Giro D'Italia 2008 : Stage 5 - Wednesday, May 14: Belvedere Marittimo - Contursi Term

limerickman

Stage 5.

__________________
.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

Anticyclone

This stage is a bit like stage 2 with a climb to the finish. It isnt quite as long i think but it will still be too much for the sprinters. Indeed the sprinters may struggle to get to the bottom of the last climb owing to that hill not long before the finish.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/200...=stages/giro085

People getting dropped on the climb wont be contenders at the finish though. Ricco to win again? Think i will go for Di Luca

limerickman

Could be an interesting stage - 75km - 100km has some pipeopeners, and the end of the stage is up and down.

__________________
.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

EvilJediJ

I think Ricco is still a little banged up physically and mentally from his crash.

that leaves Di Luca or Rebellin, but for some reason I think it will be a surprise. Maybe a break.

Grater

Pellizotti to defend his pink jersey.

If he doesn't win stage 5, he will win stage 6 as stage 6 - the finish he won last year.

Anticyclone

The best way for Pellizotti to defend his pink jersey may well be to let a break finish ahead of the main group if the attackers aren't too high up on GC. This means that he sacrifices the possibility of a stage win but only has to finish in the same time as his nearest challengers (not a given though looking at the time gaps from stage 2). There is also the question of time bonuses if anyone close to him wins. As he finished fourth on stage 2 he may well prefer to let the right kind of break stay away rather than take a big risk. The sprinters' teams won't want to chase a break because the sprinters won't make the finish near the front. This leaves the onus on people like Di Luca's and Rebellin's teams although it will be up to Liquigas to keep the gap at not too large a margin. Will they be able to do the job? Di Luca's team may want to save themselves for the harder stages ahead while Rebellin's Gerolsteiner team will have been doing work for their sprinters in the last few days. Ricco might send his boys to the front although this depends on whether he is impeded much by his hand injury. If the break does stay away then maybe the win will go to someone who has lost time, is good on both hills and flats but not good enough to be a contender for GC? If so then someone like Nocentini or Voigt (there are probably loads of other people more likely though) could fancy the break or even Millar

limerickman

Pellizotti seems to be intent on defending the jersey.
Shrewd choice.

__________________
.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

Rolfrae

Liquigas have no GC favourite to work for in the weeks ahead so will work all out to keep the pink jersey. I think unless they are in the break Quick Step could help them out as the finish suits Betinni.

Eldrack

Slightly shorter finish, slightly steeper. I don't think Ricco can sprint out of the saddle at the moment so I'll go with Di Luca, as you'll need your team to deliver you to the front for the last climb, no selection having been made before hand.

Pellizotti should finish in the front group, possibly the front three and i'll round the podium out with say, Bettini.

I'd say Pellizotti is a GC favourite, top 10 and only 10:44 down last year despite having to work hard for Di Luca.

Rolfrae

Well, he's in the break.

Eldrack

And the break looks like it has at least some hint of a chance of staying away. If the break takes it by just a few seconds it plays into the hands of Liquigas, stops Di Luca scoring time bonuses...

Rolfrae

Think Liquigas are hoping Pelizotti can beat DiLuca in the sprint, they're certainly driving hard on the front of the bunch. Mind you, at the minute Pérez is also leader on the road.

Rolfrae

He almost had it, looked strongest of the break then his chain snapped I think at 1k to go. He threw his bike into the field in disgust.

thunder

Millar showed himself for the temperamental pratt that he is.