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Wednesday, May 6, 2009

A Lil' Giro by Star

A little Giro D’Italia preview, if you want more of a preview you wouldn’t be looking here to begin with.
There is an opening day TTT (Team Time Trial). I’m hoping that, like last year, Garmin-Slipsteam takes it to the European peloton. But unlike last year I hope Dave Z doesn’t crash the next day and break his back and then Christian loses the Maglia Rosa all on the same day. Talk about an emotional roller coaster.
There will be some flat stages that the sprinters will try to win, then the road will head uphill and the mountain goats of the peloton will take over. There is an ITT in there somewhere, they’ll go to Austria for a short visit, more flat stages, transitions stages, more mountain stages, another ITT. They’ll go all over Italy on bikes for 3 weeks, eating and drinking a lot.
What will be interesting to watch is LA riding as a super domestic to Levi. Will ‘he whom shall not be named’ be able to ride shotgun for a whole Grand Tour. I don’t know that he ever has.

A few fearless predictions:
- Mark Cavendish will win a stage, or 10, depending on how he’s feeling. But it will be interesting to see how Tyler Farrar does against him. Tyler has taken a stage from under Mark’s nose earlier this year.
- Jens Voigt will go on a crazy break for 100’s of kilometers, and be laughing the whole time.
- Fabian Cancellara will ride really fast during the TT’s, and/or try a Jens impression.
- Janez Brakajic will be mistaken for a fence post and accidentally be pissed on.
- Chechu Rubiera will look cute the whole time. Sigh.
- Ivan Basso will make my eyes happy, but my mind disappointed. Just as long as they don’t communicate with each other I’ll be safe.
- LA will win a stage & it will get more media coverage in the US then when Levi or Christian were to make it on the podium.

1 comment:

  1. ah, I don't know what image is better..Brakajic used a pissing target or the sight of Ivan. ah Ivan - happy eyes. Here's hoping that Dave Z finishes with back intact.
    Star, you know your peloton...fo' sure.

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