# Giro 2018 "contains spoilers"



## Adam4868 (9 Nov 2017)

View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/927930516690624517


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## Pro Tour Punditry (29 Nov 2017)

View: https://m.facebook.com/equipecyclistefdj/photos/a.263286190427784.59584.227442397345497/1535078709915186/?type=3&source=48&__tn__=EH-R


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## Dave Davenport (29 Nov 2017)

Froome's going for the double http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-froome-confirms-giro-ditalia-participation/


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## Adam4868 (29 Nov 2017)

Chris Froome to race the Giro d'Italia in 2018


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## Beebo (29 Nov 2017)

He will hold all GT jerseys at the same time if he wins.


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## rich p (29 Nov 2017)

Risky strategy if he wants the 5th TDF


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## Aravis (29 Nov 2017)

I am genuinely delighted to see this - Froome, that is. I always thought he'd want to go for it this time, and that the Giro organisers would be desperate to have him, but I always feared the PTB at Sky would dictate otherwise.

However, there's a lot to happen before we get to the starting line...


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## Supersuperleeds (29 Nov 2017)

I'm surprised at this, thought TDF would have been his focus


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## Adam4868 (29 Nov 2017)

I think it's his chance,I might be wrong but is there not a extra weeks rest till the tour.Due to some footy matches being on ?


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## Dave Davenport (29 Nov 2017)

Adam4868 said:


> I think it's his chance,I might be wrong but is there not a extra weeks rest till the tour.Due to some footy matches being on ?


Yep


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## hoopdriver (30 Nov 2017)

I think it is excellent news. Something big is now at stake. Sure he might fail but it is great to see a competitor take risks and try to do something special. And I think if anyone could pull it off, it would be Froome. And he'll never have a better opportunity.


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## 400bhp (30 Nov 2017)

Really great to see Froome having a go.


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## themosquitoking (30 Nov 2017)

Tour starting late or Giro early?


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## Adam4868 (30 Nov 2017)

Tour late by a week i think to accomodate footy.


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## themosquitoking (30 Nov 2017)

Adam4868 said:


> Tour late by a week i think to accomodate footy.


That's probably better for him than the other way round.


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## Adam4868 (1 Dec 2017)

Booked flights this morning to watch,me and mate going to the TT in Rovereto.I had a free pass being my 50th next year on the understanding I take my beloved to Tuscany for my Birthday ! 
Return flights 50quid from Manchester I couldn't say no


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## Adam4868 (12 Dec 2017)

http://road.cc/content/news/233847-giro-ditalia-organisers-draw-plans-move-big-start-israel
False start ? Maybe not the best idea....


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## Pro Tour Punditry (12 Dec 2017)

Adam4868 said:


> http://road.cc/content/news/233847-giro-ditalia-organisers-draw-plans-move-big-start-israel
> False start ? Maybe not the best idea....


It was never a good idea to have it there


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## Adam4868 (12 Dec 2017)

Bit like having the world cup in Russia,your asking for trouble !


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## mjr (28 Mar 2018)

Giro Rosa in July to go up the Zoncolan http://www.velonews.com/2018/03/new...zoncolan-five-worldtour-teams-for-utah_461340


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## mjr (20 Apr 2018)

Daily highlights on free TV Quest at 7pm-8pm this year again https://www.cyclechat.net/posts/5219946


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## Milzy (24 Apr 2018)

Are we doing a fantasy league??


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## brommers (25 Apr 2018)

Milzy said:


> Are we doing a fantasy league??


I'll be in. Velogames? Also there's our very own Pro Tour Punditry comp.


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## Milzy (25 Apr 2018)

brommers said:


> I'll be in. Velogames? Also there's our very own Pro Tour Punditry comp.


What’s the code for c.c velo games??


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## brommers (25 Apr 2018)

Milzy said:


> What’s the code for c.c velo games??


I'll have a Cyclechat one and get back to you.


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## rich p (27 Apr 2018)

Sky team announced includes Poels Kiri, Henao, Ellisonde and de la Cruz.

I can't help wondering if Sky would have been wiser to hold Poels back for the Tour in place of the suspended Froome...

He's got more chance than Geraint.


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## Adam4868 (27 Apr 2018)

Froome wont be suspended...........quite fancy Bernal but can he TT ? Ive missed a lot of racing lately (fecking work !)


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## rich p (27 Apr 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> Froome wont be suspended...........quite fancy Bernal but can he TT ? Ive missed a lot of racing lately (fecking work !)


Well, he won the TT at Romandie today, albeit uphill.
I think it's a better than evens bet that Froomedawg's case will be done and dusted by the TdF and I can't see him getting off. Do you think he'll win the case, or it will still be in the courts?


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## Adam4868 (27 Apr 2018)

rich p said:


> Well, he won the TT at Romandie today, albeit uphill.
> I think it's a better than evens bet that Froomedawg's case will be done and dusted by the TdF and I can't see him getting off. Do you think he'll win the case, or it will still be in the courts?


I think it will be done and dusted but the optomist in me thinks/hopes its some mistake (a big one i agree !) and Froome will be free to race.I do like happy endings ! 
Not watched Tour of Romandie today (and not going to now youve told me result....! ) Will watch it later,i did like.what ive seen of Bernal so far.


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## rich p (27 Apr 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> I think it will be done and dusted but the optomist in me thinks/hopes its some mistake (a big one i agree !) and Froome will be free to race.I do like happy endings !
> Not watched Tour of Romandie today (and not going to now youve told me result....! ) Will watch it later,i did like.what ive seen of Bernal so far.


I admire your optimism Adam!


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## brommers (28 Apr 2018)

@Milzy Entries for Velogames' Giro d'Italia are 'not yet open'. I will contact when available.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (1 May 2018)

I am currently reading a book which includes a chapter about Adam Hansen's first 3 Grand Tour season; this Giro will be his 20th Grand Tour in a row. That is an amazing record.


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## smutchin (2 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> I think it will be done and dusted...





rich p said:


> I admire your optimism Adam!



Misplaced optimism, unfortunately. I can't help feeling it leaves a cloud hanging over the race and I find myself half hoping Froome has to withdraw early - not because I dislike him but because it would allow the discussion to focus on the race itself rather than get distracted by side issues. It's all very frustrating.


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## smutchin (2 May 2018)

Just been having a look through Pinot's results. The last competitive TT he rode was the opening stage of last year's Tour. Interesting.

So far this year, I've been very impressed with both his form and his attitude - he looks fully committed to races in a way he sometimes hasn't in the past. And confident too. I'm hoping he's been working on his TTs in secret and has suddenly become a demon against the clock. It's where he lost the race last year, so you'd hope it's been a priority for him in training.


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## rich p (2 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Just been having a look through Pinot's results. The last competitive TT he rode was the opening stage of last year's Tour. Interesting.
> 
> So far this year, I've been very impressed with both his form and his attitude - he looks fully committed to races in a way he sometimes hasn't in the past. And confident too. I'm hoping he's been working on his TTs in secret and has suddenly become a demon against the clock. It's where he lost the race last year, so you'd hope it's been a priority for him in training.


He' my pro punditry pick


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## Adam4868 (2 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Misplaced optimism, unfortunately. I can't help feeling it leaves a cloud hanging over the race and I find myself half hoping Froome has to withdraw early - not because I dislike him but because it would allow the discussion to focus on the race itself rather than get distracted by side issues. It's all very frustrating.


I'd rather it would have been done by now but it hasn't,so I'll hold judgement on him.Maybe a misguided view by me,but I'll stick with innocent until proven guilty.But I get what you mean about a cloud hanging over him.
I'm going over to watch in a couple of weeks,can't wait !


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## smutchin (2 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> I'd rather it would have been done by now but it hasn't,so I'll hold judgement on him.Maybe a misguided view by me,but I'll stick with innocent until proven guilty.But I get what you mean about a cloud hanging over him.



Not judging him or making any comment on his innocence/guilt, but it's disappointing that he's starting the Giro with this still unresolved.



> I'm going over to watch in a couple of weeks,can't wait !



Well jel.


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## Adam4868 (2 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Not judging him or making any comment on his innocence/guilt, but it's disappointing that he's starting the Giro with this still unresolved.
> 
> 
> 
> Well jel.


It's a sign of age,nearing 50 that I should be excited for the race...I am a bit but I'm thinking of food and red wine in abundance !


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## mjr (2 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Not judging him or making any comment on his innocence/guilt, but it's disappointing that he's starting the Giro with this still unresolved.


Could he be hoping to verifiably monitor his salbutamol intake and post a stonking adverse analytical finding during the Giro, thereby clearing himself? That'd be twisted.


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## brommers (3 May 2018)

@Adam4868 
Is there spoilers on this thread now the race is nearly upon us?


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## Adam4868 (3 May 2018)

brommers said:


> @Adam4868
> Is there spoilers on this thread now the race is nearly upon us?


Sorry you've lost me ? You mean me put it in title ?


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## brommers (3 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> Sorry you've lost me ? You mean me put it in title ?


Yes, I see you've done it now.


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## rich p (3 May 2018)

Good idea Brommers in case @Pro Tour Punditry thinks it's about his latest benefit cheque


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## Adam4868 (3 May 2018)

rich p said:


> Good idea Brommers in case @Pro Tour Punditry thinks it's about his latest benefit cheque


And you dont want to upset mr PMT ! oops I mean PTP .


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## deptfordmarmoset (3 May 2018)

Is anybody else unable to log in to online Eurosport?


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## Adam4868 (3 May 2018)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> Is anybody else unable to log in to online Eurosport?


Just been on it on my phone at work ?


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## Bollo (3 May 2018)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> Is anybody else unable to log in to online Eurosport?


Fine for me (MacBook, Safari).


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## deptfordmarmoset (3 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> Just been on it on my phone at work ?





Bollo said:


> Fine for me (MacBook, Safari).


Thanks anyway. I just cleared out my cache and that was where the problem was. I'm in!


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## brommers (4 May 2018)

TT Start List

In total there are 176 riders taking part, all heading off at one-minute intervals. For more details of the stage route, see our 2018 Giro d’Italia route guide.

