Giro d’Italia 2022 thread (incl velogames) CONTAINS SPOILERS

The Giro d’Italia starts this Friday, in Budapest, Hungary. Ahter 3 days in Hungary (2 road stages either side of the first ITT) there’s a day off while they transfer to Sicily and onwards

There are a few brits here and there, some of whom do seem to stand a chance – Cavendish, Yates, Carthy et al, maybe keep an eye on James Knox for Quickstep Alpha Vinyl when the race is not likely to feature a sprint finish

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/2022/startlist

As usual I’ve set up a mini league – we can use the same leage for all 3 Grand Tours if it works the same way as previous years

https://www.velogames.com/italy/2022/

League Name: STW Grand Tours League 2022
League Code: 457982927
https://www.velogames.com/italy/2022/leaguescores.php?league=457982927

Who’ve you got your eye on? I think Carapaz is very likely to make the podium, if not win. Bardet’s been doing well reently and moving to DSM seems to have revitalised him, would be lovely to see him up there. Jumbo Visma team seems dedicated to DuMoulin, let’s hope he’s back to the form he’s shown in previous years after his break? Among the smaller teams Biniam Girmay and Natneal Tesfatsion have both been doing he jhob so far this year, will they step up to the big league?

Lots of choices for velogames teams, as always the questions is how they’ll cope with this years’ parcours. It hasn’t had the stellar feedback of previous years with a lack of ITTs, but thet may server to make it a more open race perhaps?

https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/giro-d-italia-2022/preview/

https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/giro-ditalia-2022-comprehensive-team-by-team-guide/

ANyway, get your velogames teams in, post up your thoughts and interesting links…

Is it that time already?

Bit disappointed Pidcock isn’t racing (after he’d said he was gonna have a pop at GC), but yeah Carapaz is the safer bet and appears to be the favourite.

Simon Yates and Almeida also podium contenders – but we’ll all be rooting for Tommy D on his comeback, surely?

SO many names – What about Jai Hindley who finished second to Tao a couple of years ago? Great racer but I can’t even fit him in my team!

Lots of illness KOing riders:
Chavez*, Geoghagen-Hart and a few others have pulled out entirely due to illness.
Pidcock has some sort of mystery ongoing stomach problem.
Think Hindley has been sick recently and is going to be a bit undercooked. Bora have an interesting squad with him, Kelderman, Buchmann, Kamna. Or possibly they all fall away on the same stage late in week 2.

Don’t really fancy Dumoulin with the lack of ITT – and what is there is climber friendly. Not sure he has his best climbing legs back yet, would love to be wrong.

Carapaz, Yates, Almeida the bookies favourites. Seems about right.

*Still seems to be on velogames and bookies

Pidcock is racing MTB at Albstadt and Nove Mesto instead of the Giro. Expect to see him at the TDF though.

I foresee plenty of last minute team changes for me

I have used my usual random selector… No doubt I will romp to victory once again 🤔😳

Can i ask, is it worth the subscription to Discover+ to watch this or is there a better option?

Thanks!

Discovery used the same coverage/cometary team as GCN, but GCN have no ad breaks. I suppose it depends if Discovery offers coverage of other stuff you want to watch. £40 for a years GCN is pretty good value, we’ve already watched all the spring classics and so on

Thanks nbt!

Thanks @nbt, entered.

Richie Porte to snatch another GT podium and go out on a relative high.

You heard it here first.

It’s on Quest+1 which is channel 70 on my box.

I take it that it’s not being televised on ITV then??

No, nothing on itv for this. Gcn, Discovery/eurosport, or as above Quest for highlights in the uk

Morning bump, get your teams in to the mini leagues folks

In!! Now to await total failure again 😂

Will have to sit down tonight and concentrate on my team. Trying not to just pick favourites such as Thomas De Gendt, but try and get a decent team booked in this time. I usually lose at least one rider in the first couple of days.

Thanks nbt.

Is it a pick a team and stick with it or can you change it every day?

you can change up to the deadline, then it’s fixed. Deadline is 12.30 CEST (13.30 uk time) Friday

?? #Giro Wheel of Fortune ?

Pause to pick a winner ?? pic.twitter.com/RHfBkCTBm7

— Pro Cycling Trumps (@procycletrumps) May 4, 2022

I got Bardet first time so I’m not tryng again else I’ll jinx him

and for anyone still struggling to pick a team:
Velogames Preview – Italy 2022

Thursday bump. You have till 13.30 friday to finalise your team. I’ve made dizens of changes already

Evening bump

No Pidcock 😔

MOrning bump. You have about 5 hours left to get a team set up as I type this. You can join the league later if you want but the team must be finalised and entered by 13.30 BST

OOOPS! I got my date maths wrong, the deadline is 11.30 BST, I added an hour instead of subtracting

but while I’m here – Stage 1 preview

Giro d’Italia Stage 1 Preview

As far as GC favourites go, I’m really interested to see Carapaz vs Yates. They’re both a bit inconsistent but also both really opportunistic so it could be a really good race.

Today’s stage looks interesting. Most pundits putting MvdP as the favourite so it’s either going to be cool watching him boss it or interesting to see how others beat him. I think I’d like to see Caleb Ewan win.

Interesting the parcours this year, a lot of climbing, but very little over 2000m, so if anything this will benefit Yates, especially as little TT’ing as well.

S4C seem to be showing it live in the afternoons with a roundup in the evening.
It’s in Welsh obviously but the racing is in the universal language of the peloton maaaaan! 🙂

Just spotted that Biniam Girmay is racing so have changed my mind. He’s my fave for today

Cracking finish, bit gutted Girmay didn’t win even though I am a MVdP fanboy.

Nice opener!

Caleb Ewan seems to be developing “Geraint syndrome” and an inability to stay upright in Grand Tours.. after Tour de France last year, he gave it is a good crack though. MvdP came through like a rocket though, especially when you look at his positioning half way up final climb

Good stage but why are they in Budapest? It’s not even got a border with Italy

Good stage but why are they in Budapest? It’s not even got a border with Italy

Nor did Ireland, the Netherlands or Israel.

Good stage but why are they in Budapest?

If I had to take a guess, I would say sportswashing and lots of money.

Just a wee note to say that MvdP came 5th in the TT at the Tour last year having only raced about 3 TTs as a pro. Won’t be surprised if he gets quite a good result today.

Good stage but why are they in Budapest?

Well it was supposed to start there in 2020 but Covid stopped that. Stephen Roche who won the Giro in 1987 now lives in Hungary so I’m assuming he had something to do with it.

Another entertaining day, not normally that bothered about ITT’s but I think the velogames team has definitely added a bit of spice.

That was an absolutely storming ride from Ben Tulett. Phenomenal.

Won’t be surprised if he gets quite a good result today.

Second is a bit shit for him isn’t it 🤪🤪