Giro d'Italia 2021

mr spuckler · 06-05-2021 10:48am #1

The Giro starts on Saturday with a lesser spotted prologue in Torino. Lots of points of interest in this year's race with the return of both Evenepoel & Groenewegen (who have been long term absent for slightly different reasons), Simon Yates looking really strong and talking a good game, Bernal sounding far less certain despite being favourite and Dan Martin going in as clear leader of ISN although not fancied by the bookies.
Then can Joao Almeida repeat last year's breakthrough performance? No spinter for DQS this year, showing how serious they are about Almeida and possibly Evenopoel. We'll also see whether Ganna can return to his incredible form of 2020

GCN preview here

Odds from PP:
Egan Bernal 9/4
Simon Yates 7/2
Remco Evenepoel 7/2
Emanuel Buchmann 10/1
Alexander Vlasov 13/1
Mikel Landa 14/1
Hugh Carthy 16/1
Pavel Sivakov 18/1
Joao Almeida 22/1
.
.
Dan Martin 50/1

retalivity · 06-05-2021 10:55am

Evanepoel 3rd favourite at 7/2 is crazy odds.

Last years runner-up Hindley not even listed, team DSM actually have a very strong team with Bardet as backup.
2 dark horses.

06-05-2021 10:57am

Odd race for Evenepoel's comeback after 8 months out after that crash.

Israel will have a new Jersey for the race and I quite like it, EF will also have a new one but can't see them beating last years one.

GMxgfyK7Zn6iFxFTvaz5iV-970-80.jpg.webp

mr spuckler · 06-05-2021 11:20am

Deleted User wrote: »

Israel will have a new Jersey for the race and I quite like it, EF will also have a new one but can't see them beating last years one.

That ISN one is pretty nice tbf.

EF certainly have a lot to live up to and they're pushing the marketing around it too - "EF Education-Nippo set to unveil new kit that will 'give everyone a warm fuzzy feeling'"

Team manager Jonathan Vaughters was unwilling to give too much away when talking to Cyclingnews late on Tuesday but the former rider did disclose that the trademark EF pink would be replaced by an even more colourful design.

odyssey06 · 06-05-2021 11:33am

retalivity wrote: »

Evanepoel 3rd favourite at 7/2 is crazy odds.
Last years runner-up Hindley not even listed, team DSM actually have a very strong team with Bardet as backup.
2 dark horses.

Nico Roche is down to ride support for DSM, am hoping we'll get a tour diary.

Brian? · 06-05-2021 1:40pm

Is there a Velogames league? If not I'll create one.

mewso · 06-05-2021 2:42pm

Brian? wrote: »

Is there a Velogames league? If not I'll create one.

A velogames league would be good. If you have a couple of hours free then the Lanterne Rouge preview is pretty good:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXwfvBWkdCM

They also have a velogames league going with some cycling gear going as a prize. As to the Giro if Bernal is not up to it then it looks pretty wide open. Yates seems to be the form man, Almdeida probably doesn't have the climbing chops for some of the more difficult climbs, Remco has never done 3 weeks. All in all looking forward to finding out who it will be. Could be a surprise. Love to see Nico grab a stage.

mr spuckler · 06-05-2021 5:22pm

EF jersey has been launched, it's certainly toned down a bit from last year!

Not embedding because picture is huge!
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ef-education-nippo-goes-kaleidoscopic-with-giro-ditalia-switch-out-kit/

breezy1985 · 06-05-2021 5:30pm

Those 2 kits are way more interesting than anything that has been seen in the peleton so far this year

Paddigol · 06-05-2021 5:42pm

Did I see Dunbar listed in the Ineos squad? Or am I making that up?

Hopefully circumstances allow Nico (and especially Dunbar if he's in) to have a crack at a stage or two.

mr spuckler · 06-05-2021 5:52pm

Paddigol wrote: »

Did I see Dunbar listed in the Ineos squad? Or am I making that up?

Hopefully circumstances allow Nico (and especially Dunbar if he's in) to have a crack at a stage or two.

Making it up unfortunately. He was on the long list but didn't make the final squad.

