What did this Giro teach us?

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Well, we've learnt that if Uran finishes the Giro 7th overall and wins the young rider's jersey at 25, he's considered a future GC contender. But Kreuziger, who finished 6th overall and won the young rider's jersey last year at 25, is apparently not a future GC contender. I have to say, I don't quite see the logic here...

Neither of them are future GT GC contenders, IMO.

 

[The Hitch]

Actually, the course of the first Tour week is pretty interesting. They're heading in the right direction, unlike the Giro.

any tour that goes through the north west and does not go over cobbles is a fail.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

If the TDF had first week with a poper hilly stage in Liege area/Ardennes, instead of Northern France and had a cobbled stage in Northern France....

That would be the best first week ever!

 

[Dazed and Confused]

after about 10 flat stages we learned that Cavendish is still the best sprinter in the world.

The GC came and went without many noticing. Blink and you missed it.

 

[barmaher]

- That most GT contenders should invest more training time on their time trial machines so when a race comes down to seconds they can use them effectively

But I think JRod did just that. For a man with his record in Time Trials, 25th (or thereabouts, I don't have the result to hand) is excellent. I thought he looked very good on the TT bike, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear that he spent a lot of time practicing it.

 

[FujiAnton]

- That without Contador we only need to watch the last 2 km of each stage, because nothing happens between gc contenders before that.

 

[El Pistolero]

any tour that goes through the north west and does not go over cobbles is a fail.

Definitely, cobbles should be in the Tour once every 2 years or something. Would help cycling out because some GC contenders would actually race the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix for some extra training. Armstrong did it in 2005. Didn't do too bad actually, but he faded when the big guns started firing.

 

[meandmygitane]

Hm, a little bit off topic, but it would be interesting to see which GT winner is the most northern, western, southern and eastern respectively:

West = Ryder Hesjedal (Giro 2012)?
East = Cadel Evans (Tour 2011)?
South = Cadel Evans (Tour 2011)?
North = Gösta Pettersson (Giro 1971)?

Maybe no one else finds this interesting but if you do and have suggestions, let me know.

 

[spalco]

Where's your starting point for east-west - Greenwich?

 

[theyoungest]

If the TDF had first week with a poper hilly stage in Liege area/Ardennes, instead of Northern France and had a cobbled stage in Northern France....

That would be the best first week ever!

Unless Cancellara decides to neutralize the hilly stage

 

[thehog]

So, what did this Giro taught us:

- Basso´s (Scarponi´s) days of winning GT are over.
- Kreuziger (and Tiralongo) are not GC guys.
- Was it Rujano´s last chance for Grand Tour glory?
- Colombians (Henao, Uran) confirmed they potential.
- Rodriguez showd his consistency, but he is 33, does he ever get a better chance to win GT?
- Pozzovivo is good, but not good enough to win GT over 3 weeks.

It certainly didn't "teach" us good grammar.

 

[LaFlorecita]

It certainly didn't "teach" us good grammar.

Lol wanted to post something similar to that but thought it was a bit harsh.

 

[Frosty]

Lol wanted to post something similar to that but thought it was a bit harsh.

Yeah, english isnt everyone's first language.

 

[Praetor]

That cyclists don't really think things through.

Supposedly, the whole peloton is clean or at least cleaner than 5 to 10 years ago, but still they start every stage ridiculously fast, making the whole bunch exhausted at the finish, creating duller and duller and duller and duller finals for every stage. All doped up, the could keep up that tempo for the whole stage (and for the whole 3 weeks), but those times are over.

Yet they persist with their crazy first couple of hours.

 

[Ferminal]

Where's your starting point for east-west - Greenwich?

Dateline I guess.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Unless Cancellara decides to neutralize the hilly stage

Don't remind me of that

 

[Carols]

But I think JRod did just that. For a man with his record in Time Trials, 25th (or thereabouts, I don't have the result to hand) is excellent. I thought he looked very good on the TT bike, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear that he spent a lot of time practicing it.

He did indeed, made it a priority and the results are indicative of his efforts. I'm believe now that he placed 2nd losing by only 16 seconds it will fuel his efforts to become an even better ITTer!

 

[Ruudz0r]

So, what did this Giro taught us:

- Basso´s (Scarponi´s) days of winning GT are over.
- Kreuziger (and Tiralongo) are not GC guys.
- Was it Rujano´s last chance for Grand Tour glory?
- Colombians (Henao, Uran) confirmed they potential.
- Rodriguez showd his consistency, but he is 33, does he ever get a better chance to win GT?
- Pozzovivo is good, but not good enough to win GT over 3 weeks.

Pozzovivo peaked for Giro Del Trentino so who knows what would have happened if he was in topform the 3rd week.

 

[Carols]

- That without Contador we only need to watch the last 2 km of each stage, because nothing happens between gc contenders before that.

Well isn't that just the truth...although in fairness this was really a bunch of GC diesels with limited attacking potential or panache.

 

[taiwan]

One audacious long range attack can be worth 10 cagey short range ones.

Better to go into a race as an outsider than a favourite.

Purito can ride a good GC, but is quite cautious.

De Gendt is going to be a big rider: GTs, Ardennes.

 

[ElChingon]

First off it taught me a few new rider names which had been hiding in the back of the pack.

Mainly things were re-iterated to me:

1. Winning a Prologue or Stage 1 TT, does not make a GT winner.
2. Spending a fortune for a bunch of supposed champions on one team does not guarantee a win or even long term advertising.
3. Riders get old and do lose their stuff (abilities to race, before you guys go off on a tangent).
4. The Juice made some riders very good and the lack of Juice shows they are not really that great.
5. Modern age racing is not as exciting as one would like it to be, but considering they are also off the wagon it goes to show they are human.
6. True rivalries are dead.
7. Cav can be beat fair and square. (they both got pushes up the hills there is no denying it so fair at any rate)
8. There are future stars in the peleton building themselves up to take on the challenge (hopefully with some attitude to race to win).

 

[virandociclista]

That GT without Alberto Contador is boring!

 

[Red Rick]

1. When about equal, riders are often afraid to lose
2. Backloading mountain's is a sin
3. Fränk doesn't give a **** about the Giro
4. I'll never laugh my *** of again at Purito on a TT bike
5. Riders should attack at the first mountain if they feel good, just to see who the opposition is.
6. Basso is fading and getting old, just as Scarponi who was too scared to try to attack from further away.
7. Rujano will never win a GT.
8. A new generation of GT riders has arrived, with a lot of colombians and TdG.
9. Cav can occasionaly be beaten, but if you really want to win, make sure he crashes.
10. Cavendish cares about the Giro more than a lot of other riders.
11. Guardini is the real deal.
12. Better have Proconti teams that aim for the Giro than WTteams that show up with crap (a.k.a. Rabo)
13. Mountains in the first and second week can't hurt the race.
14. Kreuziger didn't deliver, but showed mental strenght.
15. Bonifications on should come back.
17. You didn't realise i skipped 16.
18. You're either annoyed or amused by 17.
19. I might get a warning for this.
20. I just wanted to make 20, so i'll STFU now

 

[sagard]

That GT without Alberto Contador is boring!

This years Giro was better without him. It would have been a slaughter. Again. In fact the only way to keep the GC interesting with him in the race is to knock him over several times in the first half of the race.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Pozzovivo peaked for Giro Del Trentino so who knows what would have happened if he was in topform the 3rd week.

pozzovivo always fades away in a 3rd week and he also lacks true engine and big altitude climbs aren´t his thing either.