Where's Liquigas?

[scribe]

I was hoping for something monumental when the Pyrenees opened up, but they were really no where to be found. No driving up to the climb, little presence, and then out the back. Not sure if they are packing it in and looking ahead to the Vuelta or what.

 

[perico]

Basso is showing that it is a bit to hard to pull off the double these days, but kudos to him for trying...

Kreuziger maybe is not all he has been cracked up to be. Maybe he is better suited to 1 week tours. Who knows at this point...

 

[scribe]

I can understand the emphasis of the Giro for them, but dang, they looked unstoppable there. I figured it might carry over to here.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

kreuziger has stagnated in past 2 years. already on his physical top much like popovych when he was 23.

nibali and pellizotti aren't here and basso already won the giro. szmyd also rode excellent giro. the others can't be expected too much from

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I can understand the emphasis of the Giro for them, but dang, they looked unstoppable there. I figured it might carry over to here.

in italy nobody cares about the tour. only the giro counts

 

[scribe]

I think it goes to show the days of multiple GT winners in a season is well behind us, as team strength can't seem to carry over consistently enough (without broken down buses). I don't even see Contador risking it anymore.

 

[The Hitch]

in italy nobody cares about the tour. only the giro counts

Really?

Thats good news.

Anyway, as for Liquigas, they forgot to bring Sagan.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Really?

Thats good news.

Anyway, as for Liquigas, they forgot to bring Sagan.

sagan is 19. you can't do a gt that young it would be bad for his future. Never let a rider younger than 22 do a gt under normal circumstances.

 

[Big GMaC]

Clean Basso?

 

[scribe]

Clean Basso?

I suppose. He looked pretty dang good at the Giro, and licking at the top 10 here is a really good place in retrospect.

 

[ttrider]

Yeah lets be honest Basso has done really well in comparison to Menchov last year, his real level is probably 3rd best and yet he totally failed last year due to fatigue

I think Basso with no Giro could have top 5

 

[theyoungest]

Yeah lets be honest Basso has done really well in comparison to Menchov last year, his real level is probably 3rd best and yet he totally failed last year due to fatigue

I think Basso with no Giro could have top 5

Don't think so. The fact that Scarponi was able to stay with him on most of the Giro climbs must mean something. Also, take a rider like John Gadret: being French, I don't think he peaked for the Giro. Yet he did much better there than at the Tour. All of this indicates that the level at the Giro just wasn't as high as it is at the Tour. Which shouldn't be surprising.

 

[nesocip]

Im pretty confident to say that on this years tdf (talking about the route) with this years Giro form Basso would be easily 3rd. If not 2nd.

 

[El Pistolero]

Im pretty confident to say that on this years tdf (talking about the route) with this years Giro form Basso would be easily 3rd. If not 2nd.

The route might be harder in the Giro, but it's your opponents that make a stage rage harder. I think it's obvious which Grand Tour has the best opponents of the world fighting against each other for the overall victory.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Don't think so. The fact that Scarponi was able to stay with him on most of the Giro climbs must mean something. Also, take a rider like John Gadret: being French, I don't think he peaked for the Giro. Yet he did much better there than at the Tour. All of this indicates that the level at the Giro just wasn't as high as it is at the Tour. Which shouldn't be surprising.

Scarponi nearly won tirreno 2 years in a row against very strong pt competition. scarponi is an excellent climber. basso in shape would've done top 3 in tour this year. gadret also focussed on giro. because the course suited him much better he said at beginning of the year and look at vino. he seems very strong in giro and tour.

 

[Yossarian12]

Doubling @ GTs

I think it goes to show the days of multiple GT winners in a season is well behind us, as team strength can't seem to carry over consistently enough (without broken down buses). I don't even see Contador risking it anymore.

Will we not find out this year, as AC will ride the Vuelta, no?

I think a double is very possible if it is Giro/Vuelta or TdF/Vuelta. Doubling with the TdF as the second race is so difficult due to the specialists focusing on the crown jewel (TdF). Plus with the sprint teams amping the pace on the flat and transitional stages, there are few chances to recover. I heard Hampsten address this a few years ago.

 

[theyoungest]

Scarponi nearly won tirreno 2 years in a row against very strong pt competition. scarponi is an excellent climber. basso in shape would've done top 3 in tour this year. gadret also focussed on giro. because the course suited him much better he said at beginning of the year and look at vino. he seems very strong in giro and tour.

Basso in top form can't outclimb any of the guys who are above him in GC right now. With the exception of Leipheimer, maybe.

Scarponi is a good climber, for hilly races. Before this year's Giro he hadn't shown much in the real mountains.

 

[saganftw]

there are many top riders in this TdF someone has to miss top 10...im not so much dissapointed with basso - two grand tours back to back is almost impossible to do well - but im really dissapointed with kreuziger who seems like strugling to get better as he was expected

they still have nibali for vuelta possibly,pelizzoti is big question...overall they are having great season but against TdF focused competition (AC,AC,menchov,some other guys) its hard to compete even for one of the top teams in the world

 

[LKing25]

All of the main protagonists at the Giro have tanked at the Tour (Basso, Evans, Wiggins, Sastre). I think its just to much to ask to perform at both of the tours these days.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

and vino?

 

[theyoungest]

All of the main protagonists at the Giro have tanked at the Tour (Basso, Evans, Wiggins, Sastre). I think its just to much to ask to perform at both of the tours these days.

Wiggins and Sastre weren't great at the Giro either. Sastre is over the hill, I guess, and Wiggins has botched his preparation... or just isn't very good.

 

[saganftw]

and vino?

vino is not considered as GC candidate...thats why he is allowed into breaks and thats why it seems like he is doin a lot of noise when hes riding...on the other hand basso with top 10 in tdf seems like dissapointment after giro...but they are both riding well

 

[nesocip]

Basso in top form can't outclimb any of the guys who are above him in GC right now. With the exception of Leipheimer, maybe.

You are saying that based on what exactly?

Looking at average speeds, this year's Giro wasnt much slower then this tour, and it had a tougher route.

 

[killswitch]

and vino?

He was with AC on the cobbles, made the breakaway to mende, attacked yesterday from 10 km to the finish and led today the yellow jersey group for 3 km on the last climb. Navarro and Tiralongo were the last domestiques to stay with Bertie in the Alps. If Vino destroys the field in the 3 remaining stages then he is surely doped. So far his performance is not extraordinary imo.

BTW it's not surprising that Basso, who had the least racing days this year compared to Cuddles, Cunego, et al is highest in Tour's GC of all those who completed the Giro.

 

[Ryaguas]

Liquigas...

I was expecting a lot from them... specially with the team that they had... but seems that they are really tired from Il Giro... Kreuziger cracked today but Basso managed to stay there... not with the top 5 but he is pretty close... lets see if he peak in the third week cuz is now or never... I still have some hopes in Kreuziger and I want him for and stage victory or to be in the top 10...