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Yep he's gone
this is brutal stuff!
Boom! UAE really kicking! bye bye domestiques
G either struggling,marking, or bluffing
G !
bluffing
Well that was a turn up for the books.. the old boy is on form !!!
Didn't see that happening
Joe ‘Wow I made the other GC favourites hurt today’ more like.
Been a slow burner but the final week could be quite something. Top 3 all very close on GC.
Sprint stage tomorrow, maybe a quiet one for the overall as they take the opportunity for a "rest" day in advance of the last w big mountain days and the TT.
Swifty is sorting out his 'gentleman's sausage' according to Adam Blythe :o)
Is this a boring stage until the end?
Is this a boring stage until the end?
I've only turned it on for 30s up to now.... I don't see a lot happening today.
Is this a boring stage until the end?
I think it's just "A Boring Stage" isn't it?
Is the scenery nice, at least? (Need to wait til I get home to watch it)
The next time trial looks daft, the commentators were saying it's too narrow for the team car and that a team member will have to jump out the car and onto a motor bike withe a spare bike on their shoulder!
Has this Giro route this year been poorly planned?
There have been stages in the past where a spare bike or even just spare wheels have been taken up on motor bike. It's not new. In fact I think the first time Super Planches des Belles Filles was used that was the routine.
Oh thanks, first time I've heard of this. Seen them with bike changes half way through but not chasing behind on a motor bike.
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?
If you search out "beIN SPORTS USA" on You Tube, you can see daily highlights with Ned and Chat Stephens on commentary. I gotta warn you though that the editing of the highlights is brutal with the commentators cut off mid word, never mind mid sentence....I gave up on beIN and just watch the shorter GCN highlights.
I, too, am enjoying Ned's daily Giro podcast
If you've got a clever/dodgy VPN thing going on, I understand you can get Ned's commentary via SBS in Aus as they use the Giro organisers race feed which is who he's commentating for.
https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/giro-ditalia-2023
Bit of a summary so far and run down on the next 3 stages from Cycling News.
This could easily end the same way as it did in 2020 when Tao won in the last moments of the final TT - there's almost nothing to separate the top 3 so far.
Well, Dainese- zero to hero. I can’t imagine how unpleasant and undignified it must have been racing with the drizzles on Sunday but he certainly turned up on time on Wednesday!
absolute chaos, peloton in tatters everyone and anyone riding off the front 😀
ooooh that looks like a stinker of a climb 😀
So annoying that it isn't available to watch without paying for it 🙁
Almieda gapped by rog and g
The updates here are better than the Giro website LOL!
Leknessund sticking with Almieda
Yep, I'm relying on this and Twitter for updates.
I was in the Rapha store in London earlier so I saw a small part of it on their big screen, about 60km to go. Robbie McEwen was talking through the climb profiles although as a former sprinter I'm quite surprised he didn't just say "they're all absolute bastards to climb" and have done with it. 😂
Lol @ Cuss getting back in!
G, Rog, kuss go clear
Leknessund done for now, Vine saving Almeida race
then Vine over cooks it
Awww, man - poor ol' Pinot
So much for the "Rog" is cooked narrative 😀
João looking broken there
Awww, man – poor ol’ Pinot
Didn't give himself much of a chance with that sprint. He seems to ride all heart, just going as hard as possible and hoping for the best.
Not sure why, but really wanted Pinot to get his win, last year, possibly last grand tour, and he has always worn heart of sleeve..
Ideal finish would be G to win and Ben Healy to retain KOM jersey.
I think Rog needs to put a decent amount of time into G as G is the better time triallist, although it is an uphill TT?
Yup, I wanted Pinot to win too. He's ace fun to watch. Ballsy rider
I think Rog needs to put a decent amount of time into G as G is the better time triallist, although it is an uphill TT?
I think either of them could yet have a bad day and, if you're going by the law of averages, it's probably G's turn for that...
30" either way is but a single puncture or chain jam, there's no leeway at all.
Any chance of G launching an attack before the end of the race? Or content to latch onto a wheel and rest on TT results?
He wouldn't risk blowing up so it would be foolish to go early but I bet he would try to gain a few more seconds if he thinks there's a chance in the last couple of k of a climb.
It's taken me till stage 18 to realise that there's actually a rider called Gee. I just thought the commentators were talking about Geraint.
one problem G has is in the last 2 mountain stages his backup has been given a right kicking by the opposition backup first by the UAE on monday then today by Sep Cuss.
True. I think he'd be feeling a bit more secure if Tao was still around as backup.
Thomas seemed to close the gap after Roglic attacked with no problem at all.
Reckon he's the strongest but there's very little between them. Intriguing final few days
So basically if Thomas can hang in today on Rogs wheel, he's got this hasn't he ? I can't see him losing 29s on the TT personally, so he's just just to bury himself today if needed.
The one thing i don't always understand is the 'team-mate' thing. When Kuss went a bit yesterday and dropped DePlus and Arensmann, does it matter then if Thomas is following Rog/Kuss or the other Ineos men ? If you're sitting on a wheel, it doesn't matter who's ?
