Transfer season number one is complete for the Wiskota Fantasy League and the first rest/transfer day for the Giro is underway. Let’s take this break to look back at the first few days of what promises to be an exciting Giro d’Italia.
I understand that the Giro makes money by having the race enter other countries but, the choice Denmark was unimpressive. Flat after flat and then flat. I was promised fjords. I saw no fjords or anything interesting at all for that matter. Well, we will have to focus on the racing. The story of the weird three stage opener in Denmark has to be the American Taylor Phinney. USA, USA, USA! I have been skeptical of Phinney in the past, questioning his drive, but his good showing at Paris-Roubaix made me sit up and take note. I will stop short of saying his performance at the Giro so far has made me a believer, but it has made me a fan. Not so much the prologue win, which despite lacking any of the top time trialists was nonetheless a grand tour TT. But rather, the stage two defense of the jersey. Crashing in the last 8K of a race usually spells disaster. However, Phinney showed off his massive power making up most of the 30 second gap on his own. Phinney managed to get involved in a crash again in stage 3. No broken bones, a rest day, followed by a team time trial. Phinney may be able to hold on to the Maglia Rosa awhile longer. More will be said about up and coming Phinney in my forthcoming article on American cycling.
What about our riders? Or should I say Michaelito Indurain’s riders? We all expected Cavendish to start paying dividends around this time of year, but we forgot about Mike’s other sneaky picks. These first two road stages say a lot about how the sprint points may play out. Sky’s lead out train looked tough on stage 2 only rivaled in speed by the Manx Missile himself. I hate to say it but his sprint looked so effortless. Dude is too fast. Coming in a strong second was none other than the Tasmanian Devil himself, Matt Goss. The god of thunder Thor Hushovd finished at 7th, out of the points but, a point was made nonetheless. Stage 3 was another day for the sprinters and Michaelito Indurain dominated once again. This time it was Gossy’s turn for glory. That’s another 16 points for the stage win. Thor came in 6th. Sorry buddy, points only go to the top 5 finishers, but keep trying. The story of the stage was some dude named Ferrari’s crazy drunken swervy sprint that landed Phinney in the ambulance and gave Cav some wicked road rash. Will he recover? I hope not. But yes, he will.
Team Wiskota Dynamic’s sprinter has been in a battle to earn his team some early Giro points. Elbows have been thrown. Is the kind gentle Farrar a thing of the past? I hope so. 4th on stage 2 and 3rd on stage 3 haven’t earned a lot of points but Farrar seems to be poised to take a stage.
The rest of the Wiskota Fantasy League has spurned the sprinters in favor of GC contenders. This is probably the right tactic, but we will see. I have to say that having a sprinter makes for a much more enjoyable Giro, or for that case, Grand Tour experience. But for now on the flat stages it’s Luke vs. Mike.
10 Questions:
1. Will Cav rebound from his crash and take more stages?
2. Will Cav ride the whole Giro?
3. Will Farrar give up his lead out train and adopt a new tactic?
4. Can Goss beat Cav head to head?
5. Why can’t they come up with a pair of cycling pants that don’t shred when you crash?
6. Just how long can Phinney hold the Maglia Rosa?
7. Will the team time trial be a GC difference maker?
8. Have you read the PEZ 3 part Giro preview?
9. Has any GC man gained an advantage yet?
10. Can we have a Negroni yet?
1. Yes
ReplyDelete2. No
3. The turtleneck says no
4. Only with a little rise in the road.
5. Leather would be too hot.
6. Late reply but would've held it for another day or 2 if Ferrarri would not have spun out.
7. Once again late but yes.
8. Bomb!
9. J-Rod
10. Whatcha doin this weekend?