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.

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.

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Chris said:

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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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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

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.

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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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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

wins in

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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?

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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:

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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:[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

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Quoted message said:

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

In article <[email hidden]>,
"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]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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

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.

"Sonarrat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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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