It’s GT time. Seems pretty wide open, what with Tom “Wait Up†Domoulin just rounding into form and Chris “Weezer†Froome looking less like a super freak. Expect the unexpected at the Giro. Snow, dysentery in the ranks, podium babes who don’t mind being called podium babes, it has it all. Abondanza.
Let’s chop it up.
Anyone know if DirecTv is airing ?
Interesting route with Israel, Sicily, the length of Italy, and the mountain stages. Froome’s got the impending (any day now?) decision hanging over his head, and he won’t have quite the same level of support he’s had in the TdF (even though any Sky B-team is stronger than most any other team’s A-team), but he’ll be angry. Angry Froome for the win (although almost anyone else winning would be a nice surprise). I’m looking forward to the start!
I am not ready to make a pick just yet, but I think I speak for many cycling fans when I say I am pretty excited to finally see Doumalin and Froome go head to head, my feeling is that if anyone current rider has the weapons to take down From it is Doumalin. as he can hang tough in the climbs and actually TAKE tome off asthma boy in the TT’s, so Froome can’t rely on the fact that he can always take time back in the TT, like he knows he can do when racing, Quninata, Nibali, Bardet etc…
I am backing George Bennett to get on the podium…but I’m a biased NZer.
Man i love the Giro, i think it’s the best grand tour.
It would be cool to see Gorge Bennet on the podium, I think he has the talent but so far hasn’t shown that he can ride a full grand tour without a bad day, where he loses 5 minutes.
Well Sky seem to have started trying to shine up froomes image:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkKMH3DI3pw
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When is Chris Froome’s baby due? I have a feeling he is putting it ALL into the GIRO so he can spend time at home with baby number 2.
Man i love the Giro, i think it’s the best grand tour.
I do too. Unfortunately, this year will be less exciting with the Sky train which is a real drag.
Man i love the Giro, i think it’s the best grand tour.
I do too. Unfortunately, this year will be less exciting with the Sky train which is a real drag.
I don’t know, that Sky start list doesn’t exactly strike terror in me. And Sky hasn’t looked good in the Classics, even by Sky standards for Classics.
(Froome aside)
Man i love the Giro, i think it’s the best grand tour.
I do too. Unfortunately, this year will be less exciting with the Sky train which is a real drag.
I don’t know, that Sky start list doesn’t exactly strike terror in me. And Sky hasn’t looked good in the Classics, even by Sky standards for Classics.
(Froome aside)
I’m not so worried about the Sky train as much as the lack of “animators” in this year’s Giro. Without Nibali, Quintana, or Contador…who’s going on the long range attacks? The Giro is generally set up with nastier climbs on the mountain stages that rewards early action and smaller GC groups. I don’t really see the field comprising of those types of GC riders though. TD and Froome are much more steady state guys. Pinot I imagine is going to be stage hunting to prepare for the TdF. Not sure about how Aru is running this year.
Somehow the Giro tends to work itself out and be great racing though.
Looking forward to see Lopez go. He certainly is upbeat and confident
weezer. i like it. is that your own?
weezer. i like it. is that your own?
of course…all original material from McNutty on ST…
Man i love the Giro, i think it’s the best grand tour.
I do too. Unfortunately, this year will be less exciting with the Sky train which is a real drag.
I don’t know, that Sky start list doesn’t exactly strike terror in me. And Sky hasn’t looked good in the Classics, even by Sky standards for Classics.
(Froome aside)
I’m not so worried about the Sky train as much as the lack of “animators” in this year’s Giro. Without Nibali, Quintana, or Contador…who’s going on the long range attacks? The Giro is generally set up with nastier climbs on the mountain stages that rewards early action and smaller GC groups. I don’t really see the field comprising of those types of GC riders though. TD and Froome are much more steady state guys. Pinot I imagine is going to be stage hunting to prepare for the TdF. Not sure about how Aru is running this year.
Somehow the Giro tends to work itself out and be great racing though.
I think the absence of a dominant team will make for unpredictable racing and will open the door for some stage hunting from some talented dark horses who may fall out of the GC hunt…Woods, Dennis, Bennett, Formolo, maybe.
Aru, Pinot I can see on the podium if they stay up front and safe.
Sorry for not chiming in…Jerusalem, Mt. Etna, Zocolan, Vatican City Finish…what’s not to like of the best of the three grand tours!!! The 9K Jerusalem TT should be awesome and we’ll see what form Froome and Dumoulin have. I still think that the Dutch Windmill should ditch the Giro and just do the TdF and make all the midget climbing robots hurt with all the cobbles in week on on that stage race!!! I think this Giro will be better than the TdF (again)!!! On the one hand I want Dumoulin to take it, on the other hand Froome could hold the Grand Slam of Grand Tours after this if he can take the win (before getting ejected for his doping violation from last year’s Vuelta, but whatever)!
as a kiwi i’m rooting for Bennett - exciting to have someone a genuine GC contender after most of our top riders coming out of the track program and being sprinter/rouleur types (especially in a country where the media are so uneducated about cycling they comment on how our sprinter is down in 150th overall). realistically, another top 10 would be great for George with a top 5 a dream result. a stage win along the way would be amazing.
i’d love to see Pinot win it - a new GT winner over the establishment (esp Froome) and he seems to race with some passion, especially in Italy. Hard to see past Froome and Dumoulin though really. i’d rate those 3 the likely podium. interesting that all 3 of them are probably doing le tour too
Will be interesting to see if Aru can pull himself back together after a shaky couple of years. although the GC field is pretty good, he seems the only real contender to shake up the above likely podium beyond a lower step for someone in the event of one of the top guys having issues. Dumoulin is a definite possibility to have issues - its only his 2nd time targeting GC and he’s doing it under the pressure of defending champ with a shaky early season.
the giro is almost always a great race and unpredictable. hard to get a read on the form of the contenders compared to TdF deeper into the season where most guys are showing where they are at
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/giro-ditalia-10-non-gc-riders-to-watch/
Looking forward to fewer pure sprint stages and rollers like Wellens and Herman getting away for a stage win.
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weezer. i like it. is that your own?
of course…all original material from McNutty on ST…
I like Puff Daddy. (not mine).