Stage 17 picks



lwedge

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Mar 3, 2004
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IMHO - This is the last chance for Simoni and Ricco to take Luca. Simoni won the 2003 Giro by grinding out a victory at Zoncolan.

Man! The thought of taking a taking a lesurly ride up Zoncolan makes my legs burn I can’t imagine racing someone up these grades, this is really going to showcase the climbers.



I will go with Simoni :p but I don't think he will gain enough time on Luca to take the Maglia Rosa.


lw
 
Di Luca seems to be on amazing form, but this climb really is for the high mountain specialists. Cunego is definitely looking week so my pick is going to have to be one of the Saunier boys (don't think Schleck quite has it for this stage).

Any of Simoni, Ricco, Piepoli could take the stage but I'm going to bet on Simoni. Time gaps around the top 5 won't be huge though I wouldn't expect.
 
Let's see...
This climb doesn't look like Di Luca's cup of tea (although he's killing everyone), so I won't pick him.
It's more suited for Simoni or Ricco or Piepoli... Also it's Gibo's last chance, that means, if there's no successful escape, it should be Gibo.
But somehow I think there will be strong breakaway group, containing Piepoli and that lunatic Parra (tell him he got a nickname) among others, as it was on Sunday but without Ricco, he's too dangerous now.
And I'll pick Parra, he's trying so hard to ****** a stage in this Giro, but he's not there...
Friday is another chance for him but, everyone will want to win on Zoncolan.
 
Its going to be one of greatest stages in GT history... the top 5 are close enough to all have a dip.... my feelings that the race won't be won here but be almost certainly lost on this stage... 6+ minute drops are expected....
 
whiteboytrash said:
Its going to be one of greatest stages in GT history... the top 5 are close enough to all have a dip.... my feelings that the race won't be won here but be almost certainly lost on this stage... 6+ minute drops are expected....
I sincerely wish that you 'll be right but for some reason this kind of stages usually turn out to be anticlimactic in the end... I think 5 riders are within 3:40 of DiLuca and it will be pretty interesting to see how he'll respond if he finds himself alone with the 5 of them (and all of them are good climbers to say the least)...
 
DV1976 said:
I sincerely wish that you 'll be right but for some reason this kind of stages usually turn out to be anticlimactic in the end... I think 5 riders are within 3:40 of DiLuca and it will be pretty interesting to see how he'll respond if he finds himself alone with the 5 of them (and all of them are good climbers to say the least)...

I'm looking forward to the boys from SD ripping it up, Piepoli will be the **** stirrer.... if anything it will make for interesting racing...... with the TT coming up Simoni has to win by 5+ minutes....
 
Whilst this is picking with the heart and not the head, I will go for Schleck. I have said before it would be fanstastic to see him do something special.

Agreed that Piepoli will stir things up, but he wont win.

Cunego to lose big, Di Luca to lose a little.

The last three on the road will be Simoni, Mazzoleni and Schleck.

I cant wait...
 
whiteboytrash said:
I'm looking forward to the boys from SD ripping it up, Piepoli will be the **** stirrer.... if anything it will make for interesting racing...... with the TT coming up Simoni has to win by 5+ minutes....
Simoni beat Di Luca in the final ITT in 2005. Although Di Luca is riding stronger this year, I don't think Simoni needs 5+ minutes.

It should be the Saunier Duval show. Someone (Parra?) will attack on the climb to Tualis and try to stay away for the win. Ricco will lead them up the base of the Zoncolan, then they'll launch Piepoli for the stage win once they get half way up (where it gets really nasty). Then Simoni will follow 1km later. The climb flattens out a little toward the top, so Di Luca should be able to pull back any smaller deficits in the finale.

Piepoli, Simoni, Schleck...Di Luca to lose 1:30 to Simoni.
 
have to go with Gibo this is a perfect climb for him... think Saunier Duval will be putting on a show tomorrow... will it be enought for the win...??? think they'll try to get Simoni the win and Ricco on the podium and white jersey... their looking to drop everyone... Piepoli will be on super domestique role and won't be their in the finale... if Simoni can't do it think they'll put Piepoli on Ricco again for their fall back position...
 
Can't believe nobody has said Tom Danielson yet!

I'll go with Matthew Lloyd in a breakaway group.
 
patch70 said:
Can't believe nobody has said Tom Danielson yet!

I'll go with Matthew Lloyd in a breakaway group.

and Richo to get a push in the back decision go against him.......

...or Bruyneel to get his ugly wife to ride and win.
 
I'm tossing up between Simoni and Piepoli to win the stage.
Piepoli should get used used up in an effort to burn out Di Luca, Mazzoleni & Schleck so in theory Piepoli should be toasted and leave Simoni to take up the attack.

I'll pick Simoni. It's his last real chance for this years Giro so he will be all out.
Don't know if he can gain enough time to take the GC lead though.

Di Luca to get dropped and Mazzoleni to take the GC lead.
 
Simoni had been good this Giro, but not great. I think he could loose big time tomorrow. Piepoli is my choice, though he may be pretty used up at this point.
 
With this stage we'll see how strong DiLuca's doping program is. It will be Armstrong/Basso type ride if he will be the best again.
 
Di Luca is the strongest. He's this year's ET lite

No way he's losing any time to Simoni, based on the way he has been riding. Pity.
 
Di Luca has transformed himself into a climbing specialist, so I will pick him. No comment on how such transformation may have taken place.
 
Bro Deal said:
Di Luca has transformed himself into a climbing specialist, so I will pick him. No comment on how such transformation may have taken place.

Need to check his balls..... if they are shrinking from the cortisone usage then we'll know....... any volunteers ?