Obviously if it's someone like a Contador rider who's up in pace, down in pace, then maybe, but if they're just tempoing, then surely it's not important is it ?
My only concern is that JV has a full team and Ineos are short.
PR is great at bluffing, but 'G' has years of race craft and experience on his side.
The TT is going to be interesting and exciting (for once).
Your team mate will drop back to the car to get your a drink or a gel to save you energy
My only concern is that JV has a full team and Ineos are short.
they seemed very controlled when they dropped off the peloton on the final climb in an orderly manner almost like they were saving something for today :/ they were probably just fried so no worries 😉
Your team mate will drop back to the car to get your a drink or a gel to save you energy
True, but not likely/possible when in the thick end.
I think Geraint won't go on the attack unless he is feeling very good, he has never been one to attack repeatedly, more one for the constant high effort and just drop others out of the back.
Fingers crossed for today..
My only concern is that JV has a full team and Ineos are short.
Sorry to pick on you, but do people see Sir Jim's Brexit Bombardiers as the "home team"? Prob'ly just me but I think I preferred Sky, even if that's not exactly very ideologically pure either.
it's a knotty ol' question of who to support
Oily Brexit Jims green wash vs Oily Arab green Wash vs iffy once almost thrown off the tour Rabobank
Geraint can do it......
The pious support Pinot, the GC battle is secondary.
Hugh Carthy out with dicky "to many gels" tummy
Sorry to pick on you, but do people see Sir Jim’s Brexit Bombardiers as the “home team”?
Only because they have a bit of history with Wiggins/Froome/Cav/Tao/Swift/etc and of course Thomas. So yeah a little bit, but it's more seeing Thomas making a proper comeback in this Giro and taking Roglic to the sword. I must admit i didn't think he had this in him and would struggle at times, but he's really not.
Crikey - just seen the stage map. Ouch – this is going to be one hell of a day. Almost tempted to pay to watch it.
EDIT (DOH!!!!!) - I forgot that Virgin recently gave me a free upgrade and I actually have Eurosport now FFS. I can't believe that I had forgotten about that.
It's on the others to attack, not G
Pinot. He's so tragic. That's why the mums love him.
I can’t see him losing 29s on the TT personally, so he’s just just to bury himself today if needed
It won't be any normal 19km time trial @weeksy and I think there's potential for quite big gaps. The profile reminds me of Bologna TT (available on Zwift;) but it's a hell of lot more elevation with pitches >20%. The top 3 are all good/excellent against the clock so hopefully G has a decent pacing strategy. I actually think the prospect of this might neutralise today's race a little. Roglic might think he can take 30s back on G and not attack today (he would probably get a couple of bonus seconds at the line today if there was a sprint from a group). The time gaps between 4th and 9th are really tight so we might well see those guys pushing on to make up places.
Well no, but he's a brilliant climber and brilliant TTer, so Roglic is going to have to find something exceptional to pull that over what is a relatively short TT. Thomas is Ineos/Sky through and through in terms of getting the perfect power/performance for his ability/form, so he won't be doing anything daft and blowing up. (he says... lol)
both G and roglic have had "bad" tt's in le tour, G lost 14 sec to Alaphillipe on a relatively flat and Rog to Pog on La Planche des Belles Filles
I also can't see G losing >30s to anyone in the TT, so if there's going to be a change I think people need to go on the attack today. G has ridden the last two weeks perfectly and he seems to have the measure of both his opponents, let's not forget they have both shipped time over the previous mountain stages. He doesn't need to do anything more than follow wheels.
Just a quickie to link to today's inrng preview
https://inrng.com/2023/05/giro-stage-19-preview-lavaredo/
Team Lantern rouge are rapidly closing in on their rightful position!
Been enjoying EF Education as a team over last few years, Ben Healy, Magnus Cort have brightened up this and previous grand tours, having the freedom to stage hunt and race, like to see Hugh Carthy come good again
Ben and Thibaut sitting in a tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G
Look like Rohan was amused by Ben.
Carlos Verona in the break has gone down - Alberto Contador on the moto says it's becuase the AG2R car touched his back wheel!
DrJ - I hear you, but I am a Huge (read ginormous) fan of Geraint Thomas. Yes the politics of ineos and their owner is definitely questionable but I would support any team that included 'G'.
Agree about EF Education easypost - a fabulous team, this is why I have Cort and Healy in my Velogames Italy team.
The finish today is brutal. Nothing will happen on the Giau but the final climb will see it explode.
Can't wait.
wow, robbie mcewen saying that Roglic has a bike prepped on the team car that has a 10-44 gravel cassette on it, in case he needs it for the final climb
Roglic has 44-10 option on his spare bike ?
Jumbo have moved up in the train
Said a few minutes later it might be for tomorrow. I reckon I'd need a 22 granny gear up front and still get off and walk.
and on cue - PR goes 1x with an UGLY dinnerplate at the back
Eurospprt just discussing the 44 tooth cassettes on Roglics bike
well he's on it now