Giro Pre Race Chat

milton50

A typical Giro route. It looks crazy hard and will probably be just as unpredictable. Stage 19 and 20 will kill some people. Near enough 440km over two days and most of them are uphill.

So, can Porte take his first 3 week race?

hammerite

Sky and Tinkoff have both announced pretty strong squads. If Porte can carry on his impressive form this year it could be a big gun shoot out between the two teams.

Macaloon

I have a feeling in my water that Alberto is fit for glue, and he knows it. Porte is the next best on paper, but has yet to show resilience under pressure for a full 3 week tour (although the 2013 tour stage when he lost the time was more race and team situation than a bad day). My sensations say that Richie is too fragile. I'd be surprised if the circus surrounding Aru doesn't cramp his style.

So I'm a big believer in Rigo, despite the certainty that his team will forget themselves and go crazy with all these medium mountain stages.

cal_stewart

Sky look strong, think pozzo could do something on the bigger mtn stages

milton50

Be interesting to see how Ulissi goes this year.

dolan_driver

It looks like Rujano didn't get an invite to the party.

DD.

mididoctors

Macaloon wrote:

I have a feeling in my water that Alberto is fit for glue, and he knows it.

yeah I can feel that one too

mididoctors

Cal_Stewart wrote:

Sky look strong, think pozzo could do something on the bigger mtn stages

sky look awesome don't they. If porte has it then it will be a hard act to stop.

uran looks the safest ptp pick....most likely to be on the podium avoiding mishaps

rick_chasey

No Brits in the giro this year.

Yellow Peril

any love for Aru? ...guessing not.

inseine

Rick Chasey wrote:

No Brits in the giro this year.

But 11 Aussies and 3 from New Zealand.

frenchfighter

Rick Chasey wrote:

No Brits in the giro this year.

Wow. Following the media circus then at the Tour. Giro for the real fans.

frenchfighter

Disappointing list of GC contenders but if Porte retains his form then he will push Contador hard. I just hope that he doesn't somehow come out and beat Contador over three weeks as he has shown he is nowhere close to being that rider.

Sky and Contador have very strong squads and wouldn't be surprised to see at least two from each team in the top ten.

The easier the better though for Contador if he is going for the Giro-Tour double.

Lets hope this one is a cracker - the parcours looks brilliant.

ddraver

frenchfighter wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

No Brits in the giro this year.

Wow. Following the media circus then at the Tour. Giro for the real fans.

Can you suggest who should e riding from britain?

and while you there can you suggest who these "real fans" you keep going on about actually are?

RichN95.

Rick Chasey wrote:

No Brits in the giro this year.

Maybe a record number at the Tour though.

What is the record?
Edit: to answer my own question - nine in 1967 & 1968. Most finishers - seven in 2010

ContrelaMontre

frenchfighter wrote:

...I just hope that he doesn't somehow come out and beat Contador over three weeks as he has shown he is nowhere close to being that rider...

Twaddle. Porte is clearly on form this year and hitting his prime. Contador is quite possibly a fading force. I don't personally think Porte has the consistency over three weeks and am backing Uran myself, but to write him off and to expect Bertie to be riding like it's 2009 is a bit one-eyed.

jimmythecuckoo

We will get a reputation as being a soft nation with no participants in the hardest grand tour.

frenchfighter

ContrelaMontre wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

...I just hope that he doesn't somehow come out and beat Contador over three weeks as he has shown he is nowhere close to being that rider...

Twaddle. Porte is clearly on form this year and hitting his prime. Contador is quite possibly a fading force. I don't personally think Porte has the consistency over three weeks and am backing Uran myself, but to write him off and to expect Bertie to be riding like it's 2009 is a bit one-eyed.

I don't write him off. I just don't expect him to beat Contador. And I don't expect Contador to be at 2009 levels, 2014 levels are perfect - ie/. best stage race rider in the World.

inseine

ddraver wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

No Brits in the giro this year.

Wow. Following the media circus then at the Tour. Giro for the real fans.

Can you suggest who should e riding from britain?

and while you there can you suggest who these "real fans" you keep going on about actually are?

We all know there's only one 'real fan' on here, and certainly not any of those mugs at the side of the road actually enjoying the racing.

Ashbeck

Here's how I'm seeing it at the moment.

On paper Porte looks the strongest based on current form, but for me there's always a '?' around his ability to perform over 3 weeks. It's ok being a domestique for Froome, where you can do your stuff then fall away knowing its job done, but being team leader and having to go that extra mile on every stage? I just don't know.

Contador, on his day he's top draw, but again, based on current results and fitness he's either: A. been blagging it that he's not up to scratch when really he is and was saving it for the Giro..or B: he really isn't up to scratch.

Uran. Could win the Giro if he gets the timing right, but something tells me he never will, a good bet for another podium place but to win it i just don't think he's got the legs in the final few KM's to keep up with the efforts of the top boys and therefore will agonisingly fall short by a few seconds on every hard stage. (assuming Porte is smoking and Contador isn't blagging)

Ashbeck

frenchfighter wrote:

ContrelaMontre wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

...I just hope that he doesn't somehow come out and beat Contador over three weeks as he has shown he is nowhere close to being that rider...

Twaddle. Porte is clearly on form this year and hitting his prime. Contador is quite possibly a fading force. I don't personally think Porte has the consistency over three weeks and am backing Uran myself, but to write him off and to expect Bertie to be riding like it's 2009 is a bit one-eyed.

