[Closed] Giro d'Italia thread (with likely spoilers)

amazing that Contador could ride all that way with Aru in his pocket 😯

Great ride by Landa, watched Aru all the way and then told to go for the win, which he did admirably. Excellent talent, watched him through his Euskatel days (him and all the others) and it's great to see riders from there doing well.
Bertie, well he played it like he's won it already. You have to admire the kiss chase going on, only at a base level though when theres really no one else in contention. I predict a 6min lead for him at the finish of this Giro.

We can try to be excited about the coming week, blimey if it was tight we'd be down to the quicks on our nails come Wed's but as it is it'll be another masterclass of pure class by Bertie. Brutal climbs coming up, some very deep and wooded areas where someone could escape off, and I do wish and hope they will. It would be really nice to see a young guy take a stage a top of a mountain, for this I could see Nieve go for it (another ex Euskatel rider) now that Porte will fly home tonight (my guess) Konig will be Ok with that so long as he stays in the top ten, after all Porte won't play any support role in this any longer. Next up I'm supporting Intxusti and Anton (another ex Euskatel rider) who whilst the hills get steeper the better they get.
So I'll try to be excited (I certainly will be) and hope the weather stays good for them since theres been snow falling in the area (if it does I don't see RCS doing anything about changing the course despite the riders safety and health)
Stunning area, ridden around there a lot and so looking forward to some stunning heli shots.
😀

Yes indeed, well played Landa and Contador. I doubt Aru will trouble Bertie much now. He'll probably effortlessly drop Aru at some point soon to nip off and get his stage win in pink too.

A Giro Tour double has a growing whiff of inevitability about it.

nice that bertie nipped out of the Astana train to take the time bonus as well 😆

well played Landa and Contador.

Not quite so well played Landa as he did a bit of a Froome and helped Contador drop Aru and put his leader under pressure 😀

Astana omnipresent in the front group... must have their training and bike set up dialled! 🙄

Porte leaves

http://www.tuttobiciweb.it/index.php?page=news&cod=79901

Think Astana are resigned to second place on GC and now want to bag some stage wins to at least make their obvious team superiority count for something.

Not quite so well played Landa as he did a bit of a Froome and helped Contador drop Aru

must have their training and bike set up dialled!

obvious team superiority

yes....

already promising squad

hmmm....

beef

Nailed it 😆

anyone any idea what just happened there? saxo off the back 40 seconds behind the aru group

Sounds like it all broke up on the descent with Astana and Katusha pushing the pace. Was making my lunch so missed the action.

Edit... sounds like a puncture for Contador on the descent. Gap getting bigger but I can't see it sticking over the Mortirolo. Big group though.

contadors getting isolated….

It was a puncture for Contador on that descent. Only has one team-mate left...

Edit: 2 team-mates now

Contador on his own now. I can see Astana doing a deal for a Katusha stage win. Zakarin maybe. Still reckon he'll pull it back on the climb.

this is great

Contador after a rest day 🙄

Be interesting to see how much the chase takes out of him and if Aru can attack.

dirtyrider - Member
this is great

Yeah, I'm not getting much work done this afternoon 😀

Looks like he's found a handy Spaniard to help him.

Aru slowing... be nice to see Kruijswijk go for it.

Ah balls. Contador back on. Aru looks spent.

catches Aru

Contador's gone.

gone up the road or gone blown?

The former

Epic stage. What a ride by Contador.

Fascinating stage. Aru slipping off the podium. Landa up the road.

Now that was something. Contador surely is going to rip up the next climb.

What live feed are folk using, to stay up to date with events?

Eurosport ?

I can't get ES at work, are there text based updates somewhere online, etc, etc?

[url= http://live.cyclingnews.com/ ]http://live.cyclingnews.com/[/url]

Or twitter.

Eurosport player on the iPad 🙂

Beej.

Thank you.

Small bunch out front 2.20 to Bertie.. raining, bit blustery but the jackets are coming off.

