Will Joaquim "Purito" Rodriguez retain the MR to the end?

[Wigwan]

Why has Hesjedal's TT skills suddenly been so hyped? He's not even going to be close to putting 2 min into J-Rod in the final TT.

Well, Hesjedal was 4 minutes faster than Purito in the last TT at le Tour 2010.. If Ryder can survive the Mortirolo and the Stelvio, Purito don't stand a chance.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Why has Hesjedal's TT skills suddenly been so hyped? He's not even going to be close to putting 2 min into J-Rod in the final TT.

It's not hyping someone's TT skills to suggest that they can put 2 minutes into J-Rod in a medium to long TT. At least on J-Rod's previous final TT record.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

I think pressure test and trampling down already await Purito on Giau . He will channel off on the climb. And this will be only a start... I predict, he will take 5th or 6th place in Milan.

explain please.

 

[Wigwan]

How good is Purito as a descender? Can he drop Basso if they are together at the summit? If yes, how much time can he get.

 

[hrotha]

easy and lame? rooting for riders? what do you mean?
[...]

I'm not talking about admiring a rider for his talent or acknowledging who the best riders are, I'm talking about rooting for someone. Wanting to see him win. Being happier when he wins than when someone else wins. In that sense, supporting those who dominate the sport is easy and lame, IMO, because it basically means you're just a fan of winning, not of the rider himself; after all, a part of supporting someone is celebrating (to some degree) his victories, so if you're going to root for the big guns who win all the time, well, I get the feeling that you're on a bandwagon because you're all about winning, not about loyalty, and it comes across as shallow. For me, the underdog factor is very important when rooting for someone. If that someone later develops to become one of the sport's greats, that's even better. For me, the happiest cycling moment of my life was watching Camenzind win the 1998 WC, because I had been a fan since the 1996 Tour (when he was a neo-pro).

I'm using a general "you" throughout this post, by the way.

 

[airstream]

explain please.

I'm sure Basso and Scarponi got over the weekend stages having something in store and clearly understanding which stages will be decisive. No, I don't say they could catch Purito at Pianni Resinelli, he was the strongest and deserved, but I don't believe Rodriguez is able to pass dreadful "palisade" Dolomities stages at their level. 9%+ climbs is paradise for these 2 aurochses. That's a completely different genre where one shouldn't have a punch at all. Vice versa, here, a key skill is ability to ride in a smooth pace, salvage oneself and not to drop oneself by sufficient activity. Purito is not absolutely accustomed to that kind of work.

 

[will10]

I'm sure Basso and Scarponi got over the weekend stages having something in store and clearly understanding which stages will be decisive. No, I don't say they could catch Purito at Pianni Resinelli, he was the strongest and deserved, but I don't believe Rodriguez is able to pass dreadful "palisade" Dolomities stages at their level. 9%+ climbs is paradise for these 2 aurochses. That's a completely different genre where one shouldn't have a punch at all. Vice versa, here, a key skill is ability to ride in a smooth pace, salvage oneself and not to drop oneself by sufficient activity. Purito is not absolutely accustomed to that kind of work.

You really are a special kind of troll.

 

[taiwan]

Actually his being all over these first weeks of the Giro is a bit worrying. Sort of like Vino and Evans in 2010. He may be hedging against difficulties in the third week. At least someone has been doing something these stages, though.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

You really are a special kind of troll.

Naah, Come on ... he is one of the pillars cn forum.

 

[issoisso]

Naah, Come on ... he is one of the pillars cn forum.

The only way he's like a pillar is that you don't want to run into him without looking, and all he ever does is support who/what happens to currently be up top

 

[meandmygitane]

Well, Hesjedal was 4 minutes faster than Purito in the last TT at le Tour 2010.. If Ryder can survive the Mortirolo and the Stelvio, Purito don't stand a chance.

For the sake of furthering the discussion

- Hesjedal (51th) was 3:37 faster than Rodriguez (153rd) over 52km.
- The ITT in this year's Giro is 30km, which would work out to 2:05 to Hesjedals advantage

But is this ITT representative for Rodriguez?
Rodriguez placings (from CQranking) from ITTs per year, only 10+km and no mountain TTs:
2010: 7-41-153*-109*
2011: 13-121-33-39*-59-71*
2012: 6
* TT in a GT.

His worst placing was from the Tour 2010 (where he was 153rd), it is not, to me, obvious that his performance there is indicative of how he will do in this year's Giro.

And a specific comparison:
San Benedetto dello Tronto in Tirreno-Adriatico 2011 and 2012 (same course, 9.3km)

Winner 2011/2012: Cancellara 10:33 / Cancellara 10:36
Rodriguez 2011/2012: 121th, +1:41 / 59th, +0:52

My opinion: Rodriguez ITT looks a bit better this year than in the past. At maximum Hesjedal will take 2 minutes (if J-Rod bad, Hesjedal good form) but more likely it will be around a minute.
Also Rodriguez (best ever?) TTT makes me suspect that Katusha has been working in the wind tunnel for this season, which could be to J-Rods advantage.
(I may post again on this subject if the GC develops in that direction)

 

[usedtobefast]

I must confess- I like him a lot- He's aggressive & entertaining to watch-apart from that-a very classy rider-- BUT his GT record reveals that he always suffers a mayor decline during lengthy climbs and/or falters on key stages. Without a mention, his limited skills against the clock, has taking away higher standings in all GT's he's participated in...
Will be the case for Joaquim in this year's Giro-or perhaps he's learned the lessons from the past and is ready to claim his first GC?

please opine

majik 8 ball says no.

