Giro Pre Race Chat

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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Macaloon wrote:
    Robert Millar disliked riding the Giro despite finishing 2nd in the mountains jersey.
    Saying that, I knew I'd be bored just doing a bit of work now and then, or getting dragged round, so to perk up my outlook I thought I'd try out for the mountains prize. This was the era when there was no washing machine in the truck and you did your own kit cleaning, so having a nice new jersey to wear each stage saved a bit of energy.


    Do like the stuff he writes a lot.
    _
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    Macaloon wrote:
    Robert Millar disliked riding the Giro despite finishing 2nd in the mountains jersey.
    Saying that, I knew I'd be bored just doing a bit of work now and then, or getting dragged round, so to perk up my outlook I thought I'd try out for the mountains prize. This was the era when there was no washing machine in the truck and you did your own kit cleaning, so having a nice new jersey to wear each stage saved a bit of energy.

    so beast yourself over 2,000m+ peaks to save a bit of energy?

    gotcha - cycling logic :)
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,501
    I like Millar, he always spoke his mind. Roche always recalled that when he was on the same Peugeot team as him, Millar was always contrary and awkward. Always picking something different from his team mates for breakfast for example. "If you had cornflakes, Millar would eat muesli" said Roche.

    Incidentally, did anyone notice the chasing pack at one point with the seemingly diminutive Kenny Elissonde (73) with his team mate Alexandre Geniez (71) at 6 ft? He looked tiny.
    Another 'Who's the dwarf in the middle?' post.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    As pointed out on Eurosport the other day. There have been 15 different winners for the first 15 stages and from then on have been double winners. How about Viviani for today's stage?
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    Reports of US Secretary of State John Kerry breaking his leg in cycling accident in Geneva; if he pops over Alps and gets a magic rub from Bertie he'll be back on his bike in a week...
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,501
    Great Giro this year. Sad to see it end. I sure hope the TdF is as good, it's the Number 2 GT on my list.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • vinnymarsden
    vinnymarsden Posts: 560
    Great race..Contador is just untouchable…if Froome/Sky want to beat him I don't think it will be by using a motorhome etc..it will simply be through being as tough as him, and having "it" in all areas.
    The motorhome idea by DB was one step too far in my opinion.If you want all the domestiques to ride for you, surely you ought to be bunking up/eating with them etc, the problem is, if it had worked there would be a procession of ridiculous beasts in the TDF, and another element of the race would be gone.
    I think Team Sky need to redraw their blueprint..the marginal gains idea has been taken on by everyone, no edge to be gained there now, I think they just need a rider who can deliver across all spectrums, and at the moment they don't seem able to settle on any "game plan" as such.If Braislford went for it, I honestly think he could have a team of at least 50/60% UK riders…they are out there, and are, with the right set up/kit etc good enough, because with the retirement of Wiggins there really isn't a world class homegrown UK rider on Skys books.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,501
    Hmm. I just wonder if Astana will deploy the same tactics against Contador in the TdF except with Nibali in tow. With Landa, Aru and all their aggressive riders, that would be hard for Contador to fend off. They almost cracked him yesterday - their tactic nearly worked and they will try harder in respect of that. Contador didn't panic, descended (solo) like a demon and rolled in with a comfortable buffer with an Astana limpet.
    Contador really needs a better squad around him*. I wonder what other SaTi riders will be available come the TdF because I think without better back up, Astana are going to grind SaTi and Contador into the ground as he was often left very isolated (Rogers the only one to last any distance and not far enough). His isolation makes the win even more remarkable.
    It would be fantastic to see him do a TdF/Giro double.
    Will they deploy a couple of sprinters as back up to Sagan and a counter to Astana on the flat stages?
    Ditto SKY. It's a spent force. Too intense for a very short period.

    *Kiserlovski ? Bodnar ?
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Dancing his way to greatness.
    tumblr_np3j10ODOS1urkx2so1_400.gif
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    People's champion.

    "Obviously one thing never changes for me: whenever I go to a race, I like fighting to win it," he told sister publication ProCycling earlier this season. "But I don't think about my legacy, that's not what spurs me on. Rather, I'm doing this double firstly because I like it when people enjoy the racing I do. I want to do everything in my power to make a race interesting."
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    One of the most impressive elements of the Spaniard’s race record, as Greg LeMond has pointed out, is Contador's consistency. The Tinkoff-Saxo rider had already spent two years longer at the top in terms of the time span of his Grand Tour wins (2007-2015) than both Eddy Merckx (1968 - 1974) and Bernard Hinault (1978 - 1985). But now, following his Giro d'Italia victory, Contador has finally outmatched the longest of any of the 'Big Four's' runs of success in Grand Tours, Jacques Anquetil's eight year stretch from 1957 (in the Tour de France) to 1964 (his fifth and last Tour), too.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    he did have a sabbatical in the middle though
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    @friebos 1h1 hour ago
    Loved Cristiano Gatti's @tuttobiciweb_it Giro columns. A final gem: "Without Astana, Contador could have won in flip-flops, on a city-bike."

    @friebos 6m6 minutes ago
    Giro boss Mauro Vegni on idea of excluding Pro Conti teams: "No one would have noticed if some World Tour teams hadn't been here."
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    I hope SouthEast don't get invited back - they were pretty useless and out of their depth.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    People are saying how weak Contador's team is but I would be amazed if Krueziger and Rogers aren't in better shape for the Tour. Plus you've got Majka and Jesus Hernandez to come in. That's a damn strong team.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    @friebos 1h1 hour ago
    In today's Gazzetta @cirogazzetta reports that Aru's pre-Giro intestinal problems recurred during race. A gastroscopy & other tests soon.

    Not the first time I have read this. If it did occur then he did an amazing job to hang in there.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    Milton50 wrote:
    People are saying how weak Contador's team is but I would be amazed if Krueziger and Rogers aren't in better shape for the Tour. Plus you've got Majka and Jesus Hernandez to come in. That's a damn strong team.
    Kreuziger will be down the job centre. When is his CAS hearing?
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    RichN95 wrote:
    Milton50 wrote:
    People are saying how weak Contador's team is but I would be amazed if Krueziger and Rogers aren't in better shape for the Tour. Plus you've got Majka and Jesus Hernandez to come in. That's a damn strong team.
    Kreuziger will be down the job centre. When is his CAS hearing?

    Jun10
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Some great photos here:
    http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/06/ ... dia_372614
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    In the wake of the Movement for Credible Cycling’s (MPCC) public criticism during the Giro d’Italia, Bardardi-CSF announced Thursday that it will quit the voluntary organization.
    Read more at http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/06/ ... c2tx5L6.99
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Ferrari on the Giro:
    http://53x12.com/do/show?page=indepth.view&id=158

    Worth a read as always.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Nice short piece on that well known fan with the selfie stick. He makes special mention of Adam Hansen.

    https://youtu.be/02KyZQdJiFQ

    His videos:
    https://www.youtube.com/user/RodryFromItaly/videos

    Zoncolan-fan-point-of-view-Adam-Hansen.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest

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