Petacchi wraps up number 8 today…pretty impressive…
Now, who think’s he’ll actually finish the race???
Thanks for letting me know, I taped it and was going to watch it when I got home.
Next time please let us know you’re giving race results in the subject line so we can decide if we want to know the results before we watch the race.
jaretj
You get the whinnie prize of the day. Carefull because whinning is a sure sign of overtraining.
(If I got the spelling wrong please let me know)
Yay!!!
I’m finally on the podium!!! First stage win.
And yes, I do feel overtrained.
jaretj
on the one hand, you’re right, race results should come with a warning in the subject.
on the other hand, gimme a break. it was basically common knowledge that barring some sort of freak fluke, petacchi was going to take it.
impressive.
He’ll finish the race. The Giro is HIS race. . .the TdF is gravy. Why wouldn’t he want to win in Milan? He can sit on the back of the bus for the next few days, just making the cut-off and then blow their doors off in Milan. History, man. . .history. . .
Petacchi is awesome, I guess I should have known he would win again. I was just being whiny.
jaretj
What I find to be a joke is Petacchi isn’t even in the top half of the GC, 51 minutes down headed into the mountain stages. Everyone is making a big deal about all these stage wins yet I doubt many people could even say who is leading the GC right now. Its like awarding prizes for those triathletes who cannot win a race but have fast transistions and giving transistion wins. My point is they should put more emphasis on the GC and not the stage wins.
I would liken it more to celebrating Bjorn throwing down a 27+ mph bike split this past weekend, than fastest transitions. It is an impressive feat, but at the end of the event, the overall winner is the most celebrated person (even if they aren’t the most talked about). I think it’s pretty amazing to come out of that scrum at the end of a race in first place as many times as he has. It seems like mayhem to me. It makes it more interesting day to day.
Wow, thanks for the spoiler. Even though most people figure that Petacchi will win almost every sprint, it’s nice to watch him work for it. The stage where Freddy Rodriguez won was awesome.
Not to whine more but please preface your post with something in the title to let us know your giving race results, many of us do not watch the race until later in the day and we like to be surprised. This will become even more important during the TdF.
Petacchi has been great to watch so far, and the Fassa Bortolo team has done a great job. Tucker
Triclyde,
It’s called cycling. It’s not all about the GC.
Sorry about the spoiler, fella’s…I got a little too excited there…I guess I’m the real whinny…good point about the TDF though…I’ll be sure to keep my mouth (and my mouse) quiet…
I think this is a VERY impressive feat…but you almost have to seperate it it as a different sporting event from the rest of the race and the GC. The work that a team has to do to keep their guy up front, the lead-out, the incredible good fortune not to catch a pedal or wheel and go down…
The race from here on out is all mountains, so he’ll be lucky to finish. My money’s staying on Popovych for the GC.
You’re new to this whole cycling thing, aren’t you? I’m just guessing, because that is a REALLY assinine and uninformed opinion on Petacchi’s accomplishment. Have you EVER been in a bunch sprint? Do you have ANY IDEA what it takes to do what he’s done? Have you ever tried to sprint 60+ kph at the end of 200+ km? NO?
You don’t seem to understand european cycle racing either. Each day of a stage race is truly a race unto itself. Each stage is a big race. To win 8 of them, against the best in your particular discipline. . .that takes as much talent and effort as being on the pointy end of the GC.
You fail the “to win at war, you must understand your enemy” test. You have no idea what you are talking about. Really.
TriBriGuy,
You might be overtraining too… the guy doesn’t understand cycling at all, but that’s not a capital crime. You sounded worse than the Spanish Inquisition…
you’re right, these stage wins are pointless, he’s so far down on GC. i mean, 8 wins, and 20 second bonuses (i think, but i’m not sure) for each, and he’s still not winning? lame!!!
i’ll admit, i haven’t looked into this much, but it seems to me that historically, the overall gc picture hasn’t really changed much on stages with a relatively flat profile. i submit to you, my dear triclyde, that these stages are completely unnecessary.
with this in mind, all major tours should be modified such that they only consist of mountain finishes and time trials. who’s with me?!? our rallying cry shall be “power to weight makes you great!”
Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
SM
You’re probably right (not about the overtraining, though). I’ve been known to put too much exclamation point in my retorts. Sorry to flame so badly, triclyde. I tend to get overworked at insular opinions like this, though. Free your mind, man. . .free your mind. . .
Our chief weapon is surprise…surprise and fear…fear and surprise… Our two weapons are fear and surprise…and ruthless efficiency… Our three weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency…and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope… Our four…no… Amongst our weapons… Amongst our weaponry…are such elements as fear, surprise… I’ll come in again…
Have I ever been in a bunch sprint? Yes, Do I have an idea of what it takes? yes, Have I ever tried to sprint at 60+kph at hte end of 200km? yes. What I do have is more admiration for the GC riders because they race every day, they don’t take a day off because it doesn’t suit their style.
And by the way, if the GC is so unimportant in your unassinine and informed opinion, then why is everyone making such a big deal about lance winning 6 in a row?
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