Sure, the race actually starts in a few minutes, but that don't mean we're done with our preview yet: while you're holding your breath while some poor bastard botches a bike change, we've got the sprinters, climbers, and stage hunters to break down! So who've you got for stage wins, once you've been well and truly hosed by your GC picks? These boys!
The Sprinteurs: let's be honest--recent bout of flu or not, if Elia Viviani is on half the form he was in 2018, he's a shoo-in for a passel of stage victories and the hallowed maglia ciclamino again. First, the you-suck-uci-for-scheduling-the-amgen-epo-tour-o'-california-at-the-same-time-as-the-Giro has permanently gutted the giro sprinter field. Second, this guy, unlike your typical sprinter musk oxen, can hang tough in all but the viciousest climbs. Heck, if you can look fresher'n a daisy--or hell, an actual dead person--after last year's epic slog up the Finestre, as he did, what *can't* you conquer? Still, there are a couple of other fast men here, most of whom are destined to crawl home weeping like wet-diapered toddlers after the first big mountain stage on Day 13, and scrappy little squirt Caleb Ewan, the tranquillo Fernando Gaviria, and Arnaud Demare could all dethrone, even if temporarily, the reigning king. See that controversial Italian champ jersey they dropped on Elia?--kids, follow that!
The Climbeurs: look, if you can climb, you're a threat for Giro GC. But some pretty amazing talent has been pressed into service, at least theoretically, for their team leaders, and all it takes is one captain's bonk for a mountain goat specialist to be let off the leash. Ex-Carrot Ion Izagirre, who's whomped out an impressive palmares of his own this season. Esteban Chaves, who if he doesn't get sick can charmingly crush just about anyone. Carapaz, who better stick to backing Mikel !@#dammit. Rafal Majka, who's pounded out a coupla Tour de France mountains titles. Pavel Sivakov--with poor Bernal out, now might be your moment. And of course, beloved ex-carrot Mikel Nieve. Forza ragazzi!
The Puncheurs and Stage Hunteurs: Finally, the Giro is nothing if not unpredictable, and as the GC get too cagey watching each other, and hold back on the rollers to save energy in the big passes, there's some pretty wily stage hunters, and even out-of-place Classics guys, out for glory and a bangin' raise next year. Tao Geoghegan Hart. Bauke Mollema. Bob Jungels. Davide Formolo. And I'm hoping that, as happens in at least one Grand Tour per year, some jailbait revelation or lifelong worker bee will pull a humungous solo breakaway and astonish and delight us all. Gooooooooo unexpected mystery man!
Welp, there's no doubt buckets more I'm missing, but them's my top picks. Now let's get on with the show--and Landa, pleeeeeaaaaaaaase have a good ITT tomorrow!
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