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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@erik
Thor, the greatest god, is with you, Cadel. Good beats evil every time in the movies. The Force be with you.
@Chris
Well fuck me gently with a chainsaw, 40% of my VSP jumped ship while I slept last night. Should have known better than go to sleep!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRTeguVdC8o
What's going to be interesting is if Wiggo wants a crack at the Tour. Clearly there are ill feelings in the Sky camp and remarks from Uran et al during the week that ""we're not Froome" testify to that. I'd imagine Froome is counting the days until he can leave. This raises a scenario where CF goes to the Tour in killer shape and designated #2 to BW. He reaches the mountains in a good way and close to BW on time.. He goes for it. Smashes the field and puts himself in yellow. Then what do Sky do? Let's face it, Sky's tactics likely cost CF a Vuelta and a Tour. Will he back off again? I doubt i. Hinault-Lemond round two gentlemen. Get your ringside seats now.
@erik
Ugh, me too! I could have had all five!
@Buck Rogers
Sleep is vastly overrated. Anyway, I've peed in a couple of bottles, labeled them Wiggins and Hesjedal ant popped them into the post to fat Pat and little Heiny. There's bound to be enough shit in my system at the moment that they'll both get pinged for something on the prohibited list and we'll get free swaps.
@wiscot
Oh yeah, this has been brewing for months now and this just brings it to a head. Expect awesome fireworks come July!
@Chris
Whew! Thanks man, I appreciate it. Definitely worth doing a little HGH and EPO to get free swaps!
@wiscot
I don't agree with that analysis. Just because a rider gets a few metres ahead on a stage doesn't mean he would have won a tour. To do that you have to be highly focused and consistent for three weeks and also be able to work tactics and lead a team who will put their legs on the line for you - as yet I don't think Froome hasn't shown he can do either.
Not saying he doesn't deserve the chance but if he has a chip on his shoulder and blames Sky then that might explain why he hasn't been given it yet.
I think they will go to the Tour with both riders as co-leaders. It will be messy but the best rider will win, and it might not be either one of them anyway.
@Buck Rogers
@Chris
Withdrawing from a race due to "a nasty infection" is the cycling equivalent "I am resigning to spend more time with my family".
Free swaps (and urinalysis) for everybody!
@Buck Rogers If only it was performance enhancing, I've had to work from home a few days this week which predictably ends up with me getting bored and eating all the unhealthy snacky things. More a Schelck/Contrador affair than Pharmstrong or Riccardo Ricco.