Giro d'Italia 2013, 4th-26th May - [Spoilers]

[Crackle]

Wiggo has got the rest day to get his head together. He finished in a pretty select group, he's still 3rd and I thought he looked better on that final descent. Undoubtedly he's having a crisis of confidence downhill but he also doesn't look race sharp. He can only get better, surely?

Hesjedal was a surprise and I guess we'll see on Tuesday whether Evans, Gesink and Scarponi are in form. Santambrogio is hovering too.

Lovely stuff.

 

[smutchin]

Hesjedal was a surprise

Not a huge one though. He's been looking pretty ropey for much of the early part of the season. It was only very recently, eg at LBL, that he's started to show some form... turns out he was flattering to deceive.

Mind you, Evans has also been riding like a dog so far this year. Until now...

we'll see on Tuesday whether Evans, Gesink and Scarponi are in form. Santambrogio is hovering too.

Santambrogio has had a good season so far and shown lots of promise. He could be an outside bet for a podium place (or top ten, at least). More likely than Gesink, I reckon. And I hope he does better than the nobber Scarponi.

 

[rich p]

Santambrogio has had a good season so far and shown lots of promise. He could be an outside bet for a podium place (or top ten, at least). More likely than Gesink, I reckon. And I hope he does better than the nobber Scarponi.

Unless he gets busted for being part of the Mantova doping inquiry

 

[smutchin]

Unless he gets busted for being part of the Mantova doping inquiry

Oh, one of those, is he? Hmph. Suddenly I've gone right off him...

Have to admit I've not been following the case too closely. Anyone else on the Mantova shortlist riding in the Giro? I know about Cunego and Ballan but obviously they aren't there.

 

[tigger]

has anyone got a weather forcast for Tuesdays stage...

Currently looking sunny. http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/.../treviso-italy#?tab=fiveDay&fcTime=1368486000

 

[rich p]

Oh, one of those, is he? Hmph. Suddenly I've gone right off him...

Have to admit I've not been following the case too closely. Anyone else on the Mantova shortlist riding in the Giro? I know about Cunego and Ballan but obviously they aren't there.

Here's a list from a post I made elsewhere a week or so ago...

Ballan (BMC), Cunego (Lampre-ISD), Bandiera (Omega-Quick Step), Bruseghin (Movistar), Da Dalto (Liquigas-Cannondale), Mori (Lampre-ISD), Mori (formerly of Lampre) Pietropolli (Lampre-ISD), Ponzi (Astana), Santambrogio (BMC) and Michael Rasmussen (Christina Watches). Others on the list are Lampre-ISD manager Beppe Saronni, directeurs sportifs Fabrizio Bontempi and Maurizio Piovani, and former professional Mariano Piccoli.
are linked to Mantova

So, Pietropolli is the only other one I can see.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

he's still 3rd ....
Lovely stuff.

Except he's 4th.

 

[Crackle]

Except he's 4th.

I knew that

 

[tigger]

I knew that

Yep, Gesink don't count?!

 

[Crackle]

Yep, Gesink don't count?!

I blancoed him.

 

[tigger]

I blancoed him.

You raboblanked him?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Yep, Gesink don't count?!

Every time he goes downhill he gets that Gesinking feeling....

Will someone remind me what race it was earlier this year when BW raced downhill like a demon?

 

[lukesdad]

That descending is looking very worrying for Wiggins. I feel a bit sorry for him really, it's beginning to get embarrassing. The weird thing is that I've never seen any sign of descending being an issue for him before? Although we've not seen these conditions for Wiggins since he's been a GC contender.

However, if he gets a dry period I can't help thinking he's going to smash 'em!

I seem to remember Froome is just as bad at descending. Forget ther marginal gains Brailsford and concentrate on the bl**dy great big ones !

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I seem to remember Froome is just as bad at descending. Forget ther marginal gains Brailsford and concentrate on the bl**dy great big ones !

A confident Brad is a very good descender. At the moment, though, he clearly isn't feeling where the limit is. There's not much that DB or the team psychologist can do, he'll just have to ride himself back into it.

 

[lukesdad]

A confident Brad is a very good descender. At the moment, though, he clearly isn't feeling where the limit is. There's not much that DB or the team psychologist can do, he'll just have to ride himself back into it.