Giro d'Italia

[Eldrack]

Current standings of the main favorites:

Basso
Savoldelli at 00:09
Di Luca at 00:38
Cunego at 01:06
Simoni at 01:45
Rujano at 02:35

Based on that I think Rujano is going to be struggling later on in this Giro. Everyone knows he is a danger now so no breakways from him (like stages 13,14 last year) as they will get shut down, he will have to win time back the hard way. And there is a long flat TT coming up in which he will probably loose another 3 minutes or so to Basso.

Bring on stage 8.

 

[limerickman]

Current standings of the main favorites:

Basso
Savoldelli at 00:09
Di Luca at 00:38
Cunego at 01:06
Simoni at 01:45
Rujano at 02:35

Based on that I think Rujano is going to be struggling later on in this Giro. Everyone knows he is a danger now so no breakways from him (like stages 13,14 last year) as they will get shut down, he will have to win time back the hard way. And there is a long flat TT coming up in which he will probably loose another 3 minutes or so to Basso.

Bring on stage 8.

Rujano's claim to the title will be based upon soely what happens in the mountains.
if he can gain adequate time there - he will position himself well in terms of overall GC.
he will no doubt be aided and abetted by Ivan Parra who while having no overall GC ambitions, will be as destructive as Rujano, i think.

if the climbing is half as good as last years - we're in for a great spectacle.
Roll on stage 8 as you say!

 

[Virenque]

Same here. I guess French geography doesn't help, as they don't have hills/mountains dotted across the whole country, like in Italy, but I still don't see that as an excuse! Call me a sadist if you want, but I quite enjoyed the stage from Waterloo-Wasquehal in 2004 when they went over the pave

It`s an excuse for flat stages in first week, but definitely not for stages with big climb 30 km before the finish.

 

[Dead Star]

Mikael Delage (FDJ) was sent to the dentist at the end of today stage to heal a broken tooth, due to a thrown bidon.

ouch

 

[Dimos]

Here's an interesting link with photos from the Plan de Corones mountain-finish (courtesy of procycling). It looks like many mothers are going to cry there for their sons

Plan de Corones, Ouch!

edit
I, supposedly, looked if there were a thread or a post about it already... Sorry!

 

[musette]

DC is already "wasting energy", relative to the "purist" LA strategy (before 2005), trying for stage wins that have no strategic value. See Matt White's breakaway in recent stage. That signals that they may be less confident (understandably) in Il Falco getting on the podium.

 

[guncha]

I can't wait for ITT this thursday. I hope Savoldeli will be able to gain some time back.

I am very curious about Jan's result. According to Russian Eurosport Jan is capable to ride with the best one hard stage but he will have to abondon the race after this stage.

 

[whiteboytrash]

Wow those ex-Soviet riders can read riders minds ! How do they know Jan will abandon after the TT if he rides hard ? Phooey !

I am very curious about Jan's result. According to Russian Eurosport Jan is capable to ride with the best one hard stage but he will have to abondon the race after this stage.

 

[saluki]

Wow those ex-Soviet riders can read riders minds ! How do they know Jan will abandon after the TT if he rides hard ? Phooey !

You are being overly literal. The implication is that Jan's conditioning is so poor that if he went all out in a stage he would be completely shot for the next.

 

[guncha]

Wow those ex-Soviet riders can read riders minds ! How do they know Jan will abandon after the TT if he rides hard ? Phooey !

It was related to key mountain stages not ITT...

 

[cyclingheroes]

The implication is that Jan's conditioning is so poor

Did you speak with Jan ? I mean how do you know? I don't think his condition is poor at all...

