Giro Pre Race Chat

bobmcstuff

Yellow Peril wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

In the TTs Contador and Porte have both raced (not too many), the score is 4 vs 3 to Contador.

It really is amazing that the general consensus is that Porte will bury my men.

If Contador performs badly then it will be entirely due to his injured shoulder.

Isn't Porte Australian TT champ having beaten former Hour record holder Rohan Dennis into 2nd place? that seems a sound enough logic for believing Porte is currently the better TT'er

But Porte is down to 45 kilos or something, he'll blow away in the wind.

joelsim

Yellow Peril wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

In the TTs Contador and Porte have both raced (not too many), the score is 4 vs 3 to Contador.

It really is amazing that the general consensus is that Porte will bury my men.

If Contador performs badly then it will be entirely due to his injured shoulder.

Isn't Porte Australian TT champ having beaten former Hour record holder Rohan Dennis into 2nd place? that seems a sound enough logic for believing Porte is currently the better TT'er

And in races that he was team leader.

PN 2015 1st
VaPV 2013 4th
Crit Int 2013 1st
PN 2013 1st

frenchfighter

PN is an uphill TT. It is not even the same league.

Mountain TT from Giro last year:
Stage 19 Results
COL 1 QUINTANA ROJAS, Nairo Alexander (MOVISTAR) 1:05:37
ITA 2 ARU, Fabio (ASTANA) + 17
COL 3 URAN URAN, Rigoberto (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP) + 1:26
FRA 4 ROLLAND, Pierre (EUROPCAR) + 1:57
ITA 5 POZZOVIVO, Domenico (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 2:24
ITA 6 PELLIZOTTI, Franco (ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI) + 3:22
POL 7 MAJKA, Rafal (TINKOFF-SAXO) + 3:28
COL 8 HENAO GOMEZ, Sebastian (SKY) + 3:48
BEL 9 WELLENS, Tim (LOTTO BELISOL) + 4:00
ITA 10 CATALDO, Dario (SKY) + 4:10

So if it was an uphill TT, Aru would for sure bury Porte.

RichN95.

frenchfighter wrote:

So if it was an uphill TT, Aru would for sure bury Porte.

And if it was a swim Porte would beat Aru. But it's not, is it?

frenchfighter

Who cares about swimming?
As you can see I was responding to a point rather than initiating.
Therefore your post is pretty pointless.

adr82

I'm pretty damn sure by this point that FF is about a million times more worried about this TT than Contador is himself.

frenchfighter

I'm not worried. Just saying that I think Porte being held up as someone who can smash the TT over Contador is not the case. Additionally I think that Porte should not be as good in the TT as previous years given he has sacrificed weight so he can go uphill faster.

Either way, even if the very odd scenario occurs where Contador loses two minutes or something, I still think he will win. I fully expect Contador to destroy Porte in the real mountains.

above_the_cows

adr82 wrote:

I'm pretty damn sure by this point that FF is about a million times more worried about this TT than Contador is himself.

frenchfighter

@friebos · 2h 2 hours ago
References in today's Gazzetta of journalists being made to disinfect hands on guided tour of Porte's motorhome: only one. Yesterday: three.

You think this is legit? Probably.

The_Boy

frenchfighter wrote:

@friebos · 2h 2 hours ago
References in today's Gazzetta of journalists being made to disinfect hands on guided tour of Porte's motorhome: only one. Yesterday: three.

You think this is legit? Probably.

I know I'm probably being slow on the uptake due to cramming for an exam, but what's his point?

mechanism

The_Boy wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

@friebos · 2h 2 hours ago
References in today's Gazzetta of journalists being made to disinfect hands on guided tour of Porte's motorhome: only one. Yesterday: three.

You think this is legit? Probably.

I know I'm probably being slow on the uptake due to cramming for an exam, but what's his point?

I think he's just pointing out how silly the fuss over the motorhome is. On the rest day some journos were allowed inside provided they disinfected their hands, thus giving them more to write about.

frenchfighter

Hi res:
http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/wp-content/u ... 1_full.jpg

Macaloon

Macaloon wrote:

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.

:roll:

frenchfighter

I hope they give the camper to Konig now. Not that I think he would take it.

frenchfighter

‏@millarmind 13m13 minutes ago
It still surprises me when people don't expect @albertocontador to be Alberto Contador. Best GT rider we've ever seen.


Just one seasoned pro who I share the same opinion with.

carbonclem

Twitter reporting that Porte is going home. Not surprising.

Poor Ritchie ... where does he go from here?

adr82

CarbonClem wrote:

Twitter reporting that Porte is going home. Not surprising.

Poor Ritchie ... where does he go from here?

Forget him, what do they do with the motorhome now? Remaining Sky riders drawing straws for it?

carbonclem

adr82 wrote:

CarbonClem wrote:

Twitter reporting that Porte is going home. Not surprising.

Poor Ritchie ... where does he go from here?

