Giro di Lombardia : 2006



limerickman

limerickman

Well-Known Member
Jan 5, 2004
16,130
220
63
Getting back to the real subject matter : the Tour of Lombardy.

This weekend sees the final major race of the European season the Tour of Lombardy.

This race was won last year by Paolo Bettini - who had a storming end of 2005 season and who was crowned world champion a couple of weeks ago.

I think Bettini will go all out to try to defend his crown and to win in the world champs jersey on home soil for the tifosi.

Any other bets??
 
limerickman said:
Getting back to the real subject matter : the Tour of Lombardy.

This weekend sees the final major race of the European season the Tour of Lombardy.

This race was won last year by Paolo Bettini - who had a storming end of 2005 season and who was crowned world champion a couple of weeks ago.

I think Bettini will go all out to try to defend his crown and to win in the world champs jersey on home soil for the tifosi.

Any other bets??
Click to expand...
You know, if Paolo wins Powerful Pete is going to explode.:D

Since you put the Kiss o' Death on him, I will reverse the K o' D and go with the Tuscan myself.

We need to end the year on a positive note.

lw
 
Valverde is out and not for drugs...
___________
UCI Pro Tour leader Alejandro Valverde has withdrawn from Saturday's Giro di Lombardia, the final race of the pro season, because of a dispute with race organisers over his place on the podium.

Caisse D'Epargne's Valverde has clinched the white jersey, given to the winner of the UCI Pro Tour, but would not have been awarded the prize at the final event of the year had he raced.

Tour of Lombardy organisers RCS, who also run the Giro D'Italia, said they would not allow Valverde to be awarded the white jersey at the finish in Lake Como because of their ongoing feud with the Pro Tour.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has been in a clash with the three grand tours, the Giro, the Vuelta a Espana, and the Tour de France, all season over licensing issues regarding the selection of Pro teams.

Caisse D'Epargne have subsequently pulled their star Spaniard off of the Lombardy start list.

"Valverde is supposed to fulfil his obligations to the Pro Tour while not picking up the expected benefits," said a team spokesman.

In a show of support the pro teams racing on Saturday have planned to boycott the pre-race and post-race ceremonies, including final podium.

Organiser Angelo Zomegnan said not only was his group under no obligation to present the Pro Tour victor, they would not miss him.

"The Tour of Lombardy is a historic race which has gone on for 100 years. If Valverde pulls out, it will be his loss, not ours," Zomegnan said.

"There is no way we are going to agree to promoting the Pro Tour brand next to the Tour of Lombardy brand," he added.

"I've received a letter from (Caisse d'Epargne manager) Jose Miguel Echavarri in which he mentions the protocol, for television, of awarding the jersey.

"But this is not one of my obligations."

Of the lack of a podium for Saturday's victor, Zomegnan expressed disappointment.

"It's a pity. The real victims of this will be the riders, the guy who wins the trophy and his sponsor."
 
whiteboytrash said:
DISOrganiser Angelo Zomegnan said not only was his group under no obligation to present the Pro Tour victor, they would not miss him.

"The Tour of Lombardy is a historic race which has gone on for 100 years. If Valverde pulls out, it will be his loss, not ours," Zomegnan said.

"There is no way we are going to agree to promoting the Pro Tour brand next to the Tour of Lombardy brand," he added.

"I've received a letter from (Caisse d'Epargne manager) Jose Miguel Echavarri in which he mentions the protocol, for television, of awarding the jersey.

"But this is not one of my obligations. Naaner! naaaner! Naaaner!" :p
Click to expand...
Pretty childish if you ask me...:rolleyes:

lw
 
David Millar. His form seems to be on the up, and he's Scottish. What more can you need? He is also top man from the Saunier squad so he should be protected/helped.
 
Bettini will be motivated that will be for sure. Wearing the rainbow stripes has to give him an extra gear. It seems that the curse of the rainbow jersey struck Bettini harder then most with the loss of his brother. He seems to be an emotionallly charged rider, so the pain he is suffering will either screw his head up or make him unbeatable. My money is on "unbeatable."
 
wolfix said:
Bettini will be motivated that will be for sure. Wearing the rainbow stripes has to give him an extra gear. It seems that the curse of the rainbow jersey struck Bettini harder then most with the loss of his brother. He seems to be an emotionallly charged rider, so the pain he is suffering will either screw his head up or make him unbeatable. My money is on "unbeatable."
Click to expand...