*UK Time Start 11.50am
*
Start order *Name* *Start time*
1 *SABATINI Fabio* *13:50:00*
2 *NOVAK Domen* *13:51:00*
3 *GAVAZZI Francesco* *13:52:00*
4 *BONNET William* *13:53:00*
5 *BROWN Nathan* *13:54:00*
6 *VAN DER SANDE Tosh* *13:55:00*
7 *VENTER Jaco* *13:56:00*
8 *BERTAZZO Liam* *13:57:00*
9 *ATAPUMA Darwin* *13:58:00*
10 *VAN POPPEL Danny* *13:59:00*
11 *DIDIER Laurent* *14:00:00*
12 *CARAPAZ Richard* *14:01:00*
13 *SAGIV Guy* *14:02:00*
14 *BEWLEY Sam* *14:03:00*
15 *MONTAGUTI Matteo* *14:04:00*
16 *KANGERT Tanel* *14:05:00*
17 *SELIG Rdiger* *14:06:00*
18 *KNEES Christian* *14:07:00*
19 *GUARDINI Andrea* *14:08:00*
20 *ROELANDTS Jurgen* *14:09:00*
21 *LAMMERTINK Maurits* *14:10:00*
22 *CURVERS Roy* *14:11:00*
23 *CAVAGNA Rémi* *14:12:00*
24 *NIBALI Antonio* *14:13:00*
25 *VENDRAME Andrea* *14:14:00*
26 *LADAGNOUS Matthieu* *14:15:00*
27 *CARTHY Hugh John* *14:16:00*
28 *FRISON Frederik* *14:17:00*
29 *JANSE VAN RENSBURG Jacques* *14:18:00*
30 *MOSCA Jacopo* *14:19:00*
31 *MORI Manuele* *14:20:00*
32 *LINDEMAN Bert-Jan* *14:21:00*
33 *VAN POPPEL Boy* *14:22:00*
34 *PEDRERO Antonio* *14:23:00*
35 *SBARAGLI Kristian* *14:24:00*
36 *HAIG Jack* *14:25:00*
37 *DUPONT Hubert* *14:26:00*
38 *HIRT Jan* *14:27:00*
39 *BENNETT Sam* *14:28:00*
40 *PUCCIO Salvatore* *14:29:00*
41 *ANDREETTA Simone* *14:30:00*
42 *DENNIS Rohan* *14:31:00*
43 *PLANCKAERT Baptiste* *14:32:00*
44 *HOFSTEDE Lennard* *14:33:00*
45 *CAPECCHI Eros* *14:34:00*
46 *BONIFAZIO Niccolò* *14:35:00*
47 *TORRES AGUDELO Rodolfo* *14:36:00*
48 *MORABITO Steve* *14:37:00*
49 *DOCKER Mitchell* *14:38:00*
50 *ARMEE Sander* *14:39:00*
51 *BERHANE Natnael* *14:40:00*
52 *ZHUPA Eugert* *14:41:00*
53 *MARCATO Marco* *14:42:00*
54 *BATTAGLIN Enrico* *14:43:00*
55 *IRIZAR ARAMBURU Markel* *14:44:00*
56 *QUINTANA Dayer* *14:45:00*
57 *BOIVIN Guillaume* *14:46:00*
58 *JUUL JENSEN Christopher* *14:47:00*
59 *VENTURINI Clement* *14:48:00*
60 *ZEITS Andrey* *14:49:00*
61 *SCHILLINGER Andreas* *14:50:00*
62 *KIRYIENKA Vasil* *14:51:00*
63 *BARBIN Enrico* *14:52:00*
64 *DE MARCHI Alessandro* *14:53:00*
65 *KUZNETSOV Viacheslav* *14:54:00*
66 *TEN DAM Laurens* *14:55:00*
67 *SENECHAL Florian* *14:56:00*
68 *BOARO Manuele* *14:57:00*
69 *BELLETTI Manuel* *14:58:00*
70 *REICHENBACH Sébastien* *14:59:00*
71 *DOMBROWSKI Joseph* *15:00:00*
72 *DEBUSSCHERE Jens* *15:01:00*
73 *ANTON HERNANDEZ Igor* *15:02:00*
74 *ZARDINI Edoardo* *15:03:00*
75 *LAENGEN Vegard Stake* *15:04:00*
76 *VAN HOECKE Gijs* *15:05:00*
77 *EG Niklas* *15:06:00*
78 *SEPULVEDA Eduardo* *15:07:00*
79 *DEMPSTER Zakkari* *15:08:00*
80 *KREUZIGER Roman* *15:09:00*
81 *JAUREGUI Quentin* *15:10:00*
82 *SANCHEZ Luis Leon* *15:11:00*
83 *PFINGSTEN Christoph* *15:12:00*
84 *HENAO MONTOYA Sergio* *15:13:00*
85 *MAESTRI Mirco* *15:14:00*
86 *VLIEGEN Loïc* *15:15:00*
87 *BELKOV Maxim* *15:16:00*
88 *HAMILTON Christopher* *15:17:00*
89 *STYBAR Zdenek* *15:18:00*
90 *SIUTSOU Kanstantsin* *15:19:00*
91 *FRAPPORTI Marco* *15:20:00*
92 *ROY Jérémy* *15:21:00*
93 *VAN ASBROECK Tom* *15:22:00*
94 *BAK YTTING Lars* *15:23:00*
95 *O’CONNOR Ben* *15:24:00*
96 *COLEDAN Marco* *15:25:00*
97 *CONTI Valerio* *15:26:00*
98 *GESINK Robert* *15:27:00*
99 *PANTANO GOMEZ Jarlinson* *15:28:00*
100 *FERNANDEZ Ruben* *15:29:00*
101 *NEILANDS Krists* *15:30:00*
102 *NIEVE ITURRALDE Mike* *15:31:00*
103 *CHEREL Mikael* *15:32:00*
104 *BILBAO Pello* *15:33:00*
105 *BENEDETTI Cesare* *15:34:00*
106 *ELISSONDE Kenny* *15:35:00*
107 *SENNI Manuel* *15:36:00*
108 *FRANKINY Kilian* *15:37:00*
109 *GONÇALVES José* *15:38:00*
110 *VERVAEKE Louis* *15:39:00*
111 *MØRKØV Michael* *15:40:00*
112 *VISCONTI Giovanni* *15:41:00*
113 *MASNADA Fausto* *15:42:00*
114 *ROUX Anthony* *15:43:00*
115 *SCULLY Tom* *15:44:00*
116 *HANSEN Adam* *15:45:00*
117 *GIBBONS Ryan* *15:46:00*
118 *FONZI Giuseppe* *15:47:00*
119 *POLANC Jan* *15:48:00*
120 *BOUWMAN Koen* *15:49:00*
121 *MULLEN Ryan* *15:50:00*
122 *VALLS FERRI Rafael* *15:51:00*
123 *NIV Guy* *15:52:00*
124 *TUFT Svein* *15:53:00*
125 *DENZ Nico* *15:54:00*
126 *VILLELLA Davide* *15:55:00*
127 *GROSSSCHARTNER Felix* *15:56:00*
128 *DE LA CRUZ David* *15:57:00*
129 *SIMION Paolo* *15:58:00*
130 *VENTOSO ALBERDI Fran* *15:59:00*
131 *SCHMIDT Mads Würtz* *16:00:00*
132 *HAGA Chad* *16:01:00*
133 *VIVIANI Elia* *16:02:00*
134 *MOHORIC Matej* *16:03:00*
135 *BALLERINI Davide* *16:04:00*
136 *PINOT Thibaut* *16:05:00*
137 *MODOLO Sacha* *16:06:00*
138 *WELLENS Tim* *16:07:00*
139 *KING Benjamin* *16:08:00*
140 *TURRIN Alex* *16:09:00*
141 *ULISSI Diego* *16:10:00*
142 *BENNETT George* *16:11:00*
143 *PEDERSEN Mads* *16:12:00*
144 *DE LA PARTE Victor* *16:13:00*
145 *PLAZA Ruben* *16:14:00*
146 *YATES Simon Philip* *16:15:00*
147 *BIDARD François* *16:16:00*
148 *LUTSENKO Alexey* *16:17:00*
149 *KONRAD Patrick* *16:18:00*
150 *POELS Wout* *16:19:00*
151 *TONELLI Alessandro* *16:20:00*
152 *DRUCKER Jean-Pierre* *16:21:00*
153 *DOWSETT Alex* *16:22:00*
154 *OOMEN Sam* *16:23:00*
155 *SCHACHMANN Maximilian* *16:24:00*
156 *POZZOVIVO Domenico* *16:25:00*
157 *CATTANEO Mattia* *16:26:00*
158 *PREIDLER Georg* *16:27:00*
159 *WOODS Michael* *16:28:00*
160 *CAMPENAERTS Victor* *16:29:00*
161 *MEINTJES Louis* *16:30:00*
162 *MARECZKO Jakub* *16:31:00*
163 *ARU Fabio* *16:32:00*
164 *VAN EMDEN Jos* *16:33:00*
165 *BRAMBILLA Gianluca* *16:34:00*
166 *BETANCUR Carlos* *16:35:00*
167 *HERMANS Ben* *16:36:00*
168 *CHAVES RUBIO Esteban* *16:37:00*
169 *GENIEZ Alexandre* *16:38:00*
170 *LOPEZ MORENO Miguel* *16:39:00*
171 *FORMOLO Davide* *16:40:00*
172 *FROOME Chris* *16:41:00*
173 *CICCONE Giulio* *16:42:00*
174 *ROCHE Nicolas* *16:43:00*
175 *MARTIN Tony* *16:44:00*
176 *DUMOULIN Tom* *16:45:00*






 
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## Adam4868 (4 May 2018)

Not the best start....

View: https://twitter.com/wielerman/status/992322573915521024?s=19


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## Pro Tour Punditry (4 May 2018)

Froome has fallen off during recon of the course


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## Pro Tour Punditry (4 May 2018)

Lopez went down as well.

As did Sivtsov, who is out of the race before turning a pedal with broken vertebrae


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## roadrash (4 May 2018)

rohan dennis time is going to take some beating


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## Bollo (4 May 2018)

Good TT from Simon Yates.


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## roadrash (4 May 2018)

not a bad time from simon yates


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## Bollo (4 May 2018)

Unconvincing from Froome.


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## roadrash (4 May 2018)

dumoulin takes the win


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## Bollo (4 May 2018)

And Dumoulin in pink.


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## MikeG (4 May 2018)

What about Alex Dousset's ride! Very impressed, and Yates did really well too. Thirty seven seconds is a lot for Froome to make up on last years winner.


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## smutchin (4 May 2018)

That is a superb performance by Yates. Fantastic.

<smug git mode>Not a bad start by me in the punditry too!</smug git mode>
(Sharing the hat-trick glory with @Pro Tour Punditry though, to be fair.)


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## smutchin (4 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> What about Alex Dousset's ride!



Time was you'd have expected Dowsett to be in contention for winning a stage like that. Good to see him getting some form back though - he's been off the boil for ages.


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## roadrash (4 May 2018)

smug git strikes again  yates was the ride of the day for me


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## smutchin (4 May 2018)

Just read a report that Froome crashed while checking the course this morning. That might explain his performance.


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## Dave Davenport (4 May 2018)

just back from a ride and catching up on the results; Great to see Yates right up there when you might have expected him to lose a fair bit of time.


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## roadrash (4 May 2018)

@smutchin talking to skys DS on telly earlier , Froome lost skin on his hip and arm and went down quite hard apparently


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## smutchin (4 May 2018)

Also good rides by Pozzovivo, Pinot and... Betancur!?!?!?!


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## Bollo (4 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> Is this when we stroke our chins and say "I'm not so sure Dumoulin wants to take the jersey so early in the race" and pretend we have some kind of clue what that means. If it is, then ....
> 
> I'm not so sure Dumoulin wants to take the jersey so early in the race. (strokes chin knowledgeably)


This is an example of “Millar’s paradox”, where two completely different outcomes are both evidence of tactical genius.


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## Bollo (4 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> @smutchin talking to skys DS on telly earlier , Froome lost skin on his hip and arm and went down quite hard apparently


They did show a clip of the fall after the TT had finished. It did look ugly.


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## Adam4868 (4 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> They did show a clip of the fall after the TT had finished. It did look ugly.



View: https://twitter.com/ProCyclingStats/status/992411794462445568?s=19


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## brommers (4 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> Good TT from Simon Yates.


His best ever in a major TT


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## mjr (4 May 2018)

Where's Jonathan Edwards presenting from? Eurosport's basement gym? And who had eaten a chicken bucket?


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## Pro Tour Punditry (4 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> That is a superb performance by Yates. Fantastic.
> 
> <smug git mode>Not a bad start by me in the punditry too!</smug git mode>
> (Sharing the hat-trick glory with @Pro Tour Punditry though, to be fair.)



I claim even smugger git mode cos I got wildcard points as well


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## Pro Tour Punditry (4 May 2018)

I've just been having a look at the stage results from last year and realised how many of the sprinters who were present in 2017 are absent this year


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## rich p (5 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> I've just been having a look at the stage results from last year and realised how many of the sprinters who were present in 2017 are absent this year


Anti Semite Labour Corbinistas, the bastards...


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## User169 (5 May 2018)

Not exactly a thrilling parclurs so far today.


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## roadrash (5 May 2018)

spectators getting in the way as the riders go for king of the mountains points


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## roadrash (5 May 2018)

Viviani did well to win that from so far back


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## smutchin (5 May 2018)

Marezcko did a good job of leading him out!


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## roadrash (5 May 2018)

looked like mareczko was trying to break his bars with his fist after the line, he wasn't happy


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## Foghat (5 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> spectators getting in the way as the riders go for king of the mountains points



Shame we didn't see any decent police moron-take-downs in accordance with Norway's crowd-management-at-bike-races manual.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (6 May 2018)

Israel looks lovely.


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## rich p (6 May 2018)

It looks like a disused quarry


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## rich p (6 May 2018)

I wouldn't fancy spending 40 days and 40 nights out there


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## Adam4868 (6 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Israel looks lovely.


Try Yorkshire ?


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## themosquitoking (6 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> Try Yorkshire ?


Not for 40 days and nights thanks.


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## Milzy (6 May 2018)

Sadly I Chose Froome over Tommy D. School boy error


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (6 May 2018)

I got a bit PTP excited with Wellens sitting in 2nd wheel going into final corner and was looking for him to make an attack and take the win with Viviani and Bennett to contest the sprint for 2nd and 3rd...if only


----------



## bladesman73 (7 May 2018)

Well thats israel on my list of countries that look like an abandoned building site


----------



## DRM (7 May 2018)

bladesman73 said:


> Well thats israel on my list of countries that look like an abandoned building site


My thoughts too, looks like an appalling dump, I think they dropped a real clanger taking the race there, thank god it's gone back to Italy now.


