The Real Giro 2025 Afternoon

[team fl]

While being late with the spring classics thread, Team FL is early for the only real Giro in town: the afternoon Giro! Well, after all, you can't be too early to discuss this magnificent event when the best of the best battle over the one and only meaningful competition.

But let's talk more about princley Team FL, that will be lead by Fürchtegott Fürst! And Alex Alailefaleula for the flat stages. The roster is pretty clear, the goal as well: Win everything. Alternative goal: Waste lots of money because of the huge salary and not winning anything. Still not sure which goal is more realistc. Anyway, here is the line up:

x1 Fürchtegott Fürst, The Fürst, our princely leader in the mountains and GC. And hills sometimes.
x2 Alex Alailefaleula, our princely sprinter. As the US look to become a monarchy too, it fits even more
x3 Calcedonio Cantagalli, our princely lead out for Alex and domestic rider for orientation
x4 Joffrey Joffrey, King Joffrey, our princely flat rider that helps to secure sprints.
x5 Lautaro Lucifero, our princely devil on a bike
x6 Quincy Qinnuayuak, our princely Qanadian and part of the Team FL sprint department
x7 Santiago Souberbielle, our princely workhorse, maybe escaper, perhaps flat helper, who knows. He's there.
x8 Sten Stenberg, our princely Schwedenbombe
x9 Yossi Youshimatz, our princely Swiss Army Knife

[Let's Go]

Damn FL is ready! Will probably be here if the race is at 15h

[Tukhtahuaev]

50% chance that I will race here. If I do, you can expect a GC duo of Makhamadzhonov and Poggiolini

[team fl]

It's coming! A bit more than three weeks to go until the start in Albania! Who's going to join the afteroon as well?

After looking a bit closer at the profiles, the Team FL management has been discussing a possible line-up change with TD Spiridon Sprenger, leaving Quincy at home and preferring another helper in Rik Ribbens joining the team and focusing slightly more on the Stenberg/Fürst combo. The final decision has not been made yet though. Of course, this led to discussions among the riders as well, as esp. Alex is not very happy about this development. Quincy neither, of course. Guess, the team will wait until the final week's detailed profiles are available to present a conclusion.

[team fl]

According to the calendar the starting time of the Afternoon Giro will be 14h. There are not many rumours about the Giro afternoon participation yet though. The Liechtenstein intelligence service has only two teams confirmed yet: The usual Afternoon Giro suspects Big Donkey and Team FL. Another team has been listed as very likely to participate according to its own press departement: Dreizehn. On the other hand, No Name Team who seems to be interested in the afternoon delight, might be unlikely again due to the starting time not being 15h. And the last information about Tukhtahuav is still at 50%. Everything else has been left in the dark, the counter intelligence is strong in the afternoon! Well, they can only hide until the 9th of May.

[Tukhtahuaev]

Chance of me riding here increased to 75% now. Lineup should look something like this:

1. Murodbek Makhamadzhonov
2. Olayuk Arlooktoo
3. Botond Becze
4. Oleksandr Piskun
5. Crescenzo Poggiolini
6. Zafarmurod Rakhmonaliev
7. Hubert Sapielak
8. Yerkin Toktybay
9. Taras Voloshyn

[Gipfelstuermer]

The Gipfelstuermers will join to cater for the Gruppetto with excellent cuisine provided by kitchen chef Gianpaolo Cabassi and his helpers. In addition, we hope for coffee supply from the Vienna central cemetery, cake supply from a different region in Austria and delicious apple supply from the Netherlands, so that we can lean back and enjoy witnessing the first repeat maglia rosa winner, unless the duo infernale comes out of the gold mine and disrupts that plan, or the expected climber trio proves that they are mountain goats in alpacas' clothing. A surprise appearance of the previously expected GC favorite Firiam, seemingly stopped by its team running out of sponsor money, but having joined another team in the meantime, could further increase the competition.

[drei.zehn]

If Tuk gives you 75%, I‘ll give you 80%!!!

Our Lineup:

Liu Bei - our leader to go for white
Rafael Andrade - our sprinter hunting for stages
Howard Carpendale - nr.1 helper for Bei
Temptation Coventry - one eye on the mountain yersey, the other eye on stages
Zhang Fei - cheap
Benno Gooddy - reg rider for groups
Liubov Kypiachenkova - cheap. Schappy approaved
Eugenio Montejo - reg rider for groups
Guan Yu - cheap

[Romoc Riders]

High hopes in stages but zero expectations

Possible lineup for Romoc Riders:
#1 Alexis Art - going for stage wins but not fully focused on GC as the chances are not solid
#2 Anderson Appollo - youngster with helping role on hilly stages and a top 10 contender on TT stages
#3 Frankie DeFlamm - youngster brought here to support and gain experience
#4 Gino Degreef - main support for Toornstra
#5 Yannick Hoebeke - here to support and escape; hilly leader and a once a week escaper, team co-leader
#6 Nino Navas - here to support and escape
#7 Rico Risco - here to support and escape
#8 Sonny Sterling - here to support and escape, flat leader, team leader
#9 Thijs Toornstra - he has to protect Arboleda's last year win in Roma

Other possible names: Bart DeBondt, Leon Blond, Karim Okafor

[drei.zehn]

Participating teams:

Team FL
Tukhtahuaev - defending champion
Gipfelstuermer
Dreizehn
Romoc Riders
r Taka (at least thats what he said somewhere)
Narrenparty
Alpacas
Big Donkey
CreditPommes

Favorites:

Maglia rosa

***
Firiam (r Taka)
**
Badenburg (CP), Makhamadzhonov (Tuk)
*
Lachance(Donkey), Dixon (Donkey), Fürst (FL)

For me its actually 50:50 between the first two and Tuk as clear no.3, with the advantage of the strongest team. Donkey with the strongest Duo can maybe create something and Fürst profitate from Stage 9 and the control of CP.

Maglia ciclamino

***

**
,
*
,,


Maglia azzurra

***

**
,
*
,,

Maglia bianca

***

**
,
*
,,

Teams

***

**
,
*
,,


This list will be completed if we know all competitors

[Let's Go]

80% chance that I will be here

[drei.zehn]

80% chance that I will be here

Guess that means Taka won‘t join ;D

[cataracs]

Fürst is way to good, I don't think Luna have the slightest chance to beat him.

If I'm here riding for Paolo Mori I might beat them, but we'll see. I'll most likely ride later at 18h or 21h.

[Let's Go]

Chances are now lower... Probably 60% chances here 20% 18/21

[C.Pommes]

Even though 14:00 Is 10 minutes to early for me it is still the best Starttime for me, so WE will start Here.

1. Reggy Badenburg
2. Oskar Stoel
3. Leo Eef
4. Sem Hutterd
5. Matthijs Maris
6. Jaap Wils
7. Destin Meeuwisse
8. Symen Aanen
9. Arend Jongh

[team fl]

Looks like Narrenparty and Tornado Team are in the mix too.