In the first GT of the team's history, SpiderTech aims high, and has serious GC hopes before the race. We brought here Puskaric and Wiles in order, to have a top 3 or more in the GC, and get at least a stage-win. Their helper will be Jan Mellberg, but other than him, there is nobody for the mountains here. We brought here a really strong sprinter too, Christian Bahr, who will try to pick up some decent placements, stage-wins throughout the race. In his help we brought some strong roulers, and main leadout Kowalski, in order to ensure the perfect positioning for Bahr. These strong powerhouses are also going to be big help in the TTT, and they'll also be great uses, when we need to control on the flats.
Important note: Wiles and Puskaric will be treated as co-leaders, they won't help each other, unless one of them loses serious amount of time. (hope not)
Startlist
Contenders
Maglia Rosa
*****
The biggest favourite for the Maglia Rosa, based on pure abilities. Best climber and the second best TT-er. The question is: Is he peaking for the race? He raced the Ardennes and Romandie, so he's form shouldn't be bad, but time will tell. With Wiggins here his leader role is also questionable. Well, Sky is superstrong, they can afford to support both leaders here.
The other big favourite is Nibali, who was only racing in Trentino in preparation for the Giro. He is a great climber, and a decent TTer, and don't forget: it's his home race after all. His team is full of power, and in Basso and Caruso, he has some decent helpers too.
****
Bradley Wiggins's situation is really similar to Froome"s. Wiggins is a better in TTs though, and a bit worse in climbing, so the leader role depends on their form.
The croatian Kristjan Puskaric is also one of the big favourites of the race, he is a bit similar to Nibali in his abilities, but his team is significantly worse. He also has to share the lead with Wiles, so he might not get too much support from the team.
***
Robert Gesink is a bit underrated by many journalists, as he is still yet to prove what he can do in a GT, but if he not crashes, then he can be capable of a top-3 finish. His team is fully in support of him, he'll have lot of help.
Jack Wiles's main concerns are the same as with Puskaric, but add his terrible TT-ing to that, and the picture is not so rosey. However, his attacking style is something to cheer for.
**
Ryder Hesjedal has a big question mark next to his name, as he just recovered from a serious injury. He might have some troubles in the early mountains, but he'll be a serious contender, if his shape is okay.
Michele Scarponi, last year's winner is pretty down on the list, as his age starts to affect his performance. However, he is the most experienced contender, that must help him to pull something out of the magic hat.
*
Euskaltel's Antón lacks a bit at everything, and I think the best is a top-5 he can hope for.
The young american, Tejay Van Garderen is pretty inexperienced, and I think this will hurt him, but he is surely the man of the future.
Maglia Rosso
*****
The best sprinter here, decent hilly rider, and his TT is also decent. If his form is right, then he is a clear contender for the Maglia Rosso.
****
The old gun still goes hard, it'll be fun to see him battle the young generation.
Guardini is one of the biggest names from the younger generation, and he is surely a promising rider for the future. He can't get over the hills too well, so he might be in troubles there.
***
Swift is Sky's sprinter, without a lots of support, he'll try to hang to the other's trains.
Tyler Farrar is broken someways, now for a year he can't win anything, but he might can bounce back from this in the Giro.
**
Astana's slovenian sprinter will hope to surprise the others, as his pure sprint ability won't give him the wins easily.
J.J. Haedo is a difficult rider to be honest. He has lots of bad days, but when he feels good, he is nearly unbeatable.
*
Jürgen is mainly cobbled classics rider, but he'll try his luck in the sprints in this year's Giro.
Mark Renshaw Leadout. Can he make his own mark, and leave the Leadout from his name? That's his biggest chance so far.
Maglia Azzurra
Mainly the GC contenders are in fight for this jersey.
Maglia Bianca
*****
See at GC contenders.
****
See at GC contenders.
***
He is a really promising guy, the biggest hope of French's cycling. Can he fulfill the expectations? Nobody knows yet.
**
The biggest columbian promise, an inredible talent, but there is one problem. He has to work for Wiggo and Froome.
*
Andrew Talansky is the USA's 2nd biggest "Next Big Thing" after Tejay. In this race, he can show that he is better than him. However, his problem is the same as Henao's. Working for a teammate, in this case Hesjedal.
EDIT: What about deciding the absolute leader after the first week? Then the other one has to work for him. In that way, the Maglia Rosa chances for the team are bigger Edited by fcancellara on 31-10-2012 00:05
@TMM - Thanks, it will be an interesting one for sure. Well, it all depends on Wiles's TT-ing, because he can lose time in the TTT too.
@fcancellara - I was thinking about something like that, but I'd just decide at the Cevinia or Pian dei Resinelli. Until then there are no too big mountains.
@sutty - Thanks, I hope too.
@IanButler - Indeed, the field is really strong, but our riders are just as strong.
@jaxika - Thanks, really appreciated. btw. your rider will start in Amgen ToC, I believe.
This year's Giro starts with an 8.5 km long prologue in Herning. We hope not to lose too much time here.
Bradley Wiggins was the first out of the favourites, and he rode decently finishing with the same time as the leader Lieuwe Westra. This ain't too bad for him, but his shape looks pretty mediocre judging from this TT.