----------



## mjr (8 May 2018)

Back to the racing after the political trolling. The break of the day comprises 5 including the KoM Barbin: one each of Bardiani, Katusha, Cofidis, Wilier and the great AG2R. has 3 minutes with 145km to go and the first categorised climb not far away.


----------



## Merk40 (8 May 2018)

That "appalling dump" produces 1 in 7 medications prescribed by the NHS. That "appalling dump" is the reason you can post online.

Israel like most countries has a lot of beauty and some rough parts. Jerusalem is old and due to being protected, any modernisation takes years to approve. Tel-Aviv is undergoing a massive face lift. Many buildings suffered from the heat and sand blasting. The desert is a desert. If they'd cycled through Arizona it would have been just as boring.

It would be like judging the UK by a race through the likes of Huddersfield.


----------



## smutchin (8 May 2018)

Only half following the race today, but it looked a little while ago as if the gap was coming down quite rapidly, reduced to 1.30-ish at one point, then next time I looked it was back out to 2.12 with 72km to go. Seems the peloton are toying with the escapees, leaving them to dangle out there and suffer on a warm day...

Would be a shame if they cocked up the chase and let them win!


----------



## mjr (8 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Would be a shame if they cocked up the chase and let them win!


Oh no it wouldn't...

Anyway, I'm busy so not following it until after tonight's highlights.


----------



## smutchin (8 May 2018)

Goncalves is having a nightmare - had to swap bikes with a team-mate after a puncture, changed to the spare bike when the team car caught up, but the handlebars weren't on straight so he's had to change bike again. Suspect that's put him out of contention for the stage win. Nuts.

Break have just been caught with 13km to go. Bora are riding hard on the front.


----------



## smutchin (8 May 2018)

Conti off the front and clear. This is perfect for UAE with Ulissi in reserve if any of the other teams want to chase. But the gap is growing and the pack are looking disorganised, and it's starting to look like yet another race this year where a late solo break wins the day...


----------



## smutchin (8 May 2018)

Crash at a pinch point splits the peloton! Not clear yet if any big names have been caught the wrong side of it. They're going to struggle to catch up if they have.

Gap to Conti is falling fast now. Doesn't look like being his day after all.


----------



## smutchin (8 May 2018)

This is an insane finish through narrow, twisty city streets.


----------



## smutchin (8 May 2018)

That was great. Brilliant ride by Wellens - stayed patient and attacked at exactly the right moment.

Great result for Yates too, finishing in the top five with a four second gap on the next bunch across the line. There were more gaps in the peloton too. This is going to shake up GC a bit.


----------



## philk56 (8 May 2018)

Great finish and Yates up to third. Every time I watch the Giro go through Sicily I think I must pay it a visit but haven't made it yet. It looks beautiful.


----------



## Shadow (8 May 2018)

philk56 said:


> Every time I watch the Giro go through Sicily I think I must pay it a visit but haven't made it yet



You should! It has many attractions. 
Only been once and sadly not on a bike.
Spent a short while at today's finish. This is a well-known landmark:







(not my pic; nicked off google images)


----------



## roadrash (8 May 2018)

A well timed effort from wellens and a cracking result for yates too


----------



## smutchin (8 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> This is going to shake up GC a bit.



Yep, full results are in now and it doesn't make good reading for Froome - he finished 21 seconds behind Wellens and Yates and is now 55 seconds down on GC. 

Good finish by Pinot - this is exactly the kind of stage where you'd have expected him to lose stupid seconds in the past through bad positioning but he was up there with Pozzovivo, Dennis, Dumoulin and Chaves, just four seconds behind the winners. This bodes well.

Aru was in between the Dumoulin and Froome groups.


----------



## smutchin (8 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> A well timed effort from wellens and a cracking result for yates too



Yates is starting to look like a genuine GC contender.


----------



## MikeG (8 May 2018)

Great to see Yates doing so well. If Froome is trying his ride-himself-into-form theory again, then he probably shouldn't have.


----------



## Bollo (8 May 2018)

Just managed to watch to the end before I had to leg it out. Great finish to the stage and well done Yates. I don’t think it’s controversial to say that Froome ain’t winning this.


----------



## smutchin (9 May 2018)

Lopez overcooked a corner 5km from the finish and ended up in a field. He's being dragged back to the group by a couple of teammates but he's going to lose time.


----------



## smutchin (9 May 2018)

Pace is insane. Peloton is falling to bits in the final kms. Froome nowhere near the front.


----------



## smutchin (9 May 2018)

Visconti powered away from the bunch in the final 300m but took Battaglin with him, and Battaglin eased past him for the win. Another highly entertaining stage finish.


----------



## smutchin (9 May 2018)

Yates in the mix again, finishing 5th. Another fantastic ride by him.


----------



## brommers (9 May 2018)

Simon Yates looks really up for this one.


----------



## gavroche (9 May 2018)

If, like me, you don't have Sky or EuroSport to watch the Giro, you can see the highlights on Quest, channel 37 , at 7pm, for an hour.


----------



## roadrash (9 May 2018)

I would love to see yates batter them all up etna tomorrow and monte zoncolan on stage 14 then go on to win overall


----------



## mjr (10 May 2018)

gavroche said:


> If, like me, you don't have Sky or EuroSport to watch the Giro, you can see the highlights on Quest, channel 37 , at 7pm, for an hour.


 See 20 April's post.


----------



## MichaelW2 (10 May 2018)

Did anyone else notice the huge and weird hillside sculpture just before the big pile up?


----------



## Bollo (10 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Pace is insane. Peloton is falling to bits in the final kms. Froome nowhere near the front.


That finish (and the day before) got me thinking about how Froome seems to have lost his mojo on short sharp climbs and doesn't have a big enough kick to mark attacks or do something himself. 

I can't see him repeating anything like his heff-you acceleration away from Wiggins in that 2012 stage, but also the La Planche des Belles Filles in the same tour where he was able to pull away from the group at the finish.


----------



## mjr (10 May 2018)

MichaelW2 said:


> Did anyone else notice the huge and weird hillside sculpture just before the big pile up?


Yes. I think on-screen captions said it was Ruderi di Gibellina, commemorating the 1968 Belice earthquake - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibellina


----------



## roadrash (10 May 2018)

MichaelW2 said:


> Did anyone else notice the huge and weird hillside sculpture just before the big pile up?



As @mjr says it was done to commemerate the earthquake, the ruins have been filled with concrete


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

Just put the ES coverage on to see what looked very much like Nibali off the front of the peloton. Eh? WTF? Am I watching a repeat or something?

Turns out it's not a repeat and it really was Nibali after all - Antonio Nibali! He does look a lot like his big bro, even his riding style is similar.

No break has formed yet. One rider did escape on his own for a few kms - Ballerini - but he's being brought back now. And he's probably rather relieved about that.


----------



## roadrash (10 May 2018)

you mean you missed carlton nob ed kirbys joke about him ballet dancing all the way up etna


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> you mean you missed carlton nob ed kirbys joke about him ballet dancing all the way up etna



I've got it playing on my laptop, perched on the corner of my desk, with the sound off, while pretending to do some work on my desktop. Makes it hard to work out what's going on at times but possibly no more so than trying to understand Kirby's witterings.


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

With BMC currently controlling the pace on the front of the peloton, that got me wondering... What are the odds on Dennis still being in pink tonight? He's riding well at the moment but is this finish going to be too hard for him? Would be good to see him holding on to it.

Even if he does, I can't see him being a GC contender overall - he'll probably lose too much time on the Zoncolan.


----------



## roadrash (10 May 2018)

I cant see him being in pink at the end of the day. but as mrs roadrash would no doubt confirm , I am often wrong


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

He was quite prominent in the closing kms of one of the sprint stages the other day, protecting Dennis on the run-in.


----------



## roadrash (10 May 2018)

Formolo and ten dam down in a crash


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

Henao and Chaves on the attack!


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

Froome is looking more comfortable today but with 10km still to go doesn’t have any team-mates left for support.

ETA: tell a lie, he's got Elissonde with him - didn't spot him there hidden behind Froome. If Froome has a mechanical and has to borrow wee Kenny's bike, that will be even more amusing to watch than when he rode the service bike on Ventoux.


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

Chaves looking very strong here. Great tactical move too with Yates safe in the lead group behind. Mitchelton-Scott are looking like a really strong team this year.


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

And Froome goes pop!


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

Dennis cracking now as well.


----------



## MikeG (10 May 2018)

Not sure Froome's gone just yet.


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

Ha! Yates is playing a blinder here - Pozzo and Bennett tried to make him come to the front but he was having none of it - and totally fair enough with his team-mate up the road.

He's looking really comfortable. Pinot riding strongly too. Pozzovivo is doing well but can't drop them.


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Not sure Froome's gone just yet.



Yeah, he'll probably just about hang on but the constant attacks are clearly hurting him.


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

Go Yates!


----------



## MikeG (10 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Go Yates!



....and off he goes!


----------



## roadrash (10 May 2018)

1+2 chaves and yates


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## MikeG (10 May 2018)

Chaves.....Yates.......


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

Wondered if Yates was going to let Chaves take the stage or if he'd be greedy. Fantastic result either way. Hope he doesn't come to rue missing out on those extra bonus seconds!


----------



## MikeG (10 May 2018)

Yates in pink?


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## smutchin (10 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> 1+2 chaves and yates



I was umming and ahhing over whether to pick Yates or Chaves in the punditry... didn't for a moment consider picking both!


----------



## MikeG (10 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Yates in pink?



Yep!! By 16 seconds. Well done that man.


----------



## roadrash (10 May 2018)

I foolishly couldn't decide , then picked froome over chaves , I thought he may come good on etna


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Yates in pink?



Started 17 seconds behind Dumoulin, finshed 26 seconds ahead of him, plus a few bonus seconds, so... yes, I think so!


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

Pinot picked up some bonus seconds too, but not enough to take him ahead of Pozzovivo in GC, I think.

In fact, Chaves might have got enough time to leapfrog both Pinot and Pozzo in GC. Incredible day for Mitchelton-Scott if so.

ETA: yep, confirmed - Chaves up to 3rd on GC. Pozzo 4th and Pinot two seconds behind him in 5th.


----------



## MikeG (10 May 2018)

Yeah, Chaves is into 3rd. Mitchelton Scott looking strong (pity they're an Aussie outfit!  )


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## MikeG (10 May 2018)

Sprinter's stage tomorrow, then two summit finishes over the weekend. Could be fascinating!


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

"Mummy, why are those two pretty ladies in pink trousers kissing that small boy with the nice smile?"


----------



## Dayvo (10 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> I was umming and ahhing over whether to pick Yates or Chaves in the punditry... *didn't for a moment consider picking both*!



Ooh, I did!


----------



## brommers (10 May 2018)

Simon Yates lost 4 seconds by letting Chaves win the stage - why did he do that? He could have beaten him easily.


----------



## brommers (10 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Just put the ES coverage on to see what looked very much like Nibali off the front of the peloton. Eh? WTF? Am I watching a repeat or something?
> 
> Turns out it's not a repeat and it really was Nibali after all - Antonio Nibali! He does look a lot like his big bro, even his riding style is similar.
> 
> No break has formed yet. One rider did escape on his own for a few kms - Ballerini - but he's being brought back now. And he's probably rather relieved about that.


Are they brothers or cousins?


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (10 May 2018)

brommers said:


> Simon Yates lost 4 seconds by letting Chaves win the stage - why did he do that? He could have beaten him easily.


Perhaps he reckoned Chaves would be happier digging deep for him later on, and also keeping a good team spirit for all at Mitchelton Scott. I thought it was class.


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

brommers said:


> Simon Yates lost 4 seconds by letting Chaves win the stage - why did he do that? He could have beaten him easily.



He said in the interview afterwards that he thought Chaves deserved it for all the hard work he'd done on the stage.

It also worked out well for the team - the extra bonus seconds Chaves got for the win took him above Pinot and Pozzovivo in GC.


----------



## smutchin (10 May 2018)

brommers said:


> Are they brothers or cousins?



Brothers according to Wikipedia, if that's at all reliable.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (10 May 2018)

brommers said:


> Simon Yates lost 4 seconds by letting Chaves win the stage - why did he do that? He could have beaten him easily.


You didn't have Yates in PTP by any chance, brommers?


