Giro anyone?

Sorta.  I'm not able/willing to pay the $30 for the Vs. live stream, so I have to read about it during the week, and then watch the wrap-up coverage on Sunday.

Go Astana! 

Dont get the full live stages here Down Under but Updates... so based on what Ive seen here are my thoughts so far:

Danilo Di Luca is a fabulous rider to watch compete. He just backs himself and rides.. dynamic, entertaining, passionate with a fighting spirit. He also rides a REALLY HOT bike brand (De Rosa which I have been lusting after for some time)

Slipstream are certainly learning about riding grand tours as a new team. Yes a lot of the riders are experienced but with new people from the team directors down its a good taste for them and I expect a very slick set up come July

Team Tinkoff is putting in a good showing and riding beyond expectations - Saunier Duval is another team that always seems to be in the mix... very impressive especially Ricardo Rico!

Visconti had a really hot aero helmet in the TT (black with a pink motif). Also on the TT - I love the inclusion of cobbles and felt sorry for Salvodelli with his mechanical incident towards the finish - that is one man who is always amazing on a bike!

Astana has been interesting - considering they only got a slot in the race less than a week before the first event they have two riders near the top of the overall: Contador and Kloden. Both are riding very well considering they were not expected to ride at any of the Grand Tours except possibly Spain this year... hard to believe they didnt know they were getting a slot - they have to have done some of the base work to compete at this level, did they have inside info? something else? a hope and a prayer? Contador did look a little under done on the first competitive climb BUT not like he wasnt expecting a Grand Tour, just a little under done. And look at his performance in the TT - phenomenal and with a fractured elbow! Almost was like he was riding better with it!

On Levi - he must be disappointed. With a TDF winner in Contador and a TDF podium man such as Kloden on the same team, can he realistically expect to be more than a super domestique in team Astana? I know there is a 'Let Levi Ride' campaign going on around the TDF right now but realistically within his current team both Contador and Kloden would be the number 1 and 2 riders based on history, past success and current form... I know he is desperate to win a Grand Tour but its hard within his current team to see him being given the opportunity - despite seeming to be a really nice guy!

Cavendish's win will have done a lot for his confidence but as of yet I cannot warm to the guy. And as for the other English speaker showing off so far, Millar, you had to feel sorry for the guy - not sure whether to admire his passion or want him to behave with a little more self control!

Finally... it wouldnt be an opinion from me without mentioning the Aussies. It was great to see Adam Hansen giving it a go on one of the stages, I hope he gets a ride for the High Road team in July.

O'Grady is still the hardest man in cycling, finishing the stage with a broken collarbone before withdrawing.

McGee's crash and break broke my heart... he is the only Aussie to wear the leaders jersey in all three grand tours and seemed back on form.

And Robbie seems to be back to his old tricks of riding part of the Giro to get himself into form. However, with Cadel's chances in July looking good with better team support around him this year it is hard to believe that the Silence-Lotto team will have the support to look after Robbie this year.. I havent heard anything but one team would be hard pressed to give enough support to a GC and sprint contender... for the next Tour of the season.

Its really interested that there are a few comments here about Astana but not about Slipstream... have they not been embraced that same as Discovery/US Postal (now Astana in many ways - Bruyneel, Contador, Levi) was in the US?

Is it a matter of them needing to win something before they are taken notice of? Despite their impressive line up of riders?

Cavendish is still a baby - Im guessing with a couple more years he might mellow out, the team he is in hads a good structure and support mechanism... Im guessing he is a bit clueless about image and the press too...

You can be LOVED as a rider but not win much.... and the reverse: not liked but win a lot so hopefully he will learn... I get the feeling last year he was just a young man cracking under pressure.. I HOPE someone taught him in the past 12 months how to behave better (assuming he will isten!)

I always see Millar as a track guy in terms of how he rides... I just think thats where his true talents would lie... maybe Im wrong.

I agree with you on Contador and Kloden they arent lovable in any way (to me as athletes I can really get behind) and look what happened with Ulrich, Kloden and Vino riding against each other in the one team - that was really the beginning of the end for the T-Mobile super team in that format wasnt it? (now team High Road and a very different team structure)

As for Levi.. I cant help but think he needed to be on a super team built around him 5 years ago for a really good chance to give him about 3 years to have a really good shot at a Grand Tour... I think he was really peaking in that 'Lance' era which would have been a tough time to be riding in opposition too but he definately had (has?) it... (I just wish he was a more dynamic and aggressive rider as I like to see a bit of fire)

Just look at him - dont get me wrong he is good on the road, solid TTer too but watch him and the way he accelerates and gets down on the bike... it just says something to me..

