Velominati Super Prestige: Giro d’Italia 2017
I spy with my little eye a certain Michele Scarponi, who sadly lost his life while out training near his home two weeks ago, in there amongst his teammates after his captain, Nibbles, won the race. I’m torn about a death like Michele’s – we subject ourselves to similar risks every time we climb aboard our bikes and we accept it as part and parcel of our craft. Yet, while every day members of our tribe lose their lives to their trade, it takes a high profile rider to remind us how real that risk is.
But onto lighter topics, Nibali won the Giro last year going downhill, and it happened on the one stage I managed to sleep through which is another way of saying I missed it. But I love waking up to a that WTF feeling only a reshuffled GS can give you.
The race starts Friday morning, which is sooner than I expected, so I’ll stop typing so you can start picking. Get them in by the time the clock goes to zero, and remember that our Grand Tour scoring rules are a little different than the smaller events. So jump on that start list and get prognosticating!
Good luck!
[vsp_results id=”104353″/]
1. N Quintana
2. V Nibali
3.T Pinot
4. B Mollema
5. S Kruijswijk
Just in case:
1. Quintana
2. The Coathanger
3. Nibbles
4. Pinot
5. G
Talk about keeping us on our toes! Are the entries open? Are they really closed? Will they ever open?
In the meantime, like everyone else, my tips (so far) are as follows:
1. Quintana
2. Nibali
3. Kruijswijk
4. Thomas
5. Landa
1. Nairo Quintana
2. Vincenzo Nibali
3. Steven Kruijswijk
4. Thibaut Pinot
5. Geraint Thomas
1. Nairo Quintana
2. Thibaut Pinot
3. Steven Kruijswijk
4. Vincenzo Nibali
5. Adam Yates
1. Pirazzi
2. Ruffoni
3. …Bugger!
Orica Scott to win their first GT
1. Adam Yates
2. Vincenzo Nibali
3. Nairo Qintana
4. Thibaut Pinot
5. Steven Kruijswikj
Just in case…
1. Vincenzo Nibali
2. Nairo Quintana
3. Mikel Landa
4. Steven Krijswijk
5. Ilnur Zakarin
Bridging the gap before I get dropped…
1. Quintana
2. Nibali
3. Krijswijk
4. Pinot
5. Yates
May the 4th be with us!
1. QUINTANA, Nairo
2. YATES, Adam
3. NIBALI, Vincezo
4. DUMOULIN, Tom
5. MOLLEMA, Bauke
1. Quintana
2. Dumoulin
3. Nibali
4. Pinot
5. Krijswijk
I’ve got a feeling in my gut that this is the GT where Pinot really challenges for the win, especially seeing as he won’t have the crazy pressure of being a Frenchman in July. That feeling is almost certainly wrong, but still.
1. Nairo Quintana
2. Thibaut Pinot
3. Vincenzo Nibali
4. Ilnur Zakarin
5. Adam Yates
WTF? It’s Thursday night and the picks are closed?
I’m posting my picks, regardless:
1. Quintana
2. Nibali
3. Pinot
4. Mollema
5. Adam Yates
1. Nairo Quintana
2. Vincenzo Nibali
3.Steven Kruijswijk
4.Geraint Thomas
5.Bauke Mollema
Closed already??!!
Here are my picks just in case:
1. Vincenzo Nibali
2. Nairo Quintana
3. Steven Kruijswijk
4. Thibault Pinot
5. Mikel Landa
1 Kruijswick
2 Yates
3 Thomas
4 Pinot
5 van Garderen
Might as post picks, I suppose.
1. Quintana
2. Nibali
3. Landa
4. Kruijswijk
5. Zakarin
I notice Pinot has been picked quite a lot, and I think he may well be right up there this year. I’d have been comfortable to have him and any of Yates, Thomas, or Pozzovivo in that top 5. Such a big GC field!
