Pro Cycling

[mickey]

Congratulations on SBS for stuffing up tonights coverage...

Just when the final decent starts 18km from home, they cut to an ad then to the studio for the post race talk...

[brod]

Just three more nights of the Giro to go

[pels]

The next 2 stages are brutal, they do some of the iconic climbs of the giro.
Its going to be carnage, its going to be great viewing.
Hopefully the GC contenders put it all on the line and attack each other

GC standings are
1 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team 77:47:38
2 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda 0:00:30
3 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:01:22
4 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:01:36
5 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling 0:02:56
6 Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team 0:03:04
7 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 0:03:19

[mickey]

Too bad tonights coverage didn't start at the bottom of that big **** off climb.. was a serious decent though!

[dedja]

it did on EuroSport ...

[brod]

Astana’s Roman Kreuziger climbed to victory in an epic stage 19 at the 2012 Giro d’Italia, coming home 19 seconds clear of Garmin-Barracuda’s Ryder Hesjedal and going some way towards restoring his reputation after a race that hasn’t gone to plan over the last three weeks

General classification after stage 19
1 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team 84:06:13
2 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda 0:00:17
3 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:01:39
4 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:01:45
Best Aussie
98 Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol Team 2:39:56

[brod]

Some of the roads (and I use that word VERY loosely) are amazing they are riding over tonight

[dedja]

some of those roads aren't wide enough for goats ...

[pels]

They just showed a shot of the finish snow everywhere except for the road in the middle
They climb up to 2757metres to the finish Passo dello Stelvio

[brod]

They just showed a shot of the finish snow everywhere except for the road in the middle
They climb up to 2757metres to the finish Passo dello Stelvio

Highest ever stage finish in the Giro

[dedja]

These fellas are frigging machines ...

[brod]

22.4km of climbing....here we go

[dedja]

at an average grade of 6.9% ...

[mickey]

at an average grade of 6.9% ...

And in some spots its 20%

[am Bays]

Freaks

[pels]

Ryder Hesjedal wins the Giro, was the most consistent rider over the 3 weeks.
Was surprised Rodriguez didn't put it all on the line in Stage 20, he need at least a min going into
the TT and attacked in last 600m

Now onto the Criterium du Dauphiné starting Sunday night on SBS 2 and then the
Tour on June 30

[brod]

Orica GreenEdge sports director Matt White has told Cyclingnews that the team's line-up for the Tour de France is far from being settled with three races left to decide the final nine.

"I don't want to speculate on exact numbers but there are a couple of spots," he said ahead of the Critérium du Dauphiné which begins Sunday.

[Grahaml]

Ryder Hesjedal wins the Giro, was the most consistent rider over the 3 weeks.
Was surprised Rodriguez didn't put it all on the line in Stage 20, he need at least a min going into
the TT and attacked in last 600m

Now onto the Criterium du Dauphiné starting Sunday night on SBS 2 and then the
Tour on June 30

If you haven't got the legs, you haven't got the legs. Another grand tour with a fairly small winning margin. Becoming a real trend these days. So hard to gain much time on the mountain stages and you see a lot of guys with slender and beatable leads heading into the final time trial. Wonder how long before we start to see guys really dominating again.

Orica GreenEdge sports director Matt White has told Cyclingnews that the team's line-up for the Tour de France is far from being settled with three races left to decide the final nine.

"I don't want to speculate on exact numbers but there are a couple of spots," he said ahead of the Critérium du Dauphiné which begins Sunday.

I doubt many teams have decided their lineups. Every team will have locks who were in if fit since the last tour, but the last few places will likely come down to which riders have form, what weaknesses you might have and whether any of the prime helpers might be struggling a little and might need reinforcing.

But this is the time of year to start to get interested. We get to see who has form, which teams have the greater depth and if you're really good you can pick a few surprises. I'm looking mostly to see what form Evans, Schleck and Wiggins have. I don't see too many threats to those for the win.

[pels]

Ryder Hesjedal wins the Giro, was the most consistent rider over the 3 weeks.
Was surprised Rodriguez didn't put it all on the line in Stage 20, he need at least a min going into
the TT and attacked in last 600m

Now onto the Criterium du Dauphiné starting Sunday night on SBS 2 and then the
Tour on June 30

If you haven't got the legs, you haven't got the legs. Another grand tour with a fairly small winning margin. Becoming a real trend these days. So hard to gain much time on the mountain stages and you see a lot of guys with slender and beatable leads heading into the final time trial. Wonder how long before we start to see guys really dominating again.

Orica GreenEdge sports director Matt White has told Cyclingnews that the team's line-up for the Tour de France is far from being settled with three races left to decide the final nine.

"I don't want to speculate on exact numbers but there are a couple of spots," he said ahead of the Critérium du Dauphiné which begins Sunday.

I doubt many teams have decided their lineups. Every team will have locks who were in if fit since the last tour, but the last few places will likely come down to which riders have form, what weaknesses you might have and whether any of the prime helpers might be struggling a little and might need reinforcing.

But this is the time of year to start to get interested. We get to see who has form, which teams have the greater depth and if you're really good you can pick a few surprises. I'm looking mostly to see what form Evans, Schleck and Wiggins have. I don't see too many threats to those for the win.

Those days are gone, 90s up to mid 2000 they were juiced to the max

I think this years tour is wide open you can add other names like Sanchez, Menchov,Nibali Gesink & Van den Broeck who are outsiders but are more than capable of winning.
Looking forward to see what happens because with so much TT kms a rider like Schleck & other climbers really have to gain minutes in the mountains to have any chance

[Grahaml]

Those days are gone, 90s up to mid 2000 they were juiced to the max

I think this years tour is wide open you can add other names like Sanchez, Menchov,Nibali Gesink & Van den Broeck who are outsiders but are more than capable of winning.
Looking forward to see what happens because with so much TT kms a rider like Schleck & other climbers really have to gain minutes in the mountains to have any chance

I disagree. One day it'll happen again. All sports go through changes and one day it'll change again to the point one person wins by 1/2 an hour.

I'm not discounting some of those other guys from being up there, but I don't see them on the top step. Podium places, not a problem. But if Evans and Wiggins avoid trouble I don't see any of those guys riding away regularly enough or taking time in those time trials. I even think Andy Schleck is going to have a hard time making up for those time trial miles given Wiggins and Evans will challenge Martin and Cancellara for the stage wins in the major ITT but I give him a chance because I think he's the best climber. He is a chance to take a minute or two on a few stages to get the 4-5 minutes extra he'll probably need.

Personally, I think Cadel is the favourite. The confidence from last year, the strength he has in his team to help him chase any break from a rival, Contador not there, Andy seems if anything to be losing that punch in his attacks and Wiggins is still a little of an unknown quantity in the mountains. Wiggins is the only major contender I see capable of taking time off Cadel in a time trial.