Afternoon Giro 2013, 14h

[team fl]

Will start here. Hoping not to be too much offline but can't guarantee. :/

just don't recruit my sitter-material

[Alkworld]

Will start here. Hoping not to be too much offline but can't guarantee. :/

just don't recruit my sitter-material

He already did

[Quick]

Will start here. Hoping not to be too much offline but can't guarantee. :/

just don't recruit my sitter-material

He already did

[team fl]

Will start here. Hoping not to be too much offline but can't guarantee. :/

just don't recruit my sitter-material

He already did

[Ronson]

No worries fl, the best don't get any other offer yet

[team fl]

fresim (with 2 85 climbers) and very interestingly server di odio (with a Huber and a multi suspicion) are inscribed too it seems.

[Robyklebt]

Taka there too? Let's hope he's banned before it starts. We don't need the multi boy.

[Robyklebt]

The definitive line up is the team announced a while ago.
Right now 6 teams, I hope at least for another 6!

[NoPikouze]

I'm not here, just for your information.

[Samurais]

Ach wollt eigentlich net aber werd wohl doch mal wieder fahren , hoffe es geht mit laptop . Habe Nur sprinter der gut ist also reines sprinterteam am start. Werd och net jeden tag on sein aber hoffe sprinteretappen und die ein oder andere mitnehmen zu können .

[Robyklebt]

Small group finally, only 9 guys. But 4 D1 so at least maybe some quality.
First stage, Cost-Gaurain-Ape attack, and in the end in the sprint 1 Gaurain 2 Ape 3 Cost... hihi. But, a protest by ABC seems to have been approved, so they were relegated to place 4-5-3. Counter protest came immediately of course, we'll see how the jury around Buhmann decides...

GC: AlooEfoulou clear favorite. Best climber, 88. Lots of reg, 65. Good TT, 58. Team? Strong, Melotte 87... no reg, but.. with 87 still number 2 (shared with Trapani) in the mountain. The other climbers, Preidler 85 alone, but with TT. One fresim with TT, he has a helper, 85 the TT guy, 84 the other one. The apes who will have to attack, 87-86, no TT. The FLs who could have the most freedom, 2x 84. Squeeze with 84 and 60 TT, 81 helper, doesn't look bad, but not sure how experienced he is. Behind the climbers, Kwick is still well covered, Bech, Dekkers and Xhonneux, And then he has an excellent TTT team too. Kwick could ride defensively the whole Giro actually. Could have fun and attack too, having the strongest climbing duo. We'll see what happens

The rest, red, Benni my first guess, depending a little bit on how the RSF system actually is, no idea. Maréchal nr 3.. after today though Maréchals chances look much better, since he gained lots and lots of points to Benni. If he gets them. After today, more even between the 2. Melotte as leader would have chances too, but guess he'll be the support rider. Although Kwick could go for Melotte to make it more interesting.... and Aloo is clearly the better support rider. But ok, why take a risk.

Rest, don't care much, mountain whoever, youth no clue, team, ditto. Stages more interesting, hope to get one somewhere...

[Quick]

S
Melotte 87... no reg, but..

That are old news... 88 by now.

[Quick]

First ever TTT-win for me! Good time for that.

[Robyklebt]

Grrr, third, beaten by Gaurain again.
Kwick winning time in the TTT not surprising at all, pretty happy with the lost time, although I probably should/could have been faster. But ok, the main problem is not the TTT here for me...

GC: Melotte now a contender too, if Quick decides to ride for him.... Preidler with 86 is excellent for Kwick. Same TT, should be very close to each other there, the main problem for Preidler is the bonifications of course. The apes in the mean time are thinking about a new tactic. Begging for wins... Both Kwick and Gaurain look good for 5 or so stage wins... just let one each for some apes?

Today.. long stage Maréchal the obvious stage favorite I guess, but different scenarios possible of course, so might not be Maréchal in the end.

[team fl]

Losing Büchel was the main problem for my team in the TTT it seems. 5 secs advantage before the last 4% and then my riders seemed to be exhausted. foto finish lost, 4th, grmpf. But still good in time.

Favorite check seems to be pretty useless...

[gaurain rx]

So well, 2 stages and 2 Jolien win... That was totally unexpected but nice.

Polsat and squeze attacked, not collaborating. Polsat went alone and took the bonisecs. Then, 2 apes attacking at km 50, taking 12 mins or so and then Quick (he had fully all under controll today) began to controll with Wanzi. Gaurain joined around 90km from the finish. Squeze attacking with fowler in the first big climb of the day, waiting with his guys in front (fortunately, they had no donwhill). In the last climb, sprinters got siebed, Fl attacked in the last part of the downhill after the escapers get caught but gap also not strong enough. Last move by Quick 5km from the finish but Vrunethen catched him for a bunch sprint in the last km. Sprint won by Gaurain, fresim 2nd and Cost 3rd. Jolien Maréchal back in yellow. Narcisse Pellevoisin took over the lead in the red fight.

Not a tremendous stage, nice animation at the end.

Tomorrow might but for Benni and co in my opinion. I don't see yet how Maréchal can survive the last climb (but I hope I'll figure out this night )

Anyway, I already begin to complain. I guess I will insult other managers soon (that's what happened in Giro 2010 ^^)

[Robyklebt]

What, Zibi and Narcisse riding like stars and you say not tremendous? Pffffffff.
2 stages for Maréchal....
The first one yes, was surprising, but I think we both speculated a bit that might happen... ABC and Samurais not understanding the sprint yet. Then yesterday you were the favorite. Chances for others with the new sprint system... The Cost if he's on your wheel, other trains that go faster and make you have to go earlier (risking to be overtaken by the guy on your wheel) and being boxed in. In the sprint... attacks was more dangerous of course, but no problem either.

