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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Patriotic selection for Wigster. Would have like to see more of him this year to stick him in there confidently.Ryder has been a machine, would like to see him up there.
Nibbles...indifferent form. Don't see it happening.
Cuddles..no team, going to get isolated. (will pedal squares up Zoncolan / Mortirolo if they're in there)
.....ah the Mortirolo. Just about forgotten how horrible it was enough to want another go....
VSP PICKS:
1. Syrup of Figgo
2. Ryder
3. Nibbles
4. Cuddles
5. Scarponi
Do we have to put in their fucking first names too? 'Cus...I'm a busy guy...
VSP PICKS:
1. Sanchez
2. Nibali
3. Hesjedahl
4. Basso
5. Wiggins
Ooooooh yes. Can I just say, Stage 19 - Gavia (the hard way), Stelvio and Val Martello? That is the stuff of Giro legend!
VSP PICKS:
1. Syrup of Figgo
2. Ryder
3. Nibbles
4. Cuddles
5. Scarponi
Love to see Ryder make it two in a row but I reckon Nibbles will be too strong for him. I'm picking Wiggo to crash and lose time, assume tour leadership and for Froome to bugger off somewhere else next year in a cloud of high dudgeon. Kind of hoping Kiserlovski does a good ride if for no other reason than to showcase the young guys on Radioshack who are going to be the next in line for fallout from LA. No fan of the team but riders like George Bennet and Jesse Sergent deserve better...
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Hesjedal
3. Kiserlovski
4. Sanchez
5. Wiggins
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggo
2. Nibbles
3. Hesjedal
4. Uran
5. Basso
I'd choose Ryder 5 times, but you capitalists have problems with us socialists supporting each other.
VSP PICKS:
1. Hesjadal
2. Wiggo
3. Rocky
4. Basso
5. Scarponi
I'll follow to stages of the Giro, the Saltara time trial and the next day the one to Florence. I hope to be able to invent something good, there will be fantastic riders and fantastic people there to photograph...
VSP PICKS:
1. Sicilian Shark
2. Bad Sir Brad
3. O Hesjedal
4. Kiserlovski
5. Good Cadel
Rayder Hejsedal the day he won the Giro.
@Gianni "Maybe it was more Bjarne and less jersey that made the difference."
Maybe he paid a visit to the resaturant of Paul, the "good friend" of the Saxo Bank team?? (2012 KT reference)