Id love Di Luca to win, I like the gumption of Ricco of Saunier Duval and how he is open about wanting to win (despite not being a favourite and probably being too open about his strategy so far), always admired Cancellara but he doesnt scream Giro winner to me!

Not likely to happen with the team/role he is in right now but I would love to see Savoldelli win! (same team as Di Luca for a start)

One thing I forgot to mention earlier is... how much of a legend is Zabel? That man still mixing it in the sprints always makes me get excited!

http://www.velonews.com/index.html

Click the pink box near the top of the screen for streaming internet updates - no cost at all.  It's how I've been following it while at work. 

Always follow Cyclingnews myself.

As for Slipstream??  Vaughters pulling a Steinbrenner and "buying" what he hopes will be a tour winning team.  Ain't working too well.  Zabriskie crashes out unfortunately, Millar has a Stadler moment tossing his bike and the team is in shambles after the first week.  You don't even read about them in the reports anymore.

Its going to be Simoni, DiLuca, or Kloden/Contador from Astana.

Just like in last year's Tour, Discovery/Astana will be able to 1-2-3 punch whoever is close to the lead once the big days hit later in the mountains.  Leipheimer will not be able to hang when the tough really get going, but he'll be around to put the hurt on and shadow the other team's leaders.  Bruynell just knows how to put a team together and run it well.  And they have the best doctor's in the business as the last 9 years have shown!

A lot of the Aussie riders are the same -starting off as track cyclists such as McGee and O'Grady... riders coming through other paths such as Cadel are not the norm

Thank goodness its not video or I would be up all night this month... not sleeping one month of the year (July) is probably all I can get away with and keep my job

I'm so stupid. I followed this link sent to me by Cat. Was inquisitive as to what was on the Velonews site & low & behold there was the result of yesterday's Stage. Will I ever learn? I haven't watched it yet! Managed to find out inadvertantly from my good friend CHR15 that Cav had won a stage before I had watched it. Thanks mate. If I can ever return the favour just let me know

Currently recording today's stage live on Eurosport (>2hours worth) so hope to catch up with that & yesterday's highlights later.

I was over the moon to see that a rider from the Diquigiovanni squad won. With the imminent demise of the Quickstep team I have been looking out for another team (in blue) to follow & first came across them in this year's Tirreno-Adriatico. Just love their Guerciotti bike. Have even found there is one UK supplier. Must find out how much the frame is.

Di Luca's looking strong. Wouldn't bet against him.

If anyone wants to watch short highlights or the last kilometer try ~

"Millar, you had to feel sorry for the guy - not sure whether to admire his passion or want him to behave with a little more self control!"

Cat, the poor bloke was going to win the stage. I would have kicked the $h1t out of it (& then the mechanic afterwards). Passion, give us more of it. (He probably squashed his conkers as it broke anyway to make him react like that ).

hehe well I wont serve you up on a platter its very common with all sports for people to only be interested in a certain sport when their team or country is winning.

Its just the difference I guess between the types of fans... there is a 'core' fan who loves a sport, everything about the and can quite happily watch it no matter who id playing/competing (this can apply to any sport from hocky to football to cycling to swimming)

Then there are fans who follow a specific athlete or team and while they watch a sport regularly it is due to that factor. They may LOVE the sport but its generated by a loyalty...

Then there are fans who will not actively go out of their way to watch something but are generally interested in the top line information on a sport. They may also  watch it if they find it on television and have a broad understanding of a sport but unless its a major event/social event are unlikely to get up at 2am just to watch...

Which leads into the social/bandwagon fans who like big events such as the Olympics or the TDF or the World Cup but are not every day follows of the sport. For them watching an event is due to a love of big events and the social experience of sharing the experience or discussing the experience later with friends and colleagues...

Its not a bad thing to say yuo arent interested because there are no Americans in the GC - its true..

As for the comment about no good americans in cycling right now. Well you know I will have to disagree: Christian Vandevelde, David Zabriske, Levi Leipheimer, Chris Horner, Bobby Julich, Tom Danielson, Tyler Farrar and George Hincapie for starters. Im sure there are a lot of riders that ride exclusively on the American circuit that I havent mentioned here that are also phenomenal.

In terms of potential GC winners... well there might not be anyone on the horizon for this year but if you keep an eye on the next few years someone will pop up... Keep an eye on the American riders coming through under 25... especially on Slipstream...

Was 'probably' going to win the stage... its never over until you cross the line!