GIRO Stage 4

Nice work from Katusha and Rodriguez, that's a hefty margin he's got over Scarponi already. It's going to be fun when we hit the hills.

The gaps are big already, Katusha currently fastest, Movistar 2nd, 27 seconds down. BMC have the advantage of being last on the road

Quote:

Ag2r-La Mondiale are through the first time check in 10:47, which means they're averaging around about 50kph for the first 9km or so

Looks like a 30 minute TTT so it's likely there may between 10 and 30 seconds difference at the top. It's not out of the realms of possibility that we'll have a 1-2 in the GC today from either SKY, Greenedge or Garmin.

My team for today,

Geraint Thomas (SKY)

Mark Cavendish (SKY)

Matthew Goss (GRE)

Theo Bos (RAB)

Taylor Phinney (BMC)

Alex Rasmussen (GRM)

Danilo Wyss (BMC)

Ramunas Navardauskas (GRM)

Brett Lancaster (GRE)

I was going to hold back with some transfers but decided to use them in the end. Hopefully (famous last words) no major transfers will be needed over the next couple of stages. We'll have to see what happens.

I have 6 of those drheaton, mucked my team up a bit on Sunday so playing catchup - will be happy with an average day today and fingers crossed that I've got sprinters that can stay on their bikes for a change tomorrow...

Goss, Thomas, Binnati, Bos
Lancaster, Rasmussen, Phinney, Chicchi and Kristoff

Here you go. I've stayed clear of Greenedge, which makes them favourites to win in my eyes. But i'm hoping the take a wrong turn somewhere

Marzio Bruseghin
Mark Cavendish
Geraint Thomas
Pablo Lastras
Ramunas Navardauskas
Alex Rasmussen
Stef Clement
Arnaud Demare
Taylor Phinney

I agree with Gkam, he's in my team even though I have a spare transfer, even if he's not in Pink he'll work his arse off in the TT to try and get Pinotti in it should he drop out, Pinotti's only a few seconds back so I expect Phinney to kill himself today for the team.

Also, as the deadline's passed, cards on the table:

Cavendish
Thomas
Goss
Bos
Lancaster
Rasmussen
Demare
Navardauskas
and Phinney

Fingers crossed should have 7 of the top 10 GC tonight if all goes to plan (GT, Cav, Phinney, Rasmussen, Navardauskas, Goss and Lancaster).

I kinda feel guilty not using four transfers today, have to let two go to waste and save the other two for tomorrow after i see whats going to happen in the TTT.

Aye, that foots not looking healthy at all. I've kept him in today just because he'll finish the TT and could well still be in pink. Its only 32km, I think he'll manage that with the team and stay there. But after that. I think he's out and out of my team

No Phinney for me...:?. I have 2 Garmin, 2 Greenedge, 2 Sky, 1 Radioshack & 2 others who I expect to score no points.

I do have a couple of spare transfers which could be used to improve my team for today, but I think saving them for upcoming stages will result in more points.

Phinney's twitter pic tells me to drop him!! looks bloody nasty
But don't want to waste my last transfer and mess up tomorrows transfers.........

Two SKY, two BMC, two GREENEDGE, two GARMIN and a RABO. I no longer need that second basket for my eggs. Living for today.....

I've got 2 x Garmin 2 x Sky 2 x Movistar then 1 each from BMC, Rabobank and FDJ

Still just over an hour left for transfers and i still have 4, so watching twitter like hawk to see if i can't pick up on anything

Quote:

Taylor Phinney ‏ @taylorphinney
Last night I couldn't walk, tonight I can hobble. We have a TTT tmrw and #PINK to defend. Pain? What pain. This is what dreams are made of!

https://twitter.com/#!/taylorphinney/status/200151579398115328/photo/1

Phinney's foot ^^

2 garmin, 1 each BMC, SKY, RSN, GRE, SAX, COG & FAR

Note COG finished 3rd in Giro del Trentino TTT, though I did really select the rider for stages 6 & 7, 1 or 2 points is all I expect today if lucky.

And the FAR rider, will score today and tomorrow as KOM leader, FAR will finish way down today.

There have been 3 TTT this year, Astana are 3 top 5 finishes out of 3. Garmin 1st & 3rd in 2 races. Sky 3rd & 4th. Everybody else has had a bad ride BMC & Green Edge in Qatar, Liquigas & Lampre in Giro del Trentino & Tirreno-Adriatico (also BMC 17th there)

2 greenedge, 2 garmin and 1 each of sky, bmc, rabobank, saxo and fdj. with big hopes for today and one eye on tomorrow

2 sky, 2 garmin, 2 bmc, 2 lampre for me with some carry over t/f's to see me right for the hills.

Gone for 2 Sky, 2 Garmin and 2 Greenedge. Using Qatar as research Garmin should clean up with sky close second. Although Cav never lost a team time trial!! Kept sprinters for tomorrow with an eye on Friday's first hilly/strade bianche type stage!

Rasmussen or Thomas for pink - cant see Phinney being 100% and will get dropped.

I'm hoping to have the top 5 in the GC tonight depending on Phinney's ability to stick with his team. Rasmussen has a shout of Pink but there are a few others with a good chance too. I'm hoping that by keeping the majority of my sprinters in my team I'll be able to use today as a platform to regain some of the points I lost in the last two stages.

What are victory margins usually like in TTTs? If Garmin win it by 30 secs, they'll end the day with the top 6 overall!

I'm the same as you TER - 2 Greenedge and 1 from 7 other teams. Have next few transfers planned, starting to bring in guys for stages 6, 7, 8...

ive got 8 different teams riders, with 2 from greenedge. Its not gonna score me well, but i cant afford to compromise too much

I reckon Rasmussen might just be in pink tonight. Finally made my changes after an evening without broadband. Thanks Sky.

Garmin, Sky and Rabobank for me. Got 2 riders from each so hopefully good score today. Not Liquigas as Sagan and Nibali in USA and i think they are the two strongest tt'ers for them.

Cannot see past Garmin,Greenedge and Sky.....

Keeping Phinney, but to feck if i know what else i'm doing, just trying to decide right now.

Gonna keep Cav and Thomas. It doesn't matter where they finish, the points are awarded on a team basis. So even if Cav comes home 5 minutes down on the team, he'll still score what Sky score.

I think Garmin, BMC and Movistar will be your top 3, with Sky Greenedge and Lampre pushing them hard. Now just how to fit that all into me team?

Still got Phinney on my team but betting on Greenedge, Garmin, and Liquigas to go 1, 2, 3. Phinney will finish with them and Cav may not finish at all.