Forget him, what do they do with the motorhome now? Remaining Sky riders drawing straws for it?

Deep clean ready for July maybe? Or toss it off as a waste of money!

Crampeur

Oleg Tinkov
‏@olegtinkov

Hotels in Italian mountains aren't luxury enough. I'm on the market for renting motorhome for the third #Giro week, any suggestions ? :-)

Classic Oleg.

frenchfighter

Haha good one Oleg.

Run home now Porte and train like a terrier so you can pace Froome in July and ride to another 30th position.

Im proven right. Again.

Ashbeck

frenchfighter wrote:

I'm not worried. Just saying that I think Porte being held up as someone who can smash the TT over Contador is not the case. Additionally I think that Porte should not be as good in the TT as previous years given he has sacrificed weight so he can go uphill faster.

Either way, even if the very odd scenario occurs where Contador loses two minutes or something, I still think he will win. I fully expect Contador to destroy Porte in the real mountains.

What a pointless argument being put forward by you again. Its easy to say that about Porte when hes had the guts ripped out of his race with a 2 minute penalty. That pretty much ended his race and you know it. If that had been Contador with the penalty he wouldnt have gone for it on the TT either, instead saving himself for the Tour. Cal yourself a fan... :roll:

I love the way people like you have memory loss and forget the penalty handed out to Porte and just look at Contador before and mainly after that point.

Fact is, Porte was in an excellent position, saving himself for the TT to claw the time back, then just cover Contador in the high mountains. Afterall, this is all weve seen Contador do, he hasnt done anything in this Giro yet, all hes done is kept his nose clean while all of those around him have been hard done by.

I said last week this Giro was dead when Porte got his penalty and it has been. Everyone knew Aru wouldnt cut it in the TT so that was him done and psychologically Porte was f*cked the minute he was handed the penalty. This Giro is now a borefest, doesnt matter what the tv pundits say about 'contenders' there are none.

You havent been right about anything.

Ashbeck

frenchfighter wrote:

Haha good one Oleg.

Run home now Porte and train like a terrier so you can pace Froome in July and ride to another 30th position.

Im proven right. Again.

Yes and lets conveniently forget the fact Contador the Doper has done bugger all except watch those around him get dealt with dodgy penalties.

:roll:

Crampeur

Gian-Alpecin DS Rudi Kemna makes some half accusations RE. Astana: http://nos.nl/artikel/2037423-kemna-ver ... ltuur.html

(in Dutch, but you can get the gist via Google Translate)

frenchfighter

Haha Ashbeck, I wonder how many more posts you have to write before I get tired of your drivel and just put you on block to save me time.

Macaloon

Love this bit of the sport. Click for vid.
https://twitter.com/CycleShow/status/603172202222100480

@CycleShow
Fans setup a fake finish with 6km to go at the Giro and surprised Alan Marangoni.

wombly_knees

Ashbeck wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

I'm not worried. Just saying that I think Porte being held up as someone who can smash the TT over Contador is not the case. Additionally I think that Porte should not be as good in the TT as previous years given he has sacrificed weight so he can go uphill faster.

Either way, even if the very odd scenario occurs where Contador loses two minutes or something, I still think he will win. I fully expect Contador to destroy Porte in the real mountains.

What a pointless argument being put forward by you again. Its easy to say that about Porte when hes had the guts ripped out of his race with a 2 minute penalty. That pretty much ended his race and you know it. If that had been Contador with the penalty he wouldnt have gone for it on the TT either, instead saving himself for the Tour. Cal yourself a fan... :roll:

Okay, but can't help but think what Porte would've done in Evans' spot in the 2009 Vuelta when race officials' incompetence cost him a minute and a half and the race. If that's all it takes to end Porte's GC ambitions, maybe he doesn't have it in the head. The 2 minute penalty may have ended his hopes of a win, but there was still a podium spot to fight for and a best ever GT finish for him.

As for Contador not trying, that's possibly the only thing that can't be held against him. Also, there is a difference that he's won this race before.

salsiccia1

Am I missing something here? I thought Porte abandoned because of injuries from the crash on Stage 13, the same injuries that meant he lost time in the TT and 20+ mins on the Madonna. The crash that occurred when he was close to the front, marking the other favourites.

There's nothing to suggest that prior to the crash Porte had any thoughts other than fighting on.

frenchfighter

Well who knows what his injuries were from a little bang on the knee and hip. Standard stuff really unless he has a really weak body (I suppose possible given his weight).

It is almost certainly more mental imo.

Konig even hinted that it could be the explanation.

norvernrob

frenchfighter wrote:

Well who knows what his injuries were from a little bang on the knee and hip. Standard stuff really unless he has a really weak body (I suppose possible given his weight).

It is almost certainly more mental imo.

Konig even hinted that it could be the explanation.

...Yet Contador fell at 4km/h and managed to dislocate a shoulder - strange how Porte couldn't have injured himself when he fell.

ddraver

You can see why Bertie lies about his injuries eh..?