Who will win Tirreno Adriatico?

[LaFlorecita]

Quintana has no shot, Porte will get stuffed uphill, Kwiatkowski too...Alberto is back.

Venga venga

 

[LaFlorecita]

For the most part I agree with your line up. But if Contador is able to beat Kwiatkowski, than I think that Porte will be able to beat him as well.

I am counting on Alberto to distance them on Guardiagrele and imo Kwiatkowski will do better there

 

[rhubroma]

Venga venga

Look, and I may be wrong, but there's something in the air and it smells like 09-10.

 

[Roude Leiw]

Will be interesting to see how guys like Martin or Pinot will fare considering that they will lose time in both TT

 

[Marco Pantani]

P.S. And there's lots of jokes and sarcasm that many users miss, which is the funniest bit of forums imo

Agree on that one

 

[ianstannard]

It's going to be between Contador, Porte and Quintana. Don't really see how Kwiatkowski can win with uphill finishes. OPQS is probably riding for uran.

 

[karlboss]

It's going to be between Contador, Porte and Quintana. Don't really see how Kwiatkowski can win with uphill finishes. OPQS is probably riding for uran.

Yep Fleche Wallone has a flat finish and Kwiatkowski sucked there

 

[ILovecycling]

Yep Fleche Wallone has a flat finish and Kwiatkowski sucked there

He doesnt follow cycling this long.He is a bit of classics "virgin" (sorry for this term ianstannard),so a little bit of kindness wouldnt be bad from you

of course u are right.

 

[ianstannard]

So Kwiatkowski is probably going to win TDF this year if his climbing abilities and TT is better than Contador?

 

[LaFlorecita]

So Kwiatkowski is probably going to win TDF this year if his climbing abilities and TT is better than Contador?

Uphill finish =/= MTF

 

[Escarabajo]

baffled at the number of kwiat votes

people seems to confuse early season lulz (Algarve,Oman,etc) with probably most prestigious stage race after the 3 GT's

imo kwiat doesn't make the podium

+1.

This has happened more than once before. Early season form or peak versus real big guns. I am not sure if Kwiat is in that class with the others. Maybe similar to Uran, but that's it.

 

[Publicus]

So Kwiatkowski is probably going to win TDF this year if his climbing abilities and TT is better than Contador?

It doesn't work like that. Stage races are dramatically different than GT and not just because the former are usually 7 days or less and the latter are 21 days. The climbs are different (much longer), the collective level of ALL of the riders at the TDF is much higher than the pre-TDF stage races and how riders respond to the 21 days plays a big role (recovery). This isn't to say Kwiat won't be a GT contender some day--it's just not likely to be this year (lest the Clinic go thermonuclear)

 

[Tashkent Terror]

Very tricky choice, SKY look very strong and though I hope they don't do it my head says Porte.

 

[Publicus]

Omega Pharma TTT performance really makes this Kwiat's race to lose.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Omega Pharma TTT performance really makes this Kwiat's race to lose.

Yep, Contador needs to take at least 40s on him on the climbs. Porte 30 I'd say. Quintana at least 40 too.

 

[EnacheV]

Uran has big chances now imo after TTT

 

[Publicus]

Yep, Contador needs to take at least 40s on him on the climbs. Porte 30 I'd say. Quintana at least 40 too.

It's entirely possible that Porte/Quintana/Contador can put both Uran and Kwiatowski in difficulty because of their lack of support in the mountains. One of them is going to have to sacrifice for the other. My guess is its Uran.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Will have to move Talansky out of the way. Zero chance now.
Can't see anybody preventing a Steppers 1-2 here.

 

[VeloHuman]

Sucks for Talansky, he's got just the makeup for this race but the TTT squad was terrible today. Worse than Lampre?! Can't have that. Dani Moreno and Michele Scarponi can probably bid farewell to any hopes they had as well.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Sucks for Talansky, he's got just the makeup for this race but the TTT squad was terrible today. Worse than Lampre?! Can't have that. Dani Moreno and Michele Scarponi can probably bid farewell to any hopes they had as well.

Has Garmin ever made such a poor TTT result before?
I know the form in these events are pointing somewhat downwards, but this is really remarkable imo.

Agree, Lampre and Astana will need to do something special. Not sure the terrain provides the opportunity this year however.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Yep, Contador needs to take at least 40s on him on the climbs. Porte 30 I'd say. Quintana at least 40 too.

I think they'll need more than that. Kwiatek will kill them in the TT. Panzerwagen style.

Their best bet is that he'll try to go with the very best on that wall finish for too long.

 

[VeloHuman]

Has Garmin ever made such a poor TTT result before?
I know the form in these events are pointing somewhat downwards, but this is really remarkable imo.

Agree, Lampre and Astana will need to do something special. Not sure the terrain provides the opportunity this year however.

Many of the riders that made Garmin a big name in the TTT are moved on or just old now. They don't really have a lot of big chrono guys here other than Talansky and the now 37 David Millar.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

they have Dekker, but he's currently not even a shade of what he used to be on TT's

 

[Hugo87]

they have Dekker, but he's currently not even a shade of what he used to be on TT's

We can forgive you that for obvious reasons.

2009 is far behind now.

 

[rhubroma]

I think they'll need more than that. Kwiatek will kill them in the TT. Panzerwagen style.

Their best bet is that he'll try to go with the very best on that wall finish for too long.

How do you reckon that? In the two TT's in last year's Tour Kwiatek did better than Contador in the first, but worse in the second.

Now considering that Alberto is in great form, certainly the best in years at this point in the season, it is quite possible that the Spaniard is the faster.

Perhaps it's just me, and it may be that after his suspension he will never again be so dominant, but I think some people just don't realize AC's class.