Last year's winner, Scarponi, is not a great prologue rider, but he rode well finishing just 18s down on Westra and Wiggins. He seems to be in a good shape according to this prologue.
Jack Wiles is a terrible TT-er, we all know that, and he finishes way down, and gets almost a minute from Wiggo. Not a great start for the norwegian.
GC underdog Igor Anton is a fairly mediocre TTer, but finishes quite well, only 23s down on Westra and Wiggo. Not a bad result from him, promising to say at the least.
It became sure that he is suffering a lot from his former injury, as Hesjedal finished the stage 2nd to last, with a huge 1'17 gap on Wiggo. Is the Giro over for him now, or has he still a chance to recover?
Robert Gesink did also a bit disappointing as he finished way below the expectations, 29sec down on Wiigins&co. That wasn't a good show for him.
Big favourite Nibali is a really decent TTer, but he doesn't prove it by getting 19s short on Wiggo. That's worser then Scarponi's time. Not a good sign for the Sicilian.
Kristjan Puskaric wants to achieve a GT-win, and in order to make it, he shouldn't lose too much time on the better TTers. Well, he accomplishes this goal, and finishes with the same time as Nibali. Not a bad start for our croatian.
Sky's other GC favourite, Chris Froome sets a great time, finishing just 5 seconds behind Westra and Wiggins. Great start for him, he looks for the rest of the race, and stays the main favourite in my eyes.
Just kidding... Kristjan will probably still have a chance to bounce back (depending on how bad it is... We don't know yet...).
Edited by Colinas on 31-10-2012 13:29
The 2nd stage of the Giro is all flat, there is only a 4th category "climb" in it. Most likely it's going to come down in a sprint, and our very own Bahr is eager to show something on his home - soil.
Today's stage kicked off fairly slow, and the 5-men break got a pretty big lead. Emmanuele Sella wast the biggest name in it, along with Mikhail Ignatiev.
Despite the big lead, when Vacasoleil turned up the intensity of the chase, the break stood no chance got reeled in at the 20km mark. Just as the catch happened, some strange things happened.
After catching the BotD, the peloton decided to sit up, and the riders made basically a big wall. We tried to set up our train, but because of the mess we couldn't move them together, and they even dropped down to the middle of the pack. However, Mellberg and Wiles decided to surprise the pack and attacked out of the peloton. They created a 30 second gap, but the pack seemed to chase the down, when something terrible happened...
A big crash! Several favourites are on the ground! Puskaric, the Maglia Rosa Westra, Wiggins and Froome are all down, as well as almost all sprinters! More than a hundred riders are down! At the front the two Spiders were still infront, but Sky's Urán just reached and passed them! Can they fight back?
At the last km mark Urán is still in the lead, and there no sign of the spiders, coming back to him. At the back the crashers were trying to get back to the back of the 25-men peloton, but it wasn't possible for them.
And Rigoberto Urán wins stage 2, and takes the leader's jersey too! The biggest achievement of his career for him so far! SpiderTech duo completes the podium, with Wiles being the 2nd ahead of Mellberg.
The maglia rosa group with Puskaric and with lots of other favourites comes in at 1'56.
Results
1
Rigoberto Urán
Sky Procycling
4h34'00
2
Jack Wiles
SpiderTech - Cervélo
s.t.
3
Jan Mellberg
SpiderTech - Cervélo
s.t.
4
Grega Bole
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
5
Leonardo Bertagnolli
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
6
Vasil Kiryienka
Movistar Team
s.t.
7
Rinaldo Nocentini
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
8
Hubert Dupont
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
9
Beñat Intxausti
Movistar Team
s.t.
10
Tejay Van Garderen
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
General Classification
1
Rigoberto Urán
Sky Procycling
4h45'12
2
Vasil Kiryienka
Movistar Team
+ 4
3
Tejay Van Garderen
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
4
Iván Gutiérrez
Movistar Team
s.t.
5
Kanstantsin Siutsou
Sky Procycling
+ 8
6
Ivan Basso
Liquigas - Cannondale
+ 9
7
Michele Scarponi
Lampre - ISD
+ 12
8
Beñat Intxausti
Movistar Team
+ 13
9
Cameron Meyer
Orica - GreenEdge
s.t.
10
Vincenzo Nibali
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
.
24
Jack Wiles
SpiderTech - Cervélo
+ 41
29
Bradley Wiggins
Sky Procycling
+ 1'50
32
Chris Froome
Sky Procycling
+ 1'55
43
Thomas De Gendt
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 2'02
54
Kristjan Puskaric
SpiderTech - Cervélo
+ 2'09
55
Roman Kreuziger
Astana Pro Team
+ 2'09
63
Igor Antón
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 2'13
78
Damiano Cunego
Lampre - ISD
+ 2'16
100
José Rujano
Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
+ 2'21
101
Franco Pellizotti
Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
s.t.
191
Ryder Hesjedal
Garmin - Sharp
+ 3'07
Retired riders
Spoiler
Andrea Guardini
Alessandro Petacchi
Stephen Cummings
Emmanuele Sella
Diego Ulissi
David Arroyo
Robert Kiserlovski
Spiders of the day
Wiles - 1
Mellberg - 1Edited by fernando97 on 31-10-2012 16:32
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
At the back the crashers were trying to get back to the back of the 25-men peloton, but it wasn't possible for them.
