Giro di Lombardia (now with spoilers)

sy

Predictions? On this Saturday on Eurosport. Nice summary here. Start list.
Gesink is not riding due to family reasons, pity as he has been in great form for the past month as has our own Dan Martin. Martin opted out of the worlds as he has targeted this race all year and he has a good chance of being in contention at the end. 260 km makes it a true Monument with some tough climbs, my only concern is he might not have the power to stay away if he gets over the last climb on his own. Hope I'm wrong.

Gilbert won last year with an awesome dispaly of power but I think he may have peaked at the Vuelta/Worlds. Didn't show at Paris Tours but you can never count him out, might be jet lag. Kolobnev likes the course, Brajkovic is going well and Nibali still has good form after Spain. Evans has travelled back for it and should be stirring things at the end but my pick is for Pozzato to get it right this time!(not that my predictions have been too hot this season :pac:) It should be a great race

I don't know why Frank Schleck is not riding as he seemed to be coming into good form in the Vuelta and Worlds?
Anybody know why Roche is not on the starting list and why Cunego is not riding ?

ednwireland

gotta be dan


(or contador is he riding heard he's quite good)

Junior

Roche is on holidays, Gesink isn't riding it and Dan Martin has good form coming into it, however they will keep an eye on him since coming 2nd to Gesink during the last week, the problem for Dan is that the last major climb comes 40k from the finish climb, if he goes there and Gilbert or any of the other favourites are still together and organise a chase he could be done for. There is another climb to the finish but I don't think it's as selective, although coming at the end of the race it could very well be.

ROK ON

As Sy says this is a pretty good field. Agree also with JNR that the run in is too long for DM. Would love to see him do well (wondering were his solo breaks in ToB a practice run maybe?)M

I think Evans, being lead out by Gilbert???

goldencleric

Cmon Pippo get it right this time for once! ... pity he missed out on the WC jersey

goldencleric

actually looking at the Saxo Bank team Andy Schleck could be a big contender

Chips Lovell

I think Gilbert is the man to watch again on Saturday, but I'd agree with Sy in wondering whether he's going off the boil at this stage. He had to peak earlier this year because of the worlds.

I like the look of Evans for this one. He was in great form at the Worlds and this race suits him. Samuel Sanchez is another one in the mix. Maybe Visconti and Nibali too.

I think Dan Martin should fancy his chances. Yes, the big climbs finish 40km from the end but San Fermo di Battaglia shouldn't be underestimated for a selection. The race is usually won by punchy climbers who can sprint and Martin can do both.

sy wrote: »

Anybody know why Roche is not on the starting list and why Cunego is not riding ?

Cunego decided to close his season a few weeks ago. Two grand tours this year and he said he had nothing left.

goldencleric wrote: »

Cmon Pippo get it right this time for once! ... pity he missed out on the WC jersey

Not Pozzato's kind of race really. With Katusha it'd be more Rodriguez and Kolobnev who'd be suited to it. Rodriguez only decided to race at the last minute and said he's still tired from the Vuelta, so I'd be watching Kolobnev.

niceonetom

My shortlist:
Evans
Scarponi
Martin
Kolobnev
Nibali

Of those, I think Kolobnev might be the one to get away with a couple of km to go.

Chips Lovell

Shane Stokes has an interview with Dan Martin today.

IM0

great wasnt sure if I missed this one already

Chips Lovell

Gilbert won the Gran del Piedmonte today, second year running. Maybe the form is still there after all?

dave2pvd

Why has no one mentioned Joaquin Rodriguez?

Chips Lovell

dave2pvd wrote: »

Why has no one mentioned Joaquin Rodriguez?

Ahem

el tonto wrote: »

With Katusha it'd be more Rodriguez and Kolobnev who'd be suited to it. Rodriguez only decided to race at the last minute and said he's still tired from the Vuelta, so I'd be watching Kolobnev.

Do you reckon Joaquin will whack 'em?

RobFowl

Any excuse to use this picture of Sean Kelly winning his first classic at the 1983 Tour of Lombardy



Close one.......

ednwireland

just in case anyone doesnt know eurosport

14:45 CYCLING
Live Cycling: Tour of Lombardy (90min)

highlights
21:30 CYCLING
Cycling: Tour of Lombardy (60min)

sy

RobFowl wrote: »

Any excuse to use this picture of Sean Kelly winning his first classic at the 1983 Tour of Lombardy



Close one.......