----------



## brommers (10 May 2018)

Well, er yes.


----------



## Fight.The.Power (10 May 2018)

Great win by Yates today but wtf is he doing handing it Chavez ? Still, getting Pink is fantastic. Please remove that long jumper from punditry and bring in Gary Imlach. “Cycling doesn’t get any better than this”.
Well actually it does. It gets much better than that.


----------



## Shadow (10 May 2018)

Also good ride from Carapaz. managed to stay with _[irish accent_] 'the group of favourites'.


----------



## Richard A Thackeray (10 May 2018)

Just watched Stage 6 on 'Quest' of all channels(?!?!)

What a fantastic last mile, with Yates taking off like a scalded Whippet


----------



## 400bhp (10 May 2018)

Dumoulin keeping his powder dry ....

Yates looked like he was the strongest all the way up. With him in pink and Chavez in 3rd that’s a class pack of cards to play with.


----------



## Adam4868 (10 May 2018)

brommers said:


> Simon Yates lost 4 seconds by letting Chaves win the stage - why did he do that? He could have beaten him easily.


Great gesture for his team mate Chavez,couldn't.be a more deserving stage winner.I just hope those bonus seconds don't come back to haunt Yates.


----------



## themosquitoking (10 May 2018)

He looked so strong at the end. Mitchelton Scott sent a very strong team, i hope it works out for them, one way or another.


----------



## Bollo (10 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> Great gesture for his team mate Chavez,couldn't.be a more deserving stage winner.I just hope those bonus seconds don't come back to haunt Yates.


I was also a little surprised and it’s not something you could imagine happening at a team like Sky, where all must serve. Maybe Yates and/or the team DS thought the benefits of team esprit de corps outweighed cold hard seconds. Or MS hedging their bets, although I think it’s unlikely.


----------



## themosquitoking (10 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> Speaking as Yates' fantasy DS I was not best pleased.


I know someone that knows his mum if you want me to pass on a message.


----------



## Bollo (10 May 2018)

themosquitoking said:


> I know someone that knows his mum if you want me to pass on a message.


Can I have your autograph?


----------



## themosquitoking (10 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> Can I have your autograph?


Yup, £5. Special offer to all CCers.


----------



## smutchin (11 May 2018)

Just watched the highlights again. The moment when Yates makes his move is a joy to watch. He moves across the road and gets a small gap, looks back and clearly thinks ‘Why the heck is no one following me?’ then Pinot notices him and starts to chase on to his wheel but it’s already too late because Yates is off up the road. 

Seeing Yates and Chaves being interviewed together by Flecha was just lovely too. They clearly love what they do and enjoy working with and for each other.


----------



## Dave Davenport (11 May 2018)

Yep, I had a stupid grin on my face watching that interview.


----------



## cisamcgu (11 May 2018)

I watched that interview, gosh the two of them looked small - rather like bicycling hobbits


----------



## Shadow (11 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> Speaking as Yates' fantasy DS I was not best pleased.


Like Mitchelton-Scott's DS, Mrs S was not displeased as she has both in her team!

EDIT: (as does @Dayvo; and TD!!)


----------



## smutchin (11 May 2018)

Just put the coverage on... 16km to go... time to make a cup of tea before we get to the interesting bit of the stage...

Bonifazio got a puncture a moment ago - that's him out of contention for the stage win then. (Let's at least pretend there's any chance of it being anyone other than Viviani.)


----------



## smutchin (11 May 2018)

They just clocked the peloton at 73kmh. 

Not some individual rider descending a mountain, the whole freakin' peloton.


----------



## roadrash (11 May 2018)

sam bennet wins after shoving viviani into the barriers


----------



## smutchin (11 May 2018)

Bennett comes past Viviani in the final 50m to take it.

They've given Modolo 3rd but it looked to me like he sat up before the line and ended up 5th behind Bonifazio and Van Poppel. (ETA: now revised to Bonifazio 3rd, Modolo 4th, DVP 5th)

Bonifazio did well to get back after his puncture. Van Poppel was looking well placed on the run-in but allowed himself to get boxed in at the end.


----------



## smutchin (11 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> sam bennet wins after *shoving viviani into the barriers*



Eh? Am I watching a different race to you?


----------



## roadrash (11 May 2018)

i posted that as soon as he crossed the line , it was a quickstep rider he nudged into the barrier , not sure who though


----------



## brommers (11 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> i posted that as soon as he crossed the line , it was a quickstep rider he nudged into the barrier , not sure who though


Viviani was wearing the purplish points jersey, so probably a team mate


----------



## roadrash (11 May 2018)

yeah I realised that after @smutchin post


----------



## smutchin (11 May 2018)

Call me Arsene Wenger but I still can’t see it, whether it’s Viviani or whoever, even after watching the replay.

ETA: ok, just watched it again and I see what you mean - although Viviani arguably blocks his teammate first when he jumps across to get on Modolo’s wheel. 
It’s at about 58 seconds in this clip: https://video.eurosport.com/cycling...through-to-win-stage-7_vid1088564/video.shtml


----------



## Bollo (11 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Call me Arsene Wenger but I still can’t see it, whether it’s Viviani or whoever, even after watching the replay.
> 
> ETA: ok, just watched it again and I see what you mean - although Viviani arguably blocks his teammate first when he jumps across to get on Modolo’s wheel.
> It’s at about 58 seconds in this clip: https://video.eurosport.com/cycling...through-to-win-stage-7_vid1088564/video.shtml


Difficult to say because of the rear angle view - there may just have been enough room for Viviani to slot in front of his teammate even though it looked close. But! Play forward a second or two and it looks like Bennett bumps and squeezes the same rider when he follows Viviani's wheel. Even if the Quickstep rider had eased up by that point, I'm surprised it didn't give the commissaires something to think about.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (11 May 2018)

I have managed to watch no racing this week


----------



## Dayvo (12 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> I have managed to watch no racing this week



Your fantasy team isn't that bad, is it?


----------



## smutchin (12 May 2018)

I wish Sean Kelly would stop calling the team Michelin-Scott.


----------



## Adam4868 (12 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> I wish Sean Kelly would stop calling the team Michelin-Scott.


You leave Sean alone,would you prefer he was still calling them Ulrika green edge ?


----------



## Bollo (12 May 2018)

Froome down but back on.


----------



## Bollo (12 May 2018)

Looked like he caught a white line and the bike went from under.


----------



## smutchin (12 May 2018)

Froome doesn’t look happy. 

Hope the break stays clear.


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (12 May 2018)

Froome really doesn't like Italian rain!


----------



## smutchin (12 May 2018)

Shame for Bouwman but chapeau to Carapaz. 

Pinot gets a few bonus seconds to leapfrog Pozzo on GC too.


----------



## smutchin (12 May 2018)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> Froome really doesn't like Italian rain!



Something he has in common with Wiggo.


----------



## Bollo (12 May 2018)

That was a very entertaining last 10k. That fall really seemed to have spooked Froome, but I’m surprised Pinot didn’t try to break earlier.


----------



## brommers (12 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> That was a very entertaining last 10k. That fall really seemed to have spooked Froome, but I’m surprised Pinot didn’t try to break earlier.


Didn't stop him to get back with the others though


----------



## smutchin (13 May 2018)

So, they're on the first part of the big final double climb. 36km to go. Astana have decided they're not letting the break take the stage and the pace of the peloton has suddenly cranked up several notches - gap to the break is down from nearly 8 mins to under 5 1/2 mins in the space of a few kilometres.

It's going to be an action packed finale.


----------



## roadrash (13 May 2018)

that gap certainly is falling fast, windy at the top, hope we don't lose pictures


----------



## smutchin (13 May 2018)

Gap is still falling but the chase seems to have eased off a bit. Probably because they don't want to catch them too soon...

Shame. Hugh Carthy is looking good. Would have been nice to see him in with a chance of winning the stage.

Ooh, and even as I type this, Mitchelton-Scott have come to the front of the peloton and upped the pace again...


----------



## roadrash (13 May 2018)

gap gone under 3 mins


----------



## Dave Davenport (13 May 2018)

I want to ride that road.


----------



## roadrash (13 May 2018)

gap at 2 mins with the steepest part yet to come in the final 4.5kms


----------



## smutchin (13 May 2018)

Dave Davenport said:


> I want to ride that road.



Looks lovely, doesn't it.


----------



## roadrash (13 May 2018)

hugh carthy having a good dig


----------



## smutchin (13 May 2018)

Carthy caught with 3.6km to go. Looks gutted!

Masnada still just about clinging on to his lead... looks absolutely cooked though. Peloton have got him in their sights now.


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (13 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Carthy caught with 3.6km to go. Looks gutted!
> 
> Masnada still just about clinging on to his lead... looks absolutely cooked though. Peloton have got him in their sights now.


And rocking and rolling with it. He looks all done in.


----------



## smutchin (13 May 2018)

Aru caught the wrong side of a split in the pack. Froome looking strong though.


----------



## smutchin (13 May 2018)

Spoke too soon - Froome is losing touch!


----------



## Bollo (13 May 2018)

Yates. Smiling.


----------



## roadrash (13 May 2018)

well done simon yates , froome loses another minute


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (13 May 2018)

Brilliant finishing by Yates!


----------



## smutchin (13 May 2018)

Fantastic finish.


----------



## smutchin (13 May 2018)

Chaves up to 2nd overall by my reckoning.

Pinot still in 4th a few seconds behind Dumoulin.


----------



## roadrash (13 May 2018)

yep, he is


----------



## smutchin (13 May 2018)

Not just Froome who has lost time today - it's another bad day for Aru as well.


----------



## roadrash (13 May 2018)

dumpmoulin is still looking good


----------



## brommers (13 May 2018)

Simon Yates is beginning to talk like an Aussie.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (13 May 2018)

brommers said:


> Simon Yates is beginning to talk like an Aussie.


He is, heard him being interviewed and thought "who's the whiny Aussie bloke?"


----------



## MikeG (13 May 2018)

I'll forgive him that so long as he keeps riding like a mountain goat. Well, you know what I mean........


----------



## Bollo (13 May 2018)

brommers said:


> Simon Yates is beginning to talk like an Aussie.


I thought he'd gone a bit Shteeve Mclaren.


----------



## Shadow (13 May 2018)

Entertaining last 10k or so, great finish. Yates is looking strong. And MS have a strong team to support him. They must be very, very happy to be 1 & 2 on GC. Dumoulin, Pinot and Pozzo also looking good.
Very impressed with Carapaz too- what will the future hold for him? And Ciccone is just far too impetuous!


----------



## Beebo (13 May 2018)

brommers said:


> Simon Yates is beginning to talk like an Aussie.


It’s upspeak innit. Or as the professors call it, the high rising terminal. (Quite apt for someone who rides up hills)
All the cool kids do it. 
It makes every sentence sound like a question.


----------



## MikeG (13 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> It’s upspeak innit. Or as the professors call it, the high rising terminal. (Quite apt for someone who rides up hills)
> All the cool kids do it.
> It makes every sentence sound like a question.



I thought it was the rising interrogative, n'est-ce pas?


----------



## smutchin (13 May 2018)

‘Interrogative inflection’ is another name for it that I’ve heard. Hadn’t really noticed Yates doing it though. Perhaps I’ve just become too accustomed to all young people speaking that way. </old fart>

ETA: just looked it up - another variant is ‘moronic interrogative’. I like that one. Wouldn’t call Yates a moron though!


----------



## brommers (14 May 2018)

I think being in an Aussie team has something to do with it


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (14 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> It’s upspeak innit. Or as the professors call it, the high rising terminal. (Quite apt for someone who rides up hills)
> All the cool kids do it.
> It makes every sentence sound like a question.


I thought there was also a slight change in vowel sounds but he had returned to his customary Lancs by the end of his post-race interview.

The way he only made one short final attack - the one that won it - demonstrated fine timing and judgement, I thought.


----------



## MikeG (14 May 2018)

Anyone looking forward to Zoncolan next weekend?  I can't see anything much this week which is going to disturb the order in the GC standings, but Zoncolan has the potential to put minutes between riders. Yates will feel he needs more than a minute over Dumoulin, I reckon, with the TT coming up the following week.


----------



## PpPete (14 May 2018)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> The way he only made one short final attack - the one that won it - demonstrated fine timing and judgement, I thought.


Which Thibault Pinot, for all his speed, seems to lack. Attacked at about 1.5km to go, why? Maybe just because Yates went at that point the other day and were successful?.


