Lombardy *spoiler*

iainf72
iainf72 Posts: 15,784
edited October 2008 in Pro race
Great ride by Cunego. I didn't think he make it with 10k to go but he kept gaining.

Sanchez seemed to just blow up

Such a beautiful race.
Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.

Comments

  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    I think Brajkovic didn't realise Cunego was up the road. Either that or he was really, really happy with second place.
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    iainf72 wrote:
    Great ride by Cunego. I didn't think he make it with 10k to go but he kept gaining.

    Sanchez seemed to just blow up

    Such a beautiful race.

    This is my fav classic only disapointment is it signals the end of the season :-( As for Cunego best one day ride i have seen from him, for me he should concentrate fully on his one day career as i cant see him being in the mix for too many GTs

    cheers
    MG
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    iainf72 wrote:
    Great ride by Cunego. I didn't think he make it with 10k to go but he kept gaining.

    Sanchez seemed to just blow up

    Such a beautiful race.

    What was that smiley face thing on his arm, looked like an ecstasy tablet logo. Maybe its that drug free thing he was promoting earlier in the season

    cheers
    MG
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • Are the results up anywhere?
  • Richrd2205
    Richrd2205 Posts: 1,267
    Patrick1.0 wrote:
    Are the results up anywhere?

    Brief results are here just now: http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/oc ... id=results

    They'll be updated to the full ones shortly...

    I was hoping to follow the live coverage, but got dragged into work to deal with an emergency, so ended up missing the whole thing, but reading back, it seemed a very classy ride from Cunego.

    The potential curse of him being my PTP pick almost struck but:
    16:30 CEST
    He tries to cut the corners as tight as possible and almost crashes into a wall on his right. But he manages.
    (from cycling news)
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Moray Gub wrote:

    What was that smiley face thing on his arm, looked like an ecstasy tablet logo. Maybe its that drug free thing he was promoting earlier in the season

    Aye, it's his "I'm clean" tattoo thing.

    Despite his poor showing in the GT's this year I'd say Cunego has had a good season. 2 classics ain't to be sniffed at.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Richrd2205
    Richrd2205 Posts: 1,267
    iainf72 wrote:
    Moray Gub wrote:

    What was that smiley face thing on his arm, looked like an ecstasy tablet logo. Maybe its that drug free thing he was promoting earlier in the season

    Aye, it's his "I'm clean" tattoo thing.

    Despite his poor showing in the GT's this year I'd say Cunego has had a good season. 2 classics ain't to be sniffed at.

    More details here: http://www.dopingfree.org/
    & here: http://www.damianocunego.it/

    (These may be some of the tackiest websites ever, please be warned :wink: )

    Two classics is far from a poor season. &, as Moray Gub suggested, maybe his future lies in the classics rather than the GTs, which haven't been a strength for him at all this year.
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    Richrd2205 wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    Moray Gub wrote:

    What was that smiley face thing on his arm, looked like an ecstasy tablet logo. Maybe its that drug free thing he was promoting earlier in the season

    Aye, it's his "I'm clean" tattoo thing.

    Despite his poor showing in the GT's this year I'd say Cunego has had a good season. 2 classics ain't to be sniffed at.

    More details here: http://www.dopingfree.org/
    & here: http://www.damianocunego.it/

    (These may be some of the tackiest websites ever, please be warned :wink: )

    Two classics is far from a poor season. &, as Moray Gub suggested, maybe his future lies in the classics rather than the GTs, which haven't been a strength for him at all this year.

    I like Cunego as a rider he has had to put up with unrealistic expectations for a few years some of which he has been partly responsible for.I get the feeling Dave Harmon suspects him of dodgy practises he keeps banging on about him not being the same rider as he ws in 2004 and how much cycling has changed and he has changed etc .

    cheers
    MG
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    iainf72 wrote:
    Moray Gub wrote:

    What was that smiley face thing on his arm, looked like an ecstasy tablet logo. Maybe its that drug free thing he was promoting earlier in the season

    Aye, it's his "I'm clean" tattoo thing.

    Despite his poor showing in the GT's this year I'd say Cunego has had a good season. 2 classics ain't to be sniffed at.

    Dont forget his silver at the worlds either and 3rd at Fleche.

    cheers
    MG
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • Moray Gub wrote:
    I like Cunego as a rider he has had to put up with unrealistic expectations for a few years some of which he has been partly responsible for.I get the feeling Dave Harmon suspects him of dodgy practises he keeps banging on about him not being the same rider as he ws in 2004 and how much cycling has changed and he has changed etc .

    cheers
    MG

    Harmon's right. His mountain stage wins at that 2004 Giro really were super impressive with his strong attacks on the finishing climbs. Since then he's getting dropped just as easily as he dropped others. Maybe it's that mononucleosis he suffered that's taken it out of him, I don't know.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    If that is the case, and Cunego is not riding as fast in the Grand Tours anymore as he did because he was not riding kosher in 2004, and does ride clean now, he should be applauded for finding a new niche for himself, and I feel even stronger about the Classics being the most interesting part of the season. Counting down to Het Volk!
  • wicked
    wicked Posts: 844
    Yes it was a good end to the race (as thats all i saw due it being delayed by the holy grail that is womens tennis on eurosport! The tennis was supposed to be on eurosport 2 but that was showing a vitally important montage of race car crashes!) :evil:
    It’s the most beautiful sport in the world but it’s governed by ***ts who have turned it into a crock of ****.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Hot damn!