So you're backing Bettini ?

There could well be a surprise in the Giro field as well, I think.

Just can't manage to spot him!
 
lwedge said:
You know, if Paolo wins Powerful Pete is going to explode.:D

Since you put the Kiss o' Death on him, I will reverse the K o' D and go with the Tuscan myself.

We need to end the year on a positive note.

lw
Click to expand...

I'm not putting the KOD on Bettini (not intentionally!) :

Just that he's going to be at home - wearing the rainbow jersey - "oh god, it is the kod............"

I think he'll go all out to win.
If he does win, PP will be celebrating!
 
limerickman said:
I'm not putting the KOD on Bettini (not intentionally!) :

Just that he's going to be at home - wearing the rainbow jersey - "oh god, it is the kod............"

I think he'll go all out to win.
If he does win, PP will be celebrating!
Click to expand...
I have 2 favorites for this weekend, David Rebellin, who won in style last weekend in Italy, and Frank Schleck who finished 3rd in this race last year.

My darkhorse pick will be Chris Horner.
 
limerickman said:
I'm not putting the KOD on Bettini (not intentionally!) :

Just that he's going to be at home - wearing the rainbow jersey - "oh god, it is the kod............"

I think he'll go all out to win.
If he does win, PP will be celebrating!
Click to expand...
Plus Bettini will be riding in the memory of his brother who died only 3 weeks ago... he will be pumped.....
 
The curse that is Lim's kiss of death has been broken!!!!! Bettini wins again. Nearly crashed a couple of times on the way though.
 
lwedge said:
You know, if Paolo wins Powerful Pete is going to explode.:D
Click to expand...
Consider me exploded. :D

YYYYEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Great end to the year as a Bettini fan. :cool:

Condolences to the family for the death of his brother. :(
 
Watched the last hour. Couldn't understand why Betini was so strong until I just learned on this thread that his brother had died. The tears at the end I thought were for the end of the season... It all makes sense now...

(How did his brother die?)

I thought Diluca would've finished better as well...

How big was the field? They only showed the 17 or so riders that were in front on my boroadcast...
 
Brilliant ride by Bettini - he wanted that race and he got it - such determination and courage - no dry eyes in this house when he crossed the finishing line.

Hope he carries on where he left off in 2007 - he is just superb to watch in any race he rides
 
micron said:
Brilliant ride by Bettini - he wanted that race and he got it - such determination and courage - no dry eyes in this house when he crossed the finishing line.

Hope he carries on where he left off in 2007 - he is just superb to watch in any race he rides
Click to expand...
..and rode from the front all day, attacked, attacked and did his fairshare of the work... also noted on the coverage that he rode up to each rider in the final breakaway and asked them to all work together which they did.... nice dig by DiLuca to help before Bettini's final attack and great riding by Sanchez... he's a star for the future.....
 
whiteboytrash said:
..and rode from the front all day, attacked, attacked and did his fairshare of the work... also noted on the coverage that he rode up to each rider in the final breakaway and asked them to all work together which they did....
Click to expand...

Very classy of Wegmann to gift the race to Bettini while making those suffering faces in the motocam. Watch for Paolo to return the favor in the spring... maybe Amstel.
 
whiteboytrash said:
great riding by Sanchez... he's a star for the future.....
Click to expand...
Let's see, a win at Zurich; 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in stages at the Vuelta (and another win last year), 2 stage wins at Pays Vasco, 2nd in Fleche Wallone and Lombardia, 4th Paris Nice, ...

he's ALREADY a star!
 
JRMDC said:
Let's see, a win at Zurich; 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in stages at the Vuelta (and another win last year), 2 stage wins at Pays Vasco, 2nd in Fleche Wallone and Lombardia, 4th Paris Nice, ...

he's ALREADY a star!
Click to expand...
I think what WBT wants to say is that people are starting to notice. Samu is a stud.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

steve
Giro di Lombardia
Replies
4
Views
2K
Professional Cycling
limerickman
limerickman
Rolfrae
Giro Di Lombardia
Replies
2
Views
1K
Professional Cycling
whiteboytrash
whiteboytrash
cyclingheroes
Giro di Lombardia
Replies
46
Views
4K
Professional Cycling
ilpirata
ilpirata
E
Giro 2022
Replies
0
Views
1K
Professional Cycling
Ellie98
E
C
Giro article
Replies
0
Views
2K
Professional Cycling
Cyclingfan26
C
Top Bottom Back