Velominati Super Prestige: Giro D’Italia 2013
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.
[vsp_results id=”23343″/]
I’m really hoping Beaker gets his arse kicked, the dummy spits will be epic. Need to see full teams before making a decision.
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggins
2. Nibali
3. Hesjedal
4. Scarponi
5. Evans
To be confirmed once the full lists are out…
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggo
2. Nibbles
3. Ryder
4. Basso
5. Evans
Shesh, moderated for hoping Beaker cops a hiding. How about if I just say he is a bit of a cunt?
Moderated again! Don’t be disparaging about Beaker seems to be the lesson from today.
I think wiggins will struggle against nibbles but I have to back him. I would have picked Quintana in my top 5 but it looks like he is riding the Tour instead.
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggins
2. Nibali
3. Ryder
4. Kiserlovski
5. Henao
I think a good viewing of this is in order:
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggins
2. Nibali
3. Hesjedal
4. Scarpone
5. Henao
VSP PICKS:
1. Sir Wiggo
2. Nibbles
3. Ryder
4. Twiakowski
5. Skyrider #2
Most boring and repetitive topic of the season will be “will Mrs Wiggo support Froomies bride at le Tour?”
Can we ban this in advance?
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
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggins
2. Nibali
3. Cuddles
4. Basso
5. Hesjedal
I think Wiggo wants to win all 3 Grand Tours in his career, Nibali won’t hold on in the TTs, Cadel will make one last great showing, and Taylor held back by team orders
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggo
2. Nibali
3. Ryder
4. Cadel
5. Phinney
Nibbles needs to come through on another GT win
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Ryder
3. Basso
4. Sanchez
5. Wiggins
Opps forgot about Sammy! Sorry but mini phinney got to go….
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Ryder
3. Dirty Sanchez
4. Basso
5. Henao
I don’t see how Wiggins wins a stage race with a 20k uphill TT. I’m guessing even if he does dominate the other TT, it’s not enough.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Ryder
3. Wiggins
4. Phinney
5. Basso
Wiggo has been working his over-long socks off on his climbing; I reckon he can do it. I suspect it will be more interesting than recent GTs with a few more swaps of the jersey to make it stick from Nibbles though. Ryder an honourable 3rd with a spirited defence; Kiserlovski a fighting 4th and Cadel keeping his matches in his back pocket for July in 5th.
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggo
2. Nibbles
3. Ryder
4. Kiserlovski
5. Cadel
Cadel explodes, Phinney gets to ride.
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggins
2. Nibali
3. Hesjedal
4. Phinney
5. Sanchez
Stabbing myself in the leg with a fork with the last two picks, but there seems to be a general consensus over the podium, and I fancy youth over the old guard. That said, I was sorely tempted to throw Pellizotti in there…
VSP PICKS:
1. B. Wiggins
2. V. Nibali
3. R. Hesjedal
4. M. Santambrogio
5. B. Intxausti
VSP PICKS:
1. Hesjedal
2. Sanchez
3. Basso
4. Wiggins
5. Nibali
Why oh why do I have a soft spot for North American riders trying to make it in Europe. Especially after all the scandals. Oh well, sometimes things don’t make sense. Perhaps the weakness that delivered the victory last year will pay off again.
VSP PICKS:
1. Tom Danielson
2. Bradley Wiggins
3. Nibali
4. Ryder Hesjedal
5. Scarponi
VSP PICKS:
1. NIbbles
2. Wiggo
3. Ryder
4. Cuddles
5. MiniPhini
VSP PICKS:
1. Sicilian Shark
2. Bad Sir Brad
3. O Hesjedal
4. Kieserlovski
5. Good Cadel
As I observed yesterday in last year’s Giro thread, Froome’s WAG is already jumping into the polemica. When will Brad’s join the fray? I gather Sky is a media company, and silly soap opera shit like this sells ads. I look forward to seeking Vincenzo give Wiggo a little poke with the shiv, as it were.
I find myself unable to put anyone but Beeker Wiggins in the top spot at this point. I’d love to see Ryder pull off the double but I just don’t see it happening… and the same thing for Nibbles. Don’t get me wrong, I think it will be close and I think they can beat him, but I just don’t see them cracking the fortress that is Team Sky.
Plus, it would definitely make for an interesting June with all of the media speculation and machinations regarding the rift between Froome and the defending tour champ.
My mourning period for the end of the classics is over and I am full in for the Grand tours… Viva Il Giro!!
VSP PICKS:
1. Beeker
2. Nibali
3. Ryder
4. Sam Sanchez
5. Gesink
Going for the lanky boys over the midgets. The head says Wiggins, the heart wants Ryder to repeat. That big lumberjack gets jack respect and this would be a “fuck you” to the doubters. He’s in shape and not afraid to dish it out. Wiggy has been training like crazy and putting a lot of eggs in this basket. Nibbles will salvage Italian pride. Sammy will just miss out on the podium because he’ll get creamed in the long TT. If Basso-boy finished top 10 I’ll be shocked. His days as a contender are over. Cav will pick up some stages if he can avoid being taken out by Italian gallopers. Should be fun!
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggins
2. Hesjedal
3. Nibali
4. Sanchez
5. Scarponi
@Nate
“To those claiming that this Wiggins/Froome thing is some sort of publicity stunt, you are wrong.” *
* This message approved by Team Sky Pro Cycling.
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggins
2. Nibali
3. Hesjedal
4. M Santambrogio
5. R Gesink
Pretty sure Wiggins and Froome have to personally check with Sir Dave before they so much as shit, let alone talk to the press.
VSP PICKS:
1. Sir Wiggo
2. Nibbles
3. Cuddles
4. Ryder
5. Henao
VSP PICKS:
1. wiggi
2. nibali
3. hesdejali
4. cadeli
5. quintero
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggins
2. Hesjedal
3. Nibali
4. Gesink
5. Henao
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)