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2015 Giro d'Italia - Week One (9th - 15th May)
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| Omloop |
Posted on 11-05-2015 18:15
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Domestique
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Squire wrote:
Why are you all so surprised by Tiralongo? He does have a go at reduced bunch sprints once in a while. Did some decent sprints in Romandie in 2012 if I remember correctly.
About to write the same  |
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 11-05-2015 18:42
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Had to go right after Pozzovivo's crash. Is he ok?
Also, it's the second stage that Grosu and Tvetvov finish in consecutive places 
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| roturn |
Posted on 11-05-2015 18:46
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alexkr00 wrote:
Had to go right after Pozzovivo's crash. Is he ok?
Also, it's the second stage that Grosu and Tvetvov finish in consecutive places
It seems as if he was okay. Breathing himself according to race doctor. |
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| Kirchen_75 |
Posted on 11-05-2015 19:04
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Wasnt Tiralongo just a 99 dot in a slipstream? |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 00:25
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| Malkael |
Posted on 11-05-2015 19:32
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Stage 4: Chiavari - La Spezia (150km)
(Click image to enlarge)
Il Garibaldi, as it is known to the locals, continues to showcase the region of Liguria as Stage 4 sends the peloton on a 150 kilometre journey from Chiavari to La Spezia.
There is no doubt that today will be a stage that favours those who like the rough stuff with several categorised and uncategorised climbs littering the parcours. While none of the climbs alone surpass 590 metres in altitude an estimated 2000 metres of accumulated elevation gain will see the riders climbing the equivalent altitude of some Alpine mountain pass.
Starting off easy with the Colla di Vella (13.2km at 3.5%) the climbs only become progressively harder with the Passo del Bracco (8.8km at 4.8%), Passo del Termine (8.8km at 6.1%) and Biassa (3.4km at 8.9%). Surprisingly, the Passo del Bracco has missed out on receiving a rating with only the Colla di Vella, Passo del Termine and Biassa receiving (Category 3) classification.
(Click image to enlarge)
With its summit lying just 10 kilometres from the finishing line the climb of Biassa could well decide who is in contention for the stage honours. While a relatively short ascent at 3.4 kilometres in length it packs a punch with an average gradient of 8.9 percent. The final kilometre of the climb will be relentless as the average gradient exceeds 10 percent, with the gradient maxing out at 14 percent.
The peloton will have a chance to familiarise themselves with the snaking seven kilometre-long descent that follows during the first descent in to La Spezia, which precedes the 17.1 kilometre-long Biassa finishing circuit. The twisting, turning nature of the Via delle Cinque Terra in to La Spezia will make the descent rather technical at high speed as the riders cope with at least two 180-degree changes in direction.
Anyone who manages to boldly break free of the peloton on the Biassa will be required to hold on to their advantage for a further three flat kilometres before securing the stage honours. The long straight inner-city roads of La Spezia will not allow any escapees to easily break line of sight to a chasing peloton despite the nuisance factor of a 1-to-1 ratio of 90-degree corners to kilometres remaining.
In the event of a sprint between a select group of riders, the riders will flash under the Flamme Rouge encounter a 90-degree left-hander through a roundabout and turn on to the eight metre wide Viale Italia for a 700 metre drag to the line. With the stage finishing alongside the La Spezia waterfront on one side and the Giardini Pubblici on the other, we could be in for quite a beautiful finish.
The Favourites & Outsiders
With the stage to Abetone the very next day playing on the minds of the General Classification hopefuls today's stage will likely be contested by the one day specialists and plucky opportunists. After a relatively easy day in the saddle due to Tinkoff – Saxo doing the vast majority of the chasing Simon Gerrans looms large as a favourite to ride away with the stage honours and continue Orica – GreenEDGE's run of great results.
Recuperation will be the name of the game for my next two favourites, Philippe Gilbert and Diego Ulissi, after they spent the bulk of Stage 3 out in the breakaway. The upper hand may be with Gilbert after a third place finish behind stage winner Michael Matthews, however, Diego Ulissi managed to comfortably finish within the diminished peloton and could have decided to cut his losses and look forwards to today's fourth stage.
