Habanero
Posts:257
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| 05/25/2017 01:23 PM |
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| "I have been saying for years, grand tours are the hardest regularly scheduled athletic events."
Yep!! |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 05/26/2017 10:25 AM |
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Spoiler
Nibali and Quintana are disappointing me. Here was the perfect chance to nail the coffin and they passed on it. Nibali's got to be even with Domoulin time-wise or ahead to survive Sunday's TT. Quintana needs 2 minutes. They had Doumoulin alone off the back. They spent the climb looking at podium steps, not winning the Giro.
I could be wrong but I think they got beat by the guy who did a massive amount of work at the front of their group who then went off and caught the Russian. (Pelli something) Huh? You're telling me Nibali and Quintana who never showed their faces that climb didn't have the legs to finish 30 seconds ahead of them to win the 2nd biggest peach there is?
As much as I like Quintana, this race should go to Domoulin. Nobody else deserves it. (Maybe Pinot who has kept his mouth shut and just raced.)
Ben |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 05/26/2017 10:45 AM |
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I simply don't like the way Quintana races....if everything is not *perfect* for him, he simply chooses to ride wheels. He still needs time on Nibali and chose to just shadow him. Replace Nibali with Froome and you have the Tour last year. Had Dumoulin been in that group, it would have been his wheel that Quintana rode on....
Pinot aand Dumoulin are the only guys racing to win.....loving the way Pinot has gone out the last 2 days, looking for time. I believe he is a decent TT'er, too.....
Tough day on tap tomorrow...2 Cat. 1 climbs. But there is about 15K of flat to rolling form the last summit to the finish. If Dumoulin can keep his wits about him and apce himself well, he can still be in good shape for Sunday. I reckon he can lose about another 30, maybe 45" max and still be confident for the TT.
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 05/26/2017 11:11 AM |
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Top 6 is within 1.5 min with two stages to go. As exciting as Grand Tours get.
we'll see about Dumoulin winning this; we were in same spot last year with Kruijswijk so anything's possible still.
Grappa is a beast; rode it in 2012. Hab should have rode it when he was in Venice couple weeks back. |
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Gonzo Cyclist
Posts:568
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| 05/26/2017 11:51 AM |
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+1 Cosmic. totally agree with you on Quintana, not impressed by him at all, don't care for his style of racing. Froome is gonna hammer him if he shows up like this for the tour.
Yup Ben, shades of 2015 when the Astana boys, Landa and Aru, had Alberto on the ropes after he separated his shoulder, and they would not, or maybe could not attack him. And AC got stronger by the day.....
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Habanero
Posts:257
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| 05/26/2017 12:41 PM |
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| I would have loved to but I was too busy motoring throughout the lagoon and sampling all the seafood!!! |
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Dale
Posts:1767
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| 05/26/2017 02:29 PM |
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^ Gonna hate on you for the next few weeks, then we'll break lobster together and all will be forgiven 
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 05/26/2017 02:32 PM |
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I read Quintana's post-race interview. Promises to do it on the final climb tomorrow. If he does, and I tink he can, and pulls this off, then wow! If he does more of the same, gains another 30 seconds on Domouin and peanuts on his other rivals, he may not even podium.
Maybe Quintana and Movistar are playing their cards perfectly for the best possible shot at the double, delaying his first peak to as far back as possible. If so, now he better show that peak and burn quite a few matches.
The guy can ride! And when he puts it out there on the climb, he is a joy to watch. I want to see it! (But he will have to ride like his pants are on fire for 15k after the top!)
Ben |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 05/27/2017 07:28 PM |
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Damn....that was some old school bike racing today. Moves started on the penultimate climb and on the final climb all the GC guys were going mano-a-mano.
Quintana....pfffft. Eveytime he made a move, he would start flapping his elbow like a chicken wing, looking for someone to come around.
Dumoulin seems to be in prime position, but he also did a lot of work today. Pinot....wouldn't be upset in the slightest if he managed to win the overall. How awesome would it be for FDJ after ~20 years of sponsorship to finally win a GT?
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 05/28/2017 10:22 AM |
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| This should be in the bag. 37 years since last Dutch GT winner? And first win by a Limburger more importantly. |
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Dale
Posts:1767
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| 05/28/2017 10:36 AM |
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Hello 1989! Kids, THAT was an amazing Giro. Congratulations to a worth winner.
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 05/28/2017 10:58 AM |
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| Not as close as 1989; the TV coverage mucked up the time differences. 31 sec, not 3 as they made it seem. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 05/28/2017 11:49 AM |
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So, OC, the big question. How many had Tom Domoulin for the win? Non here, but how 'bout the bigger picture. Guesses on world-wide bets on Donoulin? (Outside of family n and friends) 2? 7?
Seriously, what a ride. The guy didn't quit.
Ben |
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Gonzo Cyclist
Posts:568
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| 05/28/2017 12:58 PM |
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nope Ben, for a climb heavy Giro, Tom was not even in the mix, or close to the "favorites", but, we all knew it was only a matter of time before he did win a Grand Tour, loved it, and he id it with some bravado, kept his cool for the most part, and showed some class doing it.
Wonder how things might have been before the crash that too out Sky's chances? Not a Sky fan by any means, but it sure would have been interesting. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 05/28/2017 01:38 PM |
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Dumoulin was given 14/1 odds in same category is Thomas, Landa, Pinot.
Quintana (11/10), Nibali (13/2) and Kruijswijk (10/1) were the only ones ranked higher. But what do odds-makers know anyway :-)
http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/giro-ditalia-odds-bookmakers-tipping-victory-328402
Yeah Sky suffered bad luck but so did Dumoulin losing his main helper Kelderman in that same crash. And that crappy stage was kinda random (overdosed on gels perhaps); without that incident Tom would have won hands down. And now Quintana claims he was ill on stage 19. Shit happens. |
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