[Closed] Giro d'Italia

That will be not far off the top 3 up there. Possibly with Uran instead of Evans, but with Quintana and Purito going for the top 2. The few places behind them should interesting as well.

I reckon Kittel will win most of the sprints but may pack it in before the end of the tour. Viviani to win the points jersey.

Kittel is a much younger man than Cav!

I fancied a few quid on Quintana for the giro when the route was released but the odds were so short it wasn't worth bothering!

I hope he's worked on his suffering face for this year.

Starts in two days in Dublin.

No it doesn't. Well I hope not as I'll be in Belfast to watch the start 🙂

Belfast / Dublin - what's the difference?

😉

That's fighting talk 😆

Looking forward to this (as I always do) but for some reason I'm less interested than years gone by, mad that as this is my favorite GT of all of them.

Rodríguez FTW, Sky for best team, Cav to win a few sprints.

Maybe it's because of that formula I'm slightly less interested this year... 😕

Going out to see one of the high mountains stages at the end of the month can't bloody wait, hoping to witness a death or glory Quintana attack as that's the only way he's going to win the overall.

Also, don't count out Dan Martin, Garmin have shown they know how to win the Giro after all. Rigoberto Uran also has a very strong QPQS squad behind him, if he gets up the order early on he will have some very strong helpers and could be very hard to dislodge.

The lack of a notable 'big gun' (Contador, Froome, Nibali) means the race is pretty open, looking forward to the fireworks.

Cav to win a few sprints.

[url= http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Giro_d_Italia_2014-Startlist ]Er... I'd put money on him not winning a single sprint at the Giro this year...[/url]

I reckon Dan Martin might do a Heysedal. Would be great. So long as he can stay upright 😕

Who apppointed Nemesis as STW's auto correct? 😀

Got Dan Martin in my dream team for being in pink after the first day's TTT in BELFAST

Kittel is a much younger man than Cav!

Historically sprinters tended to peak in their late twenties and early thirties (Cipo. Pettachi, Zabel, McEwen for most recent examples), whether that will continue is another matter.

scaled - Member

Kittel is a much younger man than Cav!

Cav's 28 Kittel's 25 . Hardly a much younger man .

Kittel is a much younger man than Cav!

My comments were meant to be it's going to be a bit formulaic..

Which I think is a shame.

I too am a fan of Dan Martin, hoping he'll do well by winning a stage or two and being up there on the podium.

I've picked my velogames fantasy team, anyone else doing one?

It may not go all Kittels way in the sprints with Buhanni riding. Also Viviani was really fast in the Tour of Turkey.

I'll go for Rodriguez but would really like Dan Martin to win. Haveny seen the route yet so may all be bollocks.

I've picked my velogames fantasy team, anyone else doing one?

I dont understand why you would start the Giro in Northern Ireland. Its not noted for its proximity to Italy. Presumably there is a financial reason behind the decision

Italian Immigrants more likely..

Just guessin' like.. 😉

It adds flavour to events like the Tour/Giro and helps spread the word further than just the fairly well saturated local audience.

From what I hear from people over there, NI is turning pink in preparation and people seem to be getting on board with it.

chrismac - Member

I dont understand why you would start the Giro in Northern Ireland. Its not noted for its proximity to Italy. Presumably there is a financial reason behind the decision

Works both ways. For the organiser, greater exposure of the race.
For the host country, increased visitors etc etc.

I'm in (velogames)

Are we having a stw league ?

(Seems Realman's revising for his finals or something)

From what I hear from people over there, NI is turning pink in preparation and people seem to be getting on board with it.

Sure is, this was our hotel last week:

[img] [/img]

I dont understand why you would start the Giro in Northern Ireland.

I'd like to see Purito win, if only because the poor guy's been second so many times...

Makes a change from red/white/blue and green/white/orange 🙂

This Giro is a bit of a disaster for the organisers. Most of the big names are staying away so they're left with a "best of the rest" tour.

Sometimes makes for the best racing though...

Hmmmm not on itv4 this year, bit annoying.

This Giro is a bit of a disaster for the organisers. Most of the big names are staying away so they're left with a "best of the rest" tour.

It's a pretty strong field I reckon. There's always a couple of big name GC guys or sprinters who do Le Tour rather the Giro or vice versa.

Sure they're missing Contador, Nibali and Froome but Purito, Quinatana, Uran and Evans should make for an interesting race. Likewise they've missed out on Cav and Griepel but Viviani and Kittel and top notch sprinters too.

In some ways its better not having an out and out favourite, should lead to some interesting racing.

And if Kittel is racing the Giro, will he miss the Tour? Cav defo paid for racing and finishing the Giro in last year Tour imho

Cav was ill when he started the Tour last year, which probably had a lot more to do with his performance then the Giro.

I'm not putting all of my money on Kittel just yet either, as he's not really made that much of an impression outside of the Tour, and as pointed out, Viviani is going pretty quick at the mo.

I boringly predict Quintana for the GC. But would like to see Evans and Porte do well too. Whether they will or not is another matter entirely.

But would like to see Evans and Porte do well too

Porte isn't riding (pulled out after abandoning the Tour de Romandie)

Didn't realise that (obviously). How come he abandoned?

