Whoosh.

How long did it take to figure that out??

I am pretty sure it was a joke.

I like this list. I'm going to throw in Ed B-H. That kid just impresses me everytime.

Is the sound Schleck will make when he passes Leipheimmer!

If that's the case, I have to say I'm surprised he's lost as much ground as he has. He hasn't looked like he's been taking it all that seriously.

Really? He's impressed me. It's not the greatest idea to get the pink early in the race and have to expend all of your resources to keep it until the end. Unless you're Jacques Antequil, it doesn't work like that.

Well, he didn't impress me at the end of stage 10. I've been expecting him to light it up on one of the stages - not get almost a minute taken out of him in the last 10 K. Granted, I think stages 17 and 19 suit him better than the ones thus far, but he's let DiLuca slip farther away than I expected he would have if he was playing his "A" game.

I don't think he wanted to be as far down as he is, but I also get the impression that he didn't really want pink until later in the race to begin. He does want it to be closer than it is. And while he's been riding well, I'm not expecting him to pull it off. He's been burning through domestiques for the entire first half of the race just limiting losses. I can't see there being much left of Liquigas by the time they arrive at the stages that he hopes will be decisive for him.

ETA: The other favorites who are still in the running at this point owe him a big 'thank you' for using his teammates to blow Cunego, Garzelli, Simoni etc out the back door right away... protecting LPR's lead by getting his (Basso's) team tired. Definitely not impressed by the Liquigas tactics.

Why? So he can stare at Contador backside? He has no chance against Contador unless Contador gets Swine Flu....

...or unless contador has no team for the tour de france given the financial uncertainty of astana.
what do you think the scuttlebutt is regarding that at the giro? privately, do you think several of
the usual grand tour contenders are weighing going all out at the giro vs. the tdf potentially minus
contador? sorry, but at this stage of the game, contador is the best of all the gc contenders and i
think they all know it.

oh, forgot to add pellizotti to the list of potential tt winners. extremely motivated to show liquigas/basso
who's the captain, home tour and a great all-around rider. along with di luca, may be the most aggressive
rider in the giro.

Traditionally, riders used the Giro to prepare for the Tour; especially back when they'd show up at the first of the season overweight and out of shape. The past few years have seen more and more Tour contenders using the Giro as part of their Tour tuneup. A 21 stage race is definitely different than the other races taking place at the same time as the Giro.


Not only is Contador the top gc contender, he's got the best team behind him.

Lots of climbing in 14, 15 and long uphill finishes in stages 16, 17, and 19.

I think those last three will be the decisive stages when DiLucas gased and the guys that have been limiting their losses will really open up and destroy the field.

Basso FTW, he's been smiling every time he's at the front in the mountains.

I thought Pelizotti limped home after a crash yesterday.

<edit> Never mind - was thinking of Pozatto

looks like Lance is running an 11-26 cassette

Attachment 105556

Also interesting to see that Armstrong went with a standard helmet, and Wiggins (who currently has best time at checkpoint 1) has an aero helmet.

Both wearing skinsuits.

Looks like cancellara didn't start, eh?

Cancellara quit last night, yeah.

Wiggins putting down a good time

it's the helmet.

No TT bikes i understand, but why no aero helmets? Very hot, afraid it won't breathe enough?

Levi warming up for the TT
(click for bigger)
Attachment 105559

Watching LA. I wonder what it's like to do a 21 stage tour to get back in form? Where several days in a row for me has me over reached.

Lance is spinning the 26T!

No aerobars for Lovkvist?