Tirreno - Adriatico Stage 1, San Vincenzo -> Donoratico, 16.9 kms TTT (06/03/2013)

[Peccio89]

Quick step should be the favourite, and for what regard the GC Saxo and BMC will gain time on Sky.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

QuickSteap easily. Awesome team for a TTT.

 

[BlenJones2]

OPQS and BMC have great teams but I think Movistar could be a surprise. Taking Castroviejo and Dowsett so got TTers in their team and showed in the vuelta that they can do a job. But the form OPQS have shown recently I suspect theyll pull through

 

[will10]

Sky have never won a TTT on TT bikes. Their only ever TTT win was Qatar 2010.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Blanco to dominate

 

[Netserk]

Blanco to dominate

I thought you voted for Garmin

 

[Pentacycle]

Blanco to dominate

If they hadn't half a team with riders coming back from injury and illness, they'd have a genuine chance to let Slagter take the leaders jersey.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Nibali, Grudzev, Brajko, Kess and Muravyev will desimate every oposition!

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Phinney stepping on the gas will get the job done.

 

[theyoungest]

Blanco to dominate

Blanco to fall off their bikes in puddles of vomit, since half their riders are sick.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Blanco to fall off their bikes in puddles of vomit, since half their riders are sick.

They are sick... of winning!

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Blanco to fall off their bikes in puddles of vomit, since half their riders are sick.

so is this the downside of being in super form very early? Cold weather and no fat.

 

[theyoungest]

so is this the downside of being in super form very early? Cold weather and no fat.

For Boom, it's the downside of being Boom, very susceptible to colds etc. For the rest of them, I don't know.

They are sick... of winning!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK_4AORxNEA

 

[del1962]

RadioShack, surely. And Andy in maglia azurro (?)

Will Andy be able to keep up with his team?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

you would think that with a field of Contador/Froome/Rodriguez/Evans/Nibali etc ambitions would be a bit less for the GC and more for stagewins, but no Blanco's main priority for this race is the GC. So how exactly are Slagter and Mollema going to compete with that I wonder??

Ok Nibali is not much better uphill than Mollema but the others...

 

[Miburo]

Will Andy be able to keep up with his team?

He will obviously drop.

When will he drop? That's the question

I say 7 km.

 

[Netserk]

you would think that with a field of Contador/Froome/Rodriguez/Evans/Nibali etc ambitions would be a bit less for the GC and more for stagewins, but no Blanco's main priority for this race is the GC. So how exactly are Slagter and Mollema going to compete with that I wonder??

Ok Nibali is not much better uphill than Mollema but the others...

Silly Dutchie

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Silly Dutchie

I'm dead serious. Nibali rides more on guts than on skill uphill

 

[Netserk]

I'm dead serious. Nibali rides more on guts than on skill uphill

Do you think Mollema would be able to ride up Peyresourde as fast (give or take a few seconds) as Contador and Rasmussen did in '07? Froome, Wiggo and Nibali did.

 

[Pentacycle]

Do you think Mollema would be able to ride up Peyresourde as fast (give or take a few seconds) as Contador and Rasmussen did in '07? Froome, Wiggo and Nibali did.

Depends on their watt output. And Mollema's climbing level is still unknown, as he's still getting better each year.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Do you think Mollema would be able to ride up Peyresourde as fast (give or take a few seconds) as Contador and Rasmussen did in '07? Froome, Wiggo and Nibali did.

Mollema in top shape? Sure. Don't forget he already held Wiggins/Froome's uphill level in Vuelta 2011..only on Angliru he was dropped and Pena Cabarga (only by Froome though, not Wiggo)

However, on a long climb (I mean 15km+) I doubt it. I always have the feeling Mollema quickly runs out of gas on the really long climbs

But really, remember vuelta 11

 

[the asian]

1. OPQS
2. BMC
3. Saxo

 

[Netserk]

Mollema in top shape? Sure. Don't forget he already held Wiggins/Froome's uphill level in Vuelta 2011..only on Angliru he was dropped and Pena Cabarga (only by Froome though, not Wiggo)

However, on a long climb (I mean 15km+) I doubt it. I always have the feeling Mollema quickly runs out of gas on the really long climbs

But really, remember vuelta 11

IMO Froome and Wiggo took it to the next level in '12. And compared to the likes of Menchov, Poels and Monfort, Mollema wasn't really that impressive.

 

[uphillstruggle]

I'm dead serious. Nibali rides more on guts than on skill uphill

Nibali has 4 podium finishes at GT, one of which being on the top step.
Mollema has a 4th place in the Vuelta. There is now way Mollema is as good a climber as Nibali.
Guts are no replacement for ability, you simply cannot put out the watts on guts alone. Nibali is probably in the top 5 climbers in the world.

 

[jens_attacks]

Nibali is probably in the top 5 climbers in the world.

let's see

papy horner....contador...purito...rujano....yes he might be