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Quick run down of yesterday's drama and a preview of today's "medium mountain" stage today here:
https://inrng.com/2023/05/giro-stage-12-preview-rivoli/#more-42830
Prediction seems to be one for the breakaway with the main contenders (the ones that are left...) taking things easy before a big day tomorrow.
Really gutted for Tao. He was on my 'velogames team' and was showing great form this season. I'm guessing he may have to have his hip pinned, not ideal in someone so young. Good luck to him.
Same - even if RE had stayed in, I reckon he'd have been on the podium. Without RE, I think he could actually have won again.
He's a genuinely nice guy as well, devastated that he's out, especially after such a great win at Tour of the Alps.
In Evenepoel, Tao and Vlasov I've now lost 3 of my 4 "big picks" from my velogames team and my 4th is Jay Vine who's dropped well out of the top 10 at alsmot 13 minutes down 🙁
I picked Tao ahead of G as I genuinely thought he was in great form and stood a better chance
What a chaotic race this is. Have seen a few complaints about riders leaving the race on social media, and this response from Adam Hansen (basically the riders’ union rep) gives a bit of insight to what it’s been like:
https://twitter.com/hansenadam/status/1659129933619253250?s=46&t=VlnTbr36HbbeUf7htf7B5Q
Nasty flooding in NW Italy
thought I was watching the Giro, Nope back to the tour de wales.
What's going on?
I'm in a meeting - it's online but I have to have my camera on and listen carefully to everything being said...
So I'm relying on this thread!
3 groups on the road
peloton @ 5 mins
main break @ 2 mins
break from the break of four out front
77km to go
Having gone froom mildly interested with 5 min youtube highlights, having bought GCN+ for the XC I am now fully in to this. (edit, the 45 min extended highlights, sadly cant watch at work)
Got no real clue who the teams or main riders are, or what they look like.
And while I understand the physics of road bike riding, drafting etc I dont quite follow the tactics yet.
Is there an idiots guide, or do you just pick it up as you go along?
https://crankpunk.com/2021/05/04/beginners-guide-to-watching-a-grand-tour/
You have to remember its a weird sport, a team sport where an individual takes the glory..
Inrng is a good source that shows you the race profile. Also quite a bit of good reading on there.
And a quick guide that also may help. And then look at the race profile and you may get an understanding of how teams focus on certain stages.
https://www.cyclingtips.com/2016/02/team-tactics-101/
I’m actually surprised today isn’t a breakaway day. Thought the peloton would take it fairly easy based on what is to come over the next few days or so.
Just back to the TV and the peloton do appear to be having a rest day.
@crazy-legs
4 up the road with 3:19 ahead of a following larger group (maybe 20 riders)
Peloton is about 8:30 behind.
Chasing group has a couple of riders interested in catching the leading group, but not everyone in the group is interested. Good opportunity for the 4 in the break.
Still a climb to come, but with a descent to the finish line. Currently dry.
Good breakaway action.
Day off for gc though. Most interesting thing there was orla's outfit. Tomorrow should be good even with the big pass missing.
orla’s outfit.
She's not just all about the legs, apparently!
Stage 13 today over the Grand St Bernard Pass through the Grand St Bernard Tunnel to Crans Montana
https://inrng.com/2023/05/giro-stage-13-preview-crans-montana/
yet more DNS though, Mads Pedersen is unwell - maybe the after effects of the cold and wet racing?
https://twitter.com/TrekSegafredo/status/1659468390854021121
Today's stage shortened and near enough neutralised.
They'll set off from the foot of the Croix de Couer and ride to the summit (from what I can tell) then onto the buses.
Weather is apparently shocking again.
Still a bit of a confused picture, I'm getting this from a mix of social media sources.
All change - Route has been butchered given the weather and the gneral mood of the peloton. As I understand it from Ned, the teams will skip the first section of the race and transfer by bus into Switzerland, then "race" up the Croix de Coeur and onwards.
https://twitter.com/nedboulting/status/1659477475326402560
"Racing" to begin about 13.45 BST
I'm not sure if there's a second neutralised trasnfer based on this
https://twitter.com/100Climbs/status/1659478384584400896
EDIT - nope there isn't
https://twitter.com/TrekSegafredo/status/1659482419928395776
Could be a damp squib, could be a complete "edge of the seat" day
https://twitter.com/BenjiNaesen/status/1659479838573330433
Ben Healy to attack from km0.
