Men's Road Cycling UCI Giro d'Italia 2017

[heywoodu 15,291]

Men's Road Cycling UCI Giro d'Italia 2017

 

Various Cities (ITA) - 5 May 2017 - 28 May 2017

 

 

Totallympics Results Thread

[Gianlu33 4,696]

6 hours ago, heywoodu said:

Giro organizers have decided to cancel the Premio Miglior Discesista, thank goodness. 

Well, finally it's a good news, i hope  

[heywoodu 15,291]

The owners of a bar in Bormio have a special prize for stage 16, which goes over the mythical Mortirolo and Stelvio with the finish in Bormio....the heaviest rider to finish the stage gets 100 bottles of beer  

 

Tom Stamsnijder (NED, Sunweb) is the main favourite, being well over 80kg, followed by Rüdiger Selig (GER, Bora) who is apparently 80kg  

[heywoodu 15,291]

A half hour ago they were still on the podium for the team presentation 

 

 

 

[Federer91 2,868]

Not surprised about Pirazzi, always thought if there was any, he would be a leading candidate.  Ruffoni is surprising and sad, because he had potential to be a good sprinter for the future.  

[heywoodu 15,291]

I guess it's too late to kick Bardiani out and give Androni the wildcard they deserve  

[Federer91 2,868]

The 100th GIRO starts tomorrow and you can say it is open and interesting like every year.  Quintana of course is infront for the win, but you never know if he abandons at some point.  I have a strange feeling that the talk of a double isn't going to be a primal factor. One fall or bad day and i won't be surprised if he stepped and concentrated for the Tour. Hope i'm wrong. 

 

After him there is a wide range of people for the podium. I'm sure the dutch armada will have at least one of Dumoulin, Mollema or Kruijswijk on the podium.  Sky this time have learned off all their mishaps the past years and are sending 2 guys for the GC, but still i think it won't be enough and they underperform. The Giro is not for you.  Adam Yates is a hidden player for the podium, the Giro is often the plays where riders have their break-through and if things go his way, he can do some damage. Pinot is probably going to be a disappointment again, but let's see without the home pressure, how he does.

 

And then there is one mister Vincenzo Nibali, who i'm not sure if he is going to be making an appearence. Once in a blue moon is not going to be enough. Especially now that he is not with the Astana train to pull him up. His team isn't competitive and if he really needs to be in top shape, if he want's to do something big. After all he is the only italian with a chance in the 100th edition. The whole nation is looking at him again (sorry Pozzo ) I hope the tragedy with Scarpa (RIP) puts some fire in his legs. 

[heywoodu 15,291]

My favourites for the win/podium: Quintana, Pinot, Nibali

 

My opinion about the Dutch: Dumoulin is not a GC rider, I've said it before and I haven't changed my opinion. Kruijswijk was the best in the Giro last year but I doubt he'll beat Quintana. Good hopes for a podium though. Mollema probably has one day where he loses some minutes and his podium chance. 

 

 

As for the sprints: Gaviria vs Ewan vs Greipel, with possibly Modolo, Bennett and some 5th line sprinters trying out something as well. Possibly Nizzolo, depending on whether or not he's starting to warm up after only racing for less than a week this year. 

 

[heywoodu 15,291]

3 minutes ago, Federer91 said:

 Adam Yates is a hidden player for the podium, the Giro is often the plays where riders have their break-through and if things go his way, he can do some damage.

I have Yates as my 'reserve loser' in a game  

 

In this game the 'loser' is one cyclist you select, who is expected to do good by the big public, but who you expect to not do good. The better the cyclist you choose as 'loser' is, the more you can win if he actually performs bad. I choose Bob Jungels, who together with Yates (and maybe Formolo) is someone everyone is expecting to really fight for top-5 positions but I seriously doubt they'll even finish in the top-15  

[Agger 1,664]

*****: Quintana

****: Nibali, Kruijswijk

***: Yates, Thomas, Pinot

**: Zakarin, Dumoulin, Landa, Mollema

*: van Garderen, Formolo, Pozzovivo, Jungels, Rui Costa