Nah, Porte pulled out of the Giro a month ago, supposedly as he was down on form after illness so he could focus on supporting Froome again in the tour. Somewhere the truth is in there and my guess is they didn't think he had what it'd take to win so wanted to put their eggs all in the Tour de France basket.

Here ya. A velogames league

League Name: Singletrackworld
League Code: 07145755

Huzzah!
The Giro hasn't even started yet and I'm already ranked No1 in the Singletrackworld league.
I'll take a screenshot for posterity.

<heads back to change name to aardvark racing>

Nice one whippersnapper. I'm down as bobs speckled boys. How hard is that to get the people you want for 100 points?

Bump...a day left to get a team in

I'm in! And last 🙄

I predict more mid table mediocrity for me again 😆

Oh dear, that's a thin field - do you lot all know what you're on about ?
I have a bad feeling about this 🙁

Nope, I'm winging it 😉

I just pick people I've heard of

... then try to bring the price down from 180 to 100 points 😳

Boom, Team Rolland in the Deep entered. Hopefully a decent mix of sprinters and climbers. Only gone for 1 expensive GC rider, hoping my other riders will grab some stage wins to bump the points total up.

Nah, Porte pulled out of the Giro a month ago, supposedly as he was down on form after illness so he could focus on supporting Froome again in the tour. Somewhere the truth is in there and my guess is they didn't think he had what it'd take to win so wanted to put their eggs all in the Tour de France basket.

or

he's signed for Orica Greenedge and so they are giving their contracted riders the World tour points (that will stay with sky) rather than supporting a rider that will take them to another team

Stuff this Fantasy nonsense you bunch of ...(insert tagline form IrnBru advert)... we're off to watch it for real, Saturday & Sunday. By tandem, hauling a trailer and then going touring in the south. Happy days.

I think it should be a cracking race. Lots of people capable of winning it this year, all with different strengths should make for some surprises along the way. I'd like to see Dan Martin do well, mostly because he like to attack.

Highland man where are you watching on sat? It goes past my house!

I think I'll be at the Templepatrick roundabout. Might be sketchy in the weather we're forecast... 😯

Got my BumRush boys in the STW league, only a day left to get your teams in....

Very jealous just off the phone to a colleague of mine who also owns a hotel - a number of teams are staying at said hotel and he's surrounded by pros and their bike pro(n)

Kittel, Bouhanni etc may not ride all three weeks as the last week is a bit of a hill-fest.

Scarponi, Basso and Cunego are going to be in the top ten, Quintana and Roriguez are probably favourites but I think Uran is a dark horse and will be leading OPQS and Roche will feature... If only he could TT!! On paper it's the most open Giro in years..

Team 'Rectal Thunder' in and 10 points left over!

We are over for the race - headed to armagh and rode the first bit of stage 3 this afternoon. Everything is very very pink indeed.

Possibly being stupid/blind, are the highlights on terrestrial TV anywhere? I thought ITV4 showed it last year but nothing there so far other than the current women's UK tour which has been good the last 2 nights

How can I watch the Highlights on the TV?

ITV4 normally do air some stages, failing that the Eurosport App and subscribe through iTunes..

Sky for best team

Never!

BBC2 NI has coverage whilst it's in Norn Ireland.

DAN!
NOOOOOOOOO! 🙁

Oh Ffs, 1/2 way through the 1st stage and one of my team leaders is out. Crashing on a straight he could be a triathlete.

Bad news that.

Horrible horrible crash - we were about 10 metres down the road. Martin looked in a lot of pain:(

Jesus, two crashes in as many weeks

Poor Dan, and his merry men 🙁

Poor me, and my velogames team 😥

Nice story about how Tuft's team mates had decided he should cross the line first as it was his birthday.

Well that's a bloody crock of shite innit, Dan out, what's the point in watching it now??

Gutted for him, truly gutted.

Dan out, what's the point in watching it now

Nico?

Must be heartbreaking to put all that effort in and go out like that 🙁

It put a bit of a downer on the first stage.

And yep, that's one of my Velogames guys gone too!

Dan the man is having trouble staying upright lately. He must be absolutely gutted.

Ooof

http://www.teamgiantshimano.com/2014/05/marcel-kittel-withdraws-giro-ditalia-due-fever/

Could be goof news for Swifty though

Bit of a mess really today. The sprint was good but the rest was a disaster.

[i]the rest was a disaster[/i]

given how they went down like skittles on that last lap I'd say disaster was avoided by neutralising the stage.

I actually meant the crashes on that lap. The rest looked like a pleasant ride in warm rain. I do find it amusing when the commentators refer to a 90 degree bend in a city as "very technical" though

Well it can be if it's a narrow, wet road and you're surrounded by 100+ other riders vying for position. Like stage 3 in Dublin.

[i] a 90 degree bend in a city as "very technical" though[/i]

Well, it was too technical for half the field 😉

waits for the inevitable 'roadies have no skillz' type comments from the usual riding gods... 😉

Well that was disastrous for quite a few. Good ride by Evans and Mathews. Rodriguez now almost 10 minutes down on gc and looked very uncomfortable. Caruso did not look good at all. Can't find any info about him at the moment.