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Cadel Evans to fade - also has his own internal contest with Phinney.
Nibali - probably the real contender - but has been shown up by Team Sky tactics before.
My money on Wiggo to rise to second against Nibali by end of next week as long as their is no more incidents. If i was team sky mechanic i would be changing them tyres for soemthing else.
Bring on the big hills. That will sort things out. Love the Giro!
What exactly would the sky mechanics change them for 🙄
Nibs looks like the real deal to me. Cuddles will struggle in the mountains I think. Even in good form I can't see Wiggo having a minute and a half's worth of gains on Nibs this year.
On watching the coverage 'Wiggins' actually had a pretty good TT considering the mechanical , still 'Dowsett' played an absolute blinder . 'Cadel' is great to watch when descending , totally balls out.
Good Tv though.
After this last week I'd (as someone who knows next to nothing about gt racing) put henao up front as team leader with uran in support and wiggins taking on the kireyenko (sp?) role.
Henao can do nibali on the mtf's any day of the week and get those few seconds back.
Plus this would help my fantasy giro quite a bit...
they're free to look elsewhere at the end of the seaosn but for now,
all the rumours are that one or both of them are...
All looking a bit nervous in the peloton at the moment, about to start a descent, slightly wet & cold and all the favourites are trying to move up to the front to stay out of trouble.
Heavier weight tubular - maybe they should add some more stans goop if they are running tubelss?? Risk with race tyres - they always go for the lightest weight - but it's a trade off with ability to cope with punctures, especially in wet weather where the grit can work into the tyre and cause slow punctures.
Also allowing new tyres to cure for a period helps - dare I type his name Armstrong use to keep a stock of tyres and hang them to cure for years!!
When your race favourite these little gains count.
Looks like Wiggo is struggling today. Looking less and less likely he's going to pull off the Tour-Giro double...
Wiggins descending like he's riding a chair again. A bit embarrassing really.
So who are the [i]STW(new road cyclists)[/i] going to transfer their affections to now, seeing as Bradley's not very good any more?
So who are the STW(new road cyclists) going to transfer their affections to now, seeing as Bradley's not very good any more?
Gesink? Always had a soft spot for (the former) Rabobank and he didn't lose tonnes of time in the TT, surprisingly.
Well he's back in the Nibali group after that chase back on, let's see how he gets on down this descent.
Great ride by Belkov today and he's descending really well.
Anyone see that Astana rider sliding all the way across the road and into a wall on the earlier descent? Ouch!
Just turned on. Why is Wiggo working his way back into the field? Mechanical or just poor performance?
Why is Wiggo working his way back into the field? Mechanical or just poor performance?
He got dropped on the descent of the 1st Cat climb in the middle of the stage (to be fair, it was pissing it down) and the team basically TTT'd him back into the Nibali group. He's used that last little climb to work his way back up.
Bloody hell, Ryder Hesjedal is going out the back!
Come on Ryder!
what is wiggins doing at the back of the peleton?
Wow hesjedal 2.40 down.
Wiggins will loose time if he doesn't move up.
Wiggins will loose time if he doesn't move up.
Shouldn't do if he crossed the line as part of the bunch.
Hesjedal's going to struggle to make that up.
wiggo was in the group - but its not v convincing is it?
ryder lost 1-06 on nibali
All the gaps between the top contenders are still no bigger than a half decent attack in the mountains would close or overcome. Still heaps of interest in this race.
All the gaps between the top contenders are still no bigger than a half decent attack in the mountains would close or overcome. Still heaps of interest in this race.
Unfortunately the best climber has a gap on all the others and just has to follow attacks.
this will be very interesting if it stays dry as wiggo (and a few others) will have to attack on the climbs unless he has massive faith in the next TT
The next TT is only 20.6km; not sure how much of a difference that can make.
...and the next TT is a mountain course.
Not too good for a guy who isnt too confident on the downs.
There's no descending in the mountain TT (nothing significant anyway)
no point in it being easy/following a plan
where is the excitement? ITV4 kicking themselves for not getting coverage?
this will be very interesting if it stays dry as wiggo (and a few others) will have to attack on the climbs
Has that happened? Ever?
that's why it'll be interesting - we'll see if he can, rather than just ride hard all the way upHas that happened? Ever?
Well they say he's been working on his explosive climbing. I've got my doubts if he can produce anything to worry Nibali but I'm not willing to write him off just yet.
Contador, for sureI've got my doubts if he can produce anything to worry Nibali
Nibali seems to have 50 good yards in him but then slows down from the little I've watched in the past
I think Evans is the only real competition for Nibali as he just never gives up, but really, I think Nibali could easily win by 5+ minutes if he wanted to.
Contador, for sure
Contador isn't riding the Giro...
...and that's [b][i]why[/i][/b] it'll be interesting (he "only" has to ride away from Nibali/Evans & co)Contador isn't riding the Giro...
Just watched "The spectacular attacks of Bradley Wiggins" on YouTube. That's 10 seconds of my life I'll never get back.
Has he hired Mandy Schlecks descending coach? Is there a specific reason why he looks SO uncomfortable descending? Lack of trust in rims/brakes/tyres? Getting physically cold?
Makes for an interesting open race and I'd love to see him take it on and attack but he really doesn't look happy.
ITV4 kicking themselves for not getting coverage?
I'm led to believe they [i]wanted[/i] to cover it, but unlike the Tour the budget wouldn't stretch to what the organisers wanted for the highlights.
If Wiggins is struggling with the cold / wet descents / a stomach bug or whatever, I'd say it was a decent performance to be in touch at the end.
And to be in 4th position overall so far....not exactly a disaster is it? Even if that's the way it finishes.
It wasn't so long ago, we'd have British riders struggling to finish a grand tour, let alone 'struggling' to stay in contention for the win.
Unfortunately the best climber has a gap on all the others and just has to follow attacks
Easy then...
Have Team Sky not got any drugs to help them get DOWN the mountains?
Have Team Sky not got any drugs to help them get DOWN the mountains?
Some sloe gin, loosens me right up...
😆Have Team Sky not got any drugs to help them get DOWN the mountains?
And to be in 4th position overall so far....not exactly a disaster is it? Even if that's the way it finishes.
Yeah, it's pretty good really. I think the thing with Wiggins, is he does often look like he's struggling, especially on the climbs. He was exactly the same at the Tour last year. And that's how the whole Froome/Wiggins thing got blown up in the media. He's not the most exciting rider by any means.
When guys like Nibali and Cadel go, they make an impression. Froome too, and plenty of other guys. Wiggins never [i]looks[/i] fast. But to struggle in the hills the way he does, then bimble down the other side like a newborn lamb every time it rains (which has been all week really), he must be pretty bloody quick to make up for that and hold the position he has. Credit where credit is due.
I for one think its all the more exciting because Brad is struggling. He's 4th and is within a shout - but he's going to have to find something very special to beat Nibali.
Wiggo also cannot afford any more mishaps.
The suspense is building ... Which is exactly what makes a good race really great to watch. 😀
Come on Brad!
It has been mentioned that he may be suffering from the same bug his team mate had a few days ago. That would make sense as he does seem to be really struggling. It does not explain though why he is so bad going around corners/down hill!!
yes its the way he is riding downhill that looks so awful - I know he had a fall a couple of days ago but still
Come on Brad! +1