View Full Version : Can Levi win the Giro?
Keith A
05-07-2009, 10:39 PM
So what do you guys/gals think...is Levi really capable of winning the Giro?
Michael Maddox
05-07-2009, 10:53 PM
No.
Just sayin.
ty-ro
05-07-2009, 10:55 PM
Yep.
Keith A
05-07-2009, 10:57 PM
No.As much as I'd like to see him win, I think you are most likely correct. But it does look to be an interesting race :banana:
Michael Maddox
05-07-2009, 11:25 PM
In all honesty, I guess I owe him more than a simple "no."
I'd LOVE to see him win, but I don't really think he has the sort of fighting spirit that makes a Grand Tour champion. The ToC is not a grand tour. The participants, other than the few American domestic teams who see this as their "big race," generally show up far out of form and just coming back to the sport after a winter lull.
The Giro, however, is full of rabid Italians. Italians who want to WIN and win at all costs. Screw the Tour, this is their race, the one that matters.
Levi is simply too nice a guy to get down and dirty when the trouble starts. And when the trouble lasts longer than a week? He might pull a podium or a fourth or so, something that's good enough but that doesn't require him to live in the spotlight, square in the sights of every half-wit who's gunning for a win.
That's Levi. He's a nice guy. You need to be an ass to win the Giro, or at least be one when you NEED to be.
jbrainin
05-07-2009, 11:46 PM
Since the question is *can* Levi win the race, my answer is that he can certainly win the race. (Will he win? I don't expect him to.)
toaster
05-07-2009, 11:59 PM
Levi's a little guy who likes kicking ass on guys he knows he can beat. Throw him into the Giro or the Tour where the competition looks different to him and his attitude isn't as gnarly.
Marcusaurelius
05-08-2009, 12:30 AM
Yes I think he can win and it would be great if he did but I think Ivan Basso will be very hard to beat.
alexzorba
05-08-2009, 12:58 AM
You need to be an ass to win the Giro, or at least be one when you NEED to be.
I don't think this theory holds water under examination. Andy Hampsten is a pretty good example of a Giro winner who is not an ass. Levi could be that again this year.
jimp1234
05-08-2009, 01:48 AM
I think he's a contender. I agree that the ATOC is not a grand tour, but I think since his performance at the Vuelta last year, he's shown a lot more fire in the belly, maybe he feels the chill winds of the end of his career, and lets not forget the "Lance factor". How about this scenario, LA as Levi's personal "super-domestique" for the Giro, then levi repays the debt during the TdF by helping Lance, and sorry Alberto....
Levi and Basso are the two big favorites in my mind. Levi has a good team around him and I think he can out TT Basso (and Di Luca, Simoni and Cunego as well).
jhcakilmer
05-08-2009, 07:57 AM
He absolutely can!
I would agree that he might not innately have that "fight", but having a team with Armstrong, Horner, Popo, and Rubiera.......if at anytime he has the lead, or has the potential to take the lead....they will push him.
The biggest difference is that Levi might not have the natural talent that others have, which he compensates for with work ethic. But with racing since January, he might not last through an entire Giro.
He's been on the podium of the Vuelta and Tour, so there is no doubt in my mind that he can win the Giro, with excellent form and a little good luck.
johnnymossville
05-08-2009, 08:15 AM
Yep. I think he's gonna take it.
peanutgallery
05-08-2009, 08:34 AM
Maybe
To win the Giro you need the ability to wear lots of hair product, and live your mother. He has no hair. Plus he looks like Eli from School for Scoundrels.
He has a chance, but the Italians ride out of their shoes for Giro. The weather isn't hot like the Tour and I think that makes a difference, too.
Michael Maddox
05-08-2009, 08:36 AM
I don't think this theory holds water under examination. Andy Hampsten is a pretty good example of a Giro winner who is not an ass. Levi could be that again this year.
Very true, perhaps it was a poor choice of words. But Andy was tough when he needed to be. Have we seen Levi with the same determination?
Again, I hope he proves me wrong.
I've been a fan for a long time.
oldguy00
05-08-2009, 09:39 AM
I think he can, but I'd rather see Basso take it.
Actually, I'd rather see Armstrong take it, but it looks like he's taken himself out of the running.
Sandy
05-08-2009, 12:25 PM
No.
How about me? Can I win?
Sandy
ClutchCargo
05-08-2009, 12:49 PM
Levi's a little guy who likes kicking ass on guys he knows he can beat. Throw him into the Giro or the Tour where the competition looks different to him and his attitude isn't as gnarly.
but what's your source for this disparaging view of the man?
just askin'
BumbleBeeDave
05-08-2009, 01:10 PM
Levi's a little guy who likes kicking ass on guys he knows he can beat. Throw him into the Giro or the Tour where the competition looks different to him and his attitude isn't as gnarly.
I've never seen any evidence of this from Levi. Where on earth do you get this and what proof can you offer? What specific incidents, quotes, or events from his palmares?
Levi could certainly win this with the right support from his team, just like any of the other contenders and THEIR teams. The question to me is whether he will get that support when he needs it.
BBD
cody.wms
05-08-2009, 01:22 PM
he has the talent, but Basso has so much more on the line.
We'll see about Armstrong too. I wonder how in shape he'll be, and how much he'll push it at the Giro.
