Giro D'Italia 2008 : Stage 1 - Saturday, May 10: Palermo (Team Time Trial), 23.6km

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Oh-my-god! Barloworld??? Where did that performance come from :eek:

Bloody hell...now the Astana trio is 15 secs down on Soler...cow's blood

;)

but who cares, they beat Astana. now the discatana will either:
- say that their poor team was unprepared
- immediately start saying that Barloworld is full of dopers - using the history of the riders forgetting about the astana riders & staff history

Euskaltel can already call it a successful GT. They beat a team in a TTT. :rolleyes:

Yep, I just thought, Barloworld?? wtf. But then again, I voted for Soler on this board's poll because it would be so cool.

ETA: Highroad's coming in ....

Yep, I just thought, Barloworld?? wtf. But then again, I voted for Soler on this board's poll because it would be so cool.
A pure climber winning a GT...reminds me of the last TdF. Astana need not worry, if Soler looks like winning the Giro I'm sure information about Soler's questionable whereabouts surface :)

A pure climber winning a GT...reminds me of the last TdF. Astana need not worry, if Soler looks like winning the Giro I'm sure information about Soler's questionable whereabouts surface :)

Well, I thought he maybe has improved his TT ability using a higher cadence or something. Seems I was right. ;)

ETA: Cadel Evans' team looks really great :eek:

ETA: Cadel Evans' team looks really great :eek:you mean when they went around a corner and dropped 4 riders? you'd think they'd never ridden a TTT before... :rolleyes:

HAHAHAHAHA

I'd be annoyed that I picked the wrong team for the win if I couldn't help but laugh at the fact Astana sucked today.

Really good way to start the Giro though, time gaps between GC contenders aren't so large as to ruin the race before it starts, and TTT's always give good pics.

Well, I thought he maybe has improved his TT ability using a higher cadence or something. Seems I was right. ;)

ETA: Cadel Evans' team looks really great :eek:
Too bad they forgot they need five riders at the line :D

HAHAHAHAHA

I'd be annoyed that I picked the wrong team for the win if I couldn't help but laugh at the fact Astana sucked today.

Really good way to start the Giro though, time gaps between GC contenders aren't so large as to ruin the race before it starts, and TTT's always give good pics.
Slipstream

+9 Nibali (Liquigas)
+14 Soler (Barloworld)
+28 Di Luca, Savoldelli (LPR)
+29 Contador, Klöden, Leipheimer (Astana)
+45 Bruseghin (Lampre)
+55 Karpets (Caisse d'Epargne)
+1.03 Ricco (Saunier Duval)
+1.04 Menchov (Rabobank)
+1.15 Sella (CSF Navigare)

Slipstream
+9 Liquigas
Nibali
+14 Barloworld
Soler
+28 LPR
Di Luca
Savoldelli
+29 Astana
Contador
Klöden
Leipheimer
+45 Lampre
Bruseghin
+55 Caisse d'Epargne
Karpets
+1.03 Saunier Duval
Ricco
+1.04 Rabobank
Menchov
+1.15 CSF Navigare
Sella
Simoni +51

Simoni +51
Thanks, I did the list on the fly and looks like I missed Serramenti.

This looks very good for Soler as well as Nibali. It is a bit surprising that Astana couldn't make any time on Di Luca. But I would just love to be in Bruyneels place right now: you have three riders to put on an attack on a mountain stage and the opponents must tire themselves by chasing. The first mountain stage is going to be interesting.

Millar must be in good shape. He'll have a good shot at the first and third ITTs.

Slipstream is likely to have a successful first GT.
Millar got dropped near the end...

Millar got dropped near the end...My understanding is that Millar deliberately pulled hard towards the end for the good of the team/sacrificing his own shot at the pink jersey (or at least that's what some reports I'm reading say) - he's quoted as being happy because the team won as that was the goal. So, if that's true, then I'd say he's in good shape at the moment ...

I don't think Nibali and Soler, even though they are threats to some extent to Astana for the GC, are that big a threat as others on that list. So, for a team with a week's preparation, to lose no more than 20 seconds to any team with even a meaningful GC contender (compare versus Liquigas; including Nibali and Soler), and to actually only lose 1 second to Di Luca/Il Falco is not bad. Gaining 35 seconds on Menchov and 22 seconds on Simoni is not bad.

As an American (instead of talking up Team Borat) - you should be pleased with Slipstreams win

I don't think Nibali and Soler, even though they are threats to some extent to Astana for the GC, are that big a threat as others on that list. So, for a team with a week's preparation, to lose no more than 20 seconds to any team with even a meaningful GC contender (compare versus Liquigas; including Nibali and Soler), and to actually only lose 1 second to Di Luca/Il Falco is not bad. Gaining 35 seconds on Menchov and 22 seconds on Simoni is not bad.

Musette, you are a trusting little flower - they knew what was happening in March, that they were going to the Giro and that's why they pulled Leipheimer back from the win so he'd be fresh for Italy.

Evans must be breathing a sigh of relief that there's no TTT in the Tour - Lotto were a shambles.

slipstreams sprinter julian dean didnt get dropped!! a time bonus and new zealand might get a pink jersey

My understanding is that Millar deliberately pulled hard towards the end for the good of the team/sacrificing his own shot at the pink jersey (or at least that's what some reports I'm reading say) - he's quoted as being happy because the team won as that was the goal. So, if that's true, then I'd say he's in good shape at the moment ...
yep onlysomewhatconfusedfan Millar intentionally pulled in the last 5kms, and shelled himself.

Why finish with 6,7,8,9, when you can shell each of those 4 and get a little quicker by depleting their reserves completely.

slipstreams sprinter julian dean didnt get dropped!! a time bonus and new zealand might get a pink jersey
the guy started off as a pursuiter, always could ride a 260km classic, so he had the power and the strength to be there.

You dont position yourself in the sprints without being very strong, and it has some parallels to being a leadout rider, less explosivity, more strength.

yep onlysomewhatconfusedfan Millar intentionally pulled in the last 5kms, and shelled himself.are you saying I should change my login name? "onlysomewhatconfusedfan" I think is too long though ... :confused: