Il Giro!!! - VeloNation - Cycling Forums, Bicycle Forums, Community Forums

Posts:4209

05/09/2019 12:09 PM
Arguably the best race of the year is upon us....and with the packed field this year, the Giro will almost surely be a more entertaining race than the Le Tour. Dumoulin has not shown great form this year, so will he be ready to challenge for the maglia rosa again? Can Roglic sustain his stage race dominance for 3 weeks? Will Simon Yates avenge his collapse in 2018? For those that want to test themselves aginst the pros, Zwift will have the Prologue stage available to race sometime this week. Tomorrow, all the Continental teams in the Giro will race on the virtual course as a preview of Saturday's start. The hot rumor right now is that in 2020 or 2021, Zwift will host the actual prologue for the Giro....all the racers will ride the stage "virtually" and not on the actual road. Whiel this would be a MASSIVE marketing coup for Zwift, I am not down with that idea at all.

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Posts:4499

05/09/2019 12:55 PM
Dumoulin I think will be in mix for top spot. This is not first time he's started with a less than stellar spring. But he has been consistently on GT podiums wherever he has shown up. Plus its a great course for him. Agreed on Roglic and Yates. And don't count out Nibali; he is showing great form this year but that said the three iTT will likely hamper him. And then there's Landa who may want to prove a point. Excellent field indeed.

Posts:4499

05/10/2019 12:28 PM
OK, it's official, I don't like Yates, even though I like his riding style. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/simon-yates-im-the-number-one-favourite-for-the-giro-ditalia/

Posts:3180

05/10/2019 02:05 PM
I'm routing for Nibali, Dumoulin and Roglic in that order. (But not more than two of them will podium.) Dumoulin will have to come into form but I think that could well happen. Nibali will have to ride smart, with passion and pull off one "crazy". Roglic just needs to do what he's been doing all year, just for three weeks. Ben

Posts:4209

05/10/2019 02:50 PM
Posted By Orange Crush on 05/10/2019 12:28 PM OK, it's official, I don't like Yates, even though I like his riding style. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/simon-yates-im-the-number-one-favourite-for-the-giro-ditalia/ Someone is either supremely confident or trying to convince himself of something.

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Posts:4499

05/11/2019 11:13 AM
That's a lot of time in hot seat for Roglic. Bet they didn't think of that in planning start times.

Posts:4209

05/12/2019 07:17 AM
Roglic was VERY impressive....Dumoulin was disappointing. But Nibali was the one who surprised me the most.

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Posts:4499

05/13/2019 10:55 AM
Yes, Nibali is rolling well this year. He's the danger man this Giro. Definitely a sub-par ride by Dumoulin, either because of lack of racing and/or going out to conservative on the flat section, and having no marker by going first. But he's coming into this race fresh, still two iTTs to go so perhaps, time loss to Roglic aside, this is a good thing. Roglic will be spending substantial time with ceremonies, interviews, doping control etc. every day he wears pink. Perhaps it will wear on him.

Posts:3180

05/13/2019 12:39 PM
I'll stick to my bets. That Domoulin has lost so little time so far should make the others very nervous. It looks to me like he has timed his season to be on for week three well. Roglic needs every second he can get now. And Nibali needing to pull just 23 seconds out of a hat? Let's look at history. Has he ever done that before? Now can Yates ride up to his words? I see Sunday as a very big day. It will shape what must happen when they hit the mountains. This could be fun to watch! Ben

Posts:4499

05/13/2019 01:12 PM
Sunday's TT should be much better for Dumoulin; relative to Nibali, Yates anyway. Should also be a good one for Roglic. But before we get there, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday are tricky stages that could spring some surprises. That's the beauty of the Giro.

Posts:3180

05/13/2019 04:24 PM
Posted By Orange Crush on 05/13/2019 01:12 PM Sunday's TT should be much better for Dumoulin; relative to Nibali, Yates anyway. Should also be a good one for Roglic. But before we get there, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday are tricky stages that could spring some surprises. That's the beauty of the Giro. Tricky could play in to Nibali's hands. I looked at the TT profile. IT's not as steep as Nibali would like but that finish climbs what, 1000'? With Nibali, Italy's favorite son looking at one of his last Giros at his best, he might pull some reserve out of his socks. That won't win him the Giro, but if he stays within 20-30 seconds, who knows what he could pull off later. Ben

Posts:4499

05/13/2019 04:32 PM
My gut feeling is that Nibali will get his socks handed to him in the next iTT; he can fake it in a short prologue with a sharp climb but the long high wattage effort will expose him. I also don't think the next couple tricky stages are best for him (more for Roglic or Yates). Per usual I expect Nibali to lay a trap in the final week; if he can stay reasonably close until then (i.e. within a couple minutes) he'll have a good shot at overall.

Posts:4209

05/13/2019 04:36 PM
The progile of the next TT plays to Roglic's favor, not Dumoulin's. I don't expect him to lose any time to Tom then....a few seconds at the most. Unless the sprinter's teams allow a break to go up the road this week, Roglic is gonna have the kersey for a long time. Jumbo-Wisma doesn't even have to do anything...the sprinter's teams will do all the work for them.

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Posts:4499

05/14/2019 10:44 AM
After today there's only one logical decision by Dumoulin. Let's see if he makes it.

Posts:3180

05/14/2019 12:00 PM
And despite the fact that the Sky has fallen, they're' still falling.

Posts:4209

05/14/2019 02:01 PM
Agreed with OC....Tom needs to pull the plug and focus on July. Depending on how bad he is injured, maybe hang on for a week or so for the training, but there is zero reason for him to finish the Giro now.

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Posts:4499

05/15/2019 10:25 AM
Froome will be happy. He needs a story line to go with his 5th win. I remember him complaining that everyone was headed for Giro rendering the TdF a potential de facto coronation.

Posts:4499

05/16/2019 11:50 AM
Excellent move by Oomen today. Kid has talent (~ Kelderman level or perhaps slightly better) and with time gain from breakaway may at least be in contention for young riders competition. This gives Sunweb something new to rally around.

Posts:3180

05/16/2019 12:01 PM
Spoiler! Cool stage. Fun that the top 10 in GC are who?? Fun (at least for me) that this stage outcome was certainly the result of a deal, the classic "I'll help you to the GC jersey but you've gotta let me win." And they played their parts and put on a reasonable show. Maybe when it matters more years from now, those two will work together again, like Contador and the rider who assisted him on his long (40k?) breakaway to win (my memory is failing me, the Tour?) Mass start racing - the sport you cannot win without the help of your competitors (unless you a big step above and even they need help often). Where friendships and allies run across team lines and have forever. Ben

Posts:4499

05/19/2019 10:45 AM
Yates LOL. Nibali is indeed in good form and hopefully he can make final week interesting. Mollema did well but I expect him to go backwards in final week. Bit of a disappointing first week. Not enough fun stages.

Posts:4209

05/19/2019 10:07 PM
For a race that should have been the best stage race of the year, this is quickly turning into a snoozer. Nibali is our only hope now.

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Posts:3180

05/21/2019 05:23 PM
We could have an interesting subplot. Demare and Ackermann. https://www.velonews.com/2019/05/giro-ditalia/demare-tells-grand-tour-rookie-ackermann-to-stay-humble_494083 After a mid-race conversation, Demare felt Ackermann was getting too big for his britches as a young rookie. (Ackermann apparently told Demare he should save his matches for the finish after Demare beat him for the intermediate sprint.) Well, Demare sprinted for the win, not knowing who was in the crash he heard but did not see. And now sits 1 point behind Ackermann. Both plan to finish in Verona. The mountains are going to be a true test for both of them. They may need their domestiques to drive the grupetto and fight to the bone to hang on. Could be the toughest unseen battle of this year's Giro. Ben

Posts:4499

05/21/2019 09:39 PM
Demaret calling out Ackerman is pretty funny. All sprinters are cocky. They need to be. Still waiting for Giro to actually start.

Posts:4209

05/21/2019 10:30 PM
Spew,img of Ackermann....I don’t see much sleep in his future. Ouch.

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Posts:4499

05/21/2019 10:34 PM
He can still sleep on his left side lol

Spud

Posts:525

05/24/2019 11:11 AM
Now THAT was a great stage!

Posts:4499

05/24/2019 11:30 AM
Yes, that was excellent. Finally Giro is coming alive. Interesting cat and mouse game between Roglic and Nibali. Yates eating major crow again. Love it.