Dark horse status for today's fourth stage resides with Team Astana's Luis Leon Sanchez, with the Spaniard almost a certainty to attack if let off the leash by team management. Possessing a decent acceleration to try and power away over the climb, any time gap established by L.L. Sanchez could be tough to close down due to his descending and time trial talents
Meanwhile, my three major outsiders for the stage honours are Igor Anton or Giovanni Visconti from Team Movistar, Damiano Cunego from Nippo – Vini Fantini and Maciej Paterski from CCC Sprandi Polkowice. Chasing stage victories and a high placing in the general classification I expect all three teams to be on the attack should the opportunity present itself, with a deficit of at least 50 seconds to the Maglia Rosa allowing the trio some wiggle room.
Alternatively, despite the severity and proximity of the Biassa climb to the finish in La Spezia if Michael Matthews and Fabio Felline can manage to courageously hang on we could see another face-off between the two. The Australian would be the favourite after coming out on top in Stage 3 but every sprint is a new opportunity and the odds could fall in the Italian's favour during round two.
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 11-05-2015 19:37
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LLS? pls
Paolo Tiralongo is now Astana's leader.  |
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| clamel |
Posted on 11-05-2015 19:46
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Miguel98 wrote:
LLS? pls
Paolo Tiralongo is now Astana's leader.
Perhaps he will attack and win this next stage.
He did win a stage in this years Trentino after years of nothing but back-end placings.
He is in super super form ...
Then he has a very long career, getting old, and he is riding for Astana 
The miracle team 
Any alarm bells ringing ????
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“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
"If thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee."
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| Malkael |
Posted on 11-05-2015 19:49
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No idea what kind of contract Paolo Tiralongo is on at Astana but maybe he is in the last year of it. The ever powerful 'last year of contract' motivator...
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| Guido Mukk |
Posted on 11-05-2015 20:25
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Terrible Giro for Pozzo..
What a heck Tinkov is doing?..does he know this is 3 week tour and last week is most demanding..he will need a team there..not waste at stage 3.
Nice to see Matthews winning after such hectic stage
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| Crommy |
Posted on 11-05-2015 20:59
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Watching it live, I honestly though Pozzo was dead. Glad to know he's conscious and lucid.
But what the hell are Tinkoff playing at? Absolutely no need whatsoever to make the race this hard this early on, can't help but feel this strategy may burn out a few helpers too early
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 11-05-2015 21:04
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Crommy wrote:
Watching it live, I honestly though Pozzo was dead. Glad to know he's conscious and lucid.
But what the hell are Tinkoff playing at? Absolutely no need whatsoever to make the race this hard this early on, can't help but feel this strategy may burn out a few helpers too early
I fear Tinkov will completely ruin that team and every rider on it.
That said, I really thought Contador would be smarter. Trying to double is all about riding on reserve. Okay he's not riding at the front himself but he'll need those guys in the weeks to come and it might cost him energy in the long run.
Of course, it's all about keeping away from falls, and in that aspect he's safe at the front. Still, I'm yet to see a rider ride an entire GT at the front and do well. Besides Eddy Merckx. |
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| Stromeon |
Posted on 11-05-2015 21:11
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Should be a decent stage tomorrow, the stage is well designed and that climb at the end is crying out from an attack. Quite who it will come from, I have no idea, but there should be some action.
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| Smoku |
Posted on 11-05-2015 23:52
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Domestique
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Squire wrote:
Why are you all so surprised by Tiralongo? He does have a go at reduced bunch sprints once in a while. Did some decent sprints in Romandie in 2012 if I remember correctly.
Man, that's soooo 2012...
Guido Mukk wrote:
Terrible Giro for Pozzo..
What a heck Tinkov is doing?..does he know this is 3 week tour and last week is most demanding..he will need a team there..not waste at stage 3.
Nice to see Matthews winning after such hectic stage
Tinkov is the Freddy Mercury of modern cycling: I want it all... I want it all... I want it all... And I won't get it now...
Coming back to serious business, Matthews delivered exactly what has been expected, clearly in a great form now, I'm starting to think he's the no. 1 bet for tomorrow.