 

[alibat]

Whilst we all know about Jan using the Giro to build up form for the tour, he is doing far better than one other notable name doing the same thing. Rasmussen is currently 98th, 43:40 down, and thats before the ITT. Either he is taking it very slowly (with perhaps some plan to show some form in the high mountains) or he is much further back in his preparation than Jan. Notwithstanding the fact that Jan is a better rider to start with and TMO TTT, he still lost over 3 mins more than Jan on stage 8 and more than 13.5 mins on stage 7 and him being a climber and all that. What do you think his plan is? I'm not aware of any injuries that could help explain why he appears to be taking things so easily. Also Mayo is doing even worse in 113th place, nearly 48 mins down on GC. I,ve not heard anything regarding him using the Giro as tour prep so I don't know what he is up to. He lost over 21 mins on stage 7. Anyone have any ideas/views on any of this? Was 2003 a fluke for him or has he really lost so much form the last year or two?

 

[cyclingheroes]

Whilst we all know about Jan using the Giro to build up form for the tour, he is doing far better than one other notable name doing the same thing. Rasmussen is currently 98th, 43:40 down, and thats before the ITT. Either he is taking it very slowly (with perhaps some plan to show some form in the high mountains) or he is much further back in his preparation than Jan. Notwithstanding the fact that Jan is a better rider to start with and TMO TTT, he still lost over 3 mins more than Jan on stage 8 and more than 13.5 mins on stage 7 and him being a climber and all that. What do you think his plan is? I'm not aware of any injuries that could help explain why he appears to be taking things so easily. Also Mayo is doing even worse in 113th place, nearly 48 mins down on GC. I,ve not heard anything regarding him using the Giro as tour prep so I don't know what he is up to. He lost over 21 mins on stage 7. Anyone have any ideas/views on any of this? Was 2003 a fluke for him or has he really lost so much form the last year or two?

Rasmussen did the same thing during Giro 2005, i guess he will be ready for the TdF. Rasmussen also gave his bike to Rabobank teamleader (well i am not sure if Ardila still is the teamleader... he didn't do very well untill now) Ardila (i believe that was on stage 7) and had to wait...

Iban Mayo didn't start at the Giro, you mean Ivan Mayoz (Euskatel)...

 

[limerickman]

Whilst we all know about Jan using the Giro to build up form for the tour, he is doing far better than one other notable name doing the same thing. Rasmussen is currently 98th, 43:40 down, and thats before the ITT. Either he is taking it very slowly (with perhaps some plan to show some form in the high mountains) or he is much further back in his preparation than Jan. Notwithstanding the fact that Jan is a better rider to start with and TMO TTT, he still lost over 3 mins more than Jan on stage 8 and more than 13.5 mins on stage 7 and him being a climber and all that. What do you think his plan is? I'm not aware of any injuries that could help explain why he appears to be taking things so easily. Also Mayo is doing even worse in 113th place, nearly 48 mins down on GC. I,ve not heard anything regarding him using the Giro as tour prep so I don't know what he is up to. He lost over 21 mins on stage 7. Anyone have any ideas/views on any of this? Was 2003 a fluke for him or has he really lost so much form the last year or two?

The rumour mill suggests that 2003 Mayo may have had a little, err, help in
2003.
Euskatel doctor was subsequently found to have been dispensing banned product.

 

[guncha]

The rumour mill suggests that 2003 Mayo may have had a little, err, help in
2003.
Euskatel doctor was subsequently found to have been dispensing banned product.

Mayo is overrated ****...

 

[limerickman]

Mayo is overrated ****...

He's a good climber though.

 

[thebluetrain]

He's a good climber though.

Was.

 

[cyclingheroes]

Davide rebellin won't start tomorrow. Rebellin crashed yesterday but manged to finish the 10th stage. Today he was examined in a hospital and the doctors found out he has a broken rib. Rebbellin went home and won't start at tomorrow's ITT.

 

[alibat]

Iban Mayo didn't start at the Giro, you mean Ivan Mayoz (Euskatel)...[/QUOTE]

Sorry, my mistake. What is he up to then?

 

[cyclingheroes]

Iban Mayo didn't start at the Giro, you mean Ivan Mayoz (Euskatel)...

Sorry, my mistake. What is he up to then?[/QUOTE] Good question, i also didn't see his name on the startinglist of Catalunya. I don't know what Mayo does at the moment...