[smug]

Scarponi
9/4 9/4 5/2 9/4 13/5 5/2 9/4 9/4 9/4 261/100

Ivan Basso
15/4 5 5 15/4 5 11/2 5 4 4 53/10

Roman Kreuziger
10 9 7 7 9 9 8 10 10 64/5

Jose Rujano
8 8 8 11 9 9 8 9 15/2 10

Frank Schleck
8 11/2 10 7 13/2 12 10 10

Domenico Pozzovivo
12 12 12 14 11 6 12 14 12 69/5

Joaquin Rodriguez
14 12 10 9 14 15/2 10 12 12 88/5

Damiano Cunego
20 18 20 18 18 8 14 16 14 23

John Gadret
18 18 25 25 25 14 20 25 25 31

Andreas Kloden
25 25 25 20 25 33 28

Jakob Fuglsang
33 94

Sylvester Szmyd
50 40 40 33 50 18 40 33 33 47

Sergio Luis Henao
50 40 50 40 50 50 50 50 50

[The Rake]

No Vino or Freire?

I'm thinking some new blood this year (no pun intended). Liked the look of Szmyd

[Burkni]

The Rake, on 30 April 2012 - 08:47 PM, said:

No Vino or Freire?

I'm thinking some new blood this year (no pun intended). Liked the look of Szmyd

Szmyd is a Slavic workhorse. He will tow Basso to the very end, no matter how pink it is or lacking therein.

[The Rake]

Burkni, on 30 April 2012 - 10:27 PM, said:

Szmyd is a Slavic workhorse. He will tow Basso to the very end, no matter how pink it is or lacking therein.

Indeed, but I am thinking (like in Trentino) that he may not notice that he has dropped Basso on the first hump backed bridge, thus leaving him in charge

[shag]

kreuziger finally comes of age.

[Burkni]

shag, on 02 May 2012 - 01:22 PM, said:

kreuziger finally comes of age.

[crockett]

Burkni, on 02 May 2012 - 04:18 PM, said:

Yet Kreuziger only has 1 vote! Not out on a limb at all, but I've selected Scarponi. I think he wants it the most.

[VdB]

De Gendt for a chauvenistic dark horse! He was riding on (in his words) 'one leg' most of the Tour last year, and still came in 6th on L'Alpe and 4th in the final TT. I think the kid has a lot of potential he has yet to discover. He won't win, of course, but in the freak chance that he does I'll be the one to look like a total connoisseur.

[ETBE]

Cunego had good results this year + 6th on the TdF and 2nd on TdS last year. Maybe it will be his "grand tour rider" comeback.

[Mark]

shag, on 02 May 2012 - 01:22 PM, said:

kreuziger finally comes of age.

I took a risk and went with this option. It's do or die time for him as a GC rider.

[buddy]

I went for Basso. He definitely has the class. Mind you he has done nothing exciting all year so far but he has kept under the radar. He could surprise. He will be out to do well given the announcement that Nibali is leaving the team too.

Thanks,

Buddy

[N.B.O.L.]

buddy, on 07 May 2012 - 06:22 AM, said:

I went for Basso. He definitely has the class. Mind you he has done nothing exciting all year so far but he has kept under the radar. He could surprise. He will be out to do well given the announcement that Nibali is leaving the team too.

Thanks,

Buddy

Had not heard that Nibali is leaving. Why, to where, etc?

[buddy]

It was a story on cycling news. The team had said that Nibali had failed to respond to their offer for next year so he would be leaving. The updated story is that now official negotiations are yet to take place. Go figure.

Thanks,
Buddy

[MrHarm]

ETBE, on 04 May 2012 - 07:47 AM, said:

Cunego had good results this year + 6th on the TdF and 2nd on TdS last year. Maybe it will be his "grand tour rider" comeback.

Think his top 10 finish last year in France qualifies as a good GT result.

Anyway - Scarponi is clearly the GC leader. Just as in 2004, in other words

[OAR]

Going with Scarponi. That is the easy way out for a choice but I made it anyhow. Basso stands well so far and might be in form for a Giro Victory.

Hey what about Skinny Phinney.

[Strategy]

And... Franck Schleck loses another 45 seconds today, for the second day in a row.

[N.B.O.L.]

Strategy, on 16 May 2012 - 06:18 PM, said:

And... Franck Schleck loses another 45 seconds today, for the second day in a row.

How in the heck did Schleck lose 45 seconds on a flat stage? Crash? Mechanical? Wrong turn? Stopped to call Andy?

[Strategy]

N.B.O.L., on 16 May 2012 - 06:43 PM, said:

How in the heck did Schleck lose 45 seconds on a flat stage? Crash? Mechanical? Wrong turn? Stopped to call Andy?

Not his own fault, as usual.

According to Schleck, Alex Rasmussen blocked the road in front of him on the last circuit so that he had to halt. After that, he was forced to chase to get back on before the last climb, but then a crash resulted in the backend of the peloton once again getting dropped by the front. Radioshack did not think to help him until the second time he got dropped (were not able to detect that there was a problem) and with the peloton gearing up for the mass sprint were unable to bring him back.

[Mark]

Strategy, on 16 May 2012 - 07:20 PM, said:

Not his own fault, as usual.

According to Schleck, Alex Rasmussen blocked the road in front of him on the last circuit so that he had to halt. After that, he was forced to chase to get back on before the last climb, but then a crash resulted in the backend of the peloton once again getting dropped by the front. Radioshack did not think to help him until the second time he got dropped (were not able to detect that there was a problem) and with the peloton gearing up for the mass sprint were unable to bring him back.

Bollocks (to his answer, not your post!) These are the kinds of situations where smart riders don't find themselves. If you wanna win a GT, you have to avoid losing time for silly reasons. Some find a way to win, while others complain and make excuses...I think at this point we can guess where big brother Frank might find himself.

[shag]

OAR, on 14 May 2012 - 06:26 PM, said:

Hey what about Skinny Phinney.

If he would just start weighing his food, riding his bike on Christmas day and increasing his cadence a bit he could be the Next Lance Armstrong!!!