(Giro d') Il Lombardia

crumliniano

Last monument of the year this Saturday, can't wait. Haven't seen a start list anywhere yet though. Presumably Gilbert will be there and will be favourite. Dan looked in decent enough form at the worlds so hopefully he can improve on his second place from last year. There is a new climb with an average gradient of 15.8% 80 km from the finish so maybe that will suit him. I wonder is Contador riding it, might suit him too. Long descent to the finish though so Nibali might be a good bet given he looks in decent form too.

Beasty

crumliniano wrote: »

Last monument of the year

... oh the irony! - a racing thread starting with these words

(sorry monument, but I couldn't resist)

Crippens1

Finish of a commuter race in Como; sometime in 1983 I think

dastardly00

It could be a case of 'whoever has the most left in the legs' will be the winner. A lot of riders seem to be absolutely wrecked at this stage.

Although if I put on my tin-foil hat.... Paolo Bettini won it in '05 and '06, Cunego won it in '07 and '08, Gilbert won it in '09 and '10, Oliver Zaugg won it in '11 so .......

ROK ON

It would be nice to see Nibali or JRod rewarded for the season that they have had.
However it will be one from Gilbert, Valverde or Contador.

buffalo

Gilbert willing be going for it:

"Phil is very motivated to take his first win wearing the rainbow jersey on Saturday in Lombardia," BMC sports director Rik Verbrugghe told Sporza. "He didn't party for very long, the course suits him and he's fit."

:pac:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gilbert-eyes-giro-di-lombardia-win

dastardly00

^^^^^
He mustn't have gone on the lash with Tom Boonen then!

Chips Lovell

Like most people I'd see Gilbert as the red hot favourite, given his track record in this race and his Worlds win.

Valverde too has to be a favourite, with is recent form and he always goes well in hilly classics.

Don't discount Contador. He's never won a one-day race.... until today, when he bagged Milano - Torino. He's fresher than most of the peloton, given his short season.

dastardly00

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

Like most people I'd see Gilbert as the red hot favourite, given his track record in this race and his Worlds win.

Valverde too has to be a favourite, with is recent form and he always goes well in hilly classics.

Don't discount Contador. He's never won a one-day race.... until today, when he bagged Milano - Torino. He's fresher than most of the peloton, given his short season.

:eek: :eek: :eek: Spoiler!



(Please don't ban me!) :pac:

mistermatthew

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

Like most people I'd see Gilbert as the red hot favourite, given his track record in this race and his Worlds win.

Valverde too has to be a favourite, with is recent form and he always goes well in hilly classics.

Don't discount Contador. He's never won a one-day race.... until today, when he bagged Milano - Torino. He's fresher than most of the peloton, given his short season.

Apart from the obvious Gilbert who I really can't see loosing. However, anyone thinking Nibali???

Chips Lovell

dastardly00 wrote: »

:eek: :eek: :eek: Spoiler!

Wasn't televised;)

Chips Lovell

mistermatthew wrote: »

Apart from the obvious Gilbert who I really can't see loosing. However, anyone thinking Nibali???

He's obviously one to watch, but I think he's had a long season and may not be in top form. His year started in Milan - San Remo and included a few other classics and the Tour.

mistermatthew

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

He's obviously one to watch, but I think he's had a long season and may not be in top form. His year started in Milan - San Remo and included a few other classics and the Tour.

Yeah and maybe Gilbert went partying with Boonen too. That'd wipe out your chances if you went on the rip with Tom.

dastardly00

BUMP!
Mods: Do we need spoilers for today?

Valverde has pulled out of the race because of manflu.

Stage profile:



Finish:



Live coverage starts on Eurosport1 at 3pm.
Highlights on Eurosport1 at 7.15pm.

Odds: Gilbert 7/4; Contador 8/1; Rodriguez 12/1.

drogdub

THis link is from the official Giro Twiiter feed for the race

http://videochat.gazzetta.it/index_Giro_di_Lombardia01.shtml

Mods: I ran it by Beasty before posting and he said it was ok to post

TheBlaaMan

Its live on the official broadcasters site :http://videochat.gazzetta.it/index_Giro_di_Lombardia01.shtml albeit en Italiano

ednwireland

ouch roads look real slippy. or at least that descent did

furiousox

Gilbert down and quits

letape

Delighted for Rodriquez - especially after la Vuelta

funnights74

Thoroughly deserved, conditions were appauling, i'm surprised there weren't more crashes. Hope that gilbert crashing out isn't a sign of the curse of the rainbow jersey striking after less than a week :eek:.

TheBlaaMan

Live TV coverage didn't start in time to see the climb of the brutal Muro di Sormano where Gilbert wasn't with the contenders and it was hard to gather what had delayed him, but here is the RAI coverage (in Italian, but you get the drift) - he was about 20seconds back going over the top and fell a bit later trying to get back on (off camera)

2km at average of about 15%, some bits up to 25% - amazing that the cars made it up!

TheBlaaMan

Laurens ten Dams stats from Il Lombardia

http://app.strava.com/rides/23626873#421767651

242.6km
Distance

5,836m
Elevation

06:40:20
Moving Time

9,538
Calories

---

just wow :0