Brian? · 06-05-2021 6:15pm

League created

League Name: 2021 Jambalaya Ethusiasts
League Code: 432125525

Daroxtar · 06-05-2021 7:33pm

Nice one. I'm in

breezy1985 · 06-05-2021 8:16pm

Im in but new to this so not sure how good my team is

06-05-2021 8:31pm

It's hard for GC putting a team together here. Bernal has been better this year but is he over those back issues? He's looked decent enough so far this year but I'm not sure if he's got a Giro win in him just yet, and if not him then it's a bit of a crystal ball call.

I'm not sure George Bennet is in his best shape for JV either.

velo.2010 · 06-05-2021 10:16pm

If the Giro was two weeks long, I think Evenepoel would be a comfortable winner even if he was only 90% fit. I just don't know how he'll get on in week three after nine months without racing and it being his first grand tour.

This lad is going to frighten people with his ability over the next few years.

06-05-2021 10:37pm

The problem for Evenpoel is he's with quickstep is what I'd normally say in dismissing his hopes of a grand tour win but if he was coming in here with racing in his legs and the team they have starting I'd have actually given him a reasonable chance at it.

Masnada is a problem for me based on what I saw of him last year, very slow to help Almeida at times and worried more about his own GC position I thought and I loved seeing Masnada do well in 2019 but I don't think he's the support they need him to be.

mewso · 06-05-2021 10:44pm

Worth keeping an eye on your velogames team. I had picked Will Barta but he is not a starter apparently. I assume he was at some point since he was available to pick but definitely not now.

mr spuckler · 07-05-2021 8:51am

Things might get even spicier for Groenewegen in the peloton after these comments from Jakobsen.

Fabio Jakobsen: Dylan Groenewegen has not offered a personal apology since Pologne crash
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fabio-jakobsen-dylan-groenewegen-has-not-offered-a-personal-apology/

07-05-2021 10:00am

Interview with Dan Martin https://www.rte.ie/sport/cycling/2021/0506/1214111-seven-years-older-wiser-relaxed-martin-set-for-giro/

downwiththatsor · 07-05-2021 11:20am

Does anyone know if there is a hardcopy Official Guide for this on the shelves this year? The Garibaldi Road book is freely available online but I like the hard copy each year also. Can't see it online but it may be in magazine section in larger bokkshops etc.
Looking forward to some great racing, my favourite Grand Tour

eeeee · 07-05-2021 11:35am

mr spuckler wrote: »

EF jersey has been launched, it's certainly toned down a bit from last year!

Not embedding because picture is huge!
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ef-education-nippo-goes-kaleidoscopic-with-giro-ditalia-switch-out-kit/

Well that's some of the nicest kit ever.
Less black and its it'd be a winner!

ednwireland · 07-05-2021 12:27pm

hour long highlights on quest on fta satellite daily at 7pm

07-05-2021 12:31pm

If memory serves Quest can be accessed via the dplay app or what ever it's called these days and on their site without geo restriction.

retalivity · 07-05-2021 7:04pm

Think I'll be booking Monday May 24th off work - 3 climbs over 2000m right before a rest day

07-05-2021 9:10pm

Brian? wrote: »

League created

League Name: 2021 Jambalaya Ethusiasts
League Code: 432125525

Just giving this a bump to remind folks to get their team in before entry closes.

Weepsie · 07-05-2021 10:15pm

I'm in. I think I went from first or second to worst last year. 2019 with my fantasy sports zenith. Won my football and basketball leagues and possibly the giro, though think I can second

breezy1985 · 07-05-2021 10:57pm

Is there any day to day management to be done in velogames ?

07-05-2021 11:04pm

breezy1985 wrote: »

Is there any day to day management to be done in velogames ?

No none.

Trekky77 · 08-05-2021 8:59am

Not very exciting predictions!

GC - Yates
Outsider - Almeida

Mountains - Formolo

Sprint Classification - Sagan
Outsider- Merlier

Young rider - Almeida

odyssey06 · 08-05-2021 9:47am

Nico tour diary is up... its behind the Indo premium paywall but you can signup to read 3 free articles a month

He will be riding support for Bardet and Hindley with DSM. Should have fair chance of a podium.

https://m.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/nicholas-roches-giro-ditalia-diary-a-couple-of-years-ago-i-would-have-been-panicking-now-40400080.html

Giro d'Italia 2021

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