Who will win the Giro d'Italia 2019

[Singer01]

Re: Re:

Voted Dumoulin but I go back and forth between him and Yates, if both have decent luck, no sickness/crashes (big if) I don't see anyone else having a chance.

Really? Roglic doesn't have a chance?

I get people saying there may be bigger favourites than him but that he doesn't have a chance is just not true.

For me he isnt as good a TT rider as TD and not as good a climber as Yates. And he hadn't ridden GC with real expectations on his shoulders. He's obvious favourite to round out the podium though.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

I think Bigmouth will strike again, regardless of how underwhelming he has been all spring.

I see Yates as the biggest challenger to him and MAL/Nibali as the other two possible winners.

I don't really believe in Roglic for the same reasons that others here mention. I also still think he's too much of an unknown quantity in grand tour GC to qualify for the top favourite role in a Giro with a field this strong. It must also be worrying for him to know that his TT might not be as good as a weapon after three weeks as it is in the short one-week-stage races.

 

[Escarabajo]

It is dead even between Roglic and Dumoulin.

This Giro could give unexpected results. We couldn't ask for better outsiders like Nibali, Landa and Lopez. Anything can happen.

Additionally, there are like three stages that could be queen stages in any other Tour. Add to that the altitude changes. It would be very interesting.

 

[Frankschleck]

I think Domualin vs Yates.

I think it might be to hard for Roglic, but then again he useaully just proves me wrong, so him and Lopez defiantly have a chance. I also think Zakarin will be up there contending podium but hard to see him win.

 

[Robert5091]

Re:

It is dead even between Roglic and Dumoulin.

Remember last years Giro when Dumoulin was second best to Yates for two weeks?

 

[The Barb]

If Roglic can even maintain his recent level (let alone improve) then this is his to lose.

Yes, he is inexperienced in Grand Tours but he has shown himself to be strong in the final week (Stage 19 of last year's TDF, for example).

He is also extra-ordinarily well-rounded. Not just as between climbing and time trialing but also descending (again, Stage 19 last year's TDF) being punchy on short climbs, and having a tremendous finishing sprint for a GC rider.

He has the potential to turn some Grand Tours into processions over the next 3-4 years (especially if Bernal can't stay upright and/or get given the opportunities that he deserves).

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Vincenzo Nibali's last blaze of Glory in a GT!

Seems that way. He should be super motivated. Looking forward to the race.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

It is dead even between Roglic and Dumoulin.

Remember last years Giro when Dumoulin was second best to Yates for two weeks?

Means nothing. You don't win GTs over two weeks and that's the difference between good and mediocre grand tour riders. Yates paid for his early aggression last year. But it's going to be an issue for him against Roglic and Dumoulin anyway. He and Lopez have to be aggressive in the mountains to have any hope. I'm sure he learnt a lot from last year's Giro performance.

 

[Red Rick]

It really remains to be seen if it's really paying for the effort or just an idiosyncratic breakdown for Yates. He might just go equally hard and never break down like that again.

 

[Pricey_sky]

I think last year Yates just came in to the Giro already peaking, he was easily the strongest for 2 weeks but faded big time and had nothing left. He got it right in the Vuelta, and was strong in the final mountain stages.

This years route suits those who can build up and peak in the 2nd and 3rd weeks, and he’s going to need to take a fair chunk of time there as there aren’t many opportunities until at least stage 13, whether he can do it against Dumoulin and Roglic combined is another question.

 

[barmaher]

I think Roglic will win it but like others, I don't have a clue.

I would be fairly confident that it will be a great Giro. I just wish stages 6 and 7 were a bit tougher. It would have been easy to put a few more climbs into them.

 

[Mayomaniac]

The thing with Roglic is that he's the only favourite who has been flying all season long, all the others had a slower approach. Only MAL was flying durning the early season, but he took a +40 break from racing from the Giro. So Roglic is the only one with that kind of approach, that's the main reason why i think that he could fade.

 

[Blanco]

I think this race will go to the best climber, and this year it's going to be Mikel Landa.

 

[Summoned]

Went with Roglic because his career trajectory seems to indicate he is capable of enough improvement for a win here. I think Dumoulin has peaked, and while Yates may not have, I don't think he has as much room to improve as Roglic. Of course, this is all dependent upon Roglic taking that next step in his development. Many things happen on the road.

 

[King Boonen]

This thread is making picking my velogames squad very difficult...

 

[Mayomaniac]

Re:

This thread is making picking my velogames squad very difficult...

I found it easier than usual to pick a good team.

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

This thread is making picking my velogames squad very difficult...

I found it easier than usual to pick a good team.

I think it have a good team, I'm just not at all sure I have the best team I could pick!

 

[Mayomaniac]

Re: Re:

This thread is making picking my velogames squad very difficult...

I found it easier than usual to pick a good team.

I think it have a good team, I'm just not at all sure I have the best team I could pick!

Yes, that's usually the big question, I try to follow my gut feeling.

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

This thread is making picking my velogames squad very difficult...

I found it easier than usual to pick a good team.

I think it have a good team, I'm just not at all sure I have the best team I could pick!

Yes, that's usually the big question, I try to follow my gut feeling.

I do... Then I pick Nibali because "what if?!"

 

[Mayomaniac]

Re: Re:

This thread is making picking my velogames squad very difficult...

I found it easier than usual to pick a good team.

I think it have a good team, I'm just not at all sure I have the best team I could pick!

Yes, that's usually the big question, I try to follow my gut feeling.

I do... Then I pick Nibali because "what if?!"

My gut usually tells me to pick Nibali (not in the last Vuelta or the 2015 Vuelta, but otherwise I usually end up having him on my team).

 

[Red Rick]

Obviously the decision tree is go is

Check if Vincenzo Nibali in bike sace
Vincenzo Nibali in bike race >> "Vincenzo Nibali will win this bike race"
If Vincenzo Nibali not in bike race >> Check if Antonio Nibali in bike race

You get the drift

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Obviously the decision tree is go is

Check if Vincenzo Nibali in bike sace
Vincenzo Nibali in bike race >> "Vincenzo Nibali will win this bike race"
If Vincenzo Nibali not in bike race >> Check if Antonio Nibali in bike race

You get the drift

After Antonio, do you check for their father?

 

[Juan Pelota]

Roglic
Tom D
Yates

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

I think last year Yates just came in to the Giro already peaking, he was easily the strongest for 2 weeks but faded big time and had nothing left. He got it right in the Vuelta, and was strong in the final mountain stages.

This years route suits those who can build up and peak in the 2nd and 3rd weeks, and he’s going to need to take a fair chunk of time there as there aren’t many opportunities until at least stage 13, whether he can do it against Dumoulin and Roglic combined is another question.

He lost some time on the final mountain stage and looked very tired at the finish of the stage but tactically he did the right thing. His ride in the Vuelta was much better re keeping it together for the duration but the Vuelta is generally a weaker field as well. Last year no Roglic, Dumoulin or Froome and Nibali was in training mode. Still it was a good win for Yates. Mas finishing on the podium was a bit of an eye opener as well. Be interesting to see how he goes in this year's grand tours.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

It really remains to be seen if it's really paying for the effort or just an idiosyncratic breakdown for Yates. He might just go equally hard and never break down like that again.

Yeah the big time loss stage looked a bit bonk like. Can't remember if he had any illness or not.