Love this photo and nice details on the full story here

niceonetom

Giro di Lombardia start to be delayed by rider strike

I'm not sure what point Gilbert et al are trying to make here. This is all it brings to my mind:

Funkyzeit

Current betting
http://www.skybet.com/betting/cycling/giro-di-lombardia/giro-di-lombardia/e12509446.html

My prediction. Gilbert (2-1 - ridiculous odds).
Outside bet - Greg Van Avermaet

Captain Havoc

Funkyzeit wrote: »

Current betting
http://www.skybet.com/betting/cycling/giro-di-lombardia/giro-di-lombardia/e12509446.html

My prediction. Gilbert (2-1 - ridiculous odds).
Outside bet - Greg Van Avermaet

11/4 on paddypower. I went Dan Martin E/W at 12/1 to make it interesting.

Raam

niceonetom wrote: »

Giro di Lombardia start to be delayed by rider strike

I'm not sure what point Gilbert et al are trying to make here. This is all it brings to my mind:

He wants to challenge the assertion that all professional cyclists are dopers.

Is it a good way to do it? I don't know but it's getting attention.

Raam

The protest has been called off.

The riders’ protest, which was to delay the start of tomorrow’s Giro di Lombardia by 10 minutes, has been called off, according to tuttobiciweb.it. Instead the riders will wear stickers on their helmets to register their solidarity in the face of comments from Etorre Torri, the chief anti-doping prosecutor of the Italian Olympic committee (CONI

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/6031/Giro-di-Lombardia-riders-protest-against-Torris-comments-called-off.aspx#ixzz12VR9XBY5

Morrisseeee

I'm going to go with Nibali, that climb near the end will suit for a breakaway, and the very last climb would suit for that final dash to the line, also hoping Dan-the-man does well, it would be a magnificent win for him if he did, and top off a great year also.

uberwolf

if anyone spots a stream for this

uberwolf

I'm hopeful this'll work http://www.fromsport.com/v-0/8/18/v-81914.html

ROK ON

http://sportstream.yolasite.com/ch-4.php

Chips Lovell

Bah, no sign of it starting on Eurosport yet

IM0

Rok On's link has it though, bonus pts if you can speak dutch

Chips Lovell

Watching it in Italian online

IM0

the rain should make for some nice descents

:rubs hands:

IM0

whats the time gaps?

uberwolf

me@ucd wrote: »

whats the time gaps?

edited thread title - race chat is go.

Chips Lovell

38 secs

Chips Lovell

See two Garmin jerseys in the bunch.

Chips Lovell

On Eurosport now

ednwireland

on eurosport now finally

Chips Lovell

Ouch. Nibali down

IM0

of all the people to fall..the demon descender does [as seen in the giro solo break this year]

uberwolf

any sign of martin?

ednwireland

you think they'd (selle italia) have pulled the alberto advert

IM0

Is this the amalfi coast or something ?

ednwireland

milan to como round lake como

Chips Lovell

No sign of Martin in the first chasing bunch

Chips Lovell

Guys behind need to get their act together. Big gap

ednwireland

great win for gilbert (scarponi riding sram was he ? )

ajk24

ednwireland wrote: »

great win for gilbert (scarponi riding sram was he ? )

I think Andy Schleck must be double jobbing as his mechanic.

Chips Lovell

Just heard that Dan Martin crashed before the Madonna di Ghisallo

sy

el tonto wrote: »

Just heard that Dan Martin crashed before the Madonna di Ghisallo

Thanks for that as I was wondering what happened to him. Very dangerous out there today. Scary descent :eek:
Gilbert or "Mr Big Ring" was just playing with the field. The power he can generate on those steep climbs is incredible. Looking at him today I really think he got his tatics all wrong for the Worlds.

Chips Lovell

Holy cow:

Only 34 riders finished the gruelling, almost seven hours in the saddle. Even riders in good positions had to succumb to the elements. Haimar Zubeldia showed a promising move, but eventually faded away and had to abandon due to hypothermia.

Junior

el tonto wrote: »

Holy cow:

Very much Holy Cow, isnt Gilbert from Wallonia ?

ROK ON

Junior wrote: »

Very much Holy Cow, isnt Gilbert from Wallonia ?

He is.

Interestingly I read this morning that he said an aim of his was to win Paris Roubaix. Thats a parcours that I thought would be a bit too flat for him. However I am wondering why he has not said that he would like to aim for Ronde Van Vlanderen (I would have thought he would be more suited to RVV)- is it because he is a Walloon, trying to be politically sensitive?

Junior

ROK ON wrote: »

He is.

Interestingly I read this morning that he said an aim of his was to win Paris Roubaix. Thats a parcours that I thought would be a bit too flat for him. However I am wondering why he has not said that he would like to aim for Ronde Van Vlanderen (I would have thought he would be more suited to RVV)- is it because he is a Walloon, trying to be politically sensitive?

Yah for all the talk about the flag of flanders being an all encompassing flag for cycling I'm not so sure, I would think the RVV would be suited to him alright, the Mur Du Huy is a proper wall of a climb, Paris - Roubaix is a pure power route, you need to make a selection on the pave, not sure Gilbert could do that ?