Giro d'Italia 2013, 4th-26th May - [Spoilers]

[Zofo]

That we aren't able to judge - I think many a critic would be nursing cuts and bruises and likely wouldn't have finished.

Agreed, there's a lot of armchair heroes around, all talking cobblers as usual. Wiggo would have won the TT without the puncture.

 

[Radchenister]

Was it wet Mr Armstrong ... straight line I notice !?

 

[Zofo]

I'm as quick as Nibali--in a straight line down hill

 

[smutchin]

It was Kangert (who also has a heck of TT the day before), he should actually be able to hold out pretty far in the mountains as well (but of course he's no Sky-Colombian duo)

What do we make of Kangert? I thought he was supposed to be a TT specialist and not much else, so was slightly surprised to see him in the Astana team for the Giro, but it looks like he has a bit more to his game than that. I vaguely remember him being touted as a wonderkid a few years ago but then he seemed to disappear completely (a brief bit of googling suggests this was because he was out for a long period due to injury). What is his climbing like? Anyone know?

Edit: Answering my own question: I see he finished 26th overall in last year's Giro (a total of about one minute slower than Sandy Casar), so he must be fairly decent in the mountains.

 

[Slaav]

how about this 'what if' .... Nibbles had not crashed twice how far ahead would he be now ?

Now that is a very fair point! HAdn't looked at it like that....

On the other hand though, if he didn't attack and take the chances he takes - giving him his undoubted speed - he would not have crashed twice

Personally, I think it needs to be like motorbikes/Moto GP etc, if you don't have the odd or even regular offs, then you simply aren't pushing hard enough

OUCH!

 

[Radchenister]

Podcast on here: http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,28850_8710651,00.html

 

[Zofo]

Looking forward to stage 10, 21.4km of climbing including 1.5km at 20% near the end --ouch!

 

[Radchenister]

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG3pr_O342k

 

[ColinJ]

Ooh - nice - some Wiggo-worrying downhill, and leg-heart-and-lung-destroying uphill!

(Disk brakes on the bike - I fancy some for wet weather rides.)

 

[Radchenister]

From the horse's mouth:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wig...&ns_source=cyclingnews&ns_linkname=0&ns_fee=0

 

[thom]

So Brad here seems remarkably unperturbed by his ill fortune and progress in the link below - kind of makes me optimistic that his head is in a good place overall and that his nervousness on the descents is addressable.

You may need to cut & paste it direct to a browser to work :
http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/eurosport/?title=Wiggins reviews first week: 'I descended like a girl'&dashboard=giro-d-italia&id=giro-ditalia-wiggins-reviews-first-070828348&yr=2013

 

[AndyRM]

For those of a Twitter persuasion, @ukcyclingexpert is worth a follow.

 

[rich p]

From the horse's mouth:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wig...&ns_source=cyclingnews&ns_linkname=0&ns_fee=0

This is the sort of stuff that I just don't get...

"The TT didn't go to plan. I was dithering yesterday and thinking of other things. But physically I'm fine and that meant I also let it go a little. I'm capable of doing it when I want to but it's a question of commitment sometimes"

This is supposedly his main aim in racing this year and he's a well-paid professional.

 

[Radchenister]

Yep, it is an odd comment, 'just a job' perspective taken too far the other way past the keeping it grounded base line.

 

[Zofo]

View:
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG3pr_O342k

Respect to this guy---climbing AND talking at over 20%,nice one whoever you are. Cool bike as well !