    Tom Danielson finished.

    Stone cold last, but he finished.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Richrd2205
    Richrd2205 Posts: 1,267
    iainf72 wrote:
    Hot damn!

    Tom Danielson finished.

    Stone cold last, but he finished.

    From the Cyclingnews live coverage:
    15:15 CEST
    Garmin Chipotle's Tom Danielson does not feel the burden of team leader despite having the whole team at his disposal.

    "There is a little bit of pressure, but at the same time it is just for myself because I have been injured for a long time and my form is just recently coming on -- I am really motivated to show something. This is really the only race at the end of the season that gives me an opportunity. It has some climbs and it is a long race," said Danielson to Cyclingnews' Gregor Brown.

    Daniel's season typically ends before Lombardia. "I never have done this race before; I have never raced in October. I have always done the Vuelta a España and then finished my season after that. I have worked hard to be here and to have the condition. It is a one-day race and it is really unpredictable, but that is what makes it so beautiful."

    No one is talking of Tom Danielson and this could work in his favour.

    "I have put pressure on myself but I need to keep thinking 'there is no pressure.' I will stay low and see what happens and in the end, I hope to do something."

    I presume that by "hoping to do something, he meant hoping to finish... :wink:

    There's so much hype about Mr Danielson & precious little in terms of results
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Didn't Cunego end his relationship with Cecchini at the start of the year? Maybe he figures he already has a good palmares, lots of money, a big fanbase... why risk it all with a stupid positive test? Just ride clean instead and continue to target races that suit his riding style (ie hilly classics, not grand tours).
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    I think Cunego could find a great spot stepping into the shoes of Il Grillo now that Bettini's retired. OK, he's not as fast a finisher, but he's punchy, powerful and wouldn't surprise me if he aims at something like Milan-San Remo too. Pity the TV coverage didn't show Sammy Sanchez getting across on the descent though.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Rigoberto Uran... just read the he's only 21! I had no idea he was that young. Seems to have been around for a good few years already. Very impressive.
  • Sam Sanchez must have blown sky high after that descent :shock: great race though.
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    Moray Gub wrote:
    I like Cunego as a rider he has had to put up with unrealistic expectations for a few years some of which he has been partly responsible for.I get the feeling Dave Harmon suspects him of dodgy practises he keeps banging on about him not being the same rider as he ws in 2004 and how much cycling has changed and he has changed etc .

    cheers
    MG

    Harmon's right. His mountain stage wins at that 2004 Giro really were super impressive with his strong attacks on the finishing climbs. Since then he's getting dropped just as easily as he dropped others. Maybe it's that mononucleosis he suffered that's taken it out of him, I don't know.

    Maybe but its not as clear cut as all that though , he actually won the race with an attack on the penultimate climb on the stage to Falzes, an attack which nobody responded too as Gibo Simoni was marking Popo and he was allowed to get away. As i recall the wins to Borneo 2000 and Montevergine came from a sprint from a small group something he has always been good at and the big stage over Mortirolo he just stayed with Dario Cionii as Gibo was away in a break with Garzelli .

    cheers
    MG
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • micron
    micron Posts: 1,843
    Uran was impressive and unlucky/naive to lose the second place.

    Cunego won with some style but that smiley arm patch makes me laugh - e's are good...
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    The BR report says he broke away ona technical climb..

    How can a road climb ever be technical? I'm a mixed discipline rider and everything but....eh?
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    sorry - it said descent - sorry , sorry
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Check out the race video coverage if you can - you'll see what technical means when you see the width of the roads on the run-in - riding flat-out required absolute confidence and knowledge of the course - Cunego came very close to clipping a wall on one corner, but it was that style of riding that allowed a 9 second gap to grow to 24 whilst the others prevaricated.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Philip S
    Philip S Posts: 398
    Those roads at the end were something else - narrow, twisty, sharp ups and downs, nowhere to run off either (walls or cliffs on either side) - would love to be able to ride them confident that there was no traffic coming the other way 8) . That said, I'm glad the race had broken up by the time they got there - I can't begin to imagine the carnage had the peloton hit those streets as a racing bunch...
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,069
    iainf72 wrote:
    Hot damn!

    Tom Danielson finished.

    Stone cold last, but he finished.
    He was miles behind on the Ghisallo - we laughed at him as he rode past, mainly due to his column in Procycling where he said he was riding to win!

    He was never as good as the press he received but ever since he left Discovery he's been on a downward spiral. I wonder why.