[N.B.O.L.]

Garmin has made no secret that they are shooting for this. Can they pull it off?

I know that there is controversy on whether an individual should lose his chance overall in a Grand Tour because he has a team that can't TTT. I have some mixed feeling about that, but it really doesn't matter because I think the team time trial when done right is the most beautiful discipline in cycle racing. I look forward to it in every tour, and am disappointed when one of the organizers leaves it out.

I'm going with Yes Garmin can pull it off, and placing my vote there.

[shag]

Another vote for Garmin. Pretty solid lineup - even without Millar and Zabriskie - and it doesn't really seem anyone else has an "A" game TTT lineup ... though GreenEdge, Sky and Rabo should all be decent. For some reason I am not confident about BMC, though on paper they look okay.

[N.B.O.L.]

shag, on 09 May 2012 - 02:38 AM, said:

Another vote for Garmin. Pretty solid lineup - even without Millar and Zabriskie - and it doesn't really seem anyone else has an "A" game TTT lineup ... though GreenEdge, Sky and Rabo should all be decent. For some reason I am not confident about BMC, though on paper they look okay.

Having their best TTer with stitches in a swollen ankle he can barely walk on, doesn't inspire a lot of confidence.

[buddy]

I am being biased and going for GreenEdge.

They will be on a high after delivering Goss to victory in Stage 3 and will be full of confidence. Why not?

Thanks,

Buddy

[Burkni]

buddy, on 09 May 2012 - 08:02 AM, said:

I am being biased and going for GreenEdge.

They will be on a high after delivering Goss to victory in Stage 3 and will be full of confidence. Why not?

Thanks,

Buddy

If they draw on their (dominant) victory in T-A, everything is possible.

[Burkni]

So no surprises that Garmin takes the TTT, apart from Rasmussen falling off early on.

GreenEdge making a good save after looking in a lot of trouble early on, what was going on with Bobridge?

My surprise is Katusha, are there any really strong TTists here? Ignatiev, Brutt and Vicioso obviously solid, but all in all a very good result for J-Rod.
111 Joaquím Rodríguez Oliver (Spa)
112 Pavel Brutt (Rus)
113 Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus)
114 Alexander Kristoff (Nor)
115 Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr)
116 Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa)
117 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa)
118 Gatis Smukulis (Lat)
119 Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa)

Not quite GC status quo but no huge gaps for the big names.

[The Rake]

Smukulis has been strong this season, but I agree; Katusha was definitely a surprise.

8th in Tirreno-Adriatico TTT this season (core Giro team)
10th in the Vuelta last year

...both of those were shorter however

[Burkni]

The Rake, on 09 May 2012 - 05:26 PM, said:

Smukulis has been strong this season, but I agree; Katusha was definitely a surprise.

8th in Tirreno-Adriatico TTT this season (core Giro team)
10th in the Vuelta last year

...both of those were shorter however

Which goes to show how well-drilled they must have been.

[Strategy]

Surprisingly good TTT by Saxobank. I am impressed.

A pity Boaro doesn't seem to be much of a climber; if he could hang on when the first climbs come, he might conceivably ride himself into the white jersey.

[buddy]

Yes Green edge let me down. More of a hopeful pick really. Not far away but certainly no cigar.

I am liking the prospects of Rodriguez. He was in great form in the late classics. Looks like he has a tram that can help him too. He may be a very big chance in this Giro.

Solid work by Garmin.

Thanks,

Buddy

[N.B.O.L.]

I just read Phinney's comments from yesterday. He said that he was the reason for the bad performance, that the team waited for him a couple of times, but said it wasn't his ankle that he was just empty. I admire him for trying to not make excuses, but you get an injury like that, spend that much time going to two hospitals, not sleeping a lot, etc. It does tend to "empty your tank".

I hope that soon he can celebrate the days that he had the jersey instead of thinking of the day he lost it.

[Burkni]

N.B.O.L., on 10 May 2012 - 01:29 PM, said:

I just read Phinney's comments from yesterday. He said that he was the reason for the bad performance, that the team waited for him a couple of times, but said it wasn't his ankle that he was just empty. I admire him for trying to not make excuses, but you get an injury like that, spend that much time going to two hospitals, not sleeping a lot, etc. It does tend to "empty your tank".

I hope that soon he can celebrate the days that he had the jersey instead of thinking of the day he lost it.

Definitely. BMC were only 31 seconds down on Garmin and it doesn't require much suspension of disbelief to figure out that the Phinney's reversal from strongest guy to deadweight is easily wort 31 seconds, so I understand his chagrin.

[shag]

N.B.O.L., on 10 May 2012 - 01:29 PM, said:

I just read Phinney's comments from yesterday. He said that he was the reason for the bad performance, that the team waited for him a couple of times, but said it wasn't his ankle that he was just empty. I admire him for trying to not make excuses, but you get an injury like that, spend that much time going to two hospitals, not sleeping a lot, etc.

He seems to have grown up quite a bit over the past year.

[The Rake]

Grown up yes, but needs to leave the Euskaltel School of Cycle Control

[shag]

The Rake, on 10 May 2012 - 02:37 PM, said:

Grown up yes, but needs to leave the Euskaltel School of Cycle Control

I think he has two problems: one is pure bike handling skills, and the other is the sense of knowing where to be, where not to be, and having the intuition to anticipate when something is about to go wrong. These are separate things and frankly I think he is lacking in the latter much more than the former. That said, we must remember that Phinney has only been racing for about five years, right? Developing that sense and intutition will take time ... I just hope he doesn't bust himself up too much in the meantime.

[VdB]

You'd think a track rider would have some bike handling skills? Then again, I guess they probably don't really need it as much in his particular discipline.

To be fair, Phinney showed some serious skill staying upright in the grassy patch/ditch on a freaking TT bike! Loved the clump of grass he took with him, too. If anyone's interested in a replay of either, check http://www.sporza.be...alink/1.1296611

It's hard for me to remind myself that he's only 21.

[mapeifan]

VdB, on 10 May 2012 - 07:51 PM, said:

You'd think a track rider would have some bike handling skills? Then again, I guess they probably don't really need it as much in his particular discipline.

To be fair, Phinney showed some serious skill staying upright in the grassy patch/ditch on a freaking TT bike! Loved the clump of grass he took with him, too. If anyone's interested in a replay of either, check http://www.sporza.be...alink/1.1296611

It's hard for me to remind myself that he's only 21.

and he won U23 Roubaix, so he can't be that bad of a bike handler

[Burkni]

mapeifan, on 10 May 2012 - 09:31 PM, said:

and he won U23 Roubaix, so he can't be that bad of a bike handler

Maybe it's just a classic Armstrong jinx for leaving RadioShack