Twiggo is dreaming of a Giro-Tour double. He has sent out mixed messages about his Tour ambitions. Will he use the Giro as the ultimate Tour preparation or will be burn all his matches in May and hope he can find another pack for July? He has abandoned his successful 2012 Tour run-up strategy of winning every stage race he entered the previous spring. Now it’s the seclusion of Mount Doom of Tenerife, his coach and his watt meter his only competition. Team Sky is supporting Wig with a very strong squad, including superman, Kanstantsin Siutsou and with Cav no longer a teammate, it’s all the knights of the round table for Sir Twig.
Will the curse of the god-awful Astana kit continue to haunt non-Kazahk riders? Can Vincenzo’s Italian mojo overpower its powerful pale blue and yellow aura? Roman Kreuziger was finally able to win a big race once he shed that kit and pulled on one of Bjarne’s Saxo jerseys. Maybe it was more Bjarne and less jersey that made the difference.
Ryder gets no respect as the defending champion. His little dance at the end of Liége-Bastogne-Liége showed he is fit and ready for a fight. He can time trial, he can climb. Personally I have to back the local boy. And I always hate the overpowered, overwhelming favorite (read Team Sky here) in any race, unless that racer is Fabian Cancellara. No one can say Fabs has won a race this year surrounded with a team as strong as Sky’s. The Shack is just the Shack or a shack. Once Cancellara leaves for the Swiss “I AM” team, it’s lights out in the shack. Frandy, don’t forget to turn out ’em out when you leave.
If Cavendish wins the first day’s sprinter’s stage he will be in pink. He may be out of it after stage two, a team time trial.
But this is the Giro: crazy, unexpected, beautiful things can happen. The spinning wheels of fortuna are less predictable in Italy as they are in France in July. The betting window is now open. The complete start list is not yet available, an incomplete one is here and shall be updated soon. So sleep on your picks, wait for all the teams to make it official, unless you want to go with the obvious all Sky podium. The race begins Saturday so don’t Delgado away a Grand Tour opportunity.
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home boy will take it
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Wiggins
3. Hesjedal
4. Scarponi
5. Henao
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Wiggins
3. Hesjedal
4. Cuddles
5. Scarponi
VSP PICKS:
1. Sir Sulkalot Wiggins
2. Il Duce Nibali
3. Digger Cadel
4. Maple Leaf Ryder
5. Basso Berlusconi
VSP PICKS:
1. nibali
2. hesjedal
3. wiggins
4. gesink
5. scarponi
It's hard to see it happening, but I really hope someone sticks it to team sky. C'arn Cadel
VSP PICKS:
1. wiggo
2. aussie cadel
3. nibali
4. hesjedal
5. danielson
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggins
2. Nibali
3. Hesjedal
4. Scarponi
5. Henao
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggins
2. Nibali
3. Hesjedal
4. Evans
5. Basso
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Hesjedal
3. Wiggins
4. Basso
5. Evans
Yeah, BABY! First GT of the year!!! Wiggo will bring the secret juice and be all Postal on everyone!
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggo
2. Nibbles
3. Ryder Hesjedal
4. Slammy Sammy Sanchez
5. Cuddles
Just to avoid the potential Delgado and whilst the final list is being confirmed....I have a feeling that Sad Brad is going to crash and I was loving the strength of Henao in the classics so I think he will take pole for Sky after week one. Anyway its got to be Nibbles or Ryder in pink for me I think..this is all on the basis that DantheManMartin does not rock up for some gun crunching action!
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Ryder
3. Mini Phinney
4. Basso
5. Henao