 

[Random Direction]

My suspicion lands me in the Clinic.

 

[hfer07]

majik 8 ball says no.

Does majik 8 ball mind to elaborate why not?

 

[airstream]

You really are a special kind of troll.

I'm afraid I'm just a bit more observant than you while watching the races. OK, what is your counter-evidence in favor of Rodriguez?

 

[the asian]

J Rod will finish 2nd to RoboBasso

 

[LaFlorecita]

Naah, Come on ... he is one of the pillars cn forum.

Lol nice zam

 

[LaFlorecita]

J Rod will finish 2nd to RoboBasso

I hope so. That would be epic.

 

[karlboss]

I like Rodriguez he is a specialist and his speciality is spectacular to watch.
Will still be in pink after stage 18, but not after 19 and out of it after 20 with a TT to come. I would be over the moon to see him make the podium, but that's a stretch.
Can't see past Basso and Scarponi for the top 2 steps.

 

[Galic Ho]

football = soccer

Its perfectly normal as a sports fan to support particular teams instead of most of the teams. And I actually do support riders outside of BMC like cancellara, schlecks.

The top part is not correct. Soccer may equal 'football' in your corner of the world, but outside Europe, South America and to a degree Africa, the terms are not synonymous. There is a reason what Europeans refer to as football is called soccer in other countries. That is because in those countries, football is a game where diving prima donnas are not fawned and worshipped. They are annihilated. Football as a term used in my country, refers to the round ball game known as soccer last of all sports that can be considered 'football' in name. Football is beaten by Rugby League, Rugby Union and AFL in what Aussies consider to be 'football' hence why we call it soccer.

If I say I am going to the football, nobody assumes soccer. Nobody. So football does not always equal soccer.

Anyway, JROD...hmmmnnnn. Good to see him still going strong. Can he win? Historically I'd say he's in for some major time loss, but normally that has happened by now. Why not hey? Maybe he's improved enough. Wins Fleche Wallone this year, why not fix those chinks in his GT GC armour while he's at it? I can see him, Basso or Scarponi all winning. Just depends who has form.

 

[karlboss]

The top part is not correct. Soccer may equal 'football' in your corner of the world, but outside Europe, South America and to a degree Africa, the terms are not synonymous. There is a reason what Europeans refer to as football is called soccer in other countries. That is because in those countries, football is a game where diving prima donnas are not fawned and worshipped. They are annihilated. Football as a term used in my country, refers to the round ball game known as soccer last of all sports that can be considered 'football' in name. Football is beaten by Rugby League, Rugby Union and AFL in what Aussies consider to be 'football' hence why we call it soccer.

If I say I am going to the football, nobody assumes soccer. Nobody. So football does not always equal soccer.

So does which one does Rodriguez play?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Soccer may equal 'football' in your corner of the world, but outside Europe, South America and to a degree Africa, the terms are not synonymous.

Don't be silly. I'm from Ireland, where "football" generally means Gaelic Football, but the fact is that Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Canada are aberrations in that regard. Pretty much everywhere "football" means "soccer". That's true in more than 90% of countries.

 

[Galic Ho]

Don't be silly. I'm from Ireland, where "football" generally means Gaelic Football, but the fact is that Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Canada are aberrations in that regard. Pretty much everywhere "football" means "soccer". That's true in more than 90% of countries.

Silly? Only silly people in Australia, NZ, USA and to my best knowledge Canada call soccer anything but soccer. World Cup is of course referred to as the 'Football' WC but only because that is the official terminology. Soccer is the used vernacular because 'football' refers to more prevalent sports in these countries. Football and soccer MAY be the same sport in one country but not enough to make it a general rule that sport is instinctively called 'football' above and beyond other codes referred to as 'football'. 'Football' does not mean soccer where I live and it never will. Proof is in the existance of 'soccer' as a term.

Of course when in Rome, switch vernacular and terms appropriately so as not to be silly. I assume in global forums football = soccer unless I know someone calls it 'soccer' which means they mostly deliberately refer to what they call 'football' by it's officil title to compensate the foreign sensitive types who get all mushy.

@karlboss. Rodriguez is Spanish, so he'd play football...mixed in with theatrics and diving, if the national team is anything to go by. BTW I was cheering for Spain in 08 and 10...not anymore. Germany and Holland FTW

 

[dlwssonic]

Rodriguez will falter in the final weekends stages.

Yes I think he might on the stelvio or something like that, he always seems to do so. Hopefully for him it will be different this time. plus he will lose packets of time in the final TT.

 

[greenedge]

The fact that he didn't lose time in cervinia, a stage which didn't suit him at all, and that he smoked everyone hard yesterday, has gotten my hopes up again regarding the third week. His morale will be higher than ever.

He did to Hesjedal.

I think JROD has a big chance but will really need to be on the top of his game to combat Basso, Scarponi and Hesjedal.