I agree with you, Ed.
there's nothing better than seeing one of the workers get their day in the sun.
there's nothing better than seeing one of the workers get their day in the sun.
GIRO - Spoiler
- Thread starter limerickman
- Start date
tcklyde said:
Nice move by Davitomon.
They used Henk Vogels quite nicely as the decoy and then Robbie McEwen grabbed the win.
Great tactics.
Alessandro got caught up in the crash at 5kms to go.
He has been unfortunate so far.
keydates said:
It doesn't, I agree.
Re mountain information : Cycle Sport June 2005 edition. Page 118 gives some details of the mountains stages (stages 5,11,13,14,17 and 18).
It gives the altitude and distance of each stage and tha names of the climbs.
(you asked about this earlier).
Stage 7 breakway by the Liberty rider Koldo Gil was great.
Nice to see him breaking away on the climb and staying out there for the win,
Simoni and Cunego were eyeing each other closely.
This could be a LeMond & Hinault situation.
Curious note, Gil thanked Darius baronowski for his help.
Baranowski used to race with USPS. A very underrated cyclist. A very good climber. I always wondered why LA let him leave ?
Nice to see him breaking away on the climb and staying out there for the win,
Simoni and Cunego were eyeing each other closely.
This could be a LeMond & Hinault situation.
Curious note, Gil thanked Darius baronowski for his help.
Baranowski used to race with USPS. A very underrated cyclist. A very good climber. I always wondered why LA let him leave ?
Basso was a huge suprise in the TT. It puts Cunego in the position that he will have to attack Basso to get pink. The mountain stages are epic this year and I think it favors the climbers. Basso climbed with Lance in the Tour last year, it will be interesting to see how he does vs Cunego. I am not putting any confidence in Simoni at all. Basso blamed a replacement bikes for giving him cramps for his poor performance on the only real climb so far.
donhix1 said:
On a bad day on the climbs coming up, anyone could lose 2 minutes.
Simoni said it all, there has been exactly 6 km of uphill so far.
Dont count him out.
I think Basso is on form and the TT confirms that.
Also that he did the TT route in preparation like twenty times.
Any guesses about how many times he did Sestriere or FInestre?
I think the issue with Basso is that Simoni and Cunego can work together and those three will be together on all the climbs at the end. I wonder if with their very small size and Basso's huge size whether he can stay with them on the 12-15% gradients those beastly climbs present.
Very different from the steady 7-8% of La Mongie when Basso stayed pedal for pedal with Armstrong.
We'll see.
The thing is Cunego is so young that he could have really improved his climbing from last year. He did a decent time trial much better than last year.
Basso isn't huge he is 70 kg (about 155lb). We really won't know until the climbs and there are some good ones.
I would like to see DiLuca do well but he hasn't been a pure climber in the past. I would like to see him podium but there are some difficult climbs this year.
The next to last stage with the dirt rode is going to be wild. If you puncture you could lose several minutes waiting to get a wheel and if the weather is bad it will be really wild.
Basso isn't huge he is 70 kg (about 155lb). We really won't know until the climbs and there are some good ones.
I would like to see DiLuca do well but he hasn't been a pure climber in the past. I would like to see him podium but there are some difficult climbs this year.
The next to last stage with the dirt rode is going to be wild. If you puncture you could lose several minutes waiting to get a wheel and if the weather is bad it will be really wild.
Just looking at stage 10, 212kms is entirely flat.
Then things start to hot up from stages 11-14, the first mountain stages.
I think that this is where we'll see if Basso's climbing has improved.
I have a feeling that Basso has been keeping his powder dry thus far.
Although I am still pulling for Damiano (and Cioni and Di Luca and Garzelli and Simoni)
God, I love the Giro.
Then things start to hot up from stages 11-14, the first mountain stages.
I think that this is where we'll see if Basso's climbing has improved.
I have a feeling that Basso has been keeping his powder dry thus far.
Although I am still pulling for Damiano (and Cioni and Di Luca and Garzelli and Simoni)
God, I love the Giro.
Yep same same. I don't think French climbs compare at all to Stelvio/Gavia/Mortirolo/Vivione/Zoncolan 
http://www.gazzetta.it/Foto Hermes/2005/05/17/0IGN3NPP--310x210.jpg
and the big fight begins it seems
http://www.gazzetta.it/Foto Hermes/2005/05/17/0IGN3NPP--310x210.jpg
and the big fight begins it seems
If you have a look at all of the comments on this thread, you'll see why the Giro is so much better than the TdF - It's actually a race.limerickman said:
A predictable sequence of events does not make a race. A race leaves everybody guessing as long as possible. With the Giro, it ain't over 'til it's over.
limerickman said:
I was hoping Cunego might keep a bit in the tank so he can make an impression on Le Tour. Although he has finished strongly in several stages he seemed a bit off his peak in the time trial.
As they say the real race begins in the mountains.
mitosis said:
Do you think he might hold back with LeTour in mind ?
I read a comment where he says he would like to race against LA, given that LA won't be cycling after LeTour.
limerickman said:
Its only my poorly informed opinion. Based in part on his performances during the season so far and how he doesn't seem to be quite on his game like he was this time last year.
The other part is hopeful - being young, if he can go well in the tour he can win it a few times and hopefully allow a few years for the swelled heads from the US to shrink back to size.
Nothing against Lance intended but it would be nice to see a race this year that lasts three weeks.
I'm saying all along I think Cunego wants to fire at all cilinders at le tour.....he stated many times he wants to compare him with the best in the world: mr armstrong! He knows he has one opportunity so I think he wants to see were he is at. Anyway I think the tour will be boring again (not for me I like when someone is that good and crushes his competition ), armstrong will crush the competition again and will cycle away with 7 and you will never here of him again......maybe for some other stuff (I will leave that to Flyer and co)
), armstrong will crush the competition again and will cycle away with 7 and you will never here of him again......maybe for some other stuff (I will leave that to Flyer and co) mitosis said:
MJtje said:I'm saying all along I think Cunego wants to fire at all cilinders at le tour.....he stated many times he wants to compare him with the best in the world: mr armstrong! He knows he has one opportunity so I think he wants to see were he is at. Anyway I think the tour will be boring again (not for me I like when someone is that good and crushes his competition
You sound like one of those swelled headed americans I was referring too.
Enjoy it, it might be a while before your turn comes again.
