Giro 2015 Afternoon 15h

[Robyklebt]

I only picked 4 riders so far really...
Dourado, Stratigopolou (they tell me he's a climber and not bad, I don't really know him, he never rides), Grabkowski and Umesao...
The fight is Tobler-Vargas-Cayetano-Generalic-Topal-Squarcialupi..... but yeah, I'm for no Generalic too for the moment, so I guess we agree! It's 90%for that option right now.

And no, no morning Liquigas, morning is morning, afternoon is afternoon, so afternoon rides in the afternoon! Or something along those lines. Donkey demands a 15 team group!

But already see another small family affair coming, bah.

[team fl]

Vitesse and escartinos have already registered for the Afternoon Giro too. So let's have a close look at those team too, even if they may drop out again:

Vitesse: Gustavsson, Benahsene, Montgomery

Even if the teams name implies speed, the very young team will have to look for wins in escapes most likely. With Benahsene and Gustavsson, two young climbers are in the line-up that can still develop. Montgomrey seems the only (mini-)threat for hilly stages. The team is a bit flat on the flat part (hihi). The rest ist for, exactly, escapes. The riders' reg skills are good enough.

escartinos: Saavedra, Asenjo, Alfaro

Another team with two climbers but a serious lack of downhill skills. Whil Saavedra will be the clear captian, Asenjo could be a thread for the youth classement. Alfaro is the guy for hilly stages. Nothing there for flat stages, except flat riders and their the reg that suits early attacks.

[Robyklebt]

The Donkey Team arrived in Sanremo.

1 Vinicius Dourado: Sole leader
2 Selwyn Cayetano: Helper with reg, first stage of the Alk and co. chasing rocket, Gruppetto leader
3 Zygmunt Grabkowski: Future classic, TTT star, assistant to the second stage of the chasing rocket
4 Cesare Squarcialupi: TTT star, Italian, loader.
5 Taxiarchis Stratigopoulou: Second climber, last helper
6 Urs Tobler: TTT locomotive, third stage of the chasing rocket
7 Jiri Topal: Sprinter and loader
8 Teppei Umeaso: Flat hero, TTT guy, assistant to the first stage of the chasing rocket.
9 Manuel Vargas: Weak classic or strong 60-80, with reg, second stage of the chasing rocket

Reserves that came too:
Oton Generalic: In if one of the Cayetano, Squarcialupi, Topal or Umesao gets injured before the start
Cestmir Matuska: In if one of the mountain heroes gets injured before the start.

Topal and Selwyn and the 2 reserves will fly to France though tomorrow, there's another race they need to start at.

I really hope we get 10-15 teams, a bit afraid that it will just be the ones who announced their participation here
- FL
- Donkey
- Liquigas (although he threatens to go to the morning, STAY!)
- Rexon
- Alkworld
- Taka (although I never trust the guy, he could be out again)

plus the 2 already inscribed ones, which would make it 7 to 8. Ok, doens't look that bad, often there will be some more inscriptions on the same day, so we have a chance to get to 10! 15 would be better.

[flockmastoR]

I will be in the spectator chat most of the time

[Alkworld]

I will be in the spectator chat most of the time

I fear that Hund will win this tour even from the spectator chat

[team fl]

I will be in the spectator chat most of the time

I fear that Hund will win this tour even from the spectator chat

or the (just registered) new contestant will:

zizou: Halep, Nistor, Lancu

The German teams with the French name has a very Romanian touch. And with Halpe and Nistor a nice climbing duo, although they have a serious lack of reg. Besides that, two moderate classic riders will assist them, Lancu even with a nice sprint skill. The rest of the team is mainly loading material, until the first sieb km arrives. The team will have very serious reg problems as only Mondialo has a reg skill over 40, which won't give much opportunites to be very active.

[Liquigas-CND]

I am still thinking,but if i stay at 15, i already need a sitter on sunday most probably.
This is the main issue , during weekends i need sitters and probably i wont find always. Anyway, i will take a decision until tomorrow morning and of course i would like to ride here because of the competition, passion etc.

[team fl]

I am still thinking,but if i stay at 15, i already need a sitter on sunday most probably.
This is the main issue , during weekends i need sitters and probably i wont find always. Anyway, i will take a decision until tomorrow morning and of course i would like to ride here because of the competition, passion etc.

I have the same problem. But it isn't really a huge one:

First weekend, you have a TTT (no problem to be off or ride via app) and a flat stage. As you don't have a sprinter in your line-up, this should not be a problem. Maybe set sprint via app.

Second weekend might be a bit more difficult. But the mountain stage is doable with off-settings or again via app. Sunday would be a stage with online requirement though.

Third weekend is an ITT, either with off settings or with app. Sunday being online would be nice, but not a must. good offline settings or app should work there too. Of course not for the win, but for a decent result.

Final weekend, Saturday will be a must online stage. I guess a lot will be going on as this is the last chance. Sunday flat again, no need to be online.

So you see, having almost no time at weekends doesn't have to be a no go criteria. And I am sure, there might be some sitteres around to even increase the online presence.

[Robyklebt]

I will be in the spectator chat most of the time

Then you simply could join us, much more fun than in the spectators chat.