----------



## Shadow (14 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> Whenever I see the word Zoncolan I assume it's a banned substance.


I think some pros wish it were banned from races!


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (14 May 2018)

PpPete said:


> Which Thibault Pinot, for all his speed, seems to lack. Attacked at about 1.5km to go, why? Maybe just because Yates went at that point the other day and were successful?.


I think there was a bit of madness in the air after Ciocone's (sp?) escapades, Pinot may have been caught up in it. SY stayed calm and saved his attack for the very last.


----------



## smutchin (14 May 2018)

PpPete said:


> Which Thibault Pinot, for all his speed, seems to lack. Attacked at about 1.5km to go, why? Maybe just because Yates went at that point the other day and were successful?.



I thought it was mainly in response to Pozzovivo's attacks, and he had to do something because he was the one with most to lose if Pozzovivo won the stage and no one else looked either interested or willing to follow.

I feel sorry for Pinot - he looks in the form of his life but has no support from his team. Reichenbach has been disappointing (compare and contrast with Jack Haig). He did at least gain a few more seconds on Dumoulin but he probably realises he's not going to beat Yates, who is his equal on the climbs and stronger in the TT.


----------



## Bollo (14 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Anyone looking forward to Zoncolan next weekend?  I can't see anything much this week which is going to disturb the order in the GC standings, but Zoncolan has the potential to put minutes between riders. Yates will feel he needs more than a minute over Dumoulin, I reckon, with the TT coming up the following week.


I just had a look at the official Stage 14 writeup. That is a horror of a stage! 


> This is a challenging mountain stage with an even tougher finale. The roads are wide and straight up to San Daniele. Before entering Carnia, the route takes in climbs up Monte di Ragogna (with gradients steadily over 10% for the first 2.5 km, and ramps topping out at 16%) and Avaglio (with milder slopes). The route then takes the road to Paularo (with some tunnels along the way), leading to the foot of Passo Duron. The climb is short yet steep, with gradients peaking 18% at points. The route drops down into Sutrio and takes in the Sella Valcalda climb, and then reaches the foot of the closing climb in Ovaro. Monte Zoncolan is regarded as the hardest climb in Europe: 10 km at an average 12% gradient, with peaks topping out at 22%. There are three short tunnels along the route in the last kilometre. *Final kilometres:* the final kilometres rise steeply. With 3 km to the finish, two (left-right) hairpins alternate with an almost flat sector (the only one of this stage). The climb then features gradients from 12 to 18%, up to the three tunnels (150 m – 60 m – 110 m) leading to the final 500 m, with an average 11% gradient, and peaks reaching as high as 16% by the hairpin located 250 m before the finish. The road surface is tarmacked and the roadway is 5 m wide.


----------



## smutchin (14 May 2018)

Just watched the finale again...

View: https://youtu.be/kCV3jDVi9s4


I think the only thing Pinot really does wrong is chasing Ciccone's second attack. Maybe he thought he could get a gap, but perhaps that was a bit naive. Then when Pozzovivo attacks, he has no option but to follow him. Yates clearly benefitted from having been protected by his team all the way up the climb.


----------



## cisamcgu (14 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> I feel sorry for Pinot /... / he probably realises he's not going to beat Yates, who is his equal on the climbs and stronger in the TT.



He was only 13 seconds behind Yates on the prologue, is he that much worse on a longer TT ?


----------



## smutchin (14 May 2018)

cisamcgu said:


> He was only 13 seconds behind Yates on the prologue, is he that much worse on a longer TT ?



Dunno! But even if he doesn't lose any more time to Yates on the TT, he's not going to claw anything back either, is he?


----------



## roadrash (14 May 2018)

I hope the next time trial is as good for simon yates as the last one, or even better , I think he needs more time over dumpmoulin before it,and dumpmoulin does climb rather well , it aint going to be easy


----------



## mjr (14 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> I hope the next time trial is as good for simon yates as the last one, or even better , I think he needs more time over dumpmoulin before it,and dumpmoulin does climb rather well , it aint going to be easy


Climbs OK for a TTer, but lost 22seconds to Yates yesterday.


----------



## mjr (14 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> Re Froome, I saw a Sky rider sent back to help him but in the next shot near the finish he was riding alone. Did his team abandon him? Or did he ride away from his team mate (which would seem surprising as he looked shagged) or did I just misinterpret the telly (most likely )


Someone (possibly TV commentary so probably rubbish) was claiming that once he got close enough to the line, Froome told Henao (who'd dropped back to help) to help Poels (who'd caught back up) to try to save their GC places from Lopez and Formolo respectively, which didn't work. They may be sparring around 15th and 22nd place, but there's UCI points available all the way down to 60th and Sky seem to go for the team competition.


----------



## Aravis (14 May 2018)

These might be of interest. A couple of pictures of Campo Imperatore from July 2013. Seeing it as it was yesterday came as a bit of a shock!


----------



## smutchin (14 May 2018)

They were talking about Campo Imperatore on the Cycling Podcast yesterday. Apparently, it's where Mussolini was held prisoner for a while in 1943 until Hitler sent some elite SS commandos in to spring him.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Sasso_raid


----------



## Adam4868 (14 May 2018)

Anyone else get a feeling that Sky are not really that up for this ? I think Froome will get stronger for final week but maybe too late.
I guess the money was a big incentive for him, but Skys ultimate goal will allways be the Tour.


----------



## rich p (14 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> They were talking about Campo Imperatore on the Cycling Podcast yesterday. Apparently, it's where Mussolini was held prisoner for a while in 1943 until Hitler sent some elite SS commandos in to spring him.
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Sasso_raid


Don't refer to Adolf as Fritz, Smutch...


----------



## smutchin (14 May 2018)

rich p said:


> Don't refer to Adolf as Fritz, Smutch...



I hear the Italian guards tried to give chase but the SS commandos had chained their bikes to a railing.


----------



## Beebo (14 May 2018)

Froome has all but admitted his chances are over and he came into the race with the intention of riding into fitness. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/44113030


----------



## mjr (14 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> Froome has all but admitted his chances are over and he came into the race with the intention of riding into fitness.
> 
> https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/44113030


That seems a very much more negative spin on presumably the same press conference as http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chr...not-likely-but-stranger-things-have-happened/ - good old Bike-Bashing Corporation!


----------



## brommers (14 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> Froome has all but admitted his chances are over and he came into the race with the intention of riding into fitness.
> 
> https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/44113030


Does anyone actually believe that Froome is in the Giro to 'ride into fitness'? - never used it as a warm-up for the TdF before.


----------



## MikeG (14 May 2018)

That's not what he is saying, Brommers. He is saying he wanted to try to win the Giro the same way he won the TdF last year: arriving under-cooked, and building into it such that by week 3 he was close to his peak. Frankly, with 2 three week tours in close succession, what other strategy is there?


----------



## Adam4868 (14 May 2018)

For once I avoided the internet and social media,avoided texts of a mate who follows cycling.Only to be early from work to watch it and remember its a rest day.....feck it !


----------



## MikeG (15 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> Froome's a pro sportsman. They're trained to say bland things to the media.........



You reckon? Or maybe professional sportsmen get asked stupid uninformed bland questions every day of the week about an extremely dull subject. Turning the pedals of a bike for 6 or 7 hours, day after day, is never going to produce insightful or interesting monologues from the participants.


----------



## mjr (15 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> You reckon? Or maybe professional sportsmen get asked stupid uninformed bland questions every day of the week about an extremely dull subject.


Actually being asked questions would be a step forwards. Ned's admitted that he often resorted to doing the equivalent of "so that was a race?" which is barely a question so the racer can say whatever they want. I guess the alternative is what I've seen at least one Eurosport interviewer do and ask them actual real questions about the events of the stage and the exhausted competitor flounder as they try to remember something they either didn't see that closely or reacted to on instinct... and maybe if they do that too often, the press officers will try to steer their team's racers away from the scary interviewer in future. It's understandable if there's a bit of a race to the bland at the moment.


----------



## smutchin (15 May 2018)

One of the things I've always liked about Cav is his ability to give an astute, interesting analysis of a race in post-race interviews. It's a shame that he should be so rare in this respect - not just in cycling but in professional sport generally.

It certainly would help if interviewers asked more interesting questions.


----------



## smutchin (15 May 2018)

Neilands and Martin off the front of the peloton with a minute gap. Surprised not to see a bigger breakaway group today though.

Even more surprising is that Chaves is over two minutes behind the peloton. No idea why. Viviani is in the same group as him.

155km to go, though, so plenty of time for it all to change.


----------



## Bollo (15 May 2018)

Hmmmmm. I've tuned in early and its an odd start. Most significantly, Chaves has dropped back from the main peloton along with a few other GC faces.


----------



## Bollo (15 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Neilands and Martin off the front of the peloton with a minute gap. Surprised not to see a bigger breakaway group today though.
> 
> Even more surprising is that Chaves is over two minutes behind the peloton. No idea why. Viviani is in the same group as him.
> 
> 155km to go, though, so plenty of time for it all to change.


Cross post! Great minds and all. I doubt this'll be a direct problem for Yates today, but it might make it more difficult for him later in the week if Chaves has cracked.


----------



## Bollo (15 May 2018)

Chaves took a fall apparently. It does look a bit greasy at the moment.


----------



## smutchin (15 May 2018)

He's losing a lot of time now. After a great first week for Mitchelton-Scott, this is suddenly not looking so good.


----------



## roadrash (15 May 2018)

Chavez suffering with a sore throat and pollen allergies

We know someone who has the answer to pollen allergies don’t we boys and girls


----------



## smutchin (15 May 2018)

Mohoric takes it - too strong for Denz in the sprint, even leading from the front. Bennett leads the chasing bunch over the line.

Bit of an odd stage that. Got to feel sorry for Chaves. Tom Dumoulin took a late offroad excursion but seems to be OK and didn't lose any time.


----------



## brommers (15 May 2018)

Clever stuff by Yates to take the intermediate sprint and gain a few seconds


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (15 May 2018)

Sam Bennett is fast becoming one of my favourite riders, both for his performances and as a person; if you are on twitter and not following him, change that as soon as you can...


----------



## brommers (16 May 2018)

Today's stage looks very interesting - second intermediate 'sprint' is a the top of a climb, similar to yesterday where Yates got bonus seconds. Also some pavé on a steep section about 5km from the finish. It could turn out to be one of this year's most exciting stages.


----------



## Adam4868 (16 May 2018)

I dont think anyone was expecting such a full on stage yesterday with it being that long.Shame for Chavez though.But being out of GC contention I guess he can commit to Yates.Question is how much time does he need going into TT ?


----------



## smutchin (16 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> I dont think anyone was expecting such a full on stage yesterday with it being that long.



It's a shame the TV coverage wasn't on from the start because it sounds like that first climb is where all the fun happened. Matt White denied that Chaves had crashed or was ill, it seems he was just caught the wrong side of a split in the peloton and several teams exploited that pretty ruthlessly, really putting the hammer down. It wasn't just the GC teams though - it was the sprint teams wanting to distance Viviani as well.

I was expecting it to be a breakaway stage, and indeed a big group went off the front very early, but because of the Chaves business, they were soon reeled in and by the time the TV coverage started, only Tony Martin and Krist Neilands were left.

Brilliant ride by Mohoric though. It was quite predictable that he would be involved in the break but not that he would be involved in the break twice in one stage. Very impressive victory.

And as @brommers says, canny riding by Yates to bag the sprint bonus seconds. He probably wants at least two minutes over Dumoulin to go into the TT with any confidence. He could get that much in one go on the Zoncolan though.


----------



## Bollo (16 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> And as @brommers says, canny riding by Yates to bag the sprint bonus seconds. He probably wants at least two minutes over Dumoulin to go into the TT with any confidence. He could get that much in one go on the Zoncolan though.


Yates' sprint was worth it as much for the PsyOps on Pinot as anything else. Pinot was probably the greater threat on the Zoncolan but he won't be confident now. Agree that, barring accidents and bad guts, Yates should find enough time on Stage 14 to make up a reasonable deficit from the TT.


----------



## smutchin (16 May 2018)

They interviewed Yates on the Cycling Podcast yesterday and he admitted he was scared of the TT. Even so, he said it in a way that sounded like he was brim-full of confidence!

He's clearly got the measure of Pinot, though it won't be so easy to control the race on the big climbs with Chaves out of the GC reckoning.


