Giro Stage 15 *Spoiler*

dave_1

afx237vi wrote:

Dave_1 wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

But... but... he promised to attack?!?

think he used to conditional if he could in his comment re attacking

I promise to buy every member of Bikeradar a new Ferrari...






...


...if I win the Euromillions next Friday.

I'd say that's more likely than Levi going on the attack.

I think he is doing ok and has not made too many wild predictions, promises to win the Giro...but maybe I am not following the headlines closely enough...or is it just hate a yank time cause lance is an irrelevance now?

Quite Frankly

The Cervelo DS should be shot for pulling Serge out of the break. Incredible decision.

Good day's racing even if there were no changes to top 10 GC other than Simoni dropping out.

Now, let's hope Newcastle get relegated.

Le Commentateur

They're too worried about Sastre's situation, so nothing else matters.

afx237vi

Dave_1 wrote:

I think he is doing ok and has not made too many wild predictions, promises to win the Giro...but maybe I am not following the headlines closely enough...or is it just hate a yank time cause lance is an irrelevance now?

1. I don't hate anyone.

2. His nationality is completely irrelevant. I just happen to think he's an incredibly boring cyclist who makes Cadel Evans look exciting.

Levi's comment about attacking was amusing because I can't imagine any situation whatsoever which he would find condusive to attacking. Maybe if a series of incredibly localised earthquakes knocked every other GC contender off their bikes? Lightning strikes maybe? Or if some prankster swaps the entire Giro peloton with the one that was racing the Tour of the Gila?

blazing_saddles

Gibo's just finished. Lost over a quarter of an hour.
All part of the wearing down process today and the most worn down appears to be Levi.
When DDL struck, he was the last to make contact. Still, he was probably relying on those great decending skills.....yes, I was watching closely to where he was in the group and it wasn't anywhere near the front!

Class bit of poker playing from Dennis. At one point, I thought he was struggling. Obviously not.

Basso? looked great, but for nowt. I reckon he is now offically cannon fodder for Mr Permazotti.

He, Sastre and Menchov to contest the podium, if Mr Di Luted blows a gasket.

Oh and someone tell Harmon, it was Kurt AA who won in 2003, here

frenchfighter

lol, the only time I remember Levi attacking was on the ToC:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c0kfYOq5Ac

Menchov doesn't attack very much either although more so than Levi.

At least Di Luca attacks, then attacks again.

Yet Contador the attacking king. Which is one reason why he is my favourite rider. Not only are his attacks splendid to watch and often stay away, he also has an 'attacking' attitude/outlook (he says as much in a Cycle Sport interview).

dave_1

afx237vi wrote:

Dave_1 wrote:

I think he is doing ok and has not made too many wild predictions, promises to win the Giro...but maybe I am not following the headlines closely enough...or is it just hate a yank time cause lance is an irrelevance now?

1. I don't hate anyone.

2. His nationality is completely irrelevant. I just happen to think he's an incredibly boring cyclist who makes Cadel Evans look exciting.

Levi's comment about attacking was amusing because I can't imagine any situation whatsoever which he would find condusive to attacking. Maybe if a series of incredibly localised earthquakes knocked every other GC contender off their bikes? Lightning strikes maybe? Or if some prankster swaps the entire Giro peloton with the one that was racing the Tour of the Gila?

I think his loss of 3 secs yesterday shows he is not so very explosive...definitely a slogger...I doubt he will be far behind in some of the long grovels of summits in the days ahead...a diesel maybe...we'll see.

dave_1

frenchfighter wrote:

lol, the only time I remember Levi attacking was on the ToC:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c0kfYOq5Ac

Menchov doesn't attack very much either although more so than Levi.

At least Di Luca attacks, then attacks again.

Yet Contador the attacking king. Which is one reason why he is my favourite rider. Not only are his attacks splendid to watch and often stay away, he also has an 'attacking' attitude/outlook (he says as much in a Cycle Sport interview).

but Di Luca is a drug user for sure...with Levi it's still on the level of guilt by association...so if you ask me to pick...I'd trust leiphmer more than DDL

Bhima

What was that CTT rider doing???

afx237vi

Bhima wrote:

What was that CTT rider doing???

Told to sit up and wait for Sastre. Which is a load of crap because:

a) Sastre was in no danger and didn't need help
b) Pauwels was too far ahead anyway and didn't even make it back
c) Pauwels would almost certainly have beaten Bertagnolli in a sprint of two

There's some speculation elsewhere that Cervelo have done a deal with Diquigiovanni. Bertagnolli wins the stage, Sastre gets Scarponi, Serpa, Jackson Rodriguez and Simoni helping him out over the coming days.

When you look at the Cervelo team compared to the Diqui team for the mountains, it makes total sense (if true), but it sucks for Pauwels whatever way you look at it.

<seankelly>
Or maybe JP Van Poppel has spent too much time as DS of the Cervelo women's team and has forgotten how cycling tactics work.
</seankelly>

blazing_saddles

Dave_1 wrote:

but Di Luca is a drug user for sure...with Levi it's still on the level of guilt by association...so if you ask me to pick...I'd trust leiphmer more than DDL

That's a bit inaccurate there, Dave.
DDL is guilty by association, Just like Levi.
Actually, Levi has failed a dope test in his early racing years, whereas DDL, just keeps coming up uber-pure.

