Rigoberto Uran Uran

tailwindhome

So Uran goes to bed tonight knowing that he is now the leader of the Sky team, is 2mins off the lead and has at his disposal one of the best teams in the race.

Does he have what it takes to win this race?

How do you think it will play out?

Richmond Racer

On the subject of the climbing mulleted-one, an interview with him and his amigo Henao

https://www.youtube.com/embed/BinjR2caXOE

Crankbrother

Using the Spanish model for surnames, I'm having trouble not thinking that he's born of incest ...

iainf72

TailWindHome wrote:

Does he have what it takes to win this race?

No.

I reckon he'll finish somewhere between 6 - 10'th place

cogidubnus

I reckon he'll have a bad day so will prob end up 4th or 5th. Nice video though- like Heneo's reaction when Uran said they could ride against each other

Cleat Eastwood

He was about a minute behind nibali in the TT can't see him taking much less in next weeks TT but he could take some time out Cadel - as long as he finishes ahead of Gesink

TheBigBean

I think he will finish 3rd after Nibali and Evans

Richmond Racer

I'd go for 3rd. He'll probably lose a bit of time to both Nibz and Evans in the mountain TT. BUT if Evans starts to fall back under the burden of having the most useless team in terms of supporting, AND Uran remains consistent, he might be able to sneak 2nd.

Going to be tough to beat Nibz who is looking superb.

But then...illness can strike any of them, especially in this race...

iainf72

Richmond Racer wrote:

I'd go for 3rd. He'll probably lose a bit of time to both Nibz and Evans in the mountain TT. BUT if Evans starts to fall back under the burden of having the most useless team in terms of supporting, AND Uran remains consistent, he might be able to sneak 2nd.

Nice to see you've moved on from Evans is past it to his team is useless :P

blazing_saddles

I said yesterday that the big disappointment was Henao's collapse.
Until then, I would have said he was the better bet.

You would think, with so many +2000m climbs to come, (well, in theory at least) Sky's Colombians
should be well suited to succeed.
However, last year, both of them had a bad day in the high Giro mountains.

ms_tree

I'm hoping he'll move to another team next season, then I can start supporting him again like I did when he rode for Caisse d'Epargne and came 3rd in Lombardy. Unfortunately he went to THAT team so got crossed off the Christmas card list!

dolan_driver

So, Rigoberto is Sky's Plan B.

I hope he avoids illness and his predicted "one bad day". If he can do both of those things, he can potentially end up on the podium. He doesn't really have any pressure on him as Bradley Wiggins' problems certainly weren't in Sky's plans for this Giro. Anything further that he achieves in this race will probably be a bonus for Sky. He seems like a fairly laid-back character and that could stand to him in the final week. He also seems to be able to handle a lot of hardship, so the next 10 ten days will be very interesting.

A Colombian on a Grand Tour podium would be very fitting, given their impact on so many of this year's races.

DD.

tailwindhome

Dolan Driver wrote:

So, Rigoberto is Sky's Plan B.

I think he may have been Plan C

David Walsh ‏@DavidWalshST 14 May

Uran is highly rated climber and unlucky not to get jersey on Friday but he doesn't TT as well as other two. Henao, plan B so Uran plan C!!!

Squaggles

I like to see Uran finish on the podium I just think he's more likely to lose time to Evans and Especially Nibali in the mountains than gain time . Nibali seems to have got everything right and he is looking good

LeicesterLad

Richmond Racer wrote:

On the subject of the climbing mulleted-one, an interview with him and his amigo Henao

https://www.youtube.com/embed/BinjR2caXOE

Liked that vid RR, Henao looked almost tearful when Rigo said about racing against eachother - made me laugh!

Tom Butcher

I rate Uran and for me he's a definite threat - should never have been called back to help Wiggins earlier in the race.

Pross

Still think Evans will have a bad day or days in the mountains. I reckon Uran could get second but if there's illness in the Sky camp anything could happen!

rob churchill

Odds are against him, but... Cadel fades, Nibali crashes - who knows?

If he does win, he should definitely celebrate by putting Jane Fonda in a giant loony sex piano thing:

afx237vi

Pross wrote:

Still think Evans will have a bad day or days in the mountains. I reckon Uran could get second but if there's illness in the Sky camp anything could happen!

Agree with this. Can see Evans having a bad day before Uran does.

Le Commentateur

At least there's no more playing poker: clear leaders should make for some cracking battles in the mountains, weather permitting. Heavy snow showers are forecast tonight and for Saturday (with ground temperature barely above freezing) in the area of both of the weekend's stage finishes.

emadden

He likes rain

Bakunin

Rigoberto will win the Giro.

Sky will postal it up those mountains and destroy everyone.

Nibs himself could have a bad day.

milton50

In terms of beating Nibali, no, it's not going to happen. Nibali looks in the condition of his life and his whole season has been focused on winning the Giro.

I think Henao would have probably been the better bet for getting 2nd or 3rd given there is so much steep climbing to come. That said, the final three days in the mountains look so tiring that it's impossible to predict how the likes of Evans, Scarponi, Santambrogio, Uran etc. will react. It's still up in the air.

Mad_Malx

Quite liked a inrng poster last year (please claim the credit if it was you)-

'His name is Rigo and he turns the pedals round'
(to the tune of 'Rio')

squired

One can never discount the abilities of a rider who is out of contract at the end of the season. Always a good incentive to perform a little bit better. The last few years we've seen quite a few riders having particularly good seasons as their contracts were ending, only to be followed with mediocre performance. The most obvious example being Cobo.

Personally I just hope he doesn't get sick. Sky should have made sure the most unwell member of the team was at Nibali's side on every stage, always couging in his direction. That may be the only way to break his grip on the GC this year. Having said that, there are a lot of very tough mountains to come, combined with poor weather, so anything can happen. Unlike the Tour, the Giro has a good habit of throwing up surprises.

Coach H

emadden wrote:

Do you think he has fitted his ratchet straps the wrong way round (and upside down) as a superstitious thing? A too dumb to do it right thing? Or a doesn't pay attention to such trivial details?

prawny

It's so when he has to thank the sposors he can look down and quickly know who they are. It's the same reason a lot of footballers pull on their shirts when they score a goal, so they know which fans to run towards.

tailwindhome

Love that photo.

Macaloon

TailWindHome wrote:

Love that photo.

Existential. It's the pools of blood in his eye sockets: this rider "supports the conditions". Would love to see him avoid a bad day and make the podium. And, with a more than decent supporting cast freed from nursing Wiggo, maybe he can have a go.

greasedscotsman

Macaloon wrote:

Existential. It's the pools of blood in his eye sockets: this rider "supports the conditions".

Or needs some of these...

http://www.screwfix.com/p/bolle-clear-l ... ecs/95382#

salsiccia1

prawny wrote:

It's the same reason a lot of footballers pull on their shirts when they score a goal, so they know which fans to run towards.

love it