Giro d'Italia 2012

[nochain]

Frank Schleck was a big loser today, 26 or so seconds without the seconds Rodriguez gained for winning, he just literally disappeared out the back and to be fair, it was hardly a climb he should be scared of. Unless he was having a bad day, it looks to me like he is losing interest. Otherwise all the contenders just secured their time's, Basso, Kreuziger, Scarponi all finished in the bunch, but Scarponi again showed he was in good shape by chasing down most of the early breaks on his own, solid money is still on him. Rodriguez, well what can we say, what a brilliant rider when he is in form, pity Rabobank chose to give him a great lead out, but thats the breaks and he took full advantage, super ride. Pozzovivo is also looking positively menacing, the little fellow has suddenly stepped up and shown he is here to race the big mountains, could be an outside chance maybe.?

 

 

Yes irritated with Frank missing out yesterday...he certainly is not a hill sprinter like Rodriguez but he should have stayed with Basso and them.

 

I don't think it is a case that he did not have the legs, on a finish like that which is very narrow and there is very little space to manoeuvre it is very easy to get stuck behind other riders if you are not in a good position. The problem with him is either he was not attentive enough or he had no idea of what the finish looked like. Both is not a good sign to me but I think that is part of the problem, they see themselves as high mountain specialist and then end up losing time on intermediate stages like today.

 

 

Hate to use Lance (especially on the hub...) but he would never have made a mistake

like that.

 

Which brings me to this, how involved is Bruneel really anymore on what happens on the road...in the days of Lance and Contador he was the man in the car....these days he does not get involved anymore from what I can tell.

 

Had a look at a team results list in the new(May) Cyclosport mag....they look at how many 1st,2nd and 3rd place results a team has had this year and Radioshack does not even get on the list. I think they have the first 15 teams there....

 

I mean how bad can it get?

[Trubie]

Yes irritated with Frank missing out yesterday...he certainly is not a hill sprinter like Rodriguez but he should have stayed with Basso and them.

 

I don't think it is a case that he did not have the legs, on a finish like that which is very narrow and there is very little space to manoeuvre it is very easy to get stuck behind other riders if you are not in a good position. The problem with him is either he was not attentive enough or he had no idea of what the finish looked like. Both is not a good sign to me but I think that is part of the problem, they see themselves as high mountain specialist and then end up losing time on intermediate stages like today.

 

 

 

Hate to use Lance (especially on the hub...) but he would never have made a mistake

like that.

 

Which brings me to this, how involved is Bruneel really anymore on what happens on the road...in the days of Lance and Contador he was the man in the car....these days he does not get involved anymore from what I can tell.

 

Had a look at a team results list in the new(May) Cyclosport mag....they look at how many 1st,2nd and 3rd place results a team has had this year and Radioshack does not even get on the list. I think they have the first 15 teams there....

 

I mean how bad can it get?

 

Bryuneel not still suspended or something?

[Bos]

Frank Schleck was a big loser today, 26 or so seconds without the seconds Rodriguez gained for winning, he just literally disappeared out the back and to be fair, it was hardly a climb he should be scared of. Unless he was having a bad day, it looks to me like he is losing interest.

 

Otherwise all the contenders just secured their time's, Basso, Kreuziger, Scarponi all finished in the bunch, but Scarponi again showed he was in good shape by chasing down most of the early breaks on his own, solid money is still on him.

 

Rodriguez, well what can we say, what a brilliant rider when he is in form, pity Rabobank chose to give him a great lead out, but thats the breaks and he took full advantage, super ride.

 

Pozzovivo is also looking positively menacing, the little fellow has suddenly stepped up and shown he is here to race the big mountains, could be an outside chance maybe.?

 

I thought Frank might have a dig today as he was sitting in front at 2km to go.. but of course I was wrong..

Never thought I'd say something in defence of the sisters.. but just because he is a "big rider" we might be putting him up there.. but even in his own words he said "he das nevewr ridden a grand tour with as little prep as this"... It was a last minute call and he did not plan on riding it. In my mind It should be an obvious choice.. when you have 2 GC riders in a team split them up between the Giro and the tour..someone was obviously sleeping.. unless they were called up for it but Frank didnt want to let go of his sisters hand..hehe..

 

Scarponi and that miget both look good.. lets see what happenes this weekend. Their legs will be toast by then shame, the life of a pro..bet cav will be bitching and moaning all week.

 

Read a tweet of Daryl Impey:

 

Daryl Impey ‏ @darylimpey

Still a hard day even in grupetto, the uncategorised climbs are harder than ones that are. Been told its normal for the #giro .

 

Daryl Impey ‏ @darylimpey

Man they need to redo the profiles in the race. If today was that hard, I'm scared for what's coming up @giroditalia

 

:P that was on the weekend after one mountain stage..

Edited May 16, 2012 by Bos

[Tumbleweed]

Bryuneel not still suspended or something?

 

The jersey suspension?

[Trubie]

The jersey suspension?

 

jip, but think that was for 2 months or something, so should be over by now

[Tumbleweed]

jip, but think that was for 2 months or something, so should be over by now

 

Yeah, I seem to think it was last year.

 

I seem to think that Bruyneel is in the States at the moment. Some peeps were commenting that he seems to have gone to ground. Dunno what's up there.

