2013 Giro d'Italia

[jules21]

Bmc squad not deep enuf to cover climbing in both tours

i've never understood why this is important. at last year's Tour, Cadel had Tejay with him in the mountains. Tejay was stronger than him.. it didn't help Cadel. what does it matter if Cadel is on his own in the mountains?

[AndyTheMan]

Bmc squad not deep enuf to cover climbing in both tours

i've never understood why this is important. at last year's Tour, Cadel had Tejay with him in the mountains. Tejay was stronger than him.. it didn't help Cadel. what does it matter if Cadel is on his own in the mountains?

I can see the logic in having so,e support in the mtns, even if just to set the pace, carry some water bottles, and provide a bit of focus in maintaining an appropriate pace etc.

I'm no expert, but I always feel (rightly or wrongly) that having team support is less important in the mtns than moderate slopes. In the mtns it always seems that a lot of it is about whether you have the fitness/legs to get up, and the balls to descend the way they do.

I would like to hear some thoughts on this, as maybe what I've always thought has always Ben wrong?!

On the topic of whether BMC have the depth in the team to support a pitch at both Giro and TdF, same still applies - if you've got a GC guy 40 seconds off the pace, and the opportunity to win theGiro presents itself, are you gonna not take it to save yourself for the tour??

In terms of Cadel, maybe they'll do a Cadel tilt at the Giro, with a back up option of TeeJay to lead in the TdF ?!

Just thoughts.

[clackers]

Love the fights for time bonuses ... and Cadel showing he doesn't mind a bunch finish with the other GC candidates.

Santo Cilauro points out that the Pope actually blessed the pink jersey, shortly before blessing the bootload of EPO.

[ozdavo]

Love the fights for time bonuses...

Agree totally, IMO this it what the TDF is missing atm.


Sent from my iThingy using Tapatalk

[MREJ]

I agree that Cadel must be thinking he could win it. I'm not so sure about his strategy. Waiting for Nibali to falter doesn't sound like a winning plan, unless Cadel is very confident that Nibali will lose time somewhere. I'd like to think that Cadel would have a view on when and how he should take the initiative.

[Zynster]

Cadel is able to match Nibali so far, but I'm not sure if he will be able to successfully attack him unless he can out last him in the third week. The new dangerman IMO is Uran. He is now in third place and Nibali won't be able to afford to let him go again. Uran could win this. That would be an upset wouldn't it.

[The_Eggman]

I don't think your team helps so much on the ascent ( other than perhaps setting a tempo for you) but rather the associated descending and transition ground

[clackers]

I'm no expert, Eggman, but isn't the draft effect less apparent once there's a safety gap between descenders?

I'd have thought it's an individual skill by and large and teams reform once they're on the transition

[The_Eggman]

Hey I'm making this up myself I'm no expert. I think though if you aren't a great descender having someone to pick lines and manage pace helps

[pentlandexile]

Hey, you know, I'd love a European ca... (hits mute button).

[AndyTheMan]

Hey I'm making this up myself I'm no expert. I think though if you aren't a great descender having someone to pick lines and manage pace helps

Yeah, good point

BUT...

that doesn't mean the guy you are following has to be from your team? .... just pick anyone who is known to be a good descender, jump in behind them ....

[find_bruce]

& Sir Sideburns is goooone - lost another 3 minutes on a sprint stage today. No prizes for guessing who won the sprint

[AndyTheMan]

Sir Sideburns..... ha ha ha !!...

There was a post somewhere (or may have been a media article) that said perhaps they should start having bonus points for not only sprints, KOM etc, but also longest sideburns....

Last night (Thurs) and tonight (Fri) stages appear to be ones where the GC guys will rest their legs ready for the upcoming climbing stages...

Next week is where it's all at....

Bit of discussion emerging now about whether Evans continues to remain competitive in the Giro, or maintains a focus on the TdF - either way looks like he is in better form than last year....

Does he think he has it in him to do the Giro/TdF double? Only 7 other riders have ever done it?

