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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@xyxax
Is that a euphemism for "It's becoming common knowledge that I frequent the public conveniences in the park near the house of commons".
@xyxax
Nah, I think that his mentrual cycle was just a bit too heavy this month and that is why he withdrew.
@ChrisO
I agree that the tdf outcome would have been an unknown but I totally think that Froome did sacrifice a Vuelta win. He had that one in the bag and Sky blew that call.
@ChrisO
Co-leaders? 100% guarantee of unpleasantness. Has never worked and sure won't this time. A pity because being from the UK I grew up watching British riders get shelled in the pro game with very rare exceptions. I remember the ANC debacle, but I remember Millar's wins with immense pleasure. To now have legit Brit tour contenders fighting not just with rivals but themselves is disheartening. Maybe Sky will sort it out, but frankly I doubt it. Sooner or later the eggs have to go in one basket.
@Buck Rogers
Meanwhile the Women's Tour of Languedoc is canceled then rescheduled, and ignored by the Keeper's and the mainstream cycling news.
Obviously a lack of Rule #5 as Hesjedal and Bouhanni are also out as well.
Possibly a contender for the Anti - V of the year.
Drop out of contention, develop a "chest infection".
Bugger! 2 of my top 5 dropped out.
@Chris
No that would be 'watching badgers'. Number 9 in this great list: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22470691
2 riders out for me and like others I have wrong Sky Colombian.
@San Tonio
We've been at the forefront of bringing attention to Women's Cycling - to the protest of many in this community when we introduced the Women's VSP, I might add. I'm proud to see how much momentum the Women's VSP is gaining and to see the other Cycling outlets pay more attention as well - Rouleur's recent pieces on the ladies being a good example of that.
We do this in our spare time for the fun of it, and I bet you have little to no clue how much time and effort goes into this on top of our regular jobs and lives. I do not appreciate that snippy shit or being compared to the mainstream media. Reign in the attitude, or fuck off.
Not to mention that its still not confirmed to be on, and that we'd have to make a decision on a short VSP run-up.
http://www.womenscycling.net/2013/NewsPages2013/05_16_News_LDRCancelled.htm