rouge, i doubt you´ll miss the cut. I rather guess you finish No. 1 in world division...

 

[Vitapen]

I really need some points now.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

IIRC correctly it´s the first time you´d be qualified. Anyway, only the final standings count. So better have a comeback than a meltdown like me...

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

oh i think bad day for me :|
fingers crossed

 

[Sylvester]

Lol, I have 19. Moreno 20. Ulissi; now it's 19. De Greef 20. Moreno + 39" 21. Ulissi + 2'26". I need Moreno to ride the TT of his life or to be crushed by Ulissi (De Greef collapsing would be even better)

Cunego now exactly in 6th (didn't expect that) and Pozzovivo in 8th. Oh, and Dupont in 16th. Dupont looks safe, Pozzovivo just needs to beat Nieve and Gadret (who can't TT at all), Cunego might pass Basso or get caught by Uran, but I think I'm safe at this stage, unless the TT produces some very, very strange results. Min. 19 points, max. 24,5, 21 likely.