Giro d'Italia 2012

[Cav']

Result stage 17

1. Ion Izaguirre (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi

2. Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela @ 16s

3. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank

4. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team @ 19s

5. José Herrada (Spa) Movistar Team @ 21s

6. Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo Bank @ 373

7. Matthias Brändle (Aut) Team NetApp @ 43s

8. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 45s

9. Lars Bak (Den) Lotto-Belisol

10. Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Farnese Vini-Selle Italia @ 48s

[Cav']

Standings after stage 15

1. Joaquim Rodríguez (Spa) Katusha Team

2. Ryder Hesjedal (Spa) Garmin-Barracuda @ 30s

3. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale @ 1’22”

4. Paolo iralongo (Ita) Team Astana @ 1’26”

5. Roman Kreuiger (Cze) Astana Team @ 1’27”

6. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-ISD @ 1’36”

7. Beñat Intxausti (Spa) Movistar Team @ 1’42”

8. Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky @ 1’55”

9. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 2”12”

10. Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-BigMat @ 2’13”

[petatodd]

Can't find any decent coverage today.

How hard do you look before you type **** like this?

 

There were 10 different live streaming video feeds in 5 languages on one site alone: http://sports-livez.com/

[Cav']

How hard do you look before you type **** like this?

 

There were 10 different live streaming video feeds in 5 languages on one site alone: http://sports-livez.com/

I've been using that link for years ( the 4th one from the top channel 6 ) is the english one hellocolour

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Bit of an active rest day in the peleton today, not much of consequence happened and I dozed through most of it.

 

One thing I have to say is the scenery is spectacular, I have traveled a lot in Italy but some of those small towns are just magnificent. Those awe inspiring cathedrals perched high on the cliff overlooking those old towns with small squares and narrow cobbled streets are right up my alley. I think I could quite easily spend my latter years there sipping a good espresso under a red umbrella with only the odd car passing through every now and then.

 

Idyllic!!.

[T-Bob]

How hard do you look before you type **** like this?

 

There were 10 different live streaming video feeds in 5 languages on one site alone: http://sports-livez.com/

 

Jeezus Feck, apologies for ruining your day there big guy. Didn't realise that asking who was where from the guys who were updating the thread was such an insult to to this board.

 

I did look at the usual sites that I have used since the start of the Giro and couldn't connect or get through. I usually use http://live.cyclingnews.com/ for bill board updates but again couldn't get a page.

 

Remind me not to ask for a favour again...

[petatodd]

What a day and it's only Wednesday.

 

Stage 17 preview and video of the climb and descent. Sorry, can't just post the video as it's a script but here is the page:

http://www.telegraph...descending.html

 

Coverage on eurosport (http://sports-livez.com/channel/ch-6.php) from 13:30, final climb ascent is between 16:27 and 17:00.

 

All languages here: http://sports-livez.com/

 

Enjoy

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Today should be when the aspiring podium finishers will show their form, time is running out and you can cover the top 8 with less than 2 minutes.

 

I think Liquigas will try and ride a fast tempo to try and control the pace as I dont think Basso will be able to respond to any explosive attacks, it may be a good tactic for him but it stifles the race visually and personally I think Liquigas has ridden very negatively this year. Defend, defend, defend, its dead boring and they dont even have the Maglia Rosa.

 

Anyway, I am hoping Scarponi has his good luck climbing shorts on today and he can break away, I am sure he will try and with the long descent he may stay away, Basso is not the worlds best descender so I think if he aims to get on the podium he has to start pulling back a few seconds every day.

['Dale]

GOG, you summed up the Leaky Gas tactics very well.

To describe it as negative... Unfair comment.

 

Here's why:

They are riding to their strengths. It's racing strategy.

If any other team want to seize initiative and share the workload up front or breat from the front then let them, IF that's their strategy.

 

On another note, I think Rodriguez might have done enough. Hmmm...

Just dunno how much support he has from his team in the high mountains.

 

Hesjedal might yet surprise if you consider the 31 km TT that is at the end.

He looks like a good TTer if he is still in touch with the GC top end after the Dolomites.

[DaLoCo]

"Since 2010, Joaquim Rodriguez has lost an average of 7 minutes in final week to eventual winner in Grand Tours" (L'Equipe)

['Dale]

"Since 2010, Joaquim Rodriguez has lost an average of 7 minutes in final week to eventual winner in Grand Tours" (L'Equipe)

 

Wow...

Let's see.

 

:-)

[Cav']

I doubt Rodriguez will be able to defend pink all the way to the ITT, I hope Scarponi or Basso steps up.

Hesjedal will bargain on the ITT and just try and keep up in the mountains

[nickc]

I doubt Rodriguez will be able to defend pink all the way to the ITT, I hope Scarponi or Basso steps up.

Hesjedal will bargain on the ITT and just try and keep up in the mountains

 

I think its going to come down to Scarponi or Basso in the high mountains.

 

Would like to see Basso surprise everyone, not sure if he is keeping his cards close to his chest and has something in reserve of whether he is pretty much at his limit already.

[petatodd]

I doubt Rodriguez will be able to defend pink all the way to the ITT, I hope Scarponi or Basso steps up.

Hesjedal will bargain on the ITT and just try and keep up in the mountains

Worked for Cadel in TDF last year. But oh so boring. Makes Liquigas look really exciting

As much as I dislike the Texan I did enjoy his dominance of all the drug cheats on the big mountains in most of his 7 victories in the TDF.

[Cav']

We can start a thread about the various opinions regarding Lance Armstrong and whether or not he doped.

I think it would be very entertaining.

( i know there's already a doper thread , but LA deserves his own)

Edited May 23, 2012 by Cavendish

[petatodd]

I tried to be very careful not to refer to him as a doper. I went with the facts: Ullrich, Pantani, Basso, Hamilton, Herras, Landis, Vino. All proved. All drug cheats.