Giro stage 17

Rabottini takes maximum points, Nieve is 30 seconds down on his group and the peloton a further 49 seconds back.

Liquigas seem have to realised Nieve is only 4 minutes down on GC and are looking to close the gap.

Bah, this stage is going badly wrong already, this is why I don't take risks, they always backfire.

He's ill apparently.

Pirazzi's also been dropped so he won't be doing anything today.

Nooo!

Yes.

Was that Rujano getting dropped on the Duran?

C'mon Euskatel, catch Rabottini.

It looks like Rabottini is just going to be given the blue jersey without much of a fight so I think I'll be ditching Golas permanently tonight. Rubiano too doesn't look interested in the slightest.

Today I've got

Joaquin Rodriguez (KAT)
Jose Humberto Rujano (AND)
Roman Kreuziger (AST)
Sergio Luis Henao (SKY)
Stefano Pirazzi (COG)
Miguel Angel Rubiano (AND)
Paolo Tiralongo (AST)
Diego Ulissi (LAM)
Martijn Keizer (VCD)

I did

50 May 22, 16:14 Martijn Keizer Matthias Brandle
50 May 22, 16:14 Stefano Pirazzi Daniel Schorn

After Pirazzi's little "look at me" off the front of the group coming home yesterday, I thought he might have a dig today and hit the break and Keizer has been a little quiet

I was tempted to bring in Gadret after he said he was going to "dynamite" the race today, but i doubt he'll be backing it up.

Ah crap, my secret weapon for tomorrow has jacked it in...

Quote:

Another withdrawal: Thomas Vaitkus of Orica GreenEdge

Annoyingly the only person I wasn't fussed about getting into the break, Rabottini, is in there. Yeah it's extra points but it's points everyone else will get too

Fingers crossed Rujano, Pozzovivo and Txurruka attack like crazy on the final climbs, apparently Gadret has also said he's going to 'dynamite the race' which should be fun to watch, it was a toss up between bringing him or Rujano in, thought Rujano might be given more leeway as he's nearly 8 minutes down.

Gap is only 4 mins tho thanks to Euskatel on the front of the bunch, hopefully trying to keep it manageable for Txurruka or Nieve to bridge the gap later...

Samoilau's done a Barta and got in the break 2 days after I dropped him. Gkam your luck is catching...

At least he's in my "just for fun" purist team - Go Branislau!

Got rid of Basso due to the long downhill finish and replaced him with Scarponi who i think will go for it today.

Team now looks like:

Sergio Luis Henao (SKY)
Joaquin Rodriguez (KAT)
Michele Scarponi (LAM)
Ryder Hesjedal (GRM)
Allessandro De Marchi (AND)
Paolo Tiralongo (AST)
Damiano Caruso (LIQ)
Amets Txurruka (EUS)
Stefano Pirazzi (COG

Little gamble today

DeGendt in for Basso

Tschopp in for Barta

Team:
J-Rod
DeGendt
Henao
Hesjedal
Tiralongo
Tschopp
Golas
Robottini(in the break
Pozzovivo

well here is my team

J-Rod
Henao
Hesjedal
Gadret (dont think many teams have him at the moment)

Txurruka (got him in yesterday ready)
Pozzovivo (will be axed at some point but when who knows? need to get a certain member of your team in for sunday Chris)
Tiralongo
Keizer (had a day off yesterday, so surely due to be in the break today?)
Tschopp (replaced slagter wiht him, again another punt, but not many teams will have him)

Benedetti was going to be in my team for today, he's a local lad and with NetApp being a smaller team he'd probably take the opportunity to get some TV time. I still think he'll try and get in the break but we'll see.

Txurruka and Rujano will definitely try something, I'm just not sure how early and whether or not it'll stick.

Whoever gets 2-3 in the break and picking up KoM points will be on for a great score today.

I've taken a punt too and dumped Pozzovivo - will probably regret it but I reckon there are big points if you can get someone in the break. Still have a fairly safe set of stars tho...

Rodriguez, Henao, Hesjedal, Basso
Cataldo, Txurruka, Pauwels, Pirazzi, Benedetti

Had Benedetti more for yesterday really, but he did try to get in the first break before missing the final one, so maybe he's up for going again.

Prob Cav and Kristoff in for tomorrow and straight back out again for Friday. That Belgian is on my radar for the weekend too.

Tho' I'm nowhere overall so am considering gearing all my last 6 transfers towards Sunday and going for the stage win - we'll see...

Thrown my plan completely out of the window, it's a stupid decision and a complete punt... I already regret hitting commit but c'est la vie, time to take risks if I want a top 10 finish.

Out: Hesjedal and Slagter
In: Rujano and Txurruka

so...

Rodriguez
Basso
Rujano
Henao

Txurruka
Pozzovivo
Tiralongo
Rabottini
Golas

Hoping for a decent breakaway looking for KoM points, ideally Rabottini, Txurruka, Pozz and Rujano staying away all day. If Hesjedal were to crack and finish 5 minutes down on the leaders that'd help too

Apologies but I had to throw it out there....

Im still working on my plan as it may involve axing tiralongo as i need another italian on my team by the end of the race as he should do well at the end of the race but credits are the issue.

Watch out...the spanish have invaded the giro....i hope. #youhearditherefirst.

I did it today as im satisfied with the rest of my team for now, and i can only role over 2 transfers and needed to use 1.

So can use 3 tomorrow for the sprinters, use 3 to role the sprinters out with 1 eye on the ITT, then no transfers between 20 and 21, then 4 for the ITT.

My question is when do I axe haeno for a certain belgium in prep fro the last stage