So, the distinction isn't really distinct.
Hard keeping just a pinch of subjectivity out of the equation, isn't it?

iainf72

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Basso? looked great, but for nowt. I reckon he is now offically cannon fodder for Mr Permazotti.

That's the thing though - You can't be sure who they're riding for. What's nice is they have a couple of cards to play. And on a day like tomorrow, taking minutes out of other is very possible.

I only saw 30 minutes or so of it (using the "I'll take the baby in out of the sun" excuse while visiting someone )so will watch the rest later.

Looked like a race.

dave_1

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Dave_1 wrote:

but Di Luca is a drug user for sure...with Levi it's still on the level of guilt by association...so if you ask me to pick...I'd trust leiphmer more than DDL

That's a bit inaccurate there, Dave.
DDL is guilty by association, Just like Levi.
Actually, Levi has failed a dope test in his early racing years, whereas DDL, just keeps coming up uber-pure.

So, the distinction isn't really distinct.
Hard keeping just a pinch of subjectivity out of the equation, isn't it?

DDL was eavesdropped on while on the blower arranging the gear...no such thing exists with LL...therefore no comparison at mo

dave_1

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Dave_1 wrote:

but Di Luca is a drug user for sure...with Levi it's still on the level of guilt by association...so if you ask me to pick...I'd trust leiphmer more than DDL

That's a bit inaccurate there, Dave.
DDL is guilty by association, Just like Levi.
Actually, Levi has failed a dope test in his early racing years, whereas DDL, just keeps coming up uber-pure.

So, the distinction isn't really distinct.
Hard keeping just a pinch of subjectivity out of the equation, isn't it?

:shock: what test did LL fail? never knew that :?

iainf72

Sounds like Basso is a bit annoyed

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/Bas ... 83200.html

You go get 'em tomorrow tiger. I have a feeling we might see some agression early.

Quite Frankly

afx237vi wrote:

Quite Frankly wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

Why is the QS rider working so hard in the pink jersey group? Don't know who he is. Not Seeldraeyers... Facci?

Yup, not sure what's going on there.

It's Facci, and he's still doing it. Weird tactical decisions being made in this stage!

Was obviously doing it for Seeldrayers because the likes of Simoni, Armstrong, Popo, Scarponi, Kessiakoff, Siutsou and Cunego were above him on GC before the stage and weren't in the ''leaders'' group.

It's still pretty odd, only moved Seeldrayers up four places to 17th. Quick Step are clearly desperate for at least a top 10 in GC having done sod all else in the race.

frenchfighter

According to Robbie Hunter the gruppetto was 120 people today :shock:

Quite Frankly

frenchfighter wrote:

According to Robbie Hunter the gruppetto was 120 people today :shock:

Well pretty much. There was a group of 40 odd riders who came in 18 minutes down and then the gruppetto containing 90 odd riders came in 22 minutes down.

A tough day in the saddle.

dave_1

from what I read Menchov is making out he had a choice about whether to go with Basso today , likewise Di luca...IMO they didn't have a choice...they couldn't follow Basso and I suspect Ivan will have a major impact on the race tomorrow

Quite Frankly

Dave_1 wrote:

from what I read Menchov is making out he had a choice about whether to go with Basso today , likewise Di luca...IMO they didn't have a choice...they couldn't follow Basso and I suspect Ivan will have a major impact on the race tomorrow

I disagree. Di Luca, Sastre and Menchov could have definitely followed. Garzelli managed to after all.

dave_1

Quite Frankly wrote:

Dave_1 wrote:

from what I read Menchov is making out he had a choice about whether to go with Basso today , likewise Di luca...IMO they didn't have a choice...they couldn't follow Basso and I suspect Ivan will have a major impact on the race tomorrow

I disagree. Di Luca, Sastre and Menchov could have definitely followed. Garzelli managed to after all.

fair enough...why did they cover his first attack and not his second? IMO Basso is still a candidate for GC

Quite Frankly

Dave_1 wrote:

Quite Frankly wrote:

Dave_1 wrote:

from what I read Menchov is making out he had a choice about whether to go with Basso today , likewise Di luca...IMO they didn't have a choice...they couldn't follow Basso and I suspect Ivan will have a major impact on the race tomorrow

I disagree. Di Luca, Sastre and Menchov could have definitely followed. Garzelli managed to after all.

fair enough...why did they cover his first attack and not his second? IMO Basso is still a candidate for GC

I don't recall seeing the first attack. Was it a serious effort?

The others were clearly confident that Basso was attacking too far out and that they'd be able to catch up with him towards the end. Basso may well pay for today's effort tomorrow.

iainf72

Quite Frankly wrote:

I don't recall seeing the first attack. Was it a serious effort?

It was. Liquigas had been cranking up the pace on the front for a while and Basso took it a step further. At first Di Luca and Menchov went with him but decided to sit up a bit. Or he shelled them, difficult to tell.

What puzzles me is why LPR felt the need to chase. If they'd left Menchov and Levi to it, Di Luca could've probably dropped them later.

Strange tactics afoot. As it is, Dennis and Danilo did manage to drop everyone at one point so I think tomorrow we'll see a big reshuffle.

mididoctors

iainf72 wrote:

What puzzles me is why LPR felt the need to chase. If they'd left Menchov and Levi to it, Di Luca could've probably dropped them later.

.

agree with that they could have knocked at least levi out of the race.. sastre was up for it and all