Giro D'Italia 2008 : Stage 1 - Saturday, May 10: Palermo (Team Time Trial), 23.6km

confusedfan

you mean when they went around a corner and dropped 4 riders? you'd think they'd never ridden a TTT before...

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Eldrack

HAHAHAHAHA

I'd be annoyed that I picked the wrong team for the win if I couldn't help but laugh at the fact Astana sucked today.

Really good way to start the Giro though, time gaps between GC contenders aren't so large as to ruin the race before it starts, and TTT's always give good pics.

RdBiker

Too bad they forgot they need five riders at the line

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It never gets easier, you just go faster
Oton ATK Sandisk Mp3-soittimet ja Koss kuulokkeet

RdBiker

Slipstream

+9 Nibali (Liquigas)
+14 Soler (Barloworld)
+28 Di Luca, Savoldelli (LPR)
+29 Contador, Klöden, Leipheimer (Astana)
+45 Bruseghin (Lampre)
+55 Karpets (Caisse d'Epargne)
+1.03 Ricco (Saunier Duval)
+1.04 Menchov (Rabobank)
+1.15 Sella (CSF Navigare)

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It never gets easier, you just go faster
Oton ATK Sandisk Mp3-soittimet ja Koss kuulokkeet

Bro Deal

Simoni +51

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"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

RdBiker

Thanks, I did the list on the fly and looks like I missed Serramenti.

This looks very good for Soler as well as Nibali. It is a bit surprising that Astana couldn't make any time on Di Luca. But I would just love to be in Bruyneels place right now: you have three riders to put on an attack on a mountain stage and the opponents must tire themselves by chasing. The first mountain stage is going to be interesting.

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It never gets easier, you just go faster
Oton ATK Sandisk Mp3-soittimet ja Koss kuulokkeet

Bikeridindude

Millar got dropped near the end...

confusedfan

My understanding is that Millar deliberately pulled hard towards the end for the good of the team/sacrificing his own shot at the pink jersey (or at least that's what some reports I'm reading say) - he's quoted as being happy because the team won as that was the goal. So, if that's true, then I'd say he's in good shape at the moment ...

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musette

I don't think Nibali and Soler, even though they are threats to some extent to Astana for the GC, are that big a threat as others on that list. So, for a team with a week's preparation, to lose no more than 20 seconds to any team with even a meaningful GC contender (compare versus Liquigas; including Nibali and Soler), and to actually only lose 1 second to Di Luca/Il Falco is not bad. Gaining 35 seconds on Menchov and 22 seconds on Simoni is not bad.

limerickman

As an American (instead of talking up Team Borat) - you should be pleased with Slipstreams win

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

micron

Musette, you are a trusting little flower - they knew what was happening in March, that they were going to the Giro and that's why they pulled Leipheimer back from the win so he'd be fresh for Italy.

Evans must be breathing a sigh of relief that there's no TTT in the Tour - Lotto were a shambles.

phillop

slipstreams sprinter julian dean didnt get dropped!! a time bonus and new zealand might get a pink jersey

thunder

yep onlysomewhatconfusedfan Millar intentionally pulled in the last 5kms, and shelled himself.

Why finish with 6,7,8,9, when you can shell each of those 4 and get a little quicker by depleting their reserves completely.

thunder

the guy started off as a pursuiter, always could ride a 260km classic, so he had the power and the strength to be there.

You dont position yourself in the sprints without being very strong, and it has some parallels to being a leadout rider, less explosivity, more strength.