Giro Prologue

Steve McGinty said:

That was pretty impressive from McGee -especially as it
was a very technical course. Popovych looking good too...

Regards! Stephen

moreover what's up with Mario and Alessandro in the top
15... hmmmmmmmmmmm

"Faster Bordello" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Steve McGinty said:

That was pretty impressive from McGee -especially as it
was a very technical course. Popovych looking good
too...

Regards! Stephen

moreover what's up with Mario and Alessandro in the top
15... hmmmmmmmmmmm

Trying to wear pink, what else? They have a shot with
expected bonus wins in subsequent stages.

Faster Bordello said:

Steve McGinty said:

That was pretty impressive from McGee -especially as it
was a very technical course. Popovych looking good too...

Regards! Stephen

moreover what's up with Mario and Alessandro in the top
15... hmmmmmmmmmmm

Saw that and wondered myself. Get points maybe, they might
be thinking about the points jersey, however I was under the
impression Cipo is only riding until the last week.

Chris said:

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Quoted message said:

Steve McGinty said:

That was pretty impressive from McGee -especially as it
was a very technical course. Popovych looking good too...

Regards! Stephen

moreover what's up with Mario and Alessandro in the top
15... hmmmmmmmmmmm

Trying to wear pink, what else? They have a shot with
expected bonus wins in subsequent stages.

oh good point.... Neither are known for their abilities as
TT riders though.

"Faster Bordello" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Chris said:

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Quoted message said:

Steve McGinty wrote:

>That was pretty impressive from McGee -especially as it
>was a very technical course. Popovych looking good
>too...
>
>Regards! Stephen

moreover what's up with Mario and Alessandro in the top
15... hmmmmmmmmmmm

Trying to wear pink, what else? They have a shot with
expected bonus wins in subsequent stages.

oh good point.... Neither are known for their abilities as
TT riders though.

Actually as sprinters go Mario isn't too bad on a short
prologue course Dave

On Sat, 08 May 2004 18:48:42 GMT, "Dave" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

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Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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oh good point.... Neither are known for their abilities
as TT riders though.

Actually as sprinters go Mario isn't too bad on a short
prologue course

He would be a monster at them if he focused on that.

JT

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Chris said:

"Faster Bordello" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Steve McGinty wrote:

>That was pretty impressive from McGee -especially as it
>was a very technical course. Popovych looking good
>too...
>
>Regards! Stephen

moreover what's up with Mario and Alessandro in the
top 15...

hmmmmmmmmmmm

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Trying to wear pink, what else? They have a shot with
expected bonus

wins in

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

subsequent stages.

oh good point.... Neither are known for their abilities as
TT riders though.

Well, there's certainly a hard one to figure. Prologues
require speed, power and cornering ability. Sprinters have
the first two in spades. Some sprinters are also good at
cornering - take Cipo for instance who has been known to win
prologues.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Tom Kunich said:

Well, there's certainly a hard one to figure. Prologues
require speed, power and cornering ability. Sprinters have
the first two in spades. Some sprinters are also good at
cornering - take Cipo for instance who has been known to
win prologues.

Uh... no he hasn't. He has never won one in his pro
career...

-Sonarrat.

Quoted message said:

Saw that and wondered myself. Get points maybe, they might
be thinking about the points jersey, however I was under
the impression Cipo is only riding until the last week.

I bet those last mountain stages would kill both of them,
sadly I suspect neither will make the final stage. Possible
but I just dunno.

"Sonarrat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

In article
<[email hidden]>,

Tom Kunich said:

Well, there's certainly a hard one to figure. Prologues
require speed,

power

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and cornering ability. Sprinters have the first two in
spades. Some sprinters are also good at cornering - take
Cipo for instance who has

been

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

known to win prologues.

Uh... no he hasn't. He has never won one in his pro
career...

Please don't let the facts get in the way of a good story

"Faster Bordello" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Saw that and wondered myself. Get points maybe, they
might be thinking about the points jersey, however I
was under the impression Cipo is only riding until the
last week.

I bet those last mountain stages would kill both of them,
sadly I suspect neither will make the final stage.