Could be a damp squib, could be a complete “edge of the seat” day
As usual I'm watching The Breakaway on delay and they're very much leaning towards the latter, but I'm remembering all the hype about the "mountain sprint stage" with the grid style start that was going to provide very exciting riding
https://www.cyclingstage.com/tour-de-france-2018-route/stage-17-tdf-2018/
In the end as I recall, there was nothing out of the ordinary about it
https://www.cyclingstage.com/tour-de-france-2018-results/stage-17-results-tdf-2018/
Start time FURTHER delayed from 14.30 CET to 15.00 (2pm UK time) as some team buses didn't get to the start venue so the riders could warm up on rollers in a sports hall as planned, presumably due to traffic
presumably due to traffic
Bloody cyclists, clogging up the roads...
how embarrassing 😀
This is a tough start!
Ben Healy to attack from km0.
Yep and Hugh Carthy in there too. Could be a cracking day for EF.
Christ this descent looks well sketchy... 😬
Even the motorbike is tip-toeing down it.
don't tighten up! well perhaps your sphincter 😉
This is a stage for Pidcock, he'd be phenomenal down here!
not looking like any gc fireworks not until the last 500m :/
I miss when Pog sends his troops to the front you know he's going to attack!
Felt for Pinot there, gave that everything.. more exciting stage than i thought it was going to be, although little GC action
it was kind of telegraphed pretty early that jumbo/others had no interest in lighting it up, happily letting Swift and Sivakov get back in.
So, Thomas or Roglic overall? I can't see anyone else?
can see this gc procession continuing to stage 20 saturday next, Roglic or G not really the types to go from a long way out... Primoz "usually" grabs his seconds on bonus's and sprints from 500 metres on hill op finishes. Though saying that I'm sure illness, weather related mishap still has a part to play
scud
Full Member
Felt for Pinot there, gave that everything..
Had to start doubting after he attacked . . . er. . . many times within the first 1.5km of a 13 climb
can see this gc procession continuing to stage 20 saturday next
I reckon stage 19 might be tasty. Adam Blyth pointed out on GCN today that G has beaten Roglic in both TTs so far and suggested he would therefore beat him in the stage 20 TT. Hmm... not so sure, it's a different beast.
Loved seeing Pascal Ackermann wearing binbag pants in the neutral start.
Also quite like how pissed off Pinot looked on the podium getting the blue jersey. He's quite the open book that chap.
snooze fest @ the tour de wales :/
Another crappy weather day today. Can't see the pink jersey group bringing back the breakaway.
When will the GC guys show up?
Is there a stage that they are targeting or is it just a war of attrition?
kicking off in the break
cracking finish!
Denz not far from having considerable egg on his chops!!!
not sure how the tifosi will take to G tossing the maglia rosa away like piece of old washing when he didn't actually win it with fasto.
Thought I'd look to see how much Ineos Grenadiers rain jacket was.
https://store.ineosgrenadiers.com/collections/bioracer
They don't sell it! But it's pretty much all they've worn this Giro. 🤔
I've just checked Bioracer's website, and they sell this.
http://velotik.com/product/bioracer-aero-rain-jacket/
Gimptastic! I don't think Ineos Grenadiers are using this one. 😆
not sure how the tifosi will take to G tossing the maglia rosa away
Yeah, could be interesting. Can't imagine they didn't run virtually every perceivable scenario before deciding to go easy though, so we'll see in a week if it pays off.
Was impressed with this yesterday:
https://twitter.com/eurosport/status/1659909104800858112
Will there be attacks on the final climb today?
Italy is back to looking beautiful again today. No rain 👌
Will there be attacks on the final climb today?
not from the gc contendesr at the moment 🙁
ffs michael matthews on the front of the gc group :/
The lad from Halesowen is going well!
I think what stages like today's tell us is that there is far more interest in Grand Tours than just the GC. There's always a race within a race.
Agree @slowoldman - there's been some great racing for the stages this week. I think if every GT was as constantly exciting as last year's Tour I'd be an emotional husk at the end of the year.
Still, fingers crossed for some GC action next week.
Well, managed to pick the right day to watch live. Who would have thought sunburn would be my biggest issue.
