Giro Stage 18 results
 

Cunego wins Stage 18 with Simoni in fourth place on the stage, he moves up to third overall. I wonder what's with Simoni. Age? His form wasn't so great at the beginning of the season, due to the weather he says. Who knows.

One more difficult mountain stage tomorrow, I don't think Cunego will have any problem at all. He was clearly dominating today.

Sort of a lackluster day, due to the lack of challengers out there. Saeco knew that they could just play defense, and the race was slowed because of it.

Similar tactic... Simoni attacked, while Cunego just played defense. I think he showed how good he is, with the way he paced the leaders over the last couple of kilometers, and finished with an incredible sprint. It was a good thing he didn't just try to play for Simoni in the sprint, because he finished 10 seconds behind! What an acceleration.

I had to sympathize with his trouble on the champeigne bottle.

I was thinking the same thing to myself as I was watching the climb up the Gavia pass and the final climb in Bormio. Liggett kept talking about the "big boys" of the Giro coming out to play in the Giro, and I thought to myself how ironic that was. Most (all?) of the "big boys" in the Giro don't even have what it takes to make top ten in the Tour.

Ah, he must be saving himself to dominate Armstrong in the mountains of the TdF this year! :D

That must be it, bac. Just like last year.

By the look of Simoni's attacks on stages 16 and 18, I don't think he is saving much. He looked to be on the limit, moreso than Cunego.

Simoni is late coming into form this year, obviously for the TDF. As for the stupid cracks about his TDF performance, that was his SECOND grand tour in one year!

Simoni would be dominant but it was tactical. Cuengo could go off ahead on his own while Popovych made the mistake of sitting with Gibo. No one would let Gibo go so Cuengo is in the lead because of the freedom to attack given by Gibo's presence.

Cuengo has this wrapped up. Gibo knows it. It will be an intersting few days for Gonchar and the other GC boys though for 2nd and 3rd

RacerX - do you honestly thing Simoni will be a serious threat against Lance, Ullrich, Mayo, Tyler and the like? Let's be serious here. Simoni is a great rider and he is my favorite Italian rider, but he doesn't have what it takes to compete against the guys I mentioned.

Ok, Devil, let's be serious. You play Devil's advocate. Why doesn't he have what it takes?

Better drug controls

Does that explain why he didn't have the gas on stages 16 and 18?

You sound Italian. :D

:rolleyes: gee, you're so clever.

???WHo said that?
I said he was late coming into form in preperation for the TDF. Don't put words into my mouth.

don d. - he would lose far too much time in the time trials to be able to compete for a top spot in the GC. I'd say he'd be in the top 10 GC (I take back what I said earlier about the big boys - but only Simoni). Alpe d'Huez might suit him well, but today he couldn't even gap Emanuele Sella.

Racer X - With your stupid crack about my stupid crack regarding Simoni's performance in the Tour last year, I took it to mean you think he will have a better chance this year, in addition to your comment about his coming late into form for the Tour.

That is true. He got hammered into road kill in both the TDF ITT's by the riders you mentioned.

Plus, he hasn't shown that he can be consistent in the high mountains of the TDF day in day out, which was the downfall of much greater riders than Simoni, namely Jalabert and Kelly.

I wasn't trying to be.
I'm saying that Simoni can't win the Giro and Tour in the same year.
Lance, Ullrich, Mayo, Tyler, etc, are all preparing for the TDF in particular.
Simoni is racing the Giro.

Uh yeah, he will have a better chance this year and will be better prepared for the TDF because he is later coming into form. That's what I said.

You're the one making assumptions that I said he was some Lance-beater. I never said anything like that.

That is what you said, and I disagreed with it and explained why. Nothing more.

From this not so informed observer's seat, it does appear to me that Simoni is keeping it out of the red zone this year at the Giro. He's riding very cautiously and one could read into his performance that he is saving it for the TDF. He may have made a trade with Cunego for Cunego's cooperation in the TDF, but I think that would be a bad trade, since I don't see Simoni having much of a chance for a podium finish in the TDF and, at least to me, a victory in the Giro would seem to be worth more to him than a third in the TDF, and definitely worth more than a 5-10 placing, which is the best I can envision for him.

Stepping aside from the Smoni debate I'll state that I'm quite impressed with young Cunego.

The Giro is not the TdF and this probably isn't a real strong Giro but it is a 3 week GT and Cunego is displaying real potential. Obviously, if Lance is dethroned in July it won't be by Cunego but he's only 22 and on a strong team. The future looks bright and the tifosi may be smiling in a few years.

Cunego is riding a fabulous race espacially for his age. We will certainly see more of this young star. Simoni clearly doesn't have the form right now, he's riding ok but doesn't have the zip in his legs which was evidant today. He attacked and the group brought him back because he didn't have the legs to stay away. When Cunego attacked at the end Simoni tried to jump with him but again he didn't have the legs. I think he will come into better form for the TDF, but top 3? Nevertheless, this years tour is building to be an incredible event. I just hope Ullrich & Beloki hit form soon.

Beloki? He can't even stay pace with the peloton in a div 3 race much less the TDF! Beloki is finished before he started, maybe next year.

I think Simoni can do great things in the TDF but he can't TT so that's why he will be out of the GC podium. Some stage wins (a mountain stage win against Armstrong) and a top 5 GC would be a real success for him.
Simoni and Armstrong ride the mountains the same way so seeing them battle will be worth it. It will go down as one of the great cycling moments- that's why we need Simoni in prime condition!

From cyclingnews.com


""After the stage finished, Simoni turned around and rode down the mountain to the team bus without talking to anyone, a with a sour, angry look on his face.

As Simoni passed by Cunego, who was surrounded by journalists, Gibo pointed his finger at the 22 year old Maglia Rosa and angrily said "You're a bastard...you are really stupid.""

It seems that Simoni, who really wanted to win the stage was peeved for two reasons. After the chase group caught him on the ascent of Bormio, Cunego rode too hard of a rhythm, which took whatever remaining "juice" out of Simoni's legs there was.

Then Simoni thought that Cunego didn't do a very good job of leading him out, and then further humiliated the proud mountain man by sprinting away for the stage win.

After the stage, Simoni and his wife left the team hotel and went for a walk after dinner, which is when Cunego then came down to the dining room."

Wow. I can't say I'm surprised, honestly.

[QUOTE=RacerX]Beloki? He can't even stay pace with the peloton in a div 3 race much less the TDF! Beloki is finished before he started, maybe next year.

You're right, which is a shame. I think he would have been fabulous in the mountains. I would have liked to have seen him in good form for the Tour but his time is running out. That crash last year really screwed him up.

..and what's with Ullrich, is he gonna ride ANY races before the Tour?