Do you really think they are that much more difficult than
the stages these guys have each managed in the past?

Quoted message said:

Possible but I just dunno.

Cipo has finished plenty of Giros. Take a look at how many
times he won the final stage. That is sufficient motivation
for him. Yes, he DNFed more than a few times in the past but
it was not always from mountain stages and as I said, he has
survived plenty of them.

Chris said:

"Faster Bordello" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Saw that and wondered myself. Get points maybe, they
might be thinking about the points jersey, however I
was under the impression Cipo is only riding until the
last week.

I bet those last mountain stages would kill both of them,
sadly I suspect neither will make the final stage.

Do you really think they are that much more difficult than
the stages these guys have each managed in the past?

Quoted message said:

Possible but I just dunno.

Cipo has finished plenty of Giros. Take a look at how many
times he won the final stage. That is sufficient
motivation for him. Yes, he DNFed more than a few times in
the past but it was not always from mountain stages and as
I said, he has survived plenty of them.

Yep he has. So go look at the stage profiles on 18-19 and
see what you think. Feel free to reveiw the information and
maybe read what soon of the top guys are saying about the
climbs. Form an opinion and feel free to voice it. There are
pitches on 18 that are 20% at least thats what the
descriptionss claim. Don't know for sure can't get there
from here. After 3 weeks those sections may be more than
Mario can handle, or choose to handle since he needs to be
strong enought to contend in Le Toor Day Frantz...... Just
my two cents.

"Sonarrat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

In article
<[email hidden]>,

Tom Kunich said:

Well, there's certainly a hard one to figure. Prologues
require speed,

power

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and cornering ability. Sprinters have the first two in
spades. Some sprinters are also good at cornering - take
Cipo for instance who has

been

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

known to win prologues.

Uh... no he hasn't. He has never won one in his pro
career...

That's correct, I forgot that he flatted while leading the
2001 Giro prologue and finished 15 seconds down after riding
another couple of kilometers with the flat.

But then your intent was to redicule and not to face the
fact that sprinters can ride prologues. So the moral of your
posting is that sprinters are incapable of winning
prologues. We get it.

"Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

"Sonarrat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:sonarrat-
[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article
<[email hidden]>,

Tom Kunich said:

Well, there's certainly a hard one to figure.
Prologues require speed,

power

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and cornering ability. Sprinters have the first two in
spades. Some sprinters are also good at cornering -
take Cipo for instance who has

been

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

known to win prologues.

Uh... no he hasn't. He has never won one in his pro
career...

That's correct, I forgot that he flatted while leading the
2001 Giro prologue and finished 15 seconds down after
riding another couple of kilometers with the flat.

But then your intent was to redicule and not to face the
fact that sprinters can ride prologues. So the moral of
your posting is that sprinters are incapable of winning
prologues. We get it.

The moral of my posting is that you were incorrect,
nothing more.

-Sonarrat.

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"Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]-
nk.net>...

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Quoted message said:

"Sonarrat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:sonarrat-
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Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]-
rthlink.net>, "Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]>
wrote:

> Well, there's certainly a hard one to figure.
> Prologues require

speed,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

power

Quoted message said:

> and cornering ability. Sprinters have the first two
> in spades. Some sprinters are also good at cornering
> - take Cipo for instance who

has

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

been

Quoted message said:

> known to win prologues.

Uh... no he hasn't. He has never won one in his pro
career...

That's correct, I forgot that he flatted while leading
the 2001 Giro prologue and finished 15 seconds down
after riding another couple of kilometers with the flat.

But then your intent was to redicule and not to face the
fact that

sprinters

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

can ride prologues. So the moral of your posting is that
sprinters are incapable of winning prologues. We get it.

The moral of my posting is that you were incorrect,
nothing more.

If that's what it was than please pardon me. The wording
sounded a bit more though.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Tom Kunich said:

"Sonarrat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]-
.net>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

"Sonarrat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:sonarrat-
[email hidden]...
> In article <[email hidden].-
> earthlink.net>, "Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]>
> wrote:
>
> > Well, there's certainly a hard one to figure.
> > Prologues require

speed,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

power
> > and cornering ability. Sprinters have the first
> > two in spades. Some sprinters are also good at
> > cornering - take Cipo for instance who

has

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

been
> > known to win prologues.
>
> Uh... no he hasn't. He has never won one in his pro
> career...