Today... looks like Benni yeah. Or Bech (maybe for Melotte?) Or Legrand, Sekiguchi, depending on the form off course. Matteson tragically has no sprint, so his win chances not that big. Main favorite I'd say Benni though. He has the advantage that he can drop one of his climbers back to help Benni. Maréchal really can't count on Preidler Bech might be able to get AlooEloufou to help him, as for the apes, probably not, but depending on the ape mood that might change. So Benni nr 1, Melotte and Roy nr 2+3 the ape favorites today.

[team fl]

See it the same way. Looks like a Benni stage. Depending on what happens during the last km, others might have there shot too, but so far everything points at him. The only thing that's bothering me is the stage's length... 247 km.

For the maglia rossa, I already see black, or at least dark grey. Not over yet - far from giving up - but already Maréchal has 23 points advantage due to his 2 stage wins.

[Robyklebt]

Benni, grr
Legrand was at 1", but then I didn't have the option to make Rakhat/Trapani wait anymore... bah. Stupid ape. But anyway, would have been second or third in the end, so...doesn't really matter in the end.
Melotte, Melotte, I'm getting paranoia about him now. Shouldn't really, should first get some normal riding out of Rakhat and Michele.. today wasn't really brillant...

[gaurain rx]

First Benni win... And I think it's the first of a long list! No surprise, as yesterday!

5 men group in the attack, 2 fresim, 2 Polsat and 1 (bored) Cost. Quick controlling with off settings. Gap going till 14 min, till fl joined, but they never were a big danger.

Strange Ape moves then : Sieb on the first 6 (which brought almost nothing, only making Vrunethen fight (damn), and then attacking on the third climb km. Got only 7 secs, which made it easy game for Quick to comeback. Benni helped by both Sixpence and Li... something comeback, chased by the gaurain's! Last km, Benni attacked only followed by Mattson and won the sprint easy. Melotte 3rd got some bonisecs. Jolien keeps rosa and green (but only 4 points in front of Benni) and Narcisse still in blue. All fav' finishing together.

Actually happy to keep rosa... Might keep it till the timetrial which will be the goal. I don't care much about green on the other hand.

Tomorrow, mmmm, could be for a group. I'm half hot to chase (mostly cause of this damned last km (3)), fl seems not interested... Then, mmmm we'll see! Even if I might try it, or at least killing 2 guys for it as next stage is a flat one, where recovering will be possible.

[team fl]

I hope you are right about the Benni wins, Gaurain. At least he has his Giro win now.

About tomorrow. I have to see how the race develops. I will just not chase from the beginning. The stage today cost too much energy for that. Later on, that's a different story.

The only GC question seems to be EAE or Melotte. This combo seems to be too strong formthe rest. But it has just begun, the fight, while the fight for the maglia rossanis already fully ongoing. I also thonk that it could be a climber too to wear it in the end. But mainly it will be Jolien vs. Stefano.

[Robyklebt]

Hehe, you both have a similar problem. No Daiken
For Benni the first hill really seems to far. He has to hope on help by Kwick+Ape, hoping to then being able to escape without Benni or something... Option 2 of course would be a last km attack by Benni that Marechal can't follow. For Maréchal the problem is similar, just Timonier might not be enough. Bring back Vrunethen witch Cost maybe an option... No idea. This one so far the most open though, clearly. Benni possible, Maréchal possible (between the 2 I'd say more Maréchal than Benni though) and chances for the nonsprinters like Bech-Legrand-Daiken and others seem a bit better too actually.
But we'll see.

[Robyklebt]

Grr, Xhonneux. He did everything right. Well, Benni too actually, unlucky with his connection. My tip: Change tempo in the tactic menu, I have problems with that lately too in the race screen lately. Without the lag young Benni would have had 20 or a bit less before the 5-5 series... like this ony 10, which wasn't enough. With 20".. .can be enough, if Preidler doesn't drop. Then the question though is if Melotte can follow and if he still has enough power to win it... .
Ape his usual stupidities.. Sekiguchi attack... blaaaaaaaaaaah. Keep him fit and follow Xhonneux.. or attack. But ape thought Xhonneux had ridden... probably saw wrong.
Anyway, tomorrow sprint.... sprinter or Maréchal or late successful attack? Ape is for ABC and Samurais.. enough of those bad Gaurains+Kwicks!

[team fl]

Frustrating thing this stage. Xhonneux the lucky puncheur nobody was following. Of course I am happier with him than with Melotte, but still: Roy should have made place for Benni at km 189!!! This will have consequences.

[gaurain rx]

5th stage, second Quick win! It's actually too much as you think he might win every moutain stages.

2 squezze and 2 Polsat in the early breakaway... Couldn't work actually as Squezze guys were too strong (too much sprint or too "dangerous" in gk). Quick controlling, joined by Gaurain. The hill at 20km from the finish was choosen by Fl too sieb for Benni. Took 20 secs on gaurain guys. Strange move by Sekiguchi attacking, mistake by fl, riding one flat km with the climber., gaurain at 10 sec with 4 guys, let fall Preidler in the last hill, The apes joined fl in tempo but preidler stronger. Blocked everything till the last km where Xhonneux went away alone. As I expected,the last 3 was a prob... Even if it was obvious that the only guys who could still attack were the quick ones. Unfortunately, I chosed the wrong one! Maybe better to split the follow.

Unhappy with not winning, with Ape riding when Preidler waited, Happy keeping yellow. SO I might not take any risk anymore and not riding too much for Jolien... Actually, only on stages where it's obvious she has a chance. So a bit 7, no way 9, 12 maybe, 13 also, 16 and 17 no!

Tomorrow is for the sprinters. Oh yeah, last happy thing : -100k in total for the first 5 stages... If it continues like that, I will finish with bonus at the end of this Giro!