----------



## rich p (16 May 2018)

looks like the peloton is having an afternoon off until the nitty gritty finish.


----------



## smutchin (16 May 2018)

Stybar making a death-or-glory bid for a new contract next year! Wellens away with him. Looks like they've got a winning gap on the bunch with 4km to go.


----------



## smutchin (16 May 2018)

Yates on the charge!


----------



## Dave Davenport (16 May 2018)

Wow!!!


----------



## roadrash (16 May 2018)

A very well timed effort from simon yates, dumpmoulin just couldn't catch him


----------



## smutchin (16 May 2018)

Wow! What a finish! 

Wellens and Stybar caught with just over 1km to go by a rampant Yates, who doggedly held off the pursuing Dumoulin.

Formolo 3rd, Pinot and Pozzovivo in the small group just behind, Froome nowhere again.


----------



## Wixsteman (16 May 2018)

Wow that was exciting


----------



## rich p (16 May 2018)

I thought Dumoulin might have cracked but he dug as deep as Yates. Great race.


----------



## MikeG (16 May 2018)

Boy was that brave! 1500m out. I guess he had to win, because he predicted he would when he did the stage-by-stage preview for the BBC a few weeks ago!  Really seriously impressive, and that was another great day at a great race. (Couldn't we have 2 Giro's a year, and dump the TdF?  )

Yates has 2 days now just sitting in the peleton, recharging his batteries for Zoncolan, where this race will be won or lost, I think.


----------



## smutchin (16 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> I guess he had to win, because he predicted he would when he did the stage-by-stage preview for the BBC a few weeks ago!



Brilliant! I wonder if he imagined he would be winning the stage while wearing the pink jersey?


----------



## Crackle (16 May 2018)

I'm gonna have to start taking him seriously now and learn to tell the two of them apart.


----------



## brommers (16 May 2018)

Ha ha, Yates beats Dumoulin by 2 seconds? It was at least 4, maybe 5 seconds, and Mitchelton Scott should lodge a complaint.


----------



## smutchin (16 May 2018)

When was the last time two brothers both won a Grand Tour in the same year? What are the odds on it happening this year?


----------



## roadrash (16 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> I'm gonna have to start taking him seriously now and learn to tell the two of them apart.



its easy...ones called simon and the others Adam


----------



## hoopdriver (16 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> A very well timed effort from simon yates, dumpmoulin just couldn't catch him


You know, that Dumpmoulin thing wasn’t terribly witty the first time, it’s really wearisome now...


----------



## roadrash (16 May 2018)

oh dear , never mind , that's what I call him whether you find it wearisome or not


----------



## brommers (16 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> I'm gonna have to start taking him seriously now and learn to tell the two of them apart.


Adam's the one without a middle name (I googled that)


----------



## smutchin (16 May 2018)

What about Big Tommy Shitpants?


----------



## roadrash (16 May 2018)

^^^^^^I think I will use that in the PTP^^^^


----------



## Shadow (16 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> What about Big Tommy Shitpants?


ummm, too subtle for some, methinks...


----------



## themosquitoking (16 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> What about Big Tommy Shitpants?





roadrash said:


> ^^^^^^I think I will use that in the PTP^^^^





Shadow said:


> ummm, too subtle for some, methinks...


Who are we talking about here?


----------



## mjr (17 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> I'm gonna have to start taking him seriously now and learn to tell the two of them apart.


One's in Italy and the other's in California. Easy!


----------



## Beebo (17 May 2018)

brommers said:


> Ha ha, Yates beats Dumoulin by 2 seconds? It was at least 4, maybe 5 seconds, and Mitchelton Scott should lodge a complaint.


Just watched it again and Yates slowed as he celebrated to the line, so 2 seconds is about correct.


----------



## smutchin (17 May 2018)

themosquitoking said:


> Who are we talking about here?



The Poo Man of Maastricht, Major Ploppypants, pro cycling's answer to Paula Radcliffe...

That's not what you meant, is it?


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (17 May 2018)

Tomarse thinks this is all getting a little childish....


----------



## smutchin (17 May 2018)

What looked like being a full stage has suddenly got interesting - with 27km to go, it’s raining heavily and there’s been a split in the peloton.


----------



## roadrash (17 May 2018)

Have i really just heard Kirby say "you can put the party cake away because one man alone is having a fry up" whet a fekin bell end he is


----------



## smutchin (17 May 2018)

Wow! Different class from Bennett.


----------



## smutchin (17 May 2018)

Viviani got dropped about 12km out - wonder what that means for the ciclamino...


----------



## roadrash (17 May 2018)

mohoric seemed to just sit up and give in before bennet went


----------



## roadrash (17 May 2018)

wont be long before bennet joins sagan and majka on the cooker fan advert


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (17 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> Have i really just heard Kirby say "you can put the party cake away because one man alone is having a fry up" whet a fekin bell end he is


He spent ages promising us that if lightning struck near them the commentary would be the first thing to go. Empty promise.....


----------



## jongooligan (18 May 2018)

Part of Kirby's remit is obviously to convey some enthusiasm but his orgasmic ranting when SFA is happening is beginning to get on my wick.

Me & Mrs jg are having a bit of Sean Kelly Bingo. A drink every time he says 'majorly' (Mrs jg's choice) or 'torty' (my choice) as in 'thirty'. Bonus drink if he says 'torty tree'.


----------



## MikeG (18 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Wow! Different class from Bennett.



Sprinters and sprint finishes don't interest me........but none of the best sprinters are here anyway. They're obviously saving themselves for the TdF.


----------



## smutchin (18 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> none of the best sprinters are here anyway.



I reckon that’s part of what’s making it a more interesting race.


----------



## mjr (18 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Sprinters and sprint finishes don't interest me........but none of the best sprinters are here anyway. They're obviously saving themselves for the TdF.


Me neither but that was entertaining, like "WTF is no one starting a lead out? Right! I'm off!"


----------



## roadrash (18 May 2018)

Another favourite of kellys…. well, he will have done the calicilation….

another of nob ed kirbys…. he's taking in a big drink of vision.....no, he's not , he's just looking you pillock

at least sean Kelly knows what he's talking about


----------



## Dave Davenport (18 May 2018)

Is bonifications in the O.E dictionary yet?


----------



## Asa Post (18 May 2018)

Dave Davenport said:


> Is bonifications in the O.E dictionary yet?


Yes, but with a slightly different meaning:

*bonification, n.*
*Pronunciation:* /bɒnɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
*Etymology: *< French _bonification_, noun of action < _bonifier_ : see bonify v.

*†1. Amelioration, bettering; augmentation of the produce of a tax, etc. Obs.*
1789 T. Jefferson _Corr._ (1830) 460 He showed that this could be made up without a new tax, by economies and bonifications which he specified.​
*2. The paying of a bonus.*
1876 Goschen in _Daily News_ 4 Oct. 6/3 The bonification of 25 per cent. to the holders of the floating debt.​This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887).


----------



## smutchin (18 May 2018)

I think bonifications belongs more in Larousse, along with bidon, peloton, derailleur and the rest.


----------



## smutchin (18 May 2018)

mjr said:


> Me neither but that was entertaining, like "WTF is no one starting a lead out? Right! I'm off!"



He's definitely got a bit of the Sagan about him.


----------



## roadrash (18 May 2018)

bennet is stuck to Viviani like a limpet


----------



## MikeG (18 May 2018)

So, that's the pre-amble out of the way. *Tomorrow, the Zoncolan*. Sunday, another day in the mountains. We'll have a pretty good idea of the winner of the Giro by Sunday evening. Zoncolan is awesome. It's a much bigger climb than Alpe d'Huez, and much steeper than Mont Ventoux.

Pundits are saying that Yates needs at least 90 seconds over Dumoulin before the TT. Zoncolan will break some riders, and losses of minutes rather than seconds are possible. Let's see what they've got!


----------



## Beebo (19 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> So, that's the pre-amble out of the way. *Tomorrow, the Zoncolan*. Sunday, another day in the mountains. We'll have a pretty good idea of the winner of the Giro by Sunday evening. Zoncolan is awesome. It's a much bigger climb than Alpe d'Huez, and much steeper than Mont Ventoux.
> 
> Pundits are saying that Yates needs at least 90 seconds over Dumoulin before the TT. Zoncolan will break some riders, and losses of minutes rather than seconds are possible. Let's see what they've got!


You’ll enjoy this article. 

“Each rider locked in his own battle with slow death”

http://www.velonews.com/2018/05/commentary/monte-zoncolan-cyclings-hardest-climb_466442


----------



## MikeG (19 May 2018)

If Zoncolan doesn't decide this race, then the following day, with 5 categorised climbs, very well could. Those with nothing left after the biggest climb in Europe could find their challenge over.


----------



## Shadow (19 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> If Zoncolan doesn't decide this race, then the following day, with 5 categorised climbs, very well could


Indeed...but _could _is the operative word. Today will certainly shake the GC up.
However, there is then tuesday's ITT and next friday and saturday _might _make a difference too. 
This is all that makes this Giro a great race.


----------



## Adam4868 (19 May 2018)

Yates has started this Giro in such good form it will be interesting to see if he can keep it till the end ? Where as other riders possibly riding to peak in the last week.Yates would be a deserving winner,but I'd still say it favours Dumoulin at the moment.


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

Interestingly, Chaves got dropped on the small climb yesterday and finished last on the stage - a full five minutes behind the next-last rider, Mitch Docker, and 15 minutes behind Viviani.

Now, he's either very unwell or - what seems more likely - was taking it extra easy to keep his powder dry for today. Fully expect to see him dragging Yates up the Zoncolan as hard as possible until his legs explode.

A few other notable climbers took it easy yesterday as well, including Hugh Carthy and Joe Dombrowski, both finishing well behind the bunch. If those two aren't in the break today, I'll be very surprised. And Kenny Elissonde too - are Sky going to let him off the leash today in a bid to salvage their pride with a stage win?

Can't see the break winning today though - the GC battle will be too intense. Although it's tempting to take a punt... Hmmm... Is it too late to change my picks for the PTP?
(ETA: they're already 30km into the stage, approaching the first climb, so yes, probably is too late to change. No break has formed yet, but that first climb looks steep enough to encourage some attacks...)


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> Yates has started this Giro in such good form it will be interesting to see if he can keep it till the end ? Where as other riders possibly riding to peak in the last week.Yates would be a deserving winner,but I'd still say it favours Dumoulin at the moment.



The way Dumoulin was able to keep Yates in check at the Osimo finish suggests he's still got plenty in reserve. It will be very interesting to see how he copes with the Zoncolan today.


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

Pedersen and Conti making the first bids for freedom on the climb.


----------



## rich p (19 May 2018)

Jonathan Edwards chatting to the handsome and articulate Bernie Eisel in the Dolomites. 
beats juymping into a sandpit for a living.


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

Gavazzi, Barbin, Didier, Pedersen, Mosca and Conti now with nearly four minutes lead.

Can't see a stage winner in this bunch. There are more climbs to come before the big one so maybe there will be secondary breakaways.


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

rich p said:


> Jonathan Edwards chatting to the handsome and articulate Bernie Eisel in the Dolomites.
> beats juymping into a sandpit for a living.



On the uninterrupted live feed, we're now getting the joy of Kirby and Smithy doing their soundcheck. Riveting.


----------



## Beebo (19 May 2018)

I haven’t wrestled the remote control back so we are still watching the wedding


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> I haven’t wrestled the remote control back so we are still watching the wedding



I hear Amal Clooney has won the dress war. The bride's own dress is just "ok" according to the local royal correspondent.


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

jongooligan said:


> Me & Mrs jg are having a bit of Sean Kelly Bingo. A drink every time he says 'majorly' (Mrs jg's choice) or 'torty' (my choice) as in 'thirty'. Bonus drink if he says 'torty tree'.



He's just been talking at length about the size of small chainrings they have fitted for the Zoncolan. I expect you're thoroughly drunk by now.


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

Less than 20km to the start of the Passo Duron. Looks nasty...


----------



## Crackle (19 May 2018)

Back in good time for Monty Zonkolan as Brian Smith has it. Which makes it sound a bit pythonesque.


----------



## rich p (19 May 2018)

I've got to go out to some fecking cultural experience in the Brighton Festival. Record and avoid the result till later.


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

This descent looks terrifying.

Kirby is right (for once) - they really need to get the feckin camera motos out of the way.


----------



## Dave Davenport (19 May 2018)

He (Kirby) has also put me right on what the bags are called that are handed up in the feed zone, there's me thinking they were called musettes when it would seem the correct term is 'knap sack'.


