Giro d' Italia - May 6 to May 29
2016 Giro d' Italia
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L_Master
United States7946 Posts
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L_Master
United States7946 Posts
Nibali v Landa v Uran v Valverde v Dumoulin v Zakirin Really hard to know what to expect. Uran hasn't done much. Neither have Doumalin or Nibali. Zakirin has had some good races, but it's yet to see if he is ready to play for overal GC. Valverde has probably looked the best of anyone. He could well be the favorite if Nibali doesn't show up on the line with form. Landa I don't know what to expect. He has strong rides, but I don't really get the feeling he is ready to win yet, but new team, new training, so maybe he will show up looking better than he ever has before. I think Nibali cand Dumoulin should be interesting to watch and see if they show up. Nibali hasn't looked good, but he has had unimpressive build ups before and then looked good at the key event. Dumoulin might be more focused on TT this year, given it's an Olympic one, but the hasn't really looked spectacular anywhere. ------------------------------------------------ On the sprint side we have two of the biggest names in Kittel and Greipel. Kittel has had some moments this year, but seems to be lacking some fitness and not quite up to his 2014 sprint form yet either. Greipel has had a slow start, but is coming off an absolutely dominant TdF last year and has had plenty of time to get some more good training in. Also looking forward to see how the aero king Caleb Ewan does. He makes Cav look like a parachute. Probably doesn't have what it takes to hang with the big 2, but he'll have his chances and should be competitive on some stages that are a little difficult of Kittel and Greipel. | ||
TzaTzers
United States589 Posts
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L_Master
United States7946 Posts
On May 06 2016 18:05 TzaTzers wrote: Is there a reason why Nairo Quintana hasn't returned to the Giro dItalia or is he focusing on the Tour de France? The latter. It's pretty much impossible to contest Giro and be competetive for the Tour as well, and then with this being an Olympic year on a climb heavy course that's a major objective for many of the GC guys. | ||
Saechiis
Netherlands4989 Posts
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darthfoley
United States7999 Posts
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L_Master
United States7946 Posts
On May 07 2016 03:51 darthfoley wrote: Any online streams? Or will i have to purchase a pass to watch online, like I do for the TDF? There are usually streams that can be found here: Steephill. Just scroll down to the bottom and there are usually a bunch of steams listed. Never guarantees about quality or language, but as a general rule of thumb there are decent broadcasts available. On May 07 2016 03:15 Saechiis wrote: Giro coming to Nijmegen tomorrow where I live I'm am so, so, so, very jealous! Enjoy | ||
L_Master
United States7946 Posts
I'd say no real major surprises or shake ups here, and all the main players bunched within 20s. Now to just watch for splits in the peleton and see if Kittel can work his way into pink. Definitely a reasonable possibility given he is only 11s back with 32 bonus seconds on the line over the next 2 days. | ||
TzaTzers
United States589 Posts
+ Show Spoiler [Stage2 results don't want to spoil] + Wooooo! Marcel making it look super easy in the sprint and what happened to Greipel? | ||
Gjhc
Portugal161 Posts
Let's wait and see, this Giro has everything to be a great race. | ||
L_Master
United States7946 Posts
On May 08 2016 17:55 Gjhc wrote: I expect the big contenders to be Nibali, Valverde and Landa. Kruijswijk is my bet for an upset podium if he doesn't lose over 8min on a stage like he did in the first week last year. Others would be a surprise since Dumoulin will have a hard time in Italian mountains which are way bigger and more aggressive than spanish ones, Uran somehow always seems to be a few steps behind other leaders, Zakarin just hasn't proved yet to have consistency for 3 week races (although he can be with the very best quite often and even beat them), Hesjedal, Majka and Chaves and a few others can get a stage or 2 and finish top10 but can't see them on the podium. Let's wait and see, this Giro has everything to be a great race. Absolutely. These are almost exactly my thoughts. I don't think Kruijswijk is quite on the level of Valverde, Landa, and Nibali...but he was quite impressive over the last week and a half at the Giro last year. After all that work last year and not getting a stage win out of it I would LOVE to see him make the podium or better this year, but he'll need his absolute best and like you said, no mistakes. My picks are going to be: 1) Valverde - Just got this feeling. He went great in the TT, even if it was a shorter one, and says his focus has been on this. Something tells me Valverde is going to be in the shape of his life....er, last 6 years. 2) Nibali - Looks good in opening TT and while he looked pretty mediocre in everything coming up to the Giro TT suggests he has some form and Nibali routinely looks weak outside the GTs 3) Landa - I think he'll race well, but probably not well enough to make up for his TT that still seems to be lacking. If he has a good flat TT I think he contends for pink. Majka is the other somewhat wildcard. I think his TT is a serious trouble spot and he isn't used to the style of riding to not make any mistakes...but I think his climbing ability is on par with anyone else here. He's won KoM at the Tour before and like 3 wins at the tour alone on climb heavy stages when turned loose from serving Contador, not to mention a Vuelta podium. | ||
L_Master
United States7946 Posts
Kittel looks to be on pretty damn good form, but if he doesn't make it might open things up for some of the other fast men, or possible opportunities for a strong break. | ||
FiWiFaKi
Canada9858 Posts
