EF Education-EasyPost : Chirps, Opinions, Updates

['Dale]

Yeah, good on him.

 

Seems he had a nice train going there, hardly considered him a bit of a sprinter but obviously he can pack a bit of a turn of speed.

He is not a sprinter. As you write, G O G.

He said that weeks of high-altitude training really benefited him in this race.

['Dale]

From cyclingnews.com:

http://cdn3.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net/2011/02/01/1/bettiniphoto_0067937_1_full_600.jpg

 

Ivan Basso is targeting overall success at Tirreno-Adriatico but has warned that Robert Gesink (Rabobank) could be the dark house of the race after his impressive victory at the Tour of Oman.

 

Basso is almost certain to miss this year’s Giro d’Italia to focus on the Tour de France and so Tirreno-Adriatico is his big goal of the spring. He is already on form and won the GP di Lugano on February 27.

 

“To ward off bad luck I’ll say I’m not the favourite but I’m feeling really good. It’s not a secret that this is a race I put a red circle around on my race calendar,” Basso told Gazzetta dello Sport before explaining the factors that are expected to decide who emerges as overall winner next Tuesday.

 

“The two time trials will be vital. For me they’re also an important test for the rest of the season. The length of the stages will also decisive, even more than the climbing in them. We’re going to be very tired on Sunday after the stage to Castelraimondo. Time bonuses will also be a factor because you can gain or lose vital seconds every day. I would have been happier if there’d been an uphill finish but it’s not a big deal. But I know I’ll have to suffer more than some of the more explosive riders on some of the stage finishes.”

 

This year’s Tirreno-Adriatico begins with a 16.8km team time trial around the Marina di Carrara. Liquigas won the team time trial at the 2010 Giro d’Italia and Basso considers the Italian team one of the favourites for today. Liquigas-Cannondale will start at 15:46 local time, with only Leopard Trek and Acqua &Sapone after them.

 

“My teammates are strong, motivated and can do well,” Basso said.

 

“We’ve got a well-drilled line-up with only two new riders: Marangoni and Caruso, who know how to do well. We’ll have a good chance of winning, along with Leopard Trek, Team Sky, Saxo Bank-SunGard and HTC-Highroad.”

[gummibear]

Liquigas had a good TT,only 22 seconds off the pace.

 

Result

1 Rabobank

2 Garmin-Cervelo

3 HTC-Highroad

4 Saxo Bank-SunGard

5 Liquigas-Cannondale

6 BMC

7 Leopard-Trek

8 RadioShack

9 Sky

10 Lampre-ISD

['Dale]

http://velonews.competitor.com/files/2011/03/Basso-300x449.jpg

 

Training. That’s what Ivan Basso is doing at Tirreno-Adriatico this week. He also happens to be two seconds out of the lead in the general classification after Sunday’s fifth stage. In an interview Sunday night, the reigning Giro d’Italia champion said that he was uncertain that he would stand atop the podium after Monday’s challenging run-in to Macerata.

 

Basso admitted that without a long climb in seven days of racing between the Terrenic and Adriatic coasts, he was at a disadvantage.

 

“Tirreno is one of the first nice races in my country, so I have to think about that,” he said. “Of course, we don’t have a real good stage for me. It’s a lot of hard stages, but not to make a big difference.”/

Edited March 15, 2011 by AirBender

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Who is leading Airbender, I havent been following the event.

['Dale]

Who is leading Airbender, I havent been following the event.

Evans coming in strong.

Good representations from Liquigas-Cannondale...

 

FINAL GC:

1. Cadel EVANS, BMC Racing Team, in 27:37:37

2. Robert GESINK, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 11

3. Michele SCARPONI, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 15

4. Ivan BASSO, Liquigas-Doimo, at 24

5. Vincenzo NIBALI, Liquigas-Doimo, at 30

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Evans coming in strong.

Good representations from Liquigas-Cannondale...