1. Nairo Quintana
2. Vincenzo Nibali
3. Steven Kruijswijk
4. Geraint Thomas
5. Thibaut Pinot
VSP Picks-
Quintana
Landa
Kruijswijk
Thomas
Nibali
Quintana
Kruikswijk
Pozzovivo
Yates
Nibali
VSP picks shouted into the wind:
1. Quintana
2. Nibali
3. Kruikswijk
4. Pinot
5. Landa
1. Nairo Quintana
2. Bauke Mollema
3. Bob Jungles
4. Geraint Thomas
5. Vincenzo Nibali
Pinot
Kruijswijk
Dumoulin
Nibali
Molema
1. Quintana, Nairo
2. Nibali, Vincenzo
3. Yates, Adam
4. Landa, Mikel
5. Zakarin, Ilnur
Doors closed earlier than expected! What is Italian for Delgado? O solo mio.
Seems like there are many of us. Nolo solo mio!
Just in case:
Nairo Quintana
Pinot Grigio
Thomas
Kruikswijk
Nibs
@David Olson
They were never open.
For kicks:
1. Quintana
2. Landa
3. Nibali
4. Pinot
5. Yates
Just to get them down:
Just in case:
1. S. Kruijswijk
2. N. Quintana
3. M. Landa
4. T. Dumoulin
5. A. Yates
What no picks!! Time for a few more warm up laps
1. Quintana
2. Kruikswijk
3. Pinot
4. Landa
5 .Nibali
@stooge
Ah, no wonder my nose hurts, slamming into never-open closed doors.
Also, I notice I signed in under my real name. My Witness Protection Program minders are going to be pissed…
@Jansen
Sorry for the incorrect numbering. Meant to be 1 to 5 of course.
VSP:
1. Nairo Quintana
2. Mikel Landa
3. Bauke Mollema
4. Vincenzo Nibali
5. Tom Dumoulin
@David Olson
Haha!
Not so cool that the VSP picks thingy wasn’t working. Very cool to see everyone putting their picks in anyway. After a particularly shite Friday, your Pinot Grigio gag has planted a seed. Vino and stage 1 tonight.
When in Rome……
1. Nairo Quintana
2. Vincenzo Nibali
3. Geraint Thomas
4. Thibaut Pinot
5. Steven Kruijswijk
@Jansen
There’s a though. You should have left that to see whether you score more 1-5 or 5-1.
Ok, here goes:
1. Nairo Quintana
2. Adam Yates
3. Thibaut Pinot
4. Geraint Thomas
5. Steven Kruijswijk
@stooge
Good plan! Drink up.
Quintana
Kruiijswijk
Dumoulin
Thomas
Zakarin
Preferably in the above order…
Can’t find any coverage streaming or on TV . . .
NBC Sports Gold
Cycling TV
Bein Sports
Any info for viewing in the USA?
@Krames
There were some big tv rights changes for the Italian races this year, so your usual options have probably been much limited. I don’t know all the ins and outs for your part of the world, but maybe check out steep hill for options.
@Jansen
I would not worry too much. I do not think that any Keepers actually pay any attention to the site anymore!
@Buck Rogers
Seems so. Frank Delgado’d the whole event! Still, I’d rather it were disinterest than something more serious, of course. Hope he’s travelling well.
Here’s a short (given how much has been written) article about the first edition of the Giro, including some interesting facts about rules, cheating, and broader historical context. Worth a look during the cruising sections of the first few stages.
@Buck Rogers
My son turned 1 year old last week, so I have little time to ride bikes, much less watch others riding them. I know everyone has a busy life as well, but I can’t help but feel a bit sad how quiet this Community has become of late. It was a constant source of engagement, fun, learning, and entertainment in my life for quite a few years.
I’m gonna post picks, too. Hate to delgado.
1: Quintana
2: Mollema
3: Zakarin
4: Dumolin
5: Yates
Weird final! The sprinters were waiting, waiting, waiting… now… oops! Well done to Postlberger!