I don't write him off. I just don't expect him to beat Contador. And I don't expect Contador to be at 2009 levels, 2014 levels are perfect - ie/. best stage race rider in the World.

You love Contador don't you French would you have his babies?

milton50

Ashbeck wrote:

Here's how I'm seeing it at the moment.

On paper Porte looks the strongest based on current form, but for me there's always a '?' around his ability to perform over 3 weeks.

This is how I see it as well. There's a big difference between 1 week stage races and Grand Tours. Despite that I still maintain that Porte would have won the '13 Tour if Froome wasn't there. Contador will play every tactic in the book and race every metre. I just get the impression Porte is the kind of rider who might switch off at the wrong moment. But I like the guy and I hope he wins it.

any love for Aru? ...guessing not.

I was thinking about Aru and his performance last year. He hasn't shown anything this year so I don't know what to expect. The Astana team looks strong though.

Ashbeck

Milton50 wrote:

Ashbeck wrote:

Here's how I'm seeing it at the moment.

On paper Porte looks the strongest based on current form, but for me there's always a '?' around his ability to perform over 3 weeks.

This is how I see it as well. There's a big difference between 1 week stage races and Grand Tours. Despite that I still maintain that Porte would have won the '13 Tour if Froome wasn't there. Contador will play every tactic in the book and race every metre. I just get the impression Porte is the kind of rider who might switch off at the wrong moment. But I like the guy and I hope he wins it.

any love for Aru? ...guessing not.

I was thinking about Aru and his performance last year. He hasn't shown anything this year so I don't know what to expect. The Astana team looks strong though.

Likewise, I like Porte and I would like to see him break past that 'bad patch' he's had in the past during longer stage races. We'll know by the end of the 2nd week if he's managed that or not.

Im the same on Aru. Could be good, might be an outside bet, but personally i don't think he'll do enough to win it. Give it another couple of years and he could be superb if he keeps on improving.

jimmythecuckoo

I just don't see Porte as a winner of a GT.

Not sure why I see him as fragile, I just do.

He might have all the data and numbers in the world to back it up from Team Sky. But for me, week long stage races are his likely domain.

Will see how that prediction goes for me!

Ashbeck

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

I just don't see Porte as a winner of a GT.

Not sure why I see him as fragile, I just do.

He might have all the data and numbers in the world to back it up from Team Sky. But for me, week long stage races are his likely domain.

Will see how that prediction goes for me!

Thats the point I'm making. Im on the fence with Porte because the potential is there, but I'm not convinced he can go past that 10 day section. On paper, he should be able too, he has the talent, but he always gets ill, or has an off day. The trouble is, his off day tends to land him with a 8 minute deficit that he's then never likely to gain back.

If he does win this Giro it will be because of 2 things. 1. he manages to break past that dodgy patch and 2. Contador isn't fit. If Contador is fit and on top of his game then i think he will beat Porte and 'manage him' right till the end (unless Contadors TT is rubbish and he screws up)

rick_chasey

Anyone studied the number of roundabouts in last 30km of stages???

Will have a big impact on attrition rate .

inseine

Ashbeck wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

I just don't see Porte as a winner of a GT.

Not sure why I see him as fragile, I just do.

He might have all the data and numbers in the world to back it up from Team Sky. But for me, week long stage races are his likely domain.

Will see how that prediction goes for me!

Thats the point I'm making. Im on the fence with Porte because the potential is there, but I'm not convinced he can go past that 10 day section. On paper, he should be able too, he has the talent, but he always gets ill, or has an off day. The trouble is, his off day tends to land him with a 8 minute deficit that he's then never likely to gain back.

If he does win this Giro it will be because of 2 things. 1. he manages to break past that dodgy patch and 2. Contador isn't fit. If Contador is fit and on top of his game then i think he will beat Porte and 'manage him' right till the end (unless Contadors TT is rubbish and he screws up)

I think that ever since he said he just wasn't as good as Froome I doubted his killer instinct. He does seem a bit too nice to win a GT.

mike6

frenchfighter wrote:

Disappointing list of GC contenders but if Porte retains his form then he will push Contador hard. I just hope that he doesn't somehow come out and beat Contador over three weeks as he has shown he is nowhere close to being that rider.
Sky and Contador have very strong squads and wouldn't be surprised to see at least two from each team in the top ten.

The easier the better though for Contador if he is going for the Giro-Tour double.

Lets hope this one is a cracker - the parcours looks brilliant.

What tosh. Dont know what racing you have been watching but Porte is a class act. As the protected rider rather than the domestique he will get an easier ride. He is a little older and stronger now and If he stays healthy for the three weeks Contador will be playing catch up.

hammerite

frenchfighter wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

No Brits in the giro this year.

Wow. Following the media circus then at the Tour. Giro for the real fans.

Not sure how no Brits being selected to ride for their teams at the Giro has anything to do with a media circus or the type of fans.

above_the_cows

MY MAN Richie's going to be cleaning up those Toblerone's with the help of my other man Kiry.

Or he isn't, but who cares, I can't wait!

josame

Here's my tuppence (and I'm still dining out on being the only one to call Birtie for the Vuelta 8) ):

Uran - not a chance unless something befalls all of these guys..

Porte / Pozzo - prob 2nd and 3rd respectively

Birtie - with the might of Rogers & Basso - all day long