[Alkworld]

Final (?) lineup for Team Alkworld:
- Moses Maimonides
- Francisco Goya
- Juscelino Kubitschek
- Sergio Mendes
- Newton Mendonca
- Vinicius deMoraes
- Baden Powell
- Domenikos "El Greco" Theotokopoulos
- Guadalupe Victoria

[flockmastoR]

I will be in the spectator chat most of the time

Then you simply could join us, much more fun than in the spectators chat.

It was an easy decision, Hund said he dont want to wear a pink jersey, so no need to start here

[Liquigas-CND]

You are riding Dunkerque...so you cannot ride Giro

[Kaju]

well, dont know that he´s doing at dunkerque...riding is the false word...he´s just in the group

btw liqui, you said you need a sitter on the weekends? sunday i can do it, but only if you ride for your leader!

[team fl]

MokotowWarszawa also registered! That makes 9 teams so so far, without Liquigas.

MokotowWarszawa: MüllerRombey, Zenkowski brothers

The only polish team so far at 15h has most likely a Triumvirat starting at the Giro: Almost 80-70 rider MüllerRombey and the Znekowski brothers, two climbers in the high 70s region. Doesn't look like much, but who knows what is possible with risky strategies. Besides that the team has not much to offer. Even for escapes, only Szymonowski seems to be suitable.

[Liquigas-CND]

Team Liquigas_CND is in!

Let's get ready to rumble!!

[Robyklebt]

Actually I think you have no chance

[Liquigas-CND]

Doesn't matter, the pleasure to ride with such competitors is bigger then disappointment for losing the GK or whatever/

[team fl]

Bah, rexona now at 18h, pfui!

[team fl]

Hmmm... okay, then the favorite check without rexon:

General classement:

***** Martin (r Taka est nul)
**** Dourado (Big Donkey), Veracruz (Liquigas-CND) -> ***** with another manager
*** Saaveda (escartinos)
** Betancourt (Team FL)
* Halep (zizou), Maimonides (Alkworld)

Points classement:

*** Peterlin (Team FL)
** Maimonides (Alkworld)
* Lichtenstein (Team FL), Takasu (r Taka est nul), a climber

Mountain classement:

*** the one who wants it
** another rider
* a surprise rider

Youth classement:

*** Asenjo (escartinos)
** Benahsene (Vitesse)
* El Greco (Alkworld)

Team classement:

no idea

[flockmastoR]

You are riding Dunkerque...so you cannot ride Giro

You still underestimate the Hund

[Black-Star]

Black_Star will partizipate in the Tour too.
Line up isnt 100% clear yet, but it will be a cheap lineup with just 2 young climbers in the mix.
I'M looking forward some nice stages and possible wins

[Robyklebt]

First maglia rosa, although still yellow... GRRRRRRRRRRRR, for Zygmunt Grabkowski and his fellow donkeys! Even if Urs Tobler did most of the work and would have deserved the maglia rosa. Actually he did the last km all alone, Zygmunt obviously must have sprinted at the end.

GC wise 18" won on Veracruz, 30" on Martin, 37" Betancourt and Peterlin, over a minute to the rest. So a good start for the Giro. But need more on basically everybody, minimize time losses, maximize time gains the motto for this Giro, a novel concept.

Rosa.... no plan to defend it at all costs, but would be nice to keep it some days. Basically the goal will be not to lose time to someone with over 75 mountain. The rest can go. Tomorrow, sprint possible, but not automatic either, the coalition of the 60+ sprinters with more mountain than the 2 flat sprinters should be bigger than the mini coalition "sitted FL with Peterlin in front" and "part time online Donkey". We'll see.

GC long term, haven't really looked at it yet properly, Veracruz strong, Martin too, Maimonides with the team to repeatedly gain time in the flat in hilly stages and minimize the loss in the high mountains (if he uses my strategy too), escartinos with 2 strong climbers,87-82, the 82 has 58 TT, so in GC Saavedra probably the man. But today a big loss already, not much reg too, and most likely the usual sucking performance, Betancourt and Peterlin with 2 options. Black, don't think so, not enough reg and getting stages looks nicer. And Vinicius of course, good reg duo with Taxi.

[Alkworld]

Well, this time there seems to be no clear favorite. The are certainly some clear candidates for the win. My 18 cents:
- Dourado: in front already, good helper, good flat skill, good reg
- Veracruz: excellent TT and reg, strongest climber, but bad flat and lack of reg for some important helpers
- Maimonides: strong team (as long as 37yo Goya can keep up), may benefit from attacks and softer HC stages, but already lost time in the TTT and will lose lots of time in ITT
- Martin: will gain lots of time in the ITT, average helper only, less reg than others, bad flat skill, usually will be the first to be siebed
- Saavedra: Has a little bit of everything and lacks a little bit of everything
- Betancourt: good TT and reg, but weaker than other favorites, two strong classic riders as helpers (or will Fran be the captain), but lacking 6x-8x riders
- Linna: lacks reg and TT, but may be stage hunter #1 in the mountains
- MüllerRombey: may benefit from Maimonides, but weaker than all the other favorites in some way
- Benahsene: still too young to beat the big ones

[team fl]

Lichtenstein with his first win, yay! Thanks to the sitters, well done! Hope those 5 points more for Moses won't be decisive, but I don't think so, either way.

Today will be interesing I guess. First GC stage? First successfull early escape? Or again a sprint? Let's see...

[Liquigas-CND]

Well ...probably today and tomorrow are 2 nice days for Moses , Fran and their teams
The other teams will probably try to reduce the gap.