Portes Bus's on eBay 😆

[hijack] Is there anywhere online that shows detailed route maps for TDF stages this year? I cant find anything on the letour website except for the large generic yellow france map.[/hijack]

Ruthless stuff by Astana.

Very disappointed Eurosport cut out the puncture & chase from their coverage, seemed really short too, wonder if they cut it down 'cos of the tennis and athletics either side. Def started late.

Don't you hate it when your favourites drop out/down, with Porte out and Uran not being/doing well I'm kinda losing interest. I need someone to cheer for!! Hopefully that Dutch (?) guy on the Lotto Jumbo team keeps fighting on, he'll get my fandom!

Building up to a good finish today.

Don't you hate it when your favourites drop out/down, with Porte out and Uran not being/doing well I'm kinda losing interest. I need someone to cheer for!!

I lose interest when people / teams that i have no faith in are dominating. You can imagine how enthralled I am given the major players in this race appear to be Contador, Tinkoff and Astana.

Don't forget Katusha 🙂

Full stage to those who missed it.

Bit of a pisstake today don't you think hearing about all the riders fined for sticky bottles on the climbs...

Rumour has it Bertie went home last night.

Rumour has it Bertie went home last night

Grrr, I fell for it. I presume he may have slept in his own bed as his house was nearby.

😆

Indeed.

😉

Bit of a pisstake today don't you think hearing about all the riders fined for sticky bottles on the climbs...

Funny how it was ok for Aru to do it without penalty and for Contador to remove his helmet in an earlier stage, again without penalty...

I joked about this on another thread and now it seems it has gone live... [url= http://facesofaru.tumblr.com/ ]facesofaru.tumblr[/url] 😀

Come on Eurosport, missing cycling for tennis yet again !

Getting a very bored of the almost daily "what Oleg thinks" articles on the cycling news sites.

Should be a good finish to today's stage.

Should be a good finish to today's stage.

Perhaps I'll find out if Eurosport start showing it before the race is over

Arghhhh, similar Eurosport frustration! You have 17 channels of tennis! Give us back the cycling! Did anyone manage to catch last nights highlights round the tennis?

Oh I see Gilbert is in the break. Did think of him when I saw the profile. A tough climb on the way though.

Why don't they have the Giro on ONE of the on-demand online channels at least. French Eurosport had 100% Roland Garos coverage on the player

FFS, very poor of Eurosport. Ok, a big deal in the world of tennis if Williams gets knocked out, but this game could easily go to a 3rd set. When do we get the Giro?

Looks like Contador wants to make a point!

Oh I see Gilbert is in the break. Did think of him when I saw the profile. A tough climb on the way though.

Sometimes I wish I was a betting man 🙂

Edit... am I the only one watching today?

Gilbert!
🙂

If Eurosport is hacking you off, you could always watch via RAI Sports website. http://www.raisport.rai.it/dl/raiSport/Page-e4b09033-8cc9-44ad-b3bb-07749f6be153.html
You also get to pick either of the moto's or helicopters if you so fancy.

^This.

Coverage is outstanding. Loads of camera options, commentary and analysis just let down by the fact I don't understand Italian. It's also on from around 12:45pm to it's conclusion. Nice to have on in the background while pottering about.

Didn't get chance to see todays stage but so happy for Gilbert 😀

And Bertie wiggled off from Astana to prove a point too, well then the Italian press aren't going to like that very much are they..

I foresee a penalty for some obscure infringement heading Berties way handed out by the RCS Mafia, you know just to "even" things up for Aru.. Watch this space.

But have to comment on Aru's all balls out ride yesterday, whilst not able to hang on in there towards the end, sure there aren't many riders willing to turn inside out as he did on the climb when Landa scuttled off. Proper respect I have for him.

Someone sabotage Tinkoff's Twitter feed please, Dear Me he's such a bore.

whats in Aru's bottle?

[URL= http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y394/dansipods2/Screen%20Shot%202015-05-28%20at%2019.33.49_zpsdnrmpnfe.pn g" target="_blank">http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y394/dansipods2/Screen%20Shot%202015-05-28%20at%2019.33.49_zpsdnrmpnfe.pn g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

Loads of camera options, commentary and analysis just let down by the fact I don't understand Italian.

