Time for Giro predictions!

Basso will win.

Petacchi stages ? Too many to count! :p

The two long TT's there could be a surprise win from T. Dekker

😄

tcklyde said:

Who's it going to be?

Add your other thoughts!

How many stages will Petacchi win?

Who will dominate in the mountains?

What about in the TT?

Who will win the 1.5 km prologue?

Who will surprise?

Cunego to win again (& dominate in mountains).
4 stages for Ale-jet (there are probably 6 stages with sprint finishes).
Gonchar to dominate the ITT's.
Bradley Wiggins for the prologue.

patch70 said:

Cunego to win again (& dominate in mountains).
4 stages for Ale-jet (there are probably 6 stages with sprint finishes).
Gonchar to dominate the ITT's.
Bradley Wiggins for the prologue.

Fingers firmly crossed 😄

It should be one of the most exciting giros in years. I think it is pretty obvious Petacchi is goin to blitz everyone in the sprints, McEwen has been quiet and Zabel did win last week, but not against anyone of Petacchi's speed.

It will be interesting to see how Basso goes as he has set the giro as his big goal, but the most exciting thing about the race will be the battle between Simoni and Cunego. Both are in good form, but I will take Cunego to win. 🙂

Hmm.....I like

Savoldelli
Cunego
Basso
Rasmussen
Cioni

And Mark Renshaw to win the stoopid 1100m prologue.

Cofidis should start with Arnaud Tournant just to take the maglia Rosa on day 1 and then withdraw after the start of stage 2....😄

ed073 said:

Rasmussen

Good call. About time the chicken came through with a big performance.

Gotta admire those filthy mountain bikers who cross over to a real sport!! 😄

Rasmussen is more a kind of guy that goes for stages. He's to agressive to go for GC, were you have to limit wasting energy. I think he can win a mountain stage......but the big goal as well as the rest of Rabobank is le tour.

patch70 said:

Good call. About time the chicken came through with a big performance.

My two cents worth.

Petacchi to win a hat full of stages.

I think the top three places will be Cunego, Cioni, Basso.

Honourable mentions have to go to Rasmussen, Serpellini, Velo, Savoldelli, Bramati, Nardello.

KOM category : Garzelli with honourable mention for a blast from the past Peter
Luttenburger.

limerickman said:

My two cents worth.

Petacchi to win a hat full of stages.

I think the top three places will be Cunego, Cioni, Basso.

Honourable mentions have to go to Rasmussen, Serpellini, Velo, Savoldelli, Bramati, Nardello.

KOM category : Garzelli with honourable mention for a blast from the past Peter
Luttenburger.

Peter Luttenberger!!! That IS a blast from the past!!!

I had no idea he was still a pro.....Maybe Roberto Conti or Marco Giovanetti should pull the Sidis back on. 😄

ed073 said:

Peter Luttenberger!!! That IS a blast from the past!!!

I had no idea he was still a pro.....Maybe Roberto Conti or Marco Giovanetti should pull the Sidis back on. 😄

I always liked Luttenburger.
In his day, he was a KOM TDF contender.

No accounting for fandom, I suppose !

Looks like the gravelled parts Finestre isn't gonna be covered over with Asphalt, so the neutral service cars/bikes will be busy! 😄

limerickman said:

I always liked Luttenburger.
In his day, he was a KOM TDF contender.

No accounting for fandom, I suppose !

that's right....he had a gun season with Carrera in about 1995 (?) then signed for the big bucks at Rabobank and promptly disappeared.

Dead Star said:

Looks like the gravelled parts Finestre isn't gonna be covered over with Asphalt, so the neutral service cars/bikes will be busy! 😄

Yep...."strada bianca" is going to be fascinating. Just as the race is about to blow apart, they hit a gravel road for even more drama!!

Just listened to dutch interview with Venenberg. Venenberg, Kolobnev (spelling?) and Rasmussen are going for stage wins. T. Dekker is going to ride for GC and rest is helping.

MJtje said:

Just listened to dutch interview with Venenberg. Venenberg, Kolobnev (spelling?) and Rasmussen are going for stage wins. T. Dekker is going to ride for GC and rest is helping.

lol, this is something that someone posted on another forum:

Quoted post said:

Thomas Dekker said yesterday in barend en van dorp that he will focus on the 2 long tt's. He said the hills weren't that hard like in Romandy. And he said he has no chance in the Giro mountains. "I'm not suited for those yet. Climbs of 5/6km go well, but longer climbs I can't handle well yet, that will come in a few years". He will also try to attack a few times

so i think he's just gonna try and test himself to see where his limits are.

lol didn't know that....I did see the same interview also on Barend en van Dorp🙂

[quote="Dead Star"]lol, this is something that someone posted on another forum:

Another dodgey prediction: Basso is using this as a training run at the Tour and won't be going all out for the GC, despite what the CSC interviewees are saying about him winning this Giro.