Do we believe him?? :confused:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/may07/may16news

Mayo's official role at the Giro is to help Simoni gain a third overall victory, but the featherweight Spaniard inevitably has his sights on the mountain stages for some individual glory. "I have freedom," he said. "I'm thinking of the high mountains. In Briançon [stage 12] I usually do well, but also the Zoncolan climb is very hard - it's a mountain even harder than those of the Tour de France."

As for the uphill finish to Montevergine Di Mercogliano on stage 4, Mayo doesn't consider it one for the pure climbers like himself. "If you take into acccount its past winners, you will realise that they are good climbers, but also powerful sprinters," he said. "Riders such as Di Luca, Bettini, Pellizotti or Riccó are all possible winners, although it will be a very difficult task because many Italians want a victory there."

I'll go out on a limb and predict that Mayo will drop 20 minutes (at least) and then come back to win a stage and then abandon.

Now that he's riding for Gibo the pressure's off and he will be able to perform without all the mental drama.

I'd like to see Mayo do something. Something about that guy that I like. So for that reason, I say he'll make it to the end. Not sure if he'll win a stage though. Hopefully he's not off the back on every mountain though.

He's very weak psychologically... Kind of like Beloki after his big crash in the Tour. Something happened and he his not even a shadow of his former self, no self-confidence.

He's very weak psychologically... Kind of like Beloki after his big crash in the Tour. Something happened and he his not even a shadow of his former self, no self-confidence.

today's stage - he managed to hang on.


26 José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.34

32 Iban Mayo Diez (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 0.34

34 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.34

It is not July, thus, he will not abandon. :)

He's riding as well as Simoni so far so I think he can go the distance without all the pressure on him this year.

What are you talking about? He's in 29th place in the GC & beating the pants off Michael Rasmussen who's 132nd. :D

What are you talking about? He's in 29th place in the GC & beating the pants off Michael Rasmussen who's 132nd. :D

I was going to mention Rasmussen. I can understand that he wouldn't be 100%, but why is he always so far off the back when it's not TdF time. You'd think the KOM winner of the tour could out climb the sprinters at any time.

I was going to mention Rasmussen. I can understand that he wouldn't be 100%, but why is he always so far off the back when it's not TdF time. You'd think the KOM winner of the tour could out climb the sprinters at any time.
He's just logging miles and the real climbs haven't started yet, I'd like to see him test himself in the last week.

When did he had that serious crash? Last year? Wasn't it life threatning according to some?

He's just logging miles and the real climbs haven't started yet, I'd like to see him test himself in the last week.

When did he had that serious crash? Last year? Wasn't it life threatning according to some?

Career threatening, he broke his Femur in one of the late Italian semi classics (Giro dell'Emillia) last year. the docs thought that he would need to have his hip replaced (a la Landis). Thankfully 'The Chicken' will ride quickly up a mountain very soon !!! :thumbsup:

He'll finish in the fifties, claiming to get fit for the tour. Then he'll either abandon or miss the podium by dozens of places.

Career threatening, he broke his Femur in one of the late Italian semi classics (Giro dell'Emillia) last year. the docs thought that he would need to have his hip replaced (a la Landis). Thankfully 'The Chicken' will ride quickly up a mountain very soon !!! :thumbsup:

Can't blame the accident as this has been his M.O for several years.

I'm eating my shoe on this stage win today. :mad2:

Congrats to Mayo. Let's see if he can hang in the TdF.

Maybe he only does well in cold rainy weather.





Do we believe him?? :confused:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/may07/may16news

Mayo's official role at the Giro is to help Simoni gain a third overall victory, but the featherweight Spaniard inevitably has his sights on the mountain stages for some individual glory. "I have freedom," he said. "I'm thinking of the high mountains. In Briançon [stage 12] I usually do well, but also the Zoncolan climb is very hard - it's a mountain even harder than those of the Tour de France."

As for the uphill finish to Montevergine Di Mercogliano on stage 4, Mayo doesn't consider it one for the pure climbers like himself. "If you take into acccount its past winners, you will realise that they are good climbers, but also powerful sprinters," he said. "Riders such as Di Luca, Bettini, Pellizotti or Riccó are all possible winners, although it will be a very difficult task because many Italians want a victory there."

I'll go out on a limb and predict that Mayo will drop 20 minutes (at least) and then come back to win a stage and then abandon.
Yes! Now he just needs to abandon tonight.

Stage 19 - Friday, June 1: Treviso - Comano Terme, 179 km
Results
1 Iban Mayo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
2 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Quickstep-Innergetic
3 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
4 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank
5 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems

I'm happy he had a good result today.

I've been a fan of his ever since his win at ADH in '03. The look of unabashed joy on his face as he swept solo into the ski area was awesome. Allez, Mayo!

Don't slit your wrists yet - he can still miss the time cut on the TT domani.

I knew Mayo would smash. I thought it would be on the Zoncolan, but this is nice as well.

Saunier is a pretty amazing team.

Ricco, Gibo, Piepoli and Mayo -- four different guys on the same team -- all won stages. Anyone know the last time a team fielded four different stage winners in the same grand tour?

I knew Mayo would smash.Thor Smash. Mayo float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.

Thor Smash. Mayo float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.

That would have sounded better without the indefinite articles.. :p

That would have sounded better without the indefinite articles.. :pLOLZ!

I was thrilled to see him win. Now if he can only climb like this consistently.

i think it is interesting that he is only 29 and no one cuts him much slack. Tommy D is like 28 and we keep waiting for him to break through. i think Big Mig won his first tour at 28 and and riis had to be in his 30s. Mayo still has time i think?

i think it is interesting that he is only 29 and no one cuts him much slack. Tommy D is like 28 and we keep waiting for him to break through. i think Big Mig won his first tour at 28 and and riis had to be in his 30s. Mayo still has time i think?

Yea he has time. He just needs to be consistent. He goes from ripping the legs off everyone in one mountain stage to being with the autobus in the next.

His niche might be the 7 day tours, not the full GT.

Do we believe him?? :confused:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/may07/may16news

Mayo's official role at the Giro is to help Simoni gain a third overall victory, but the featherweight Spaniard inevitably has his sights on the mountain stages for some individual glory. "I have freedom," he said. "I'm thinking of the high mountains. In Briançon [stage 12] I usually do well, but also the Zoncolan climb is very hard - it's a mountain even harder than those of the Tour de France."

As for the uphill finish to Montevergine Di Mercogliano on stage 4, Mayo doesn't consider it one for the pure climbers like himself. "If you take into acccount its past winners, you will realise that they are good climbers, but also powerful sprinters," he said. "Riders such as Di Luca, Bettini, Pellizotti or Riccó are all possible winners, although it will be a very difficult task because many Italians want a victory there."


DOPER

No wonder he could climb in the mountains this year at the TdF.