Stage 4 and 5 - I don't expect anything to happen here, a 350m elevation change in 6km, with still 50km ahead of relative flatness isn't enough for anyone to breakaway. Same with stage 5, gradual elevation changes with with 40km of flat road ahead of a bunch sprint. Stage 6 will be the first interesting stage, though I don't think it's a good time to strike just yet if you're a top GC contender. I would take it easy, though there's a few that will surely go pretty hard in hopes of getting the maglia rosa, don't expect a Chris Froome stage 10 of TdF2015 though. Stage 7 - I dunno, at first sight it should be a bunch sprint, as was last time, but just maybe a group can get a nice lead on the climb and win it on the descent. I think it's an all-around good stage for breakaways though. Stage 8 - Wee, 6km on dirt roads. Good stage for a group of 3-5 strong riders to break away on the climb and descend to victory. Stage 9 - Very long TT, this is the first stage that will probably eliminate several top GC contenders. Easy to lose 2-4 minutes on this stage if you aren't careful. Stage 10 - No idea what to expect here, it's kind of an easy mountain stage, first Cat 1 climb and a mountain finish, exciting! I think after today, everyone who ends up finishing in the top 5 will be in the top 10. Lots of cool stages that come afterwards, 13, 14, 16, 19, 20 are the four tough mountain stages, with 15 being a neat uphill TT. Stage 20 especially is beautiful, that will be a fun one. I think I'll really get into the Giro once we're at Stage 13, no Peter Sagan to cheer for in the meantime | ||
L_Master
United States7946 Posts
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L_Master
United States7946 Posts
Shouldn't be a serious shakeup though. If anyone loses a chunk of time here that will have them extremely concerned about their overall GC ambitious. Definitely possible for some small gaps, but anything above like 10s would be pretty surprising. | ||
Gjhc
Portugal161 Posts
Kinda surprised to see some of big names just ignoring Dumoulin's attack. Although I still have many doubts about his ability to win a Grand Tour, it's these small wins here and there plus his TT skills that allow him to have the chance to be there on the top of the GC and I think that the other teams should have already known that and not give him these chances. Disappointment of the day goes to Nibali. You don't say you are going to take back some secs lost and then lose even more this way. A bit overconfident or just a bad day? | ||
L_Master
United States7946 Posts
On May 13 2016 01:20 Gjhc wrote: Really enjoy watching riders like Wellens getting these type of wins, its a mix of guts, strength and cunning. Kinda surprised to see some of big names just ignoring Dumoulin's attack. Although I still have many doubts about his ability to win a Grand Tour, it's these small wins here and there plus his TT skills that allow him to have the chance to be there on the top of the GC and I think that the other teams should have already known that and not give him these chances. Disappointment of the day goes to Nibali. You don't say you are going to take back some secs lost and then lose even more this way. A bit overconfident or just a bad day? Yea, always nice when a breakaway quality ride gets the win, even if today it was a little bit handed to them. I agree for Wellens on guts and strength, but I'm not as sure about cunning. He just seems to attack, attack, attack and I think he misses opportunities by not being smart about when he attacks. As he learns and gets better I think he will be a very good breakaway rider. He certainly has the guts and aggression for it. As far as Dumoulin goes, I'm not as sure I have doubts about his ability to win a grand tour. I have doubts about his ability to win the Giro in 2016', but you don't get that close to winning the Vuelta without having the ability. That's also considering that right now he is still very much a TT focused guy, Dumoulin minus 2-4kg becomes a very legitimate grand tour threat if he decides to go that route. I should be clear that I don't see him as a TdF type contender, as I really don't think he can beat guys like a fresh Froome or Quintana. Fortunately, depending on the grand tours, you don't always have to race those guys as we can see this year in the Giro and last year in the Vuelta. Dumoulin can hang in the mountains, until things get really steep, as has a good TT. As an addition plus the guy is very punchy on sprints or on short uphill finishes which enables him to gain small bonus seconds or time gaps. Probably he always loses time in the mountains, but I think he can limit those losses and pick up sufficient TT gains and little advantages to win in the future. For this year, I think he will ultimately struggle in the mountains, especially if what he has said about focusing on the olympics TT is true. It likely means a slightly larger weight, and he has said he did not altitude training, which could cost him towards the tops of some of the bigger climbs. A lot will depend on just what the 40km TT brings. If he gets 3-5 minutes there over close guys, then he is absolutely in the picture. Nibali, not sure. He always says shit but I think he says stuff just to make people wonder. I think in his case his first attack didn't stick, and then Dumoulin went right over the top of him and then the reduced group picked up the pace putting Nibali in the "I need to hammer right after attacking just to stay on" mode, and he was unable to recover to do the last two minutes at 7.5 w/kg w/surges as needed. Not sure why people didn't follow Dumoulin. I have to think either they couldn't, or were just too worried about each other and didn't want to be the one dragging other guys back up to Dumoulin, who went on a flatter section before the climb got steep again, meaning whoever does the 600+ watt pull is dragging everyone else along at 400w cruising. If Dumoulin gets a good gap after stage 9, I don't think we will see the same thing happen regardless of the situation. | ||
L_Master
United States7946 Posts
Nice riding by Griepel though to come through for the win, too bad it looks like we won't ever get a good head to head battle from there at the Giro this year | ||
Gjhc
Portugal161 Posts
Poor Dumoulin, although I bashed a bit on him I don't think anyone expected this to happen. Losing his chances of a good GC and being pushed to the limit the day before of his most anticipated stage is pretty though, wonder if he'll recover for tomorrow. Valverde and Movistar were very good today and despite not getting time on anyone, only 3secs to Nibali Pozzovivo Majka and Uran, he seemed to be the strongest out there, doing like 80% of the pulling. Kruijswijk, Nibali and Chaves looked very strong as well while Landa and Majka seemed a bit shakier. Tomorrow will be the first major test of the Giro, any ideas of who will win and which of the contenders will get the most time on the others? | ||
DaCruise
Denmark2457 Posts
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