Bruce jnr managed to catch Stefano Oldni's water bottle so he was very happy because he didn't realise you could get 'swag' from a bike race🙂
Back to work tomorrow...
Rumours that Cav will announce plans for retirement at a news conference on today's rest day.
The lad from Halesowen is going well!
Kingswinford 😉
Does anyone else wonder if the GC folk are saving as much as possible for that last ITT?
I'm going to miss the entire rest of the Giro. ☹️
In the office tomorrow and Wednesday then off to Essex where I'm working on the RideLondon Women's race so that's Friday - Sunday with zero access to a TV.
I’m going to miss the entire rest of the Giro
It's time for Mystic Meg (suitably in pink) to predict that Roglič will have a crash, this week.
Does anyone else wonder if the GC folk are saving as much as possible for that last ITT?
it does seem to casting a large shadow over the gc contenders. It's an interesting one for Roglic, he'll have bad memories of the debacle of the similar penultimate ITT @ le tour. Does he think he blew due to burning too many matches on previous stages or did he just cock it up ?
Kingswinford
Which bit of Ireland is that in?
I was up visiting my mum at the weekend and saw that Healy has a decent time up the Brick Track around the back of Walton Hill when I was looking over my ride...not the KOM mind but a fair chunk quicker than me!
Thomas is going well but can he stay with Roglic on the finish of climbs? If Rog starts hoovering up bonus seconds Thomas is in the shit.
Does anyone else wonder if the GC folk are saving as much as possible for that last ITT?
I think they're saving themselves for the final week full stop, it is pretty brutal with 4 mountain top finishes, plus i think the weather has neutralised the GC battle quite a bit, with many opting to play safe and just get through the stage safely in the rain and cold.
Which bit of Ireland is that in?
Not far from where that Irish ex-pro Dan Martin comes from.
Interested to know whether the final week is likely to be altered much due to snow on the passes and extreme weather protocol.
Week 2 has had some good stage action, week 3 needs to deliver on the GC battle for this Giro not to be remembered as a bit of a stinker (much of which has been due to Covid, crashes, weather to be fair)
Week 2 has had some good stage action, week 3 needs to deliver on the GC battle for this Giro not to be remembered as a bit of a stinker (much of which has been due to Covid, crashes, weather to be fair)
Week 2 wasn't bad but I think this year's Giro will definitely be remembered as a "what could have been..."
There was the potential for a great battle for the overall with RE, PR, GT and TGH with maybe a few "lesser" contenders but now it'll be a surprise if GT or PR don't win.
Mountain day
Sprint day (maybe one for Cav at last?!)
Two big mountain days
ITT
I'm relying on this thread to keep me updated - hopefully I might get a chance to catch some highlights at some point.
Even Inrng doesn't really know how to call today's stage... 🤷🏻♂️
https://inrng.com/2023/05/giro-stage-16-preview-monte-bondone/
I'd call that 'lumpy'.
Sprint stage fo sho
52kph average for the first hour. Big group (20) off the front. Looks like they have 3mins 30 or so
Swift in the break, not sure what that's about
And Ben Healy who has brought much interest to the Giro so far.
Does he think he blew due to burning too many matches
It was a mental thing if you ask me, which will make it all the more interesting, especially if he is in pink by a short margin.
back to the tour de wales 🙁
looks like Jumbo mean business pulling on the peloton
Got the commentary on in the background and I must say I'm enjoying the enthusiasm of Jens Voigt.
Ineos have a couple of folk in the break up front - I wonder what they have planned.
Ineos have a couple of folk in the break up front – I wonder what they have planned
My bet is to help on defence if/when Rog goes for it rather than a do or die attack from G
Sivakov has climbed off, injuries from his crash a few days ago
Possibly a silly question, a simple Google search hasn't enlightened me: does anyone know where we can hear Ned Boulting's commentary on this year's Giro?
I've been enjoying his podcast, Never Strays Far, he's mentioned commentating, but I thought Eurosport / GCN was the only live coverage available.
Ned is doing "the world feed" which is the commentary supplied by the race organisers, but I don't know how that is accessed. You can ask him on Twitter, he does respond to queries
I'm turning off live coverage now, will have to watch the rest of the race / the highlights tonight
'ere we go! 😀
looking like the Jumbo push is fizzling out!
pink looks to have popped! looking very ragged but hanging in as UAE take it on