2009 Giro : stage 16 : Monday, May 25 :Pergola - Monte Petrano 237 kms



This is one very very tough stage - coming as it does so far in to the Giro.

Monte Nerone and Monte Catria look to be particularly tough climbs.
 
Looks like a hot one too. temps over 30C in the valleys. I think they will start the racing early, with Liquigas looking to make it a really tough day.
 
Leipheimer will get dropped and will be totally out of it by the end of this stage...

Sastre will try a big move... he's been riding incredibly well and keeping his cards close to his chest but will let it all hang out on this stage.

predictions... i'm going with the killer to take back the jersey. not sure what Sastre has been hiding under the hood though.. don't think he has 3mins worth of it though.
 
I'm picking Pellizotti.
There was a bit of hard work done by some of the guys yesterday and I think he probably had the easiest ride since Basso was up the road so all he had to do was mark and sit in on the others and move when they did.

I to reckon Leipheimer will get done today and lose time, he can't match the others on the climbs when they wind up the pace. He'll have no team mates to help out by then either.
Sastre is probably playing a similar tactic to last years TDF although I don't think he can make up his time loss and enough to cover the final TT in on mountain stage, I think he'll need to do it over 2 stages.
I think he will have to make a move to cut some time if he has anything up his sleeve.
 
Diluca and Menchov will remain the front two, Levi I also think may struggle, Rogers will drop off also, But Sastre and Basso may be strong and out to gain time.
 
Liquigas will send Pellizotti on the attack on the penultimate mountain and before that they probably try to get a guy in the breakaway. I think yesterday was Basso's turn and today is Pellizotti's.
Menchov will follow Di Luca and Leipheimer so I don't think he'd go after Basso, Pellizotti or Sastre.
Leipheimer will follow the wheels of Menchov and/or Basso and hope they will fade on the final climb. His time difference to Menchov should be +/- 30 secs.
Finally I'll take a wild bet and say that Di Luca will be dropped on the last climb. If either Basso/Pellizotti/Sastre are up the road he might crack under the pressure of the chase group. I don't think he can climb (and we saw that in the TT) as well as Menchov and I might even say that he'll get dropped before Leipheimer.

My bet:
1. Pellizotti/Basso
2. Menchov +2.00
3. Sastre +2.00
4. Leipheimer +2.20
5. Basso/Pellizotti +3.00
6. Di Luca +3.00
Armstrong, Rogers, etc. +5.00
 
RdBiker said:
Liquigas will send Pellizotti on the attack on the penultimate mountain and before that they probably try to get a guy in the breakaway. I think yesterday was Basso's turn and today is Pellizotti's.
Menchov will follow Di Luca and Leipheimer so I don't think he'd go after Basso, Pellizotti or Sastre.
Leipheimer will follow the wheels of Menchov and/or Basso and hope they will fade on the final climb. His time difference to Menchov should be +/- 30 secs.
Finally I'll take a wild bet and say that Di Luca will be dropped on the last climb. If either Basso/Pellizotti/Sastre are up the road he might crack under the pressure of the chase group. I don't think he can climb (and we saw that in the TT) as well as Menchov and I might even say that he'll get dropped before Leipheimer.

My bet:
1. Pellizotti/Basso
2. Menchov +2.00
3. Sastre +2.00
4. Leipheimer +2.20
5. Basso/Pellizotti +3.00
6. Di Luca +3.00
Armstrong, Rogers, etc. +5.00
The stage will have started already wont it???? Where would be the best place to get updates.....live feeds wont start till 2/3 of the way through
 
sastre will go hell for leather at the bottom of the final climb, win the stage and take pink
 
I just read something about a brakre away.
dion, popo, belotti, sprick, jeannersson, lopen garcia, gomez gomez, danielson, wiggins, cunego, carlstrom, bossisio, cataldo, ardila, tjalingi, scarponi, de bonis, brutt, voigt, fernandez
 
Scotttri said:
The stage will have started already wont it???? Where would be the best place to get updates.....live feeds wont start till 2/3 of the way through
watch it online.
http://www.myp2p.eu/competition.php?competitionid=&part=sports&discipline=cycling
select the day, then there is a number of different options for your viewing pleasure, select the feed of choice.
It's in Italian so turn the sound down and go to EuroSport and select live audio.
(although with the French open on at the moment the audio starts a bit later throught the stage)

Alternatively go to http://www.cyclingfans.com/ they list a number off different live feeds.
 
