Giro d'Italia 2012

[Cippo]

Heijesdal, Scarponi and Basso loses time to Rodriquez

[Cippo]

Basso loses about 2min to Rodriguez

[Christie]

Some small shifts at the top of the gc standings, most notably De Gendt after his good effort today. I think he is still too far behind Hesjedal to be a problem in the TT. He could overtake Scarponi, perhaps.

Basso is out of it, imo he can't win from >3 min behind.

It looks like it is Hesjedal's to lose, I think he wil klobber the other gc contenders on that Cervelo P5 tomorrow.

 

Cavendish lost red when Rodrigues took 4th.

 

It was a bit strange that the other gc riders would not help to chase De Gendt before the Stelvio, hope he ends up ahead of Scarponi and Rodriguez tomorrow.

Edited May 26, 2012 by Christie

[JimmyB]

Strange tactics today. Great ride be De Gendt. Will Purito ride like the wind tomorrow.. in the opening prologue De Gendt was 3s slower than Hesjedal. Rodriguez was 14s slower.

[JimmyB]

Tweeet by Robbie Hunter.

Body was stuffed after crash from yesterday & after being dropped i stopped on my own in the feed,was not DQ'd.not sure who invented this!!

[GrumpyOldGuy]

P**s Poor tactics by Lampre, I am spitting mad, I tell you.!

 

What the H**l was Cunego doing riding for himself when he is 5 minutes down? No cohesion in the team, any team aiming to get overall would have insisted he help Scarponi, they had a magnificent opportunity to get Scarpo clear and they wasted it, just took it and threw it away, I can guarantee this would never, ever in life time have happened if LA was going to gold.

 

Shocking, shocking, shocking, I am disgusted.

 

I hope Scarpo go's to a team who will support him, I think its disgraceful tactics on Lampres behalf.

 

Thats all I have to say.!

Edited May 26, 2012 by GrumpyOldGuy

[Cav']

GOG I hear you , I'm just as pissed that Cav lost red by ONLY 1 point 139 / 138.

[Cav']

Result stage 20

1. Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM

2. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-ISD @ 55s

3. Mikel Nieve (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi @ 2’50”

4. Joaquim Rodríguez (Spa) Katusha Team @ 3’22”

5. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-ISD @ 3’34”

6. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Barracuda @ 3’36”

7. John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale @ 4’29”

8. Rigoberto Uran (Col) Team Sky @ 4’53”

9. Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky @ 455

10. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale

 

Standings after stage 20

1. Joaquim Rodríguez (Spa) Katusha Team

2. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Barracuda @ 31s

3. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-ISD @ 1’51”

4. Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM @ 2’18”

5. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale @ 3’18”

6. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-ISD @ 3’43”

7. Rigoberto Uran (Col) Team Sky @ 4’52”

8. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago-CSF Inox @ 5’47”

9. Mikel Nieve (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi @ 5’56”

10. John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale @ 6’43”

[Cav']

Now for the 30km ITT

[Cav']

It will be interesting to see who has enough left in the tank to perform to their known TT ability or slightly above.

 

I think Hesjedal has the easiest TT as he has De Gendt ahead of him on the road and that should help knowing the time.

 

Basso could sneak the podium tomorrow if he TTs well and Scarponi and JRod have bad day, but he has not shown the form of past years.

 

Hesjedal lost 3 minutes to De Gendt in the TdF TT(42km) the day after the Alpe D'huez stage

 

4. DE GENDT Thomas 203 VACANSOLEIL-DCM 57' 02" + 01' 29"

 

62. HESJEDAL RyderTEAM GARMIN - CERVELO 1h 00' 29" + 04' 56"

 

 

Placings and timings of those who did the 26km final TT last year.

 

15. KREUZIGER Roman AST 01'26"

16. SCARPONI Michele LAM 01'28"

29. CATALDO Dario QST 01'47"

39. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin KAT 02'14"

47. TSCHOPP Johann BMC 02'27"

70. GADRET John ALM 02'51"

113. NIEVE ITURRALDE Mikel EUS 03'47"

 

The 2011 Vuelta stage 10 47km TT.

 

53. SCARPONI Michele LAM 04'30"

71. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin KAT 05'24"

94. NIEVE ITURRALDE Mikel EUS 06'00"

 

2011 Vuelta al Pais Vasco, Stage 6, 24kms

 

23. HESJEDAL Ryder GRM 01'52"

33. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin KAT 02'08"

48. URAN URAN Rigoberto SKY 02'38"

53. CATALDO Dario QST 02'49"

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I think De Gent is going to bump someone off the podium, maybe Rodriguez as he is likely the worst TT of them all, but who knows, I am so disappointed in Lampre now I dont feel like watching the rest, Scarpo must be gutted knowing he was left to fry by one of his top riders. I wouldn't be surprised if he just gives up.

 

I never in my wildest dreams expected an old seasoned pro like Cunego to just go off on his own mission when Scarponi was battling for the Maglia Rosa, they were the only team with a mate up the road, and one of serious consequence as well, not just an opportunist, Cunego could have pulled Scarpo into the fleece, but he chose to just go off and do his own thing, with it seems, managements blessing - I cant say "its shocking" enough!.

[Zac.A]

will be an interesting day.

 

If De Gendt has recovered enough to do some damage to hesjedal he could still win it, but after yesterday...

[Christie]

Grumpy, I think Lampre went into the race with an agreement that there would be 2 leaders. I think big names come with substantial egos, too, it probably was up to Cunego to decide how he would race.

 

The race is nicely poised, TT will be interesting. Let's see how Hesjedal, de Gendt do if they TT for a Grand Tour win.

[Cav']

Geraint Thomas looking real good for Sky on the road, best time at 1st check.

[Cav']

Provisional results

 

1.Geraint Thomas (Sky) 33:45

2.Geraint Jesse Sergeant (RadioShack-Nissan) 0:14

3.Alex Rasmussen (Garmin-Barracuda) 0:21

4.Maciej Bodnar (Liquigas-Cannondale) 0:36

5.Svein Tuft (Orica-GreenEdge) 0:43

6.Julien Vermote (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) 0:44

7.Ian Stannard (Sky) 0:45

8.Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) 0:45

9.Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team) 0:52

10.Mikhail Ignatiev (Katusha) 1:08

[Cav']

Pinotti was 15 seconds faster than Thomas at the first time check.