GIRO - Spoiler

[limerickman]

Just so that we have one Giro D'Italia thread where we can all post comments,
instead of having several threads running for this one race.

Stage 2 : St Maria Del Cerdo :
What a fall for the Euskatel rider. He looked like he was in a bad way today as they brought him off in the ambulance.
When i saw it, I immediately got the same feeling as 1995 TDF stage and Cassartelli's accident.
Thankfully, Alberto Lopez de Munain, the rider concerned appeared to be able to move his arms and legs but it looked very very nasty at one stage.

Good sprint by McEwen - he timed it well to win the stage.
Petacchi got himself in to the wrong position (for once) in the sprint.

 

[tcklyde]

Tomorrow looks like a very fun stage and possibly the sort of profile that could let a breakaway make it. The name on everyone's lips is Bettini, but this looks very much like a stage for Di Luca as well. The finish is downhill, though, so will be interesting!

As for today, perhaps I've finally found my psychic powers. First thing I thought to myself as I climbed out of bed this morning was, "McEwan won." If my early morning prediction tomorrow morning proves prophetic again, I'll be sure to let you all know.

 

[limerickman]

McEwen premonition, tcklyde ?

Robbie came through quite nicely - although there was a lot of shoulders and elbows in use.
Alessandro didn't fancy a bit of shoving and boring, I thought today.

Tomorrows stage has a second cat. climb 10kms from the finish.
That will be interesting.
DiLuca is a pretty shrewd bet - as is Bettini.
I am going for Rasmussen.

 

[tcklyde]

McEwen premonition, tcklyde ?

Robbie came through quite nicely - although there was a lot of shoulders and elbows in use.
Alessandro didn't fancy a bit of shoving and boring, I thought today.

Tomorrows stage has a second cat. climb 10kms from the finish.
That will be interesting.
DiLuca is a pretty shrewd bet - as is Bettini.
I am going for Rasmussen.

Ahh Rasmussen is an excellent choice, maybe even after a long breakaway!

 

[limerickman]

Ahh Rasmussen is an excellent choice, maybe even after a long breakaway!

The reason I am particularly interested in Rasmussen is because I have him in a fantasy cycling team for the season, so I have been following his form.

DiLuca could well be the man though.

BTW - you received the Carrick info that you were looking for, from me ?
Drop me a line if you need more.

 

[tcklyde]

BTW - you received the Carrick info that you were looking for, from me ?
Drop me a line if you need more.

Oops, I forgot to look in the private message folder. I did get the info and thanks very much. Above and beyond what I could have hoped for and I am very grateful. I'll let you know if the trip works out. I hope so.

 

[limerickman]

Oops, I forgot to look in the private message folder. I did get the info and thanks very much. Above and beyond what I could have hoped for and I am very grateful. I'll let you know if the trip works out. I hope so.

No problem.
Feel free to mail me anytime.

 

[limerickman]

Medical report on the fallen Euskatel rider Alberto Lopez de Munain.
It appears that there is no permanent damage to him although his injuries are very severe.


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2005/may05/may10news2

Thank God he's out of danager.

 

[limerickman]

Tomorrow looks like a very fun stage and possibly the sort of profile that could let a breakaway make it. The name on everyone's lips is Bettini, but this looks very much like a stage for Di Luca as well. The finish is downhill, though, so will be interesting!

As for today, perhaps I've finally found my psychic powers. First thing I thought to myself as I climbed out of bed this morning was, "McEwan won." If my early morning prediction tomorrow morning proves prophetic again, I'll be sure to let you all know.

Great call, TCKLYDE.
Di Luca got the stage win today !
An excellent stage win from second place Damiano Cunego !

Any predictions for tommorrow ?

 

[Powerful Pete]

And Bettini got the pink jersey again!

Excellent stage.... great fun to watch...

 

[limerickman]

And Bettini got the pink jersey again!

Excellent stage.... great fun to watch...

It was a great stage to watch.
bettini, cunego and DiLuca sprinting it out for the finish too.
I'm really enjoying the Giro.

 

[tcklyde]

Wow, Cunego is hungry! How many other GC men would battle to take a stage like this? And good show for Di Luca. Very close finish.

How long can Petacchi be denied? I wonder if that little descent in the last 3 kms will stir things up?

I'm really enjoying this race, too. We've had some really exciting finishes!

 

[limerickman]

Alessandro was having trouble on the final climb of the day (wasn't too steep but it wasn't a sprinters natural terrain either).

Yeah Damiano was really pushing DiLuca to the line with Bettini in close proximity.
Fantastic finish today.

200km stage tomorrow looks flattish.
Might be happy hunting ground for Alessandro.

 

[patch70]

200km stage tomorrow looks flattish.
Might be happy hunting ground for Alessandro.

It's always dangerous to bet against Ale-Jet but that tricky finish might not be ideal for him.

 

[limerickman]

Mr McEwen might be the man too.
Also I have a nseaking feeling that perhaps Mr Zabel might be the man for stage 4.

I tell you who I miss is Brad McGee in this years Giro.

 

[Powerful Pete]

Wonderful Giro this year!

Don't forget a few of the outsiders a' la Garzelli, a strong third today. And Savoldelli and Simoni didn't exactly get dropped either...

Of course, let us wait for the mountains...

I think tomorrow will be Ale-Jet's day. Now he is getting angry...

Godness I am loving this...

 

[limerickman]

Wonderful Giro this year!

Don't forget a few of the outsiders a' la Garzelli, a strong third today. And Savoldelli and Simoni didn't exactly get dropped either...

Of course, let us wait for the mountains...

I think tomorrow will be Ale-Jet's day. Now he is getting angry...

Godness I am loving this...

Pete,

santa maria del cerdo looked like a lovely place (stage 3 finish).
Have you ever been to that part of Italy and if so, would you recommend it ?
I'm over to Sicily for a week in a couple of weeks time and might just take a trip up to that region.

Thanks Lim

 

[gntlmn]

Whoever said Cunego is going to just use this Giro as a warmup for the TdF so he can take on Lance in his last chance ever is sadly mistaken, I think. I'm pretty sure Cunego wants the GC win in the 2005 Giro. I don't think he'll be saving up for the TdF. He's going to go for the Giro win. I'm looking forward to how this all plays out. It will be interesting when it gets into the mountains. He might be a dominant force there.

 

[keydates]

Slightly off topic, but does anybody know of a website that has a good graph of the mountains climbed in the Grand Tours and their average/steepest gradients, height, etc.? I had a link a while ago, but now it's gone.

 

[tcklyde]

Also I have a nseaking feeling that perhaps Mr Zabel might be the man for stage 4.

I can't think of anyone I'd like to see get a stage more than Zabel.

On stage 4, I think it will be a tricky finish, though from the cyclingnews.com profile i can't quite tell when it flattens out. All the same, with at least a portion of the last 3kms downhill, it could be tough for the leadout men to get organized.

I was sorry to see that Steels DNF today. Anyone know what happened?