Trev_S said:
watch it online.
http://www.myp2p.eu/competition.php?competitionid=&part=sports&discipline=cycling
select the day, then there is a number of different options for your viewing pleasure, select the feed of choice.
It's in Italian so turn the sound down and go to EuroSport and select live audio.
(although with the French open on at the moment the audio starts a bit later throught the stage)

Alternatively go to http://www.cyclingfans.com/ they list a number off different live feeds.
Thanx for that
 
Astana to set a fierce pace on the penultimate climb and then the final climb to stop people attacking Levi who isn't that great at accelerating. The pretenders to the throne will drop away one by one leaving a small group, time gaps between these guys won't be that great. Menchov to finish first out of the top people, then LL, then Di Luca and Pellizotti.
 
Eldrack said:
Astana to set a fierce pace on the penultimate climb and then the final climb to stop people attacking Levi who isn't that great at accelerating. The pretenders to the throne will drop away one by one leaving a small group, time gaps between these guys won't be that great. Menchov to finish first out of the top people, then LL, then Di Luca and Pellizotti.

If it pans out that way, Popovych is in a break 6 minutes up the road at the moment which could benefit Astana later in the race....or could put him right in contention
 
RdBiker said:
Liquigas will send Pellizotti on the attack on the penultimate mountain and before that they probably try to get a guy in the breakaway. I think yesterday was Basso's turn and today is Pellizotti's.
Menchov will follow Di Luca and Leipheimer so I don't think he'd go after Basso, Pellizotti or Sastre.
Leipheimer will follow the wheels of Menchov and/or Basso and hope they will fade on the final climb. His time difference to Menchov should be +/- 30 secs.
Finally I'll take a wild bet and say that Di Luca will be dropped on the last climb. If either Basso/Pellizotti/Sastre are up the road he might crack under the pressure of the chase group. I don't think he can climb (and we saw that in the TT) as well as Menchov and I might even say that he'll get dropped before Leipheimer.

My bet:
1. Pellizotti/Basso
2. Menchov +2.00
3. Sastre +2.00
4. Leipheimer +2.20
5. Basso/Pellizotti +3.00
6. Di Luca +3.00
Armstrong, Rogers, etc. +5.00

There's a differnce between a ty effort and a rr effort Leiphrimer has been dangling off the back and getting dropped the last couple of days but there will be nowhere to hide today and without Horner all of his team mates have gotten dropped out of lead group so no help there.
Roger's climbing is also suspect.. he'll like go by the wayside as well.
 
Eldrack said:
Astana to set a fierce pace on the penultimate climb and then the final climb to stop people attacking Levi who isn't that great at accelerating. The pretenders to the throne will drop away one by one leaving a small group, time gaps between these guys won't be that great. Menchov to finish first out of the top people, then LL, then Di Luca and Pellizotti.

LMAO!!! that's a joke right? for your sake I hope they have been saving all there blood bags for today because with Horner gone nome of them have really been able to offer much assistance when it really counted.
 
doctorSpoc said:
LMAO!!! that's a joke right? for your sake I hope they have been saving all there blood bags for today because with Horner gone nome of them have really been able to offer much assistance when it really counted.

LOL. Yeah, the 'Blue Train' has left the station long time ago.
 
so Sastre WAS playing possum.. still pretty far back... still has Blaukhause and Mt Vesuvius to try something though.

i'm becoming a believer in Menchov.. looks like he has the goods to go all the way... just takes one bad day though.. for interest sake and good racing the Giro is so much better than the tour people are willing to take chances.. people in the tour willfully race for 3rd, 4th, 5th.. hell even 10th place.. makes for boring negative racing.
 
Good ride by Sastre, Played it just as last years TDF. A couple of accelerations and then one hard attack to break clear. Puts him into 3rd 2:19 down (he'll need to do it all again on the Block Haus though)
Menchov solid into 2nd.
Leipheimer as a few predicted was dropped and pretty early on that climb to.
 

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