I wonder how the feeds match up. In theory I could run the eurosport commentary with the rai video... hmm

Contador taking the piss there 😀 sucks to be Astana.

whats in Aru's bottle?

I saw Contador had a similar bottle without a lid last week. I thought it was just while he had a bad shoulder to keep his snacks in without having to reach around to his back pockets.
Never seen them before in a race, but it does look like the ones you keep spares in! 🙂

I foresee a penalty for some obscure infringement heading Berties way handed out by the RCS Mafia, you know just to "even" things up for Aru.. Watch this space.

[url= http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-checks-bikes-of-contador-hesjedal-and-gilbert-for-motors-at-giro-ditalia ]They're certainly trying[/url].

I thought it was just while he had a bad shoulder to keep his snacks in without having to reach around to his back pockets.

I can only assume that with the motorbikes carrying water all over the leaders group they are happier carrying extra food rather than a second water bottle.

whats in Aru's bottle?

It's not the battery for his motor is it? The Astana mechanics are obviously forgetting to keep it charged! 😆

A sensible suggestion may be some aero advantage? More likely though it is Specialized really pushing their SWAT b()llocks that has now seen stash hatches appearing on the MTB's. What is wrong with pockets 🙄 😀

I foresee a penalty for some obscure infringement heading Berties way handed out by the RCS Mafia, you know just to "even" things up for Aru

It would be much easier to penalize him for taking his helmet off when he did but hey ho 🙄 Contador winning the Giro is equally good advertising for the event so I don't think are too bothered either way

Lost interest in this years race as its being dominated by know drug cheat (Contador) and teams with dubious histories on how clean they are.

I dont understand why sponsors want to be associated with drug cheats?

Not all countries/markets have the same attitude towards drug cheats that we generally have in this country. Vino for example, still a national hero in Kazakstan.

Something isn't right. One rider takes 5 mins out of a breakaway by himself on a mountain whilst not looking like he's making any more effort than my turbo warm up.

We've never seem that since.... Oh wait...

it wasn't 5 minutes and there was toil involved.
you're allowed to ignore your cynicism you know, if you do the cycling is very exciting.

A sensible suggestion may be some aero advantage?

Win Tunnel says no

this Tinkoff bus thing is nice and cringey

Ryder, I'm quite liking the cut of his jib in this final week.

Aru = painface

Awesome

Ryder, I'm quite liking the cut of his jib in this final week.

Meh. A 34 year old, 1.9m climber who doped throughout MTB and doped in his road career..... still looking strong in the mountains? Another I couldn't care less about. Struggling for people to root for this Giro 😕

Not all countries/markets have the same attitude towards drug cheats that we generally have in this country. Vino for example, still a national hero in Kazakstan.

True. Even let him name the Conti team Vino4ever FFS

Aru's face was kinda funny at the start but now it is getting beyond a joke! At least Voeckler has some variety in his faces! 😆

Aru win face quite amusing too.

Just on catch up; someone get Bertie some pink shorts, that pink / blue / dayglo yellow hurts my eyes.

Aru vs Froome vs Heisjadal in an ugly off...

Did anyone see The Inner Ring's "wounded giraffe" comment ref Heisjadal 😛

Interesting "final" stage today, gravel road could be interesting! I predict another smashfest on the run in then a Contador stage win.

To encourage Aru today, an epic stage..

Odessey's "inside out"

Contador says he's not bothered if he doesn't win a stage, I think he's fibbing.

Zakarin up the road again 🙄

On the plus side... this Giro is a great excuse to oggle the Nippo De Rosas! Flippin' Love them. If only I had a spare £5k for the frameset

[img] ?v=201503062001[/img]

[img] [/img]

Another Aru win, left it until late mind but another few mins on Bertie..

All over bar the corks popping eh 😀

I've quite enjoyed this Giro, been an interesting mix of Intervention and blokes riding bikes like they mean it.

Bring on the Vuelta.. 8)