Giro d'Italia conclusions and suppositions - feel free to disagree!...

[rich p]

1. Landa may have given AC a closer run for his money if he'd been team leader. Did he sandbag the ITT, which left him adrift but fresher?
Is his stellar improvement down to team evil's preparation or can it be accounted for by his improvement with age? He's only 25 I think.

2. Aru is an impressive gurner under duress.

3. Uran was hampered by illness apparently so the jury's out on his GT credentials

4. Similarly for Richie Porte but I'm not convinced he's got the extra bit to elevate him to a Grand Tour.

5. Tiralongo, Zeits, Kangert , Rosa performed unbelievably well

6. I'm not keen on the number of sprinters who drop out by halfway

7. Contador will struggle in the TdF where the competition will be stiffer.

8. Kruiswijk and Heyjsedal (sp?) were impressive

9. Zakarin is a shoo-in for punning name of the Giro

 

[Bobby Mhor]

1. Landa may have given AC a closer run for his money if he'd been team leader. Did he sandbag the ITT, which left him adrift but fresher?
Is his stellar improvement down to team evil's preparation or can it be accounted for by his improvement with age? He's only 25 I think.
I wonder who will pick him up now his contract is out? put himself in the shop window with aggressive displays but Astana rider.

2. Aru is an impressive gurner under duress.

Kept second only by team orders..still improvement there. Astana will now always have the suspicion hanging over them.

3. Uran was hampered by illness apparently so the jury's out on his GT credentials

Bluff for the TdF?

4. Similarly for Richie Porte but I'm not convinced he's got the extra bit to elevate him to a Grand Tour.

Motor Home, Sky never seems to have a Plan 'B', no use having eggs in one basket, Landa's new home?

5. Tiralongo, Zeits, Kangert , Rosa performed unbelievably well

Agreed

6. I'm not keen on the number of sprinters who drop out by halfway

Bad form, illness yes but just to leave, sorry...not on.

7. Contador will struggle in the TdF where the competition will be stiffer.

Bertie had one laspe on second last day on a tough Giro, TdF will be easier but depends on how much the Giro has taken out of him.. Kudos for carrying on after shoulder out. I know not everyone's choice due to previous. Did it without a team, old Tinkoff is a meddler..

8. Kruiswijk and Heyjsedal (sp?) were impressive

Yep, I like watching that type of rider, deserved better

9. Zakarin is a shoo-in for punning name of the Giro[/QUOTE]

Sweet

 

[martint235]

6. Isn't it a tradition that sprinters go home before the mountains unless they are after the points jersey or feel strongly about finishing. IIRC Cipollini used to go home after the first week of the TdF with his mission accomplished (a few stage wins).

 

[The Couch]

Maybe another point: a shame that Pozzovivo fell out, I believe he would have made it very interesting in the mountains as well

 

[Elybazza61]

1. Landa may have given AC a closer run for his money if he'd been team leader. Did he sandbag the ITT, which left him adrift but fresher?
Is his stellar improvement down to team evil's preparation or can it be accounted for by his improvement with age? He's only 25 I think.
I wonder who will pick him up now his contract is out? put himself in the shop window with aggressive displays but Astana rider.

Notice he was yakking with Bertie quite a lot so may be a shoe-in at Tinkoff or maybe he was scaring him off!

 

[Dogtrousers]

2. Aru is an impressive gurner under duress.

I 'ate you Butler!

I 'ate you Bertie!

 

[Crackle]

Rumour is that Vino is thinking of putting Aru in Le Tour which would leave Landa free for the Vuelta. I can't imagine they won't offer him a contract now.

 

[Shadow]

1. Landa may have given AC a closer run for his money if he'd been team leader.
Not sure about this, but we'll never know. AC gave a masterclass on how to ride a 3 week GT.

Is his stellar improvement down to team evil's preparation or can it be accounted for by his improvement with age? He's only 25 I think.
'he’s been rated as a top climber for years. He was just behind Nairo Quintana and Andrew Talansky as the best climber of the 2010 Tour de l’Avenir. As a neo-pro in 2011 he skewered Juan-José Cobo and Joaquim Rodriguez in the Vuelta a Burgos, a week before the Vuelta a Espana where Cobo won and Rodriguez took two mountain stages' Quote courtesy of Inrng. I hope my optimism is not due to Kazakh 'evil preparations'.

4. Similarly for Richie Porte but I'm not convinced he's got the extra bit to elevate him to a Grand Tour.
Agreed. Should ride as Konig's lieutenant!

6. I'm not keen on the number of sprinters who drop out by halfway
Agree totally. Bad form.

7. Contador will struggle in the TdF where the competition will be stiffer.
Not sure about struggle, although competition should be stiffer. We shall see if it actually is, not convinced all 3 of NQ, CF & VN will provide adequate competition. AC should have stronger team in Le Tour, too.

8. Kruiswijk and Heyjsedal (sp?) were impressive
Indeed. Shame RH had such a horrible 1st week, would have loved him to challenge the overall GC.

My 10. A great parcours meant we had great racing almost every day. Huge distances or huge mountains do not necessarily mean a great race. Le Tour and La Vuelta could learn much from this years Giro.

 

[rich p]

As a neo-pro in 2011 he skewered Juan-José Cobo

But, but, but Cobo was universally suspected of being juiced!

 

[Shadow]

But, but, but Cobo was universally suspected of being juiced!

Precisely. Which is why Cobo won overall !

 

[Crackle]

Since the Tour de l'Avenir his results have been disappointing but apart from the stats I don't know anything else about The Landaborg.

Jury's still out on Porte but I still don't think he's a GT winner. Likewise I reckon it'll be a bridge too far for Bertie if Nibali, Froome and Quintana are in form, although Froome is another bad luck merchant. I can't help but compare Uran to Mollema, good but not quite good enough.

 

[rich p]

Precisely. Which is why Cobo won overall !

Cobo was 3rd but Landa won the KOM, but hey ho

 

[Booyaa]

My 10. A great parcours meant we had great racing almost every day. Huge distances or huge mountains do not necessarily mean a great race. Le Tour and La Vuelta could learn much from this years Giro.

Absolutely spot on. Some of the stages were very short in comparison to some we see but were excellent entertainment.

 

[Shadow]

Cobo was 3rd but Landa won the KOM, but hey ho

2011 Vuelta España : Cobo 1st on GC, 3rd in KoM. Maybe you are thinking of another year/Vuelta? Or just enjoying your lunch today!!

 

[Crackle]

Hesjedal deserved a stage win for his efforts, real shame he didn't get it.