That's correct, I forgot that he flatted while leading
the 2001 Giro prologue and finished 15 seconds down
after riding another couple of kilometers with the
flat.

But then your intent was to redicule and not to face
the fact that

sprinters

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

can ride prologues. So the moral of your posting is
that sprinters are incapable of winning prologues. We
get it.

The moral of my posting is that you were incorrect,
nothing more.

If that's what it was than please pardon me. The wording
sounded a bit more though.

No, no, I'm not a combative type. I'm just being meticulous.
Cipollini did take 3rd in a Tour de Romandie prologue once,
but he has never taken a prologue victory; thus he could
hardly be "known for winning prologues," as you claim.

Would I put it outside the realm of possibility? Well, yes I
would, considering how old he is (relatively). McGee has a
good shot at the Tour prologue this year; Cipo probably
doesn't, after finishing 11th out of a far lesser field with
not a whole lot of in-form ITT specialists. And I can say
with a certain degree of safety that Cipo will never achieve
a prologue win.

As to the higher implications, I never made any. I wouldn't,
because I don't believe that for a second - anyone who can
ride all-out for 7 km faster than anyone else is probably
also both agile enough and strong enough to be a potential
sprint winner.

But McGee finishing 2nd to Cunego today was what really made
my jaw drop.

-Sonarrat.

"Sonarrat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

As to the higher implications, I never made any. I
wouldn't, because I don't believe that for a second -
anyone who can ride all-out for 7 km faster than anyone
else is probably also both agile enough and strong enough
to be a potential sprint winner.

But McGee finishing 2nd to Cunego today was what really
made my jaw drop.

McGee is a decent sprinter when he wants to be. He's
particularly good at taking intermediate sprints, but
occasionally he gets up in bunch finishes. He won a stage in
the RvN last year, was 2nd in stage 1 of the Dauphine and
won a stage of the Midi Libre in 2001 (ok he's not as good a
sprinter as Pollack). I thought with perhaps an extra 50m
lead out yesterday he would have won, but anyway, kudos to
both him and Cunego. Gilbert's turning into a pretty handy
rider too.

Jeff

In article <[email hidden]>,

Jeff Jones' jeff@cyclingnews-punt-com said:

"Sonarrat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:sonarrat-
[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As to the higher implications, I never made any. I
wouldn't, because I don't believe that for a second -
anyone who can ride all-out for 7 km faster than anyone
else is probably also both agile enough and strong
enough to be a potential sprint winner.

But McGee finishing 2nd to Cunego today was what really
made my jaw drop.

McGee is a decent sprinter when he wants to be. He's
particularly good at taking intermediate sprints, but
occasionally he gets up in bunch finishes. He won a stage
in the RvN last year, was 2nd in stage 1 of the Dauphine
and won a stage of the Midi Libre in 2001 (ok he's not as
good a sprinter as Pollack). I thought with perhaps an
extra 50m lead out yesterday he would have won, but
anyway, kudos to both him and Cunego. Gilbert's turning
into a pretty handy rider too.

It wasn't the sprint that impressed me - I knew he could
sprint. It was the hills he went over to get there. Okay, so
today's stage didn't go so well, he lost 2 minutes - that's
still a more than commendable performance, which shows just
how long he was able to hang on.

-Sonarrat.

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Quoted message said:

It wasn't the sprint that impressed me - I knew he could
sprint. It was the hills he went over to get there. Okay,
so today's stage didn't go so well, he lost 2 minutes -
that's still a more than commendable performance, which
shows just how long he was able to hang on.

He's not as good a climber as a sprinter, but he can get up
the hills ok. Saeco's pace on Stage 2 wasn't quite as tough
as Stage 3, where the climb was steeper anyway. It was a
similar story in Romandie, where he was *almost* with the
front riders on the tough stages. I think he wants to
improve his climbing in order to be a real GT candidate, but
time will tell whether he succeeds.

Jeff