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (19 May 2018)

Dave Davenport said:


> He (Kirby) has also put me right on what the bags are called that are handed up in the feed zone, there's me thinking they were called musettes when it would seem the correct term is 'knap sack'.


He also made a reference to _bouche amuses _earlier. What a headknob!


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

Aru and Formolo have gone pop with 5.8km to go. Dumoulin still hanging on. Poels looking very strong.


----------



## Bollo (19 May 2018)

Dumoulin looks relatively comfortable, but I don’t think he’ll be able to respond to any kind of attack.


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

Pinot looks like he's finding it hard to hang on to Dumoulin's wheel.

Yates is looking very comfortable. Biding his time before an attack...


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

Pozzovivo and Lopez are looking relatively untroubled so far as well.


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

Froome has a gap!

Lopez, Pozzovivo and Yates following. Pinot and Dumoulin losing time.


----------



## Crackle (19 May 2018)

Oooh.


----------



## Bollo (19 May 2018)

Froome takes off, but looks like Yates is riding to a plan.


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> looks like Yates is riding to a plan.



I was just thinking the same thing. He's riding very patiently.


----------



## Beebo (19 May 2018)

Can’t see Froome holding for the win.


----------



## Bollo (19 May 2018)

Yates needs the bonus.


----------



## Bollo (19 May 2018)

This is torture!


----------



## Beebo (19 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> Can’t see Froome holding for the win.


Well I was wrong. Well done Froome


----------



## Crackle (19 May 2018)

Ace stuff


----------



## Bollo (19 May 2018)

I make that 30+6? for the bonus gap to dumoulin? I nearly snapped the Ipad!


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

Well done, Froomey, that was a great ride. Would have been really harsh if Yates had caught him.

Dumoulin did much better than expected. Pinot did much worse - he's slipped back behind Pozzovivo on GC again.


----------



## Crackle (19 May 2018)

No one suffers like Aru


----------



## Bollo (19 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> No one suffers like Aru


Anyone having to watch Aru dies a little inside as well.


----------



## Crackle (19 May 2018)

Anyone see the bloke with the stuffed dog pursuing froomedawg? He got a swift kick from the commissaire.


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (19 May 2018)

Fabulous racing. Wanted Yates to catch Froome all the way but, credit to Froome, he pulled away at the finish.


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> Anyone see the bloke with the stuffed dog pursuing froomedawg? He got a swift kick from the commissaire.



My favourite bit was Froome shoving the T-Rex off the road - shame he didn't go tumbling down the mountainside.


----------



## smutchin (19 May 2018)

Froome leaps up to 5th on GC. If he puts in a good TT, he's on course for a podium finish.


----------



## Crackle (19 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Froome leaps up to 5th on GC. If he puts in a good TT, he's on course for a podium finish.


I think that's the best he can hope for, which would be an achievement in itself


----------



## Bollo (19 May 2018)

That was a high tension stage but it wouldn't call it a great racing spectacle. I think the problem was that the test was so tough that nearly everyone, including Yates, was more or less riding on their power meters. Apart from Froome, there weren't any sequences of attack and counter-attack that make the best mountains. If Sky are responsible for animating a stage then you know the end-times are near. Maybe missing a Bertie or Nibbles?


----------



## roadrash (19 May 2018)

Great win and confidence boost for groom. Dumpmoulin did well there I thought he would lose more than that . I was willing Pinot on to finish in front of dumoulin just for the PTP points


----------



## Milzy (19 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> Anyone see the bloke with the stuffed dog pursuing froomedawg? He got a swift kick from the commissaire.


Why is he called Froome dog though?


----------



## Crackle (19 May 2018)

Milzy said:


> Why is he called Froome dog though?


Someone gave him that nickname and it stuck.


----------



## Beebo (19 May 2018)

Milzy said:


> Why is he called Froome dog though?


I think his wife referred to him as a dog when Wiggins was treating him like a dog at TDF, the year he won.


----------



## Beebo (19 May 2018)

Milzy said:


> Why is he called Froome dog though?


I think his wife referred to him as a dog when Wiggins was treating him like a dog at TDF, the year he won.


----------



## Adam4868 (19 May 2018)

Great win by Froome today,that's got.to be some confidence boost ! Looking forward to going to the TT now


----------



## Domus (19 May 2018)

Fantastic drama from 5 Kms to the finish. I think after the TT on Tuesday all three could be within a minute of each other.


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (19 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> That was a high tension stage but it wouldn't call it a great racing spectacle. I think the problem was that the test was so tough that nearly everyone, including Yates, was more or less riding on their power meters. Apart from Froome, there weren't any sequences of attack and counter-attack that make the best mountains. If Sky are responsible for animating a stage then you know the end-times are near. Maybe missing a Bertie or Nibbles?


Talking of power meters, Pinot used Dumoulin as his power meter most of the way up Zonkers. A bad day for TP.

Yes, Bertie might have animated it a bit more but the can Yates catch Froome epic was entertaining enough in its own right for me.


----------



## MikeG (19 May 2018)

What a bloody great hill that was. My god. Some of them were using 32:34 gearing..........and if anyone calls that a granny ring, ever, you just need to show them a clip of Monte Zoncolan. Yates looked like he was out for a Sunday bimble. It looks easy for him up hills at the moment.

There's some big climbs tomorrow. Then Tuesday its the time trial, and we'll probably find Dumouline and Yates about all square after that, with Froome a minute or so back in 3rd. Thurday............flat, then a huge hill, with a summit finish. Yates could put some time into Dumoulin. Friday looks a killer, again with some big, big climbs and another uphill finish. Again, might suit Yates over Dumoulin. Saturday, there's another 3 big climbs. So, even if Dumoulin leads after the TT, it's a long way from over.


----------



## Slick (19 May 2018)

Froome was accused of using granny gears in commentary today, still quite interesting watching both him and Yates go head to head with different cadence at the end. 
I also thought Brailsford spoke well post race, crediting that victory as much to his mental strength as anything else.


----------



## Adam4868 (19 May 2018)

Who's really bothered what gearing there using.That was Froomey back to his best today.Whatever happens it looks like a great/tense final week.Dont write Froome off just yet......


----------



## Beebo (20 May 2018)

There are no extra seconds awarded for grinding up in the big ring. 
Froome always spins a low gear. I’d love to know his cadence going up that hill. 
He’s reminiscent of Paula Radcliffe, lanky and uncoordinated, but gets the job done.


----------



## User169 (20 May 2018)




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## deptfordmarmoset (20 May 2018)

DP said:


> View attachment 410118


I wonder if everyone seeing this was just waiting to see him topple off the side of the road.

(Is that Pouls leading Froome? He looks rather like a thinned out version of Geraint Thomas?)


----------



## Crackle (20 May 2018)

Froomedawg was quite gentle with the Dino, he just gently held him back. I think his lashing out at that fan once was in his mind.


----------



## Adam4868 (20 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> I find it quite interesting. I remember Lemond saying that there are climbs used now that would not be possible back in the day due the prevailing gearing fashion. Also I remember a piece by Flecha where he checked out different bikes post race. A bit of a nerdy interest, but a valid one nonetheless.


http://amp.timeinc.net/cyclingweekl...s-use-tackle-monte-zoncolan-380550?source=dam
Only that pesky Dumoulin won't tell us....


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## rich p (20 May 2018)

DP said:


> View attachment 410118


Sky don't ride Trex...
I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere, if only I could find it...


----------



## Beebo (20 May 2018)

rich p said:


> Sky don't ride Trex...
> I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere, if only I could find it...


Froome must be Dino-sore after that mammoth effort.


----------



## rich p (20 May 2018)

Another grisly day in the mountains. Can't see this breakaway sticking.


----------



## rich p (20 May 2018)

Poor old Aru. Busted flush.


----------



## roadrash (20 May 2018)

he looks ill to me


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## Bollo (20 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> Froomedawg was quite gentle with the Dino, he just gently held him back. I think his lashing out at that fan once was in his mind.


They should sent Bernard Hinault up on a moto a few minutes ahead. The Badger wailing on a T-Rex would be worth my Eurosport subscription alone.


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (20 May 2018)

rich p said:


> Poor old Aru. Busted flush.


It's as painful to watch as he's finding the riding.


----------



## rich p (20 May 2018)

Yates attacks


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## rich p (20 May 2018)

again


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## deptfordmarmoset (20 May 2018)

rich p said:


> Yates attacks


And they're back with him.

Oops, my live stream is running late!


----------



## rich p (20 May 2018)

Froome's paying for yesterday


----------



## rich p (20 May 2018)

I love watching Yates. He rides like a kid who's nicked his big brother's bike.


----------



## MikeG (20 May 2018)

Yates isn't going to die wondering, is he. I love this! Actually trying to win the race by winning stages........who'd have ever thought of doing that!!


----------



## MikeG (20 May 2018)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> ......Oops, my live stream is running late!



Mine's gone. What are you watching?


----------



## Bollo (20 May 2018)

The group chasing Yates aren’t going to work well together.


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (20 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Mine's gone. What are you watching?


It's the Eurosport one. Got a cheapish deal.


----------



## roadrash (20 May 2018)

no one wants to help dumpmoulin in that chase group which is good news for simon yates


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## smutchin (20 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> The group chasing Yates aren’t going to work well together.



Don’t know why Dumoulin is expecting any of the others to help him.


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## roadrash (20 May 2018)

dumpmoulin dropped from the chase group


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## MikeG (20 May 2018)

Damn, this is frustrating! 
How far to go for Yates?


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## Bollo (20 May 2018)

Dumoulin out the back!


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## smutchin (20 May 2018)

And they’ve dumped him!


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## roadrash (20 May 2018)

@MikeG 2.2km to go


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## Bollo (20 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> And they’ve dumped him!


And back on!


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## deptfordmarmoset (20 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Damn, this is frustrating!
> How far to go for Yates?


1km to go, 47seconds on the chasing group with Dumoulin just back into the chasers


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## roadrash (20 May 2018)

absolutely fantastic ride from yates with another stage win and another 41 seconds (if ive worked the bonus seconds out right)over dumpmoulin


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## smutchin (20 May 2018)

Great effort by Dumoulin to pull that back. 

Pinot loses out again.


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## Bollo (20 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Great effort by Dumoulin to pull that back.
> 
> Pinot loses out again.


Getting some bonus seconds after having to fight back on to group up the last climb was very impressive.


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## youngoldbloke (20 May 2018)

Absolutely Brilliant Yates


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## roadrash (20 May 2018)

yates has 2 mins 11 secs on dumpmoulin now, is that enough for the time trial, I hope so


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## Dave Davenport (20 May 2018)

2.11 might be enough to keep him in pink after the TT,


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## deptfordmarmoset (20 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> absolutely fantastic ride from yates with another stage win and another 41 seconds (if ive worked the bonus seconds out right)over dumpmoulin


2:11 over Dumoulin


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## MikeG (20 May 2018)

There's plenty of hills after the TT. Dumoulin isn't going to beat Yates up a hill.


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## BalkanExpress (20 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> Getting some bonus seconds after having to fight back on to group up the last climb was very impressive.



Very impressive , superb athlete and immense mental strength but at the same time the way he rides a race bores me to tears. Thanks goodness for Yates and his instinctive riding.


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## brommers (20 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Great effort by Dumoulin to pull that back.


?? He got stuffed again - next week , apart from the TT he will get dropped on nearly every stage. He has no chance of winning.


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## roadrash (20 May 2018)

I think that's a fair comment from @smutchin , doumoulin was dropped from the chase group but not only did he manage to get back on but then went on to finish third for bonus seconds, I would call that a great effort, I wouldn't write him off completely yet,
dumpmoulin or smutchin


----------



## smutchin (20 May 2018)

brommers said:


> ?? He got stuffed again - next week , apart from the TT he will get dropped on nearly every stage. He has no chance of winning.



Pinot, Pozzovivo, Carapaz and Lopez had the opportunity to do some damage to him today but failed miserably. They will all lose time to him in the TT.

Yates is currently in a league of his own, but it only takes one bad day to change the whole complexion of the race. I really hope he doesn’t have a bad day though!

But mostly I’m just disappointed in Pinot.


----------



## 400bhp (20 May 2018)

brommers said:


> ?? He got stuffed again - next week , apart from the TT he will get dropped on nearly every stage. He has no chance of winning.


