Giro Stage 16

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?p=848835

Cycling's best descenders?

Here goes with my team, ive set it up with regards tomorrow as much as today, as well as taking a risk, could have gone safe with Basso but didnt

J-Rod
Hesjedal
Haeno
Gadret

Txurruka
Slagter
Pozzovivo
Tiralongo
Keizer

Out: Rujano & Sella
In: Basso & Rabottini

Rodriguez (10+4)
Basso (8)
Hesjedal (9+3)
Henao (3+5)

Slagter (1)
Pozzovivo (2)
Tiralongo (7)
Rabottini (5)
Golas (4)

So assuming no standings change I should get a guaranteed 61 points. I nearly picked up Amador for his 4 points but he's too expensive just for the sake of 4 points.

My thinking is that the breakaway won't get many points through the day and there's not really much available in KoM or sprint points and I reckon it'll come back together before the end. Hesjedal really suffered on the short steep climbs last week so Rodriguez may look to put more time into his rivals on a stage that should suit him down to the ground. Especially with and downhill finish tomorrow.

If a break does stay away and it's not some random obscure riders I may lose ground today

My team for tomorrow will be pretty much the same although I'll probably drop Slagter and Golas for a breakaway climber, possibly Sella or Pirazzi, maybe Txurruka, and a breakaway punt. The problem is that the better breakaway climbers will probably be the ones who'll struggle most on the downhill finish so even if they get out in front they may not stay there. I should have 4 transfers ahead of stage 18 (the sprint) of which I'll use 3 to bring in sprinters and then 3 to take them out. Plan is to have 4 transfers for the TT.

OK, Unusual step for me, but i'm going out for a long haul cycle today, so I'll maybe be back to catch the end of the stage

So here is my team for the day with transfers

Replace Benat Intxausti with Sergio Luis Henao - 1 GC + 5 for white
Replace Domenico Pozzovivo with Daniel Schorn - 1 Points
Replace Damiano Caruso with Diego Ulissi + 2 White
Replace Jon Izagirre with Matthias Brandle

So overall + 5 if all the Jersey's stay the same, But i'm playing a break away card today with Schorn and Brandle being Austrian's and Ulissi being 10 minutes down and Lampre won't want to be doing any work, so will aim to get a man in the break

Joaquin Rodriguez (KAT)
Jose Humberto Rujano (AND)
Roman Kreuziger (AST)
Sergio Luis Henao (SKY)
Daniel Schorn (APP)
Miguel Angel Rubiano (AND)
Paolo Tiralongo (AST)
Diego Ulissi (LAM)
Matthias Brandle (APP)

Oh yeah and thats only 4/6 of my transfers, so rolling 2 over to have 4 to switch out anyone who messes with my plans for Giro domination today

to = the

Still waiting for Pauwels, Bakelants and Seeldraayers to make a decent move, but you can bet on some Austrians trying to please to (almost) home crowd.

It can be no other than......

Stefano Pirazzi.

He just loves trying his luck

Any chance of Cav joining a break???

I believe Keukeleire is going to try and get in the break, He tweeted about it Not a bad cheap star

Niemiec will be up the road so Lampre don't have to work again and the same goes for Salerno with Liquigas

I had Visconti pencilled in until he pulled out - now I've mainly picked a team for Weds and anything that comes tomorrow is a bonus. That said, if the break gets caught then I have 3 or 4 guys that might well be a good bet for the win. All my 5 DS are Italian at the moment, although Txurruka and Pauwels are on the shortlist for Weds...

Breakaway I reckon ..... Kaisel!?

Maybe Rabbotini will go for it again.

Or Schleck

I reckon that the GC guys will be there or thereabouts but won't win, although the stage seems to suit Rodriguez down to the ground, a short steep climb and bonus seconds on offer?

Possibly someone who's dropped out of it a little like Uran or Cunego may go for it but I agree, a Voeckler would do really well here.

I've sketched out my transfers until the end of the race now and really 16 for me is irrelevant and too unpredictable, my 16 team will just be my 17 team less one breakaway guy I'm bringing in specifically for stage 17.