Posts:3180

05/24/2019 12:15 PM
Posted By Orange Crush on 05/24/2019 11:30 AM Yes, that was excellent. Finally Giro is coming alive. Interesting cat and mouse game between Roglic and Nibali. Yates eating major crow again. Love it. OC, let's not forget this is "his" Giro. He's just biding his time. Ben

Posts:4209

05/24/2019 10:38 PM
Did anyone have the sense that Nibali was playing with Roglic at the end of the day’s stage? He looked very calm and in control to me, willingly giving up time to riders he thinks / knows he can distance while making Roglic do some work.

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Posts:4209

05/25/2019 10:32 AM
Well...today certainly showed that the race is not over!! Hats off to Carapaz... I don’t know if any of have been listening to Armstrong’s The Move podcast, but they have had Bruyneel on it for the Giro instead of LA. Say what you will about the guy, but his analysis has been spot-on every stage. He said yesterday that Carapaz was the guy who looked strongest in the mountains and today clearly proved him right.

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Posts:4499

05/25/2019 10:57 AM
Maybe I'm wrong but thought that Roglic showed signs of tiring today. That final km where he was at back of group and let Nibali get final bonus seconds seemed uncharacteristic. Normally he is all over these sprints. Maybe just pacing himself. Nibali looks good but will need to do a lot more in week3. The real threat may come from movistar. Stages 16 17 19 and 20 look like a brutal sequence. Tomorrow should also be good on Lombardia roads.

Posts:4209

05/26/2019 10:23 AM
Good stage today....amazing those guys stayed away. Nibali has woken....let’s see why this week holds!!

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Posts:3180

05/26/2019 11:42 AM
Yeah! That was fun. Yes Nibali has. And I was just thinking yesterday that Nibali is a third week rider and that week is coming fast. Roglic looked like a rider who has pushed too far. Things are happening to him that shouldn't. Carapaz is fun to watch. I could easily imagine he and Nibali getting along well and cooperating in the future. (He also gets to benefit from having a really strong team behind him; a team with few egos. Shades of DQS. Landa is playing out much better than I thought he would.) I really like this Giro. (Sorry CK.) Those long, hard, drudgery stages of the first two weeks means this week the racing is done on strong hearts and tired legs like a Grand Tour should be. Everyone in the GC hunt is either a real GT rider or has spent a mammoth day in the saddle. And (thankfully) this isn't the controlled ho-hum of the typical TdF. Now Movistar will do its best to control stuff. Can they? With Nibali? Let the fun begin! Movistar does have to distance Roglic. 47 seconds in the final TT isn't going to work. (I can imagine Nibali going totally nuts descending from Croce d'Aune into the final climb next Saturday to get precious time on Roglic. Can Carapaz follow?) Ben

Posts:4209

05/26/2019 03:54 PM
Gavia is out for Tuesday...two Cat 3 climbs to replace it. Too bad but the right call. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/giro-ditalia-passo-gavia-removed-due-to-avalanche-threat/

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Posts:4499

05/26/2019 04:59 PM
Roglic again looked fatigued. I see him going backwards in week 3.

Posts:3180

05/27/2019 01:39 AM
They were worried about ice on the way down as much as avalanches. Yeah, too bad but good call. I'd love to see another epic Gavia. Single best, most classy ride probably ever to date by an American rider. OC - Nibali probably almost wishes today wasn't a rest day. Yeah, his body is saying "please" but his fighting spirit is thinking that Roglic needs this rest day far more than he does; that ever day is running Roglic deeper down. Ben

Posts:4499

05/27/2019 03:16 PM
Ben - I don't think Carapaz and Nibali will work together much at all. Nibali is already cursing himself for letting Carapaz take a flyer. Nibali's best hopes may lie in Yates upward swing in form and perhaps Lopez, as a way of taking the fight to Carapaz; which is now at least as important as putting time into Roglic. Oh that Gavia stage, for the record Breukink won it. The stage may actually be more interesting now with Gavia gone as it will all come down to Mortirolo, which is an absolute beast. So perhaps more punchy racing than a grind fest.

