Stage 3: Perwez - Namur, 202 km

[tcklyde]

Looks like a climb to the finish, though I don't know how steep. Anyone have some input? Could be a good stage for Bettini or Rebellin to take a win on their kind of road. Also a good stage for someone to take a flyer. Or a non-GC team to try to grab a stage... Phonak maybe?

 

[cyclingheroes]

Looks like a climb to the finish, though I don't know how steep. Anyone have some input? Could be a good stage for Bettini or Rebellin to take a win on their kind of road. Also a good stage for someone to take a flyer. Or a non-GC team to try to grab a stage... Phonak maybe?

I think it's one for Bettini, Phillipe Gilbert is my dark horse...

 

[jonjungel]

Looks like a climb to the finish, though I don't know how steep. Anyone have some input? Could be a good stage for Bettini or Rebellin to take a win on their kind of road. Also a good stage for someone to take a flyer. Or a non-GC team to try to grab a stage... Phonak maybe?

I think it's this one:
http://www.salite.ch/merveilleuse.htm

Doesn't look too difficult. If any of the climbers loose signficant time on that one, I suggest they become the team's waterboy instead.

 

[cyclingheroes]

I think it's this one:
http://www.salite.ch/merveilleuse.htm

Doesn't look too difficult. If any of the climbers loose signficant time on that one, I suggest they become the team's waterboy instead.

You can't win the Giro on that climb, but you can lose the Giro on the Citadelle... It's the same finish as the yearly GP de Wallonie. Last year it was won by Nick Nuyens (Quickstep) after a furious chasing Boonen brought Nuyens too the escaped Phillipe Gilbert.

It's a bit technical, it's a climb from about 2 kilometers, not too steep but with cobblestones....

 

[limerickman]

For todays stage - my kiss of death goes to - Paolo Bettini.

There aren't manys tages left in Belgium and QS would like a win on home territory and PB is the man that can deliver.

Diluca could also be in with a shout.

i don't think todays winner will be a sprinter but I could be wrong.

 

[Eldrack]

Yep, i'm voting for Bettini too. Over short distances he can climb with all the main contenders and he has the sprint to knock the others out. Definitely a win for him unless a late charge breakaway gets it. Cunego for second?

 

[Bjorn P.Dal]

Yeah.. Bettini is the big favorite... but Cunego almost bested him for second at LBL so he is top3 material for sure.

 

[Eldrack]

Wow, that wasn't exactly expected. Awesome finish by Schumacher to win the stage and take the Maglia Rosa. Rebellin in 3rd so a good day for Gerolsteiner. What the hell was Rubiera doing up there though? Being allowed some freedom before the mountains come maybe, or just trying to stop the likes of Cunego from grabbing time bonuses? A good day for Discovery though, they've got rid of the Maglia Rosa so won't have to defend it for all the flat/undulating stages to come before the main mountains hit though they could well get it back at the TTT.

 

[bobke]

Wow, that wasn't exactly expected. Awesome finish by Schumacher to win the stage and take the Maglia Rosa. Rebellin in 3rd so a good day for Gerolsteiner. What the hell was Rubiera doing up there though? Being allowed some freedom before the mountains come maybe, or just trying to stop the likes of Cunego from grabbing time bonuses? A good day for Discovery though, they've got rid of the Maglia Rosa so won't have to defend it for all the flat/undulating stages to come before the main mountains hit though they could well get it back at the TTT.

Rubiera might have gotten the jersey but yes he was there to take time bonuses and I cant find the rest of the results like Basso et all.

 

[whiteboytrash]

Rubiera might have gotten the jersey but yes he was there to take time bonuses and I cant find the rest of the results like Basso et all.

What was he doing ? He should be protecting Savoldelli in the bunch not shooting off the front trying to win stages and take the jersey.. he had a job to do and he wasn't doing it.....

 

[wolfix]

Discovery causes Disarray!!!!!! [For everyone except Shumacher & team]

oppppppppppssss.....Wrong thread...... I better go to the "Discovery in disarray."

 

[yace]

What was he doing ? He should be protecting Savoldelli in the bunch not shooting off the front trying to win stages and take the jersey.. he had a job to do and he wasn't doing it.....

If I am the DS of discovery, I will also let someone attack at the last km in case that Cunego, Basso or Simoni will get the time bonus. Surely Savoldelli will be well protected in the peloton. There are still other discovery guys there, right?

 

[lazysegall]

What was he doing ? He should be protecting Savoldelli in the bunch not shooting off the front trying to win stages and take the jersey.. he had a job to do and he wasn't doing it.....