[nochain]

I thought Frank might have a dig today as he was sitting in front at 2km to go.. but of course I was wrong.. Never thought I'd say something in defence of the sisters.. but just because he is a "big rider" we might be putting him up there.. but even in his own words he said "he das nevewr ridden a grand tour with as little prep as this"... It was a last minute call and he did not plan on riding it. In my mind It should be an obvious choice.. when you have 2 GC riders in a team split them up between the Giro and the tour..someone was obviously sleeping.. unless they were called up for it but Frank didnt want to let go of his sisters hand..hehe.. Scarponi and that miget both look good.. lets see what happenes this weekend. Their legs will be toast by then shame, the life of a pro..bet cav will be bitching and moaning all week. Read a tweet of Daryl Impey: Daryl Impey ‏ @darylimpey Still a hard day even in grupetto, the uncategorised climbs are harder than ones that are. Been told its normal for the #giro . Daryl Impey ‏ @darylimpey Man they need to redo the profiles in the race. If today was that hard, I'm scared for what's coming up @giroditalia :P that was on the weekend after one mountain stage..

 

 

Biggest problem Frank has at the moment I think is he has not seen any of the stages beforehand...most of the giro gc riders has had a look at all of these stages before and would know exactly what the finishes look like.

 

What I don't understand is Frank said it is a problem for him and they are thinking about sending staff ahead to recon the routes for him......hell that should have been done long ago??A big team like that and they are thinking about it???

 

I think he has the legs, he would have been very close to he's best at the classics so he should be ok by now.

 

[JimmyB]

Fuglsang was RSNT leader for the Giro until end April when he withdrew with knee injury so Frank has had very little time to scout the course. i reckon he can still be a possibility for a podium. Rodriguez going to be hard to beat though.

 

Regarding Bruyneel he is at ATOC and Kim Andersen is RSNT Directeur Sportif at Giro. According to Velonation Bruyneel was handed a subpoena when he landed in California. Yet to be confirmed.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Fuglsang was RSNT leader for the Giro until end April when he withdrew with knee injury so Frank has had very little time to scout the course. i reckon he can still be a possibility for a podium. Rodriguez going to be hard to beat though.

 

Regarding Bruyneel he is at ATOC and Kim Andersen is RSNT Directeur Sportif at Giro. According to Velonation Bruyneel was handed a subpoena when he landed in California. Yet to be confirmed.

 

Hmm, yeah also saw that, "where there is smoke there is fire usually tho......"!

 

I agree with No Chain, Radio shack is a big team with a big budget, small, silly mistakes like not scouting the course ahead of time can lose them the tour, as No Chain said, that would never have happened in LA's day.

 

I am not sure I agree that frank hasn't had time to prepare in the team bus, the managers should be telling the guys ahead of time this is a narrow road etc, in my opinion its just a poor show.

 

The same happened to 'Berto a few years back if you remember, he was laying on the beach with his girlfriend when he got the call to ride the Giro, (of course at the time he said he wasnt prepared as well, but we all know what happened...) and that was also a few days prior to the start, but he or his managers still took the time to ensure he knew what was ahead.

 

Personally I dont think Frank is interested, he has the ability, he has the qualifications, but in my opinion he doesn't have the interest.

[Tumbleweed]

Hmm, yeah also saw that, "where there is smoke there is fire usually tho......"!

 

 

And coming in the same week in which Lance spoke about the USADA investigation…

[Bos]

Hmm, yeah also saw that, "where there is smoke there is fire usually tho......"!

 

I agree with No Chain, Radio shack is a big team with a big budget, small, silly mistakes like not scouting the course ahead of time can lose them the tour, as No Chain said, that would never have happened in LA's day.

 

I am not sure I agree that frank hasn't had time to prepare in the team bus, the managers should be telling the guys ahead of time this is a narrow road etc, in my opinion its just a poor show.

 

The same happened to 'Berto a few years back if you remember, he was laying on the beach with his girlfriend when he got the call to ride the Giro, (of course at the time he said he wasnt prepared as well, but we all know what happened...) and that was also a few days prior to the start, but he or his managers still took the time to ensure he knew what was ahead.

 

Personally I dont think Frank is interested, he has the ability, he has the qualifications, but in my opinion he doesn't have the interest.

 

 

aparently him and Andy love cooking and reading LOL

[Akon]

Biggest problem Frank has at the moment I think is he has not seen any of the stages beforehand...most of the giro gc riders has had a look at all of these stages before and would know exactly what the finishes look like. What I don't understand is Frank said it is a problem for him and they are thinking about sending staff ahead to recon the routes for him......hell that should have been done long ago??A big team like that and they are thinking about it??? I think he has the legs, he would have been very close to he's best at the classics so he should be ok by now.

Well ,why did they not reccie it for Jacob, to begin with, and simply now pass the knowledge on to him?

[nickc]

Oops, wrong thread. The wheelie was Sagan's in California. Sorry…

 

 

 

But still worth looking at again - Sagan celebrating hat trick in California.

[JimmyB]

Unless he falls again my money on Cavendish today.

[nochain]

Well ,why did they not reccie it for Jacob, to begin with, and simply now pass the knowledge on to him?

 

 

I don't understand this myself.....Frank said in a interview a couple of days ago that they are thinking about sending someone ahead to go and look at the important stages.

 

Which implies that it has not been done. Big team like that?? Something wrong there if you ask me...

[Cav']

Unless he falls again my money on Cavendish today.

I didn't see the stage profile of today , but if its flat .....I couldn't agree more!