 

FINAL GC:

1. Cadel EVANS, BMC Racing Team, in 27:37:37

2. Robert GESINK, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 11

3. Michele SCARPONI, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 15

4. Ivan BASSO, Liquigas-Doimo, at 24

5. Vincenzo NIBALI, Liquigas-Doimo, at 30

 

Hmm yeah, Gesink and Nibali are incredible talents.

 

Interesting to see old (mangy) dog Scarponi in 3rd, he is more of a specialist climber and from Basso's comments I got the impression the course didnt suit a climber.

[Velouria]

I thought Basso could time trial - seems like he had a bit of a shocker.

 

Evans wins with just 2 days of racing in his legs going into Tirreno-Adriatico. Must have had a busy off season.

['Dale]

I thought Basso could time trial - seems like he had a bit of a shocker.

 

Evans wins with just 2 days of racing in his legs going into Tirreno-Adriatico. Must have had a busy off season.

He seems to be keeping a low profile.

 

This is his final, I guess, bite at the apple for top podium in TDF.

Him and Basso having been 2nd ... Makes for good dramatic racing.

 

Then there's Andy who is the current "Almost Man..."

[GrumpyOldGuy]

He seems to be keeping a low profile.

 

This is his final, I guess, bite at the apple for top podium in TDF.

Him and Basso having been 2nd ... Makes for good dramatic racing.

 

Then there's Andy who is the current "Almost Man..."

 

Personally I am hoping for a new TDF face, in my opinion we need to see a new fresh face on the top step of the podium.

 

I dont really mind who it is, but I like the new crop of youngsters coming through, Robert Gesink, Nibali, Tony Martin, Kreuziger, Linus Gerdemann etc, I am tired of watching the past recreate itself every year with the same old tired faces.

['Dale]

I understand your point.

 

Liquigas, for example, have Nibali as their nr 1 rider for the Giro this year and Basso for Tdf.

 

It would be sweet if Highroad's Tony Martin was right up there in GC with a few days to go.

[TNT1]

Personally I am hoping for a new TDF face, in my opinion we need to see a new fresh face on the top step of the podium.

 

 

 

You're gonna be out of luck. Contador will be the man again. I see the spanish federation reckons UCI will appeal at CAS, but the decision will only come after the Tour. Yay. Another complete f*&k up of a tour.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I understand your point.

 

Liquigas, for example, have Nibali as their nr 1 rider for the Giro this year and Basso for Tdf.

 

It would be sweet if Highroad's Tony Martin was right up there in GC with a few days to go.

 

Yeah, I am just tired of "Cadel this" and "Contador that" and "The Schlecks the other" the new youngsters seem capable of stringing more than three words together without insulting someone else or mentioning doping.

 

In other words I just think they represent a new outlook on the grand tours, which we need, in my opinion.

 

 

You're gonna be out of luck. Contador will be the man again. I see the spanish federation reckons UCI will appeal at CAS, but the decision will only come after the Tour. Yay. Another complete f*&k up of a tour.

 

Yeah, I guess so.

 

'Berto has said he is aiming for the Giro this year as his first objective though. Unfortunately I long ago stopped believing much of what professional athletes say, but I think he will probably try and win the Giro as a "hedge bet" in case he can't get a spot on the TDF.

['Dale]

Ma Man Basso is racing in the Tour of Catalunya, Spain this week.

 

I will be keeping an eye on his form.

 

http://cdn2.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2011/03/21/2/foto_31_600.jpg

['Dale]

Here he is in the bunch with Contador in the mix...

 

Interesting match-up for this time of the season.

 

http://cdn0.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2011/03/21/2/foto_27_600.jpg

['Dale]

Ivan Basso, who had announced that he came to the Volta a Catalunya to win it, had to give in to somebody stronger than himself in yesterday's queen stage up to Andorra-Vallnord.

 

Contador is hurting ma man's ambitions...