Salvodelli was fine...he gained time on all his rivials. Let us also not forget that Discovery doesn't want time bonuses going to diluca or basso. Furthermore, who is to say that Salvodelli is the only man for discovery. Salvodelli could explode in the mountains and I wouldn't be shocked if Rubiera or Danielson does something very surprising on GC. Also Rubiera could have won the stage. Salvodelli is not Lance. Discovery needs to take what they can get and Rubiera has certainly earned the right to attack for the biggest victory of his career.

On another topic. Is CSC totally unconcerned by discovery. As was the case last year they stretched themselves too far to distance the climbers. As a result Basso lost time to salvodelli and Rubiera of course.

 

[Endym]

Today Jose Rujano was big loser, finishing 55 sec behind winner at 123 place. Even Ullrich was better, same time (55 sec behind winner) but place was 107. Not bad for Jan (its well known that he hates rain).

 

[musette]

See my analysis under basic Giro thread on why Chechu did what he did. There was significant strategic value to DC as a team from his actions.

Not necessarily anticipated (but perhaps so, given how cunning Bruyneel and Yates are), but a "gift" that resulted in part from the weather conditions, was Paolo gained the following time on significant rivals, as another poster mentioned. What a great outcome for DC!!!

Cunego 7 seconds
Diluca same
Basso same
Simoni 23 seconds --> Now 49 seconds behind Il Falco on GC after only three stages
Rujano 49 seconds (as mentioned by another poster) --> Now 1'28 down from Il Falco

The times on Simoni and Rujano are significant. And, frankly, every second counts (no pun intended!)

I think DC should be very very happy with this stage, even though they lost the maglia rosa. Paolo had said after Stage 1 that they wouldn't necessarily defend it. Plus, Gerolsteiner works tomorrow.

DC has done everything perfectly so far. The time they have on each of the key GC rivals is probably more than they could have hoped for, before the race, even under the "best case" scenario. That is particularly the case on Simoni and Rujano. If Rujano loses another 2' to 3' to DC on the TTT, he would be 3'-5' minutes behind Il Falco with two ITTs to go. Not a good outcome.

 

[musette]

Chechu is the best choice for the late attack because:

1) You needed a domestique who could handle the slight uphill (based only on the written reports -- I have not yet seen the TV footage) --> Chechu, Beltran, Danielson, McCartney are natural choices

2) You want somebody who can power in towards the end --> Chechu and Danielson are better choices

3) Between those two, you want to send a person who is perceived by other teams a lower threat for GC overall, so that the response from other teams will not be as quick --> Chechu

 

[barnstorm]

I didn't watch the finale because I was getting the kids and myself ready to get out the door. will watch tonight. Falco, chechu, and danielson rode well for DC. Gonchar and Rogers hung tough too. Cunego and Basso lost seven seconds... interesting but probably not a big deal. What on earth was Simoni doing that far back in the field? That's a huge tactical error from a guy who knows better. This isn't 2003 when he can expect to drop the field for 3 minutes on every mountain top. Did he fall asleep in the pack or is he off form? He is getting up there in years????

More I think about it, it is surprising Cunego wasn't more attentive and explosive. The year he won, he crushed the field on sprints like this. He is a lot like Valverde in that way.

Good showing for Gerolsteiner. Shumaker called himself an all rounder. Maybe he will be present for the whole three weeks and give a nice showing. How old is he?

 

[whiteboytrash]

CSC destroyed the field today... they drove the peleton at 70km p/hour with 15km to go.... although it looks like they destroyed their own man Basso.... I watced on EuroSport and the finish is crazy.... a 5% climb with cobbles with 2km to go made for fantastic racing...... the entire peleton was strung out... Petacchi is gone and probably won't start stage 4..... his knee looked bad....


Rubiera tried to hold Schumacher's wheel but just wasn't strong enough.... great riding by Schuey.....

In other news as I mentioned in the Giro thread that Bettini is going to T-Mobile next year.....

 

[musette]

CSC's aggressiveness was another reason supporting Chechu trying to get in front. With such aggressiveness, DC must be wondering whether CSC is trying to implement some sort of strategy to gain time on Il Falco. What better defense against that than to send somebody, like Chechu, away?

 

[musette]

For those who were able to watch, why did Rujano and Simoni find themselves so far back? It was not lost on any team or its DS that today, particularly with the weather, but also basically because of the route up to the citadel, may create opportunities for time gaps.