Tirreno-Adriatico stage 7: Civitanova Marche - San Benedetto del Tronto 164km

[this_is_edie]

The Profile:

The finale:

Top 10 GC
1 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli 26:59:00
2 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone 0:00:02
3 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:12
4 Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana 0:00:22
5 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0:00:27
6 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia 0:00:29
7 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 0:00:33
8 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:00:42
9 Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 0:01:04
10 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 0:01:07

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Said it on the previous thread, so I'll repeat.

Cav to open his account.

 

[Jamsque]

If Cav goes for it, I think he will win. If I was his DS, though, I might consider telling him to sit up and not contest the sprint. If he isn't in good form then there is no point in denting his confidence by having him get beaten by his big rivals, and if he is on good form then he may be better off going in to M-SR as a complete unknown quantity. The guy loves to win, though, so I'd expect him to go for it regardless.

 

[Frosty]

I dont think Columbia-HTC have done much in this race so they should be reasonably fresh? Having said that, Bert Grabsch was riding along at the back and has now withdrawn so maybe they're not quite that bothered about tomorrow's stage?

Difficult to know what form Cav is on. Excluding him, i think Boonen should take it.

 

[Bike Boy]

Or maybe Bennati will continue his dominance

 

[this_is_edie]

Going with Bennati on this one

 

[taiwan]

Even if Cav's got some form back by this point, I can't see him quite having the beating of Boonen yet. Nor has Bennati, I don't think.

 

[Big GMaC]

The now obligatory:

BOONENFTW

Hop on the back of the Liqui/Columbia train, then come round for the win, he is in great form right now and ready to party

 

[St. Elia]

Well for sure it could be Cav but Bennati has the form and is on home soil, Boonen is for sure a contender. For sure a sprint un less cancel does one of his solo finishes, I'll go with him just to be different

 

[rghysens]

Mark my words, Boonen will abandon in the feed zone, Benatti for the victory

 

[Sasquatch]

lol @ boonen abandoning.

What is that based on?

Bennati or Farrar will win tonight. I'm leaning Farrar. Though, it wouldn't surprise me to see Cavendish over the line first.

 

[craig1985]

Would like to see McEwen win, but he won't IMO.

 

[sublimit]

Farrar for the win and Cavendish a close second.

perhaps Sutton to have a go at the sprint, it'd be interesting to see how he gets on against this field of riders.

 

[Big GMaC]

lol @ boonen abandoning.

What is that based on?

Having looked at the map on Google Earth it appears the feedzone is located very close to a highly exclusive gentleman's club. I understand his desire to stop there now.

 

[craig1985]

Having looked at the map on Google Earth it appears the feedzone is located very close to a highly exclusive gentleman's club. I understand his desire to stop there now.

He might be in for a rude shock to find that it would be closed when he stops by. Unless the stage is going past there at 10pm.

 

[Big GMaC]

He might be in for a rude shock to find that it would be closed when he stops by. Unless the stage is going past there at 10pm.

I am pretty sure that as a platinum member they could find the time to accomodate him

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

If Cav goes for it, I think he will win. If I was his DS, though, I might consider telling him to sit up and not contest the sprint. If he isn't in good form then there is no point in denting his confidence by having him get beaten by his big rivals, and if he is on good form then he may be better off going in to M-SR as a complete unknown quantity. The guy loves to win, though, so I'd expect him to go for it regardless.

I don't think they will take the risk of taking it easy at MSR again. It would e foolish to make the same error twice..

 

[hmronnow]

Are there bonus seconds for intermediate springs? How many sprints? Can we see the GC sprinting for seconds?

 

[Hammerhed]

But why did Tommy put himself into the breakaway on stage 6, only to let himself be dragged back in? Was he on a lark, shaking out the hams? When the pack caught him, he didn't look any worse for the wear, so I too think he is in top form after his first win ever on Italian soil the other day. It would be cool to see a BenniTomCav mad dash wouldn't it? But Cav is better off trying to sneak into a front row slot at MSR, maybe unchecked. Sure.

 

[tgsgirl]

But why did Tommy put himself into the breakaway on stage 6, only to let himself be dragged back in? Was he on a lark, shaking out the hams? When the pack caught him, he didn't look any worse for the wear, so I too think he is in top form after his first win ever on Italian soil the other day. It would be cool to see a BenniTomCav mad dash wouldn't it? But Cav is better off trying to sneak into a front row slot at MSR, maybe unchecked. Sure.

Boonen was just testing. A hard training ride if you will. And I don't think anyone's gonna make the mistake of disregarding Cav twice.

 

[Ferminal]

Are there bonus seconds for intermediate springs? How many sprints? Can we see the GC sprinting for seconds?

3, 2, 1 seconds at the "TV" points.

Are Acqua & Sapone strong enough to make something happen?

 

[craig1985]

I am pretty sure that as a platinum member they could find the time to accomodate him

I suppose they have to use up their supply of Bolivian Marching Powder.

 

[Big GMaC]

I suppose they have to use up their supply of Bolivian Marching Powder.

Don't worry, it will be rapidly metabolised into Belgian Rampaging Powder. FTW

 

[bicing]

Breakaway with Lokvist, Ignatiev, leading by 1.5 minutes with 11.5 kms to go.
Plus a Columbia, Lampre, Astana rider.

 

[Jamsque]

Breakaway with Lokvist, Ignatiev, leading by 1.5 minutes with 11.5 kms to go.
Plus a Columbia, Lampre, Astana rider.

It's déjà vu all over again! They are re-playing the end of yesterday's stage.