2009 Giro : Stage 17 : Wed 27th : Chieti - Blockhaus : 83kms

[Cobblestones]

Menchov did look like he was breaking at the end. But I somewhat doubt DiLuca's chances of winning the Giro now...

It's getting awfully tight. I assume he'd need a maybe 20" lead before the last ITT. He's now, what, 25" behind? He'd need to either get 45" on Menchov on Vesuvio, or, if he 'only' repeats today's feat, he could maybe also go for bonus seconds on Saturday (requires to reel in the likely breakaway). It's very tight, but not impossible. Anyway, if he is in pink after Saturday's race by a few seconds, it's going to be a nailbiter. I'd like that.

For now, I'm happy to see that he could shake off Menchov a bit, just as I had hoped.

 

[Cobblestones]

Maybe DDL can shake off Menchov a bit?

See Grater, that's how you do it!

 

[doctorSpoc]

It's getting awfully tight. I assume he'd need a maybe 20" lead before the last ITT. He's now, what, 25" behind? He'd need to either get 45" on Menchov on Vesuvio, or, if he 'only' repeats today's feat, he could maybe also go for bonus seconds on Saturday (requires to reel in the likely breakaway). It's very tight, but not impossible. Anyway, if he is in pink after Saturday's race by a few seconds, it's going to be a nailbiter. I'd like that.

For now, I'm happy to see that he could shake off Menchov a bit, just as I had hoped.

i wonder is the Tifosi are going to be ****** that Garzelli took those few extra bonus seconds from fellow Italian DiLuca? Yes, he's going for the climber's jersey but DiLuca is going for GC in his home tour. if DiLuca loses the Giro by a few seconds i wouldn't recommend Garzelli walking down any dark alleys in Italy in the next little while...lol.

 

[No_Positives]

When did Menchov become such a wheel sucker??

 

[RdBiker]

When did Menchov become such a wheel sucker??

Since he realized that it's more important to win the Giro than to please the cyclingforums crowd...

 

[classic1]

When did Menchov become such a wheel sucker??

Your posts have to be a **** take. Nobody in their right mind who posesses even a smidgeon of knowledge about cycle racing could post something so stupid.

 

[doctorSpoc]

When did Menchov become such a wheel sucker??

WTF?? maybe the day he learned to execute a perfect tactical race?

how long has you be watching cycling? that comment shows a complete lack of knowledge of cycling tactics. why in the hell would Menchov take a pull? Pellizoti was not getting enough time to be a danger, so Menchov's only concern is for DiLuca to not gain any time on him.. all he had to do was to hold DiLuca's wheel and he was fine. It's for DiLuca to get away from Menchov and that's exactly what he tried to do.

Menchov will beat DiLuca in the final ITT so tactically all he has to do for the next few days is limit any losses to DiLuca.. if DiLuca gets anywhere near to 40-50sec over Menchov the Giro victory is in danger... below that and he's probably fine.

Menchov was not wheel sucking, he was doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing (sticking to DiLuca like glue) and DiLuca was doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing (trying to shake Menchov off his wheel)... they don't really care about the rest of the riders at this moment.

notice when Sastre had his attack a few days ago and was making a lot of time.. DiLuca and Menchov worked together since if they didn't Sastre might have been a danger.. now no one else is really a danger so all they have to worry about is each other at this point... i cycling you do only what is in your self interest or the self interest of your team... that's the only things that should impact on your actions.

 

[TheDarkLord]

DocSpoc, don't get wound up by NP. Just put him on your ignore list.

 

[No_Positives]

DocSpoc, don't get wound up by NP. Just put him on your ignore list.

Ignoring the truth is never a good idea. Stage 16 was **** tactics IMO. Di Luca dragged him up Monte Petrano, only to have Menchov come over the top in the last few hundred meters. You never saw Armstrong do that. He never sat on Ullrich's wheel. He was always attacking from the bottom of the last climb, regardless of how many minutes he was up. Even in the final time trial, if Lance were up a few minutes in GC, he always said that the "yellow jersey must represent" so he went hard in the TT.

 

[Flyer]

Stage 17.

fddddddddddddddddd

 

[classic1]

Ignoring the truth is never a good idea. Stage 16 was **** tactics IMO. Di Luca dragged him up Monte Petrano, only to have Menchov come over the top in the last few hundred meters. You never saw Armstrong do that. He never sat on Ullrich's wheel. He was always attacking from the bottom of the last climb, regardless of how many minutes he was up. Even in the final time trial, if Lance were up a few minutes in GC, he always said that the "yellow jersey must represent" so he went hard in the TT.

Besides you misrepresenting past events, what works for Armstrong and suits his strengths does not necessarily translate to other riders. Yet again, you have demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of the subtleties of cycle racing.

 

[phillop]

Ignoring the truth is never a good idea. Stage 16 was **** tactics IMO. Di Luca dragged him up Monte Petrano, only to have Menchov come over the top in the last few hundred meters. You never saw Armstrong do that. He never sat on Ullrich's wheel. He was always attacking from the bottom of the last climb, regardless of how many minutes he was up. Even in the final time trial, if Lance were up a few minutes in GC, he always said that the "yellow jersey must represent" so he went hard in the TT.

maybe it has somthing to do with the fact that menchovs no where near as good as armstrong was

 

[doctorSpoc]

Ignoring the truth is never a good idea. Stage 16 was **** tactics IMO. Di Luca dragged him up Monte Petrano, only to have Menchov come over the top in the last few hundred meters. You never saw Armstrong do that. He never sat on Ullrich's wheel. He was always attacking from the bottom of the last climb, regardless of how many minutes he was up. Even in the final time trial, if Lance were up a few minutes in GC, he always said that the "yellow jersey must represent" so he went hard in the TT.

again... which TdF's have you been watching... this is exactly how armstrong ran his game... gain time on first mountain stage and then defend... you just have no idea what the hell you are talking about... even when it comes to armstrong... clueless!

 

[doctorSpoc]

maybe it has somthing to do with the fact that menchovs no where near as good as armstrong was

Menchov is no where near as good as Armstrong was... but that doesn't change the fact that his claim is completely bogus... gain time and then defend for then next two weeks is how Armstrong planned things... there were only a few times when thing didn't workout to plan... i.e. Ullrich taking almost two mins out of him in a TT and when Ullrich and Verenque took.. think it was more than two minutes out of him in a mountain stage that he had to adjust tactics... but the claim that Armstrong did piling on like say Merckx or Hinault are completely bogus! and Armstrong was very disciplined in sticking to this tactic so i don't know where NP is getting this BS from? fantasy land?

@ others... is NP really that stupid and ignorant of cycling or am i just stupidly feeding a troll?

 

[limerickman]

Menchov is no where near as good as Armstrong was... but that doesn't change the fact that his claim is completely bogus... gain time and then defend for then next two weeks is how Armstrong planned things... there were only a few times when thing didn't workout to plan... i.e. Ullrich taking almost two mins out of him in a TT and when Ullrich and Verenque took.. think it was more than two minutes out of him in a mountain stage that he had to adjust tactics... but the claim that Armstrong did piling on like say Merckx or Hinault are completely bogus! and Armstrong was very disciplined in sticking to this tactic so i don't know where NP is getting this BS from? fantasy land?

@ others... is NP really that stupid and ignorant of cycling or am i just stupidly feeding a troll?

Wouldn't waste any more of your time, doc, if I were you.

 

[limerickman]

thanks for the input fellas