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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It will likely end, and it is quite early, but love pulling on the VSP pink jersey even for a second or so. Hooray for the interwebz!
DocB - they are both cracking pics mate. I cycled up a big hill several times after work this evening, sweating vinegar just because I saw shots like that when I was a kid and thought they were the coolest.
There's redemption in those hills.
@strathlubnaig
If anyone ever sees me riding in one of these, please take me out and fucking shoot me.
@LA Dave
I'd like to nominate his team mates as some of the sorriest looking excuses for cyclists you've ever seen...WHAT.THE.FUCK is that bloke on the right wearing?
@Mikael Liddy
Is that Bouhanni ?
I presume it is the compression socks you're objecting to ? I don't care if they wear them off the bike - I'm sure in the evening you would see a lot of pro guys walking around in full tights, maybe under shorts or track pants.
@Mike_P
Back in the 80's I use to roll with one of these, the trusty ol Brancale Giro
@sthilzy
Respect, but we all know what a fashion train wreck the 80s were ;-)
@Mike_P
@ChrisO the compression shorts I understand entirely, it's the moronic shorts, sunglasses & cap I object to.
@ped
I wonder if that Darth Maul helmet could slot in with The Power of Hair...