I'm happy for Patera showing his guts altough it was a lost quest from the very beginning. Great race for CCC so far, even though Szmyd has lost so much. I could say he's now in a perfect place for "Majka attack" - thing is he's never been an explosive cyclist (being Ivan Basso first lieutenant half the career - even if he had it, he must have lost it over all these years).
Even more happy about Pozzo being ok. That was shocking - all the memories coming back in one glimpse of the blood on the tarmac... 
GO GO FLOWER POWER RANGERS!!!
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| Movistar |
Posted on 12-05-2015 01:10
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Domestique
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I fear Tinkov will completely ruin that team and every rider on it.
I agree but I dont think today has anything to do with it. They were not riding very hard from what I could tell and based on how the front group was riding they did not need to. I think they just sort of took that position based on the fact they have one of the top 3 climbing teams. If nobody else is going to do anything. someone must and it kept them out of trouble without putting in that much work.
In regards to Pozzovivo, this article explains everything. Including a couple enraging items but great to hear he is doing much better than it looked on the road.
https://www.cyclin...alia-crash
Edited by Movistar on 12-05-2015 01:15
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| Squire |
Posted on 12-05-2015 02:46
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Malkael wrote:
Simon Gerrans looms large as a favourite to ride away with the stage honours and continue Orica – GreenEDGE's run of great results.
How you can put 'ride away' and 'Simon Gerrans' in the same sentence is way beyond me...
For tomorrow I'm hoping for a big, strong breakaway. Don't see Matthews surviving (Hopefully. If he does, then the stage will be poorly raced). A lot of my favourite riders are in the Giro as potential stage hunters, so if any one of Antón, Luis León, Battaglin, Cunego or Visconti is in the break, I'll have an exciting day in front of the screen.
Will also be keeping an eye on Betancur. If he stays with the favourites tomorrow, he'll go crazy in the last week. 
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 12-05-2015 02:51
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Seeing riders motionless after a crash really scares the shit out of you |
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| clamel |
Posted on 12-05-2015 10:15
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On the Oleg T issue, I think some have read this article which looks funny. The old brewery king knows all about cycling. Fancy Mr.Abramovitch tells Jose Mourinho to move over and take charge of the tactics for Chelsea.
Have someone got the image of himself too grand ?
Looking at California yesterday saw the Tinkoff boys once more getting out in the lead with a tiny climber to pull the powehouse of Etixx. Cavs boys looked very surprised. Like someone mentioned before Oleg perhaps put too much more pressure on his team to perform every day, compare to the easy going Orica boys. Those boys looks to have fun with their videos and stuff, which is important for the team spirit.
Lets see if Oleg can indeed get Contador to final victory, and then pronounce himself the great D.S. that ever lived.
https://www.cyclin...jarne-riis
Hm. Not saying that Riis is super D.S. but I do believe he knows more about the game than Oleg.
____________________________________________
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“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
"If thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee."
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| Strydz |
Posted on 12-05-2015 10:42
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Wow! Oleg is making a dick out of himself, hmmm that is shock The guy is a buffoon and is living upto what I expected going full retard and emploding. He won't be around for to many more seasons
Edited by Strydz on 12-05-2015 10:43
Hells 500 Crew and 6 x Everester
Don Rd Launching Place
Melbourne Hill Rd Warrandyte
Colby Drive Belgrave South
William Rd The Patch
David Hill Rd Monbulk
Lakeside Drive Emerald
https://www.everesting.cc/hall-of-fame/ |
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| Malkael |
Posted on 12-05-2015 12:59
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Tinkoff - Saxo must have got tired of riding on the front yesterday as they managed to put Roman Kreuziger in the breakaway with GreenEDGE's Simon Clarke, Esteban Chaves and Pieter Weening. Large group that has riders from almost every team in it, confusing matters in the peloton as to who chases. 114km to ride and break has a gap of over 3'30"...
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| fickman |
Posted on 12-05-2015 13:06
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Well thats an interesting breakaway group Clarke, Chaves, Kreuziger, Cataldo, Amador, Visconti, Moinard, Suitsou and Monfort have all less than 1 min gap to Matthews. |
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