The Giro, my favourite tour of the year is only 2 weeks....

['Dale]

First battle is who will own the maglia rosa

 

Prob Dumelang or Spartacus

[Gen]

Team dynamics haven't been exactly great with Vincenzo over the last year, and he certainly has other plans for next year, but otherwise yeah I reckon so, but can he do it on his own? Or who is going to help him?

I don't know hey.. Nibbles form looks shocking. . Unless he has been playing heavy mind games.

['Dale]

Just to get ya fans all excited

 

Hope that Extreme Weather Protocol is not too silly

 

[Gen]

First battle is who will own the maglia rosa

 

Prob Dumelang or Spartacus

Dumelang-lang-lang is desperate for a TT win.. he has had a couple of 2e places. .and if Sparticus has recovered from the tummy bug and was able to hold his classics form.. for sure hey..

[jcza]

Team dynamics haven't been exactly great with Vincenzo over the last year,  and he certainly has other plans for next year, but otherwise yeah I reckon so, but can he do it on his own? Or who is going to help him?

 

I recon Astana has a stronger squad but agree with you that Nibali has been lacking recently. Maybe he is saving it for the Giro? 

[tombeej]

TBH I'll be surprised if we see anything from Dumoulin besides the TT's.

 

He's said so himself a few times now - he's not interested in GC placing in any grand tour this year. It's all about the Olympics and Worlds.

 

So he's probably a few kilos heavier this year, his training being all about pure power vs power to weight ratio.

 

Edit: he might still target 1 grand tour. Another proper go at Vuelta after Worlds could still be an option.

[tombeej]

I also think Nibali is over the hill. I see him being surpassed by a few of his own teammates this year.

[tombeej]

One thing that you can bet on for this Giro, is that it's going to kick up all sorts of mad surprises and bizarre twists in the plot before we get to Turino.

 

That's what makes the Giro the best grand tour by far.

[Frosty]

Just over 2 hours...

 

['Dale]

One thing that you can bet on for this Giro, is that it's going to kick up all sorts of mad surprises and bizarre twists in the plot before we get to Turino.

 

That's what makes the Giro the best grand tour by far.

Yes, it seems wide open at GC level

Surely Kittel will dominate the fast finishes, although most of them have a few hilly bits to test the pure sprinters

[tombeej]

Yes, it seems wide open at GC level

Surely Kittel will dominate the fast finishes, although most of them have a few hilly bits to test the pure sprinters

It's been a while since I've seen so many sprint stages in a grand tour.

 

The modern trend (esp. the way the TDF has gone) has been less and less traditional 'boring' flat stages, with more puncheur-type stages before we reach the mountains.

 

But the Giro (as always, which is what I love about the Italians) has gone against the flow.

['Dale]

It's been a while since I've seen so many sprint stages in a grand tour.

 

The modern trend (esp. the way the TDF has gone) has been less and less traditional 'boring' flat stages, with more puncheur-type stages before we reach the mountains.

 

But the Giro (as always, which is what I love about the Italians) has gone against the flow.

Indeed

Can't wait!

[ScottCM]

It's been a while since I've seen so many sprint stages in a grand tour.

 

The modern trend (esp. the way the TDF has gone) has been less and less traditional 'boring' flat stages, with more puncheur-type stages before we reach the mountains.

 

But the Giro (as always, which is what I love about the Italians) has gone against the flow.

 

Let's not forget that in the last few Giro's we have seen more excitement / crashes on the "Boring" flat stages in the first week than in most of the other tours combined in a 3 week period.

 

I can't wait for this one.

[Patchelicious]

I recon Astana has a stronger squad but agree with you that Nibali has been lacking recently. Maybe he is saving it for the Giro?

It's cool, they will just do a blood test again and he will be good to go again.

[tombeej]

Let's not forget that in the last few Giro's we have seen more excitement / crashes on the "Boring" flat stages in the first week than in most of the other tours combined in a 3 week period.

 

I can't wait for this one.

Very often because of the weather, which always plays such a key role in the plots & twists in the Giro story every year.

[lechatnoir]

Can't wait for stages 19 & 20....