Velominati Super Prestige: Giro d’Italia 2012 Stage 20
See that huge mountain over there? The one with the steep, twisty road going up it? The one that is often covered in snow this time of year? Right, race ya to the top.
I don’t know what more there is to say about this year’s Giro; four days from the end, with two of the biggest mountain stages yet to come and the G.C., Mountains, and Points competitions are all wide open. Basso is looking perhaps the freshest of the favorites, but Hope of a Nation is not looking to be weakening, either. Purito hasn’t shown weakness, though he also hasn’t really been able to show the speed he usually has on the uphill finishes; on his trademark uphill finale attacks, the slower men have (usually) been able to contain him. The Pony, on the other hand, showed his scars as he cracked on the way over the last hill on Wednesday’s stage and seems to be on the down side of his good form as we enter the final stretch.
Friday’s stage may well solidify the looks of things, but Saturday’s stage to the top of the Stelvio will be fireworks for sure. Clear your calendars for Friday and Saturday; this is going to be good.
Since this is a Tour stage, point on offer are 5 for first, 4 four second, 3 for third, 2 for fourth, and 1 for 5th. No bonus points for the right rider in the wrong place. Get your picks in by the time the countdown timer goes to zero. Points count towards your overall VSP total but do not effect your Giro VSP total. Good luck.
VSP PICKS:
1. Basso
2. Hesjedal
3. Scarponi
4. Uran
5. Cunego
picks
VSP PICKS:
1. J rod
2. Basso
3. Scarponi
4. Hesjedal
5. Rabbotini
Jeez almost missed this. Here’s my picks.
VSP PICKS:
1. PZZVV
2. Basso
3. Scarponi
4. Purito
5. Hejsedal
VSP PICKS:
1. Pozzivivo
2. Basso
3. Hesjedal
4. Rodriguez
5. Scarponi
VSP PICKS:
1. Basso
2. Scarponi
3. Hesjedal
4. Possovivo
5. Rodriguez
VSP PICKS:
1. Pozzovivo
2. Basso
3. Hesjedal
4. Rodriguez
5. Scarponi
VSP PICKS:
1. Basso
2. Hesjedal
3. J Rod
4. Scarponi
5. Uran
VSP PICKS:
1. Basso
2. Scarponi
3. Rodriguez
4. Hesjedal
5. Pozzovivo
Can’t decide !!!
VSP PICKS:
1. Possovivo
2. Scarponi
3. Hesjedal
4. Basso
5. Rodriguez
Ok, last time !!!
VSP PICKS:
1. Hesjedal
2. Scarponi
3. Possovivo
4. Basso
5. Rodriguez
One more order change
VSP PICKS:
1. Pozzovivo
2. Basso
3. Rodriguez
4. Hesjedal
5. Scarponi
I was astounded by the comments of Martinelli, the Astana DS, about Kreuziger’s win yesterday.
Basically that they didn’t have Kreuziger on the team for stage wins, but to get on podiums and he had done nothing in the two years they had him.
My theory… Kreuziger hasn’t taken part in the ‘Preparation’ program of Astana and so they have no sympathy when he has an off day, and probably he can’t train the same way and they get on his case even more. He’ll leave and hopefully find a team that suits him, where he will develop.
Rujano withdraws and I don’t find out until after the VSP closes. Bugger.
Last chance is right, Mr. Savio… http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/05/news/giro-notebook-stage-19-vande-velde-on-tt-savio-livid-with-rujano_221088/2
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I have no idea what the fuck skateboarding has to do with cycling shoes. And to cut from that straight into a cooking analogy is completely incongruous.
For someone who sees a lot of cycling David Harmon (UK Eurosport) is appallingly stupid about tactics.
Sean Kelly never corrects him directly, just says what is actually happening. Harmon was just excitedly exclaiming how Van de Velde had lost touch on the flat between the Mortirolo and Stelvio and would have to fight hard to get back with the leaders.
Kelly responds by suggesting that it would be a bit unusual for someone like VdV to be dropped on his own there and has probably been ordered back by the DS to help Hesjedal, which is why he was in the break. D’oh.
35km to go…
Is Zaugg belly breathing or is he a bit full-figured these days?
And some style comments:
– I normally like Specialized helmets but the current S-works looks like a mushroom top on the head of smaller riders like Cunego
– cyclists are typically thin-faced. It’s beyond me why some of them wear these HUGE shades. Yeah, they’re sponsored but they could choose better fitting ones. They look like little kids in adult glasses. Gotta get shades that fit well.
– Uran Uran Duran Duran has been going with black socks. Hmm, look pretty solid with the black bibs of Sky.
I wonder what the twelve or so hours between yesterday’s finish and today’s start were like for the riders within striking distance? I know they’re so tired they could probably fall asleep standing up, but it must cause serious anxiety to have the entire race come down to one day…and have the Stelvio waiting for you…
Ryder is down to just Band and fell? not a perfect situation I would think.
Slapping myself on the head , i put in de gent in fifth for today and then changed my mind and put rabotini in stead
And on top of that the kid can timetrial! Holdup on the gc
How long until Purito lights this shit up?
Who’s the man with the mullet in the chasing group?
Ill guess around the 7km mark.
@Adrian
Uran
Fuck. Basso is left alone
@RedRanger
Duran Duran should visit a hairdresser. Very distracting while trying to watch the race
Did Vino attack on the Stelvio in the rain back in 2010?
Um, De Gendt: who saw that coming?
Man, did not see De Gendt shaking things up like this. Crazy day.
Loving the bald headed dude running along with the riders. Looks like he just came from refing a soccer match!
Basso and Scarponi are going to look very stupid if they are knocked down a place by de Gendt because they were sitting on Hesjedal’s wheel.
@Ron
its Calcio over there.
De Gendt, Dutch for balls the size of coconuts.
@Ron
Yeah, I saw him with De Gendt, then with the maglia Rosa group and I thought he had been running for like 5min until I realized it eas different people.
De Gendt could ride into the pink jersey today,no?
@Steampunk
Damn, what are the odds of that, eh?
De Gendt just needs 30 s more for the Pink
De Gent stuntman , giro winner 2012
Nate – ha! Yeah…don’t know how he’s climbing in the saddle when he’s carryin’ those.
Don’t know if anyone else saw it but there was an article on velonation just a few days ago about De Gendt. The storyline was he wasn’t sure what he should do – go for a stage win? Try to move up in the standings? Be happy with where he was? Just kind of general ambivalence about how to ride the last few stages.
I guess he sorted it out!
Anyone seem De Gendts bar tape, very Laura Ashley……
Oh how painful will this be if Ryder loses out to De Gendt after fighting it out and beating all the favorites?
What a stage ! Sitting on the egde of my seat!!! Go de Gent !!!
@Adrian
I have no idea what that means.
Gadret – brown bibs, yellow knee tape, pink shoes. Yikes.
This gets worse and worse. Now the fuckhead Gadret has gone off the front. Ohhhh so painful!
The G.C. boys better stop screwing around and get to work…
@Buck Rogers
Could be a long Cogal in Canuckia tomorrow if he doesn’t hang on!
Someone has already, somewhat prematurely, updated De Gendt’s WIkipedia profile.
“In 2012, De Gendt won Stage 7 of Paris-Nice after being in a breakaway with Rein Taaramäe, then wasted the field in the 2012 Giro D’Italia at the Passo dello Stelvio.”
@Ron
I was thinking the same thing. a hot mess for sure.
Was that a Geox team rider? No invite, so they went as tifosi instead?