Posts:3180

05/27/2019 04:44 PM
Posted By Orange Crush on 05/27/2019 03:16 PM Ben - I don't think Carapaz and Nibali will work together much at all. Nibali is already cursing himself for letting Carapaz take a flyer. Nibali's best hopes may lie in Yates upward swing in form and perhaps Lopez, as a way of taking the fight to Carapaz; which is now at least as important as putting time into Roglic. Oh that Gavia stage, for the record Breukink won it. The stage may actually be more interesting now with Gavia gone as it will all come down to Mortirolo, which is an absolute beast. So perhaps more punchy racing than a grind fest. Nibali may be cursing himself now and have to ride against Carapaz, but I'll bet he does not burn bridges with him. When I talked of cooperation in the future, I was thinking of future races. (And maybe, Nibali will become the Contador to Carapaz for future motivation.) I know. Hampsten didn't win. Barely survived the descent nearly hypothermic. Breukink was allowed to go up-road as not a threat. Everyone was watching Hampsten knowing if he was going to do it he had to do it here. (Well, watching Hampsten and cursing the weather; probably more the latter.) Ben

Posts:4209

05/28/2019 09:58 PM
Wow...the race has certainly turned. Great stage today...all out action from the bottom of the Mortirolo to the finish. Nibali gave it a good shot, but Carapaz and Movistar have a fully loaded gun. Roglic bet on the TT’s and wasn’t aggressive when he had the form...paying for that strategy now. Similarly, Nibali watched Roglic too closely and is now in the hole against Carapaz. Fireworks await for the remainder of the week!!

Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!

longslowdistance

Posts:2881

05/28/2019 10:53 PM
And then there were two . . . If the shark takes it, that would be career defining. Not sure he can, but having great fun watching. A podium for the ski jumper would still be a great finish.

Posts:3180

05/29/2019 12:11 AM
Cool thing is that I like both Nibali and Carapez. Nibali has slowly won me over. That ride on the cobbles a few years ago helped a lot! Carapez is too new to know but I like what I've seen so far. Just wish the Movistar steamroller was rolling over the former Sky instead trying to roll over Nibali. It's been fun racing to watch. (And I love how breakaways have mattered!)

Posts:4499

05/29/2019 10:39 AM
Nibali has one last chance in Stage 20 which is also stage Roglic needs to keep it together. As it stands, I suspect final podium Carapaz, Roglic, Nibali.

Posts:158

05/29/2019 08:58 PM
For a race that seemed slow to get into gear. Pun intended. It has made for fun watching. After many said short stages were the new way to make for interesting racing along comes a slug fest in the first two weeks that is creating some great racing in the third. Maybe still room for both styles.

Spud

Posts:525

05/30/2019 11:35 AM
Really enjoying this race so far. Moto camera feed, not so much. Almost nauseating the way the picture bounces around.

Posts:4499

05/30/2019 01:43 PM
Giro has certainly come alive after a slower than normal start. Lots of suspense still with three days to go is brilliant.

Posts:4209

05/30/2019 02:34 PM
Wow....what a finish today. How Bora let them stay away is beyond me.

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Posts:158

05/31/2019 09:33 AM
Whats up with the three wheel Moto bikes? Had I not noticed or remembered them before this Giro?

DonnaMobile

Posts:71

05/31/2019 04:26 PM
The three-wheeler is a Yamaha Niken. Their site says is is original but Piaggio has had one for some years, and it too was used in the Giro. The CanAm Ryker is much cooler. I will be at tomorrow’s stage, first on Cima Campo, then on Croce d’Aune. On Sunday night the only football/soccer team I follow, Cittadella, will play Verona to see who goes up to Serie A! An exciting weekend!

longslowdistance

Posts:2881

05/31/2019 05:11 PM
Enjoy DM! We look forward to your report! three wheeler trivia: Piaggio's is basically a maxi scooter, not a full on moto, intending for commuting. The Can Am spyder and ryker have huge footprints, not ideal for this sort of work. There are aftermarket conversions, too, engineering marvels.

Posts:158

06/01/2019 10:40 PM
Yea familiar with the can am cycles. Had not seen the small front wheelbase cycles before. Seems like it would work a lot better than the large front spacing.

Posts:158

06/01/2019 11:16 PM
Im sorry I don't understand. Primoz gets a ten second penalty for fans pushing him. They talk about Lopez getting ejected because he struck out at a fool for knocking him off his bike. I realize that it's almost impossible to police such a sport. Seems like we are not punishing those who really effect the race, yet penalizing those who are just racing. I know that statement makes no sense. Just tough to be fair in all areas. A tough sport to make everyone happy. Oh and I don't understand why they have so many support people. If you have a dozen motorbikes for everkygroup of cyclists>. Police these who are in the say etc.

Posts:4499

06/02/2019 06:51 PM
Solid final couple days by Carapaz. He doesnt look very good on a TT bike but oh well. Deserved winner. Not quite as exciting a Giro as last couple editions.