Giro d'Italia 2016 ***spoilers***

[mjr]

Wildcards announced for this and RCS's smaller races: http://velonews.competitor.com/2016...cards-includes-russias-gazprom-rusvelo_393103

Main surprise is Gazprom-RusVelo takes a Giro wildcard instead of Androni Giacottoli (doping) or Roompot-Oranje (who were widely-predicted to replace them).

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Wildcards announced for this and RCS's smaller races: http://velonews.competitor.com/2016...cards-includes-russias-gazprom-rusvelo_393103

Main surprise is Gazprom-RusVelo takes a Giro wildcard instead of Androni Giacottoli (doping) or Roompot-Oranje (who were widely-predicted to replace them).

From the 2016 build up thread:

The 4 wildcards for the Giro have been announced:
Gazprom - Rusvelo, Bardiani - CSF, Nippo - Vini Fantini, and Southeast - Venezuela

Read more at http://velonews.competitor.com/2016/01/news/giro-ditalia-announces-2016-wildcards-includes-russias-gazprom-rusvelo_393103#GXUbbUWDKA5mfAHV.99

I have heard that Rusvelo got their place after another team declined the invite.

 

[mjr]

Oh so that's a general thread and not an event called "build up"!

 

[rich p]

Oh so that's a general thread and not an event called "build up"!

I suppose Marmion meant that it's not such a 'surprise' given that it was widely reported a couple of weeks ago?

 

[mjr]

I suppose Marmion meant that it's not such a 'surprise' given that it was widely reported a couple of weeks ago?

Not so widely. Only appeared on one site I'm subscribed to (which I'm a bit late catching up with, I know) and no one had yet posted it to a giro thread on here

 

[rich p]

Not so widely. Only appeared on one site I'm subscribed to (which I'm a bit late catching up with, I know) and no one had yet posted it to a giro thread on here

 

[rich p]

Ladbrokes current odds for the Giro.
Nibali and Landa are not that clear a favourite on recent form in my opinion. Landa is still a dodgy TTer and Nibali has shown little or known form.
Valverde has a better chance than previous years.
Dumoulin could hang in and take time in the ITTs
Chavez at 40-1? Possibly though I'm not sure what he's been up to.


Nibali 13/8
Mikel Landa 5/2
Alejandro Valverde 5/1
Rigoberto Uran 10/1
Ilnur Zakarin 10/1
Rafal Majka 14/1
Tom Dumoulin 25/1
Domenico Pozzovivo 25/1
Jakob Fuglsang 33/1
Johan Esteban Chaves 40/1

 

[Crackle]

Too soon for Zakarin maybe but he's certainly getting there. Uran has looked good this year. If he can avoid a bad day, he could do it.

 

[rliu]

Nibali has a knack of laying low and then peaking, remember how Vinokourov publicly criticised him for his Spring Classics form before he won TdF in 2014? I just don't see the serious threat from other contenders at the moment, Uran has a weak team around him and Valverde is really more a one day racer now than a GT contender.

 

[2IT]

Nibali has a knack of laying low and then peaking, remember how Vinokourov publicly criticised him for his Spring Classics form before he won TdF in 2014? I just don't see the serious threat from other contenders at the moment, Uran has a weak team around him and Valverde is really more a one day racer now than a GT contender.

Valverde not having to ride in support of Quintana may help or hurt him. Looks like all the big guns are going for le Tour.

 

[ColinJ]

I have absolutely no idea who is going to do well, but I always enjoy the race. I'll pay one last month on my Eurosport Player subscription to be able to watch it, and then cancel!

 

[2IT]

Won't you then be tempted to keep it for the Tour?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Too soon for Zakarin maybe but he's certainly getting there. Uran has looked good this year. If he can avoid a bad day, he could do it.

I normally stay out of pundit discussions, on the grounds that I am clueless. However, I would note that on the couple of occasions that Uran has met the random inclusion criteria for one of my fantasy teams he has started off mediocre, and then become pants.

 

[Crackle]

I normally stay out of pundit discussions, on the grounds that I am clueless. However, I would note that on the couple of occasions that Uran has met the random inclusion criteria for one of my fantasy teams he has started off mediocre, and then become pants.

He might do a Leicester though.

 

[ColinJ]

Won't you then be tempted to keep it for the Tour?

I had a cheap annual deal with Eurosport but that lapsed when my debit card details changed. They refused to give me the same deal with the new card - I was miffed!

I then realised that I only need Eurosport for the Spring classics and the Giro. We can get the Tour de France and Vuelta free on our ITV4 channel. They also cover the Tour of Britain. I can get the Olympics, the World Road Championships and track cycling on the BBC. So, I am now only subscribing to Eurosport for 4 months of the year and saving money over what I paid before!