Does Evans go for broke in the Giro and then team BMC look to TeJay VG to lead (or be back up) in the TdF?

awesome weeks/months of grand tour cycling ahead....

[The_Eggman]

If Cadel wins the Giro my guess is BMC will run with TJ as their lead rider at TdF

[find_bruce]

Sir Sideburns..... ha ha ha !!...

There was a post somewhere (or may have been a media article) that said perhaps they should start having bonus points for not only sprints, KOM etc, but also longest sideburns....

That would be me on page 1 quoting a cyclingnews article

I particularly liked their comment on stage 8

Short of giving time bonuses for sideburns and swearing in press conferences, RCS could hardly have issued a more blatant invitation to Bradley Wiggins to come and fight for pink than this 55-kilometre time trial

Does he think he has it in him to do the Giro/TdF double? Only 7 other riders have ever done it?

Does Evans go for broke in the Giro and then team BMC look to TeJay VG to lead (or be back up) in the TdF?

With Cadel looking the business so far on the Giro & TJ likewise in the tour of California, I expect both will go to the TdF & the team will make a decision when & if it needs to - history show the benefit of options at le tour

[RonK]

I don't believe Wiggins sees himself as domestique to anyone. If he can't lead he'll abandon. The excuses are already flowing.

[AndyTheMan]

Sir Sideburns..... ha ha ha !!...

There was a post somewhere (or may have been a media article) that said perhaps they should start having bonus points for not only sprints, KOM etc, but also longest sideburns....

That would be me on page 1 quoting a cyclingnews article

Yeah, that was it!!!

With Cadel looking the business so far on the Giro & TJ likewise in the tour of California, I expect both will go to the TdF & the team will make a decision when & if it needs to - history show the benefit of options at le tour

This is my thinking also...

[Zynster]

Wouldn't it be a big advantage to have two GC contenders in the one team? It certainly worked for Sky last year. From a team perspective as long as one of them wins, they all win. Having a team mate up with you in the mountains is a big advantage.

That said, even if TJ wins ToC and Cadel doesn't get the Giro, I still think Cadel should be captain for the TdF. Experience is king. Just look at Jens.

[jules21]

That said, even if TJ wins ToC and Cadel doesn't get the Giro, I still think Cadel should be captain for the TdF. Experience is king. Just look at Jens.

Giro > AToC, it would be unfair to weight a win by Tejay more heavily than a podium by Cadel at the Giro. Cadel - assuming he holds up - has shown himself to be the marquee rider.

[dalai47]

Sir Sideburns..... ha ha ha !!...

There was a post somewhere (or may have been a media article) that said perhaps they should start having bonus points for not only sprints, KOM etc, but also longest sideburns....

You do realize he shaved the sideburns a while ago???

[Trev Campbell]

I hope Cadel can get up but trying to get back 41 seconds on Nibali in the mountains will be difficult. The mountain stage ITT should be an absoulte cracker !!!!! And the poor Team Time Trial by BMC could be very costly. Still a long way to go !!!!

[biker jk]

Sir Sideburns..... ha ha ha !!...

There was a post somewhere (or may have been a media article) that said perhaps they should start having bonus points for not only sprints, KOM etc, but also longest sideburns....

You do realize he shaved the sideburns a while ago???

So that explains Wiggins' poor form! His Samson moment.

[jules21]

I hope Cadel can get up but trying to get back 41 seconds on Nibali in the mountains will be difficult. The mountain stage ITT should be an absoulte cracker !!!!! And the poor Team Time Trial by BMC could be very costly. Still a long way to go !!!!

anything is possible. GTs are unpredictable. Cadel is right in the hunt. agree on the ITT!

[clackers]

And it's arrivederci to Wiggins and Hejsedal.

[biker jk]

And it's arrivederci to Wiggins and Hejsedal.

Wiggins looked happy being at the Giro. Check out the photo.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/10063138/Giro-dItalia-2013-stage-12-Sir-Bradley-Wiggins-could-quit-race-as-pink-jersey-dream-dies.html