And I cant help but think this is like Cavendish at MSR. All the talk about how he couldnt do it, and the entire time he was just psyching out his rivals...
paulandmonster
05-08-2009, 01:37 PM
can levi maybe, armsrong as motivator can help levi. bassos has alot to prove so he will be very tough but after a couple years oof i think he will fade a bit at somepoint. i look at the giro as a huge drama setup for the tour la is forming alliances contador is at home. memories of la vie claire. the big question will be who is contador racing for if astana restructures due to finances. which team has the money to pay him. or is la another one of johans bluffs.
gasman
05-08-2009, 02:13 PM
I think Levi can do it but he will need the lucky. He's a great all around rider. I hope he can take it all but the better bet is whether he will make the podium-I would place a bet on him being in the top 3.
Basso is really going to be very motivated to win but is it possible now that he is not an alien ? It seems to me Sastre is also a possibility.
I voted "no" primarily because I think he's a great all around rider, but like Cadel Evans, I think he's susceptible to attacks during the climbs.
Keith A
05-08-2009, 02:51 PM
TAW -- I too think this is Levi's Achilles heal. He is a great overall rider and can time trial with the best, but if he is isolated in a tough mountain stage, I'm not sure he can hang with the elite. I guess the question will be is if he can limit his losses enough that he can make up for this in the ITT.
rdparadise
05-08-2009, 03:33 PM
I'm with some of the others regarding in the grand tours, Levi has not shown that he's able to crest the hill. He is tough, great competitor, very good time trialist, but when it comes to the high mountain stages, he gets beat, loses minutes and cannot make it up with his time trialing abilities.
I still voted yes he could win, however, I'm with some of the others regarding the Giro. It's the Italians' race to loose, just as the Veulta is the Spaniards' race to loose. It used to be that way with the TdF, however, for some reason, there haven't been many outstanding french rides in the last 15 years or more.
Happy trails,
Bob
How about me? Can I win?
Sandy
YES
cadence90
05-08-2009, 08:31 PM
No.
I think it's too big a leap for Leip, but he could podium.
I think Basso/Liquigas will simply be too strong. I'm pulling for him.
Pellizotti could be very tough this year, as well as Cunego, and watching the old lions Simoni and Garzelli roar once more will be fun.
chickenkiev
05-08-2009, 08:51 PM
= an Italian winner.
Should the poll now be: Can Menchov win the Giro? :)
GuyGadois
05-27-2009, 04:00 PM
or... Does Levi know how to attack?
jhcakilmer
05-27-2009, 04:09 PM
or... Does Levi know how to attack?
Not if he's exhausted!
I wish he'd really plan his year around a "big" objective, instead of the ToC. He's already been racing for almost 6 months....Di Luca, Menchov and the others just started.
Anyway, my money is on Menchov...even if he loses the jersey, he'll win it, if he's within a minute of Di Luca on the final day
dvs cycles
05-27-2009, 04:16 PM
Not if he's exhausted!
I Anyway, my money is on Menchov...even if he loses the jersey, he'll win it, if he's within a minute of Di Luca on the final day
Do you think there will be that big of time gaps on this?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2009//giro09/?id=stages/giro0921
jhcakilmer
05-27-2009, 07:42 PM
Do you think there will be that big of time gaps on this?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2009//giro09/?id=stages/giro0921
Well, I compared that time trial to the Tour prologes in 2003 (paris) and london (2007), and the gaps between "strong" TT riders, and weak TT riders was about 30-40 secs.......but since this TT in Rome is almost twice as long, I figure that Menchov could beat Di Luca, by 50-70 seconds.
IMO, the first ITT favored a rider like Di Luca, yes he lost time, but if that was a "tradition" tour TT he would have easily lost 3+ minutes.
If he was at his peak, I'd definitely pick Levi to win this TT, but I think his engine needs a rest! Armstrong said he wants to win a stage, and if he keeps getting strong, I think he's be a top contender.
Charles M
05-28-2009, 10:41 AM
Levi is a bit like Cadel...
Both fantastic. Both able to attack in lesser races.
But the Giro?
Neither have ever had that last little bit that seems to seperate the great from the very good. (I'm looking for that thread where I already said this so as not to look like a post action chump...). Neither have been able to have that great day on the mountain or crushing TT in one of the big two races.
The Vuelta is not the Giro... The Giro is not the Tour...
malcolm
05-28-2009, 10:46 AM
Levi is a bit like Cadel...
Both fantastic. Both able to attack in lesser races.
But the Giro?
Neither have ever had that last little bit that seems to seperate the great from the very good. (I'm looking for that thread where I already said this so as not to look like a post action chump...). Neither have been able to have that great day on the mountain or crushing TT in one of the big two races.
The Vuelta is not the Giro... The Giro is not the Tour...
+1
I've always liked Levi but never thought he had what it takes to win a grand tour. He like Cadel just can't answer the attacks after that level of day in day out intensity. He can hang but I don't recall him ever not having at least one or more bad days in a 3 week stage race. I would love to see him do it but I don't think it will ever happen.
Climb01742
05-28-2009, 10:46 AM
good point. both levi and cadel are talented survivors, not attackers or leaders. they are incredibly consistent but their final GC standing is determined by what others do.
Avispa
05-28-2009, 01:25 PM
The Vuelta is not the Giro... The Giro is not the Tour...
And racing in the USA is not like racing in Europe.... I wondered if Astana was serious about the Giro, why in the world they were doing races like the Tour of the Gila as preparation!
..A..
pdmtong
05-28-2009, 01:54 PM
I gave a cheer when Levi attacked up Bonny Doon during stage 3 Amgen ToC....OMG....Levi ATTACKING!!!!!
I want him to do well. He's a great rider. Perhaps just doesn't have that last little bit.
I can say however, he was nice enough to take a pic with my kid recently!
That's Ben J-M's head in the background
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