 The 3rd week of GTs sorts out the men from the boys.

Remember the giro 2 years and Chavez....


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## rich p (21 May 2018)

It's finely balanced but advantage Yates at the moment, even with the ITT. 
Mitchelton Scott seem stronger than Sunweb which might help too.


----------



## Bollo (21 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> But mostly I’m just disappointed in Pinot.


I’ve set up a keyboard shortcut for this phrase.


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## mjr (21 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> Apart from Froome, there weren't any sequences of attack and counter-attack that make the best mountains. If Sky are responsible for animating a stage then you know the end-times are near. Maybe missing a Bertie or Nibbles?


The Cycling Podcast pointed out that Froome is now at a point in his career where few care if he finishes third or thirtieth in this race, so he is about as dangerous as a late-career Dirty Bertie in tactical terms. He may not hesitate to attack 40km from the finish if he thinks he can make it stick.


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## 400bhp (21 May 2018)

mjr said:


> The Cycling Podcast pointed out that Froome is now at a point in his career where few care if he finishes third or thirtieth in this race, so he is about as dangerous as a late-career Dirty Bertie in tactical terms. He may not hesitate to attack 40km from the finish if he thinks he can make it stick.



Utter speculation in almost every single word from the Cycling Podcast there.


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## MikeG (21 May 2018)

mjr said:


> ..........He may not hesitate to attack 40km from the finish if he thinks he can make it stick.



Well, he's never done that in his life. Why would he start now?


----------



## mjr (21 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Well, he's never done that in his life. Why would he start now?


Because he's minutes behind on a GT he wants to win?


----------



## brommers (22 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Well, he's never done that in his life. Why would he start now?


I remember Froome attacking from quite a way out in the TdF a couple of years ago with that famous descent


----------



## MikeG (22 May 2018)

brommers said:


> I remember Froome attacking from quite a way out in the TdF a couple of years ago with that famous descent



Yeah, fair comment. Although my recollection is that it was an attack my accident.............and that it wasn't from an awful long way out. Anyway, never mind all that. Today is Time Trial day. What's Dumoulin got? Has Yates improved? Can he finish within two minutes of Dumoulin? I'm going to stick my neck out and say the gap will be around a minute. Here's hoping.........


----------



## Adam4868 (22 May 2018)

I'm having a wander by the finish line in Rovereto(severely hungover !) Forecast light rain all day so should be good ? It's a pretty flat course so might be difficult to get any big time gaps ?


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

mjr said:


> He may not hesitate to attack 40km from the finish if he thinks he can make it stick.



I predict Froome will make a big solo 40km effort today.


----------



## MikeG (22 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> ........It's a pretty flat course so might be difficult to get any big time gaps ?



Just a simple back-of-the-envelope calculation should illustrate the issue. It's a 21 mile course. If one rider averages 30mph, and another one 31, the first rider will do the course in 42 minutes, and the second in 40 minutes 38 seconds. So 1 mph difference produces a gap of 1 minute 22 seconds.


----------



## Adam4868 (22 May 2018)

Nice road surface in the wet !


----------



## biking_fox (22 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Just a simple back-of-the-envelope calculation should illustrate the issue. It's a 21 mile course. If one rider averages 30mph, and another one 31, the first rider will do the course in 42 minutes, and the second in 40 minutes 38 seconds. So 1 mph difference produces a gap of 1 minute 22 seconds.



Apparently there's a tailwind, so it gets much harder to get that 1mph gap because everyone is already doing 35. 

Would make the rest of the week more exciting if D can get ahead by a little.


----------



## MikeG (22 May 2018)

Exciting? Who wants any more excitement? The finish of some of those climbs is giving me palpitations already!!


----------



## Bollo (22 May 2018)

I'm liking the mahoosive Palestinian flags at the start. A protest against the Jerusalem start?


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

User3094 said:


> Anyone know how Yates is at TT'ing? (comparative to Froome).



I don't think any of us can say for sure how good Yates will be in a 34km TT after two weeks of hard GT racing when he is defending the leader's jersey. It's the very definition of unknown territory for him.

For a one-off race like the Worlds, you'd be rash to bet against Dumoulin beating Yates by anything less than two minutes, but again it's hard to say how he will perform given how tough the race has been so far. He's been digging deep just to keep Yates within touching distance. Will that affect his performance today?

You've also got other influencing factors like Yates setting off after Dumoulin, so he'll be getting regular updates from the team on what he needs to do - will that motivate him to pull an extra 10% out of his reserves?

I wouldn't bet against Yates doing The Time Trial Of His Life today and losing less than a minute to Dumoulin. On the other hand, he could fall to pieces and lose three minutes. Who knows?


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

Here's another question: how long will it take Dumoulin to catch Pozzovivo? And could he even catch Pinot as well?


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

Tony Martin and Jos Van Emden have both gone under 30 minutes. That's ridiculously quick.


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Tony Martin and Jos Van Emden have both gone under 30 minutes. That's ridiculously quick.



Oops! Just realised I was looking at the times at the 2nd intermediate check. They're both just over 40 minutes at the finish line. That sounds much more realistic! 

Martin sitting in the big chair at the moment...


----------



## DCLane (22 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Martin sitting in the big chair at the moment...



Always nerve-wracking. My son was in the same-style chair last year for much of an event at a UK championships, right until the last 2 riders. Who both smashed his time.


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

Ulissi has just put in a fantastic time to go into third place on the current standings, ahead of Dowsett. Didn't see that one coming!

Froome is on the start ramp...


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

Dennis smashing it at the first check.


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

Very fast time from Aru - into third place for the moment.

Looks like the official timekeepers have put Ulissi a fraction behind Dowsett.


----------



## Bollo (22 May 2018)

Aru?! WTAF


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

Froome 24 seconds down at the first split.


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

Pinot is riding himself out of a podium place.


----------



## roadrash (22 May 2018)

Pinot having a nightmare...…..again


----------



## roadrash (22 May 2018)

Dennis smashes it...….


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

Bang on 40 minutes for Dennis.


----------



## roadrash (22 May 2018)

Yates couldn't sit any further forward on that saddle if he tried


----------



## mjr (22 May 2018)

What's stuck to Yates's back and how? Looks like he's got a tumble drier sheet stuck to his bum.


----------



## mjr (22 May 2018)

User3094 said:


> Radio holder?


The radio's under it too, for sure.

Does the leader's skin suit not have a radio holder? Bit odd.


----------



## roadrash (22 May 2018)

Froome made up time in the second half of the course


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

Not a bad effort by Froome - 4th fastest at the finish. Looks likely to be 5th once Dumoulin's in.


----------



## Adam4868 (22 May 2018)

Froomey !


----------



## roadrash (22 May 2018)

3rd place for dumpmoulin


----------



## roadrash (22 May 2018)

Wow, simon yates , fantastic ride and still in pink


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

Great effort by Yates. What did he lose - less than a minute? Amazing.

Well done Dennis too.


----------



## Bollo (22 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Great effort by Yates. What did he lose - less than a minute? Amazing.
> 
> Well done Dennis too.


1'15" lost I think, so the lead is now 56 seconds. A small enough gap to keep it interesting certainly.


----------



## rich p (22 May 2018)

As good as Yatesy could have hoped. Sets it up with him in the box seat and given Subweb's inferior team I'm cautiously optimistic.


----------



## MikeG (22 May 2018)

Well if you'd have offered Yates that at the start of the day he'd have snapped your hand off. He won't need to be quite so attacking now for the last week, which is a pity. It's his to lose now.


----------



## BalkanExpress (22 May 2018)

Reading about the Aru penalty I misread the chief Commissaire’s name , it seems he is Randy Shafer and not...


----------



## mjr (22 May 2018)

BalkanExpress said:


> Reading about the Aru penalty I misread the chief Commissaire’s name , it seems he is Randy Shafer and not...


Drafting the police moto while his teammate Ulissi drafted teammate Conti - all penalised, varying amounts, plus some others. Naughty naughty! Little change on GC. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/giro-ditalia-aru-penalised-20-seconds-for-drafting/


----------



## mjr (22 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> Aru?! WTAF


Good call.


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> 1'15" lost I think, so the lead is now 56 seconds. A small enough gap to keep it interesting certainly.



Those time bonuses are starting to look significant though - the gap would be less than 30 seconds without them.


----------



## Bollo (22 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Those time bonuses are starting to look significant though - the gap would be less than 30 seconds without them.


I’d forgotten about the time bonuses. Looking at the gaps now it’s unlikely Dumoulin will find help from any other teams attacking Yates. I suppose Sky might try to bully a stage to get Froome on the podium, but I doubt they’ll be able to crack Yates without dropping Froome first.


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (22 May 2018)

I managed to wrestle the remote from my grandson for 5 minutes and caught Dumoulin's arrival followed by Yates. Perfect timing for me. Yates too.


----------



## roadrash (22 May 2018)

I would expect froome to try to win a mountain stage to try for the podium, whether he can do it though is another question altogether


----------



## smutchin (22 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> mostly I’m just disappointed in Pinot


----------



## roadrash (22 May 2018)

you ,and the population of france apparently


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (22 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> you ,and the population of france apparently


Still, he descends better than he used to, it just takes him a little longer to get to the beginning of the descents...


----------



## Beebo (22 May 2018)

Yates has admitted that he will ride conservatively now, no more breakaways.
I still expect to see him go for bonus seconds where available.


----------



## Slick (22 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> Yates has admitted that he will ride conservatively now, no more breakaways.
> I still expect to see him go for bonus seconds where available.


He also said he doesn't like to ride defensively so may take an opportunity if it arises.


----------



## suzeworld (22 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> Yates couldn't sit any further forward on that saddle if he tried



Surely not right.


----------



## suzeworld (22 May 2018)

mjr said:


> The radio's under it too, for sure.
> 
> Does the leader's skin suit not have a radio holder? Bit odd.



Seem to remember Sky chuntering about the official yellow suits Froome had to wear in TdF - not a patch on their own technology!


----------



## andrew_s (22 May 2018)

Slick said:


> He also said he doesn't like to ride defensively so may take an opportunity if it arises.


So no long range attacks unless necessary then.
I don't see him refraining from last km stuff.


----------



## PpPete (22 May 2018)

andrew_s said:


> So no long range attacks unless necessary then.
> I don't see him refraining from last km stuff.



I'm wondering if we will see Sky try to do their usual thing on the big climbs in an attempt to unseat Pozzovivo from the last step of the podium.
Yates could then sit in, mark TD, and just monster the uphill finishes?

No doubt the haterz would start whingeing about a british stitch-up......


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (22 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> Yates has admitted that he will ride conservatively now, no more breakaways.
> I still expect to see him go for bonus seconds where available.


I wouldn't rule out a 4th Giro stage win for him, though.


----------



## rich p (22 May 2018)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> I wouldn't rule out a 4th Giro stage win for him, though.


I'm sure that if he feels good he'll still go for it, but wait until the last climb. or the last bit of the last climb, as @andrew_s says.
It's in his nature.


----------



## MrGrumpy (23 May 2018)

How`s Yates asthma holding out


----------



## MikeG (23 May 2018)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> I wouldn't rule out a 4th Giro stage win for him, though.



Three stages in the Alps to finish the race. The strongest climber has got to have a chance of winning one or two of them, even riding conservatively (and hell, on the last day before the parade to Rome, he doesn't need to be conservative).


----------



## MikeG (23 May 2018)

MrGrumpy said:


> How`s Yates asthma holding out



What's that got to do with anything?


----------



## cisamcgu (23 May 2018)

MrGrumpy said:


> How`s Yates asthma holding out



Well, as long as he "remembers" to declare using the drug, he should be OK, but then he was banned a few years ago for misuse of the inhaler drug Terbutaline 'cos he forgot ...


----------



## roadrash (23 May 2018)

I think it was orica greenedge doctor that "forgot"..
..
“Whilst the medication prescribed was clearly stated on the doping control test form by my team doctor, he made an administrative error by failing to apply for the necessary TUE for the use of this medication
Read more at http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/l...ing-rule-violation-234053#emhuWyRjsTAplIph.99


----------



## cisamcgu (23 May 2018)

It doesn't really matter who forgot in the end, the fact is he broke the rules, misused a performance enhancing drug and got banned...


----------



## roadrash (23 May 2018)

it probably matters to him , as he said he put his trust in the team doctor , lesson learned , but yeah you cant get away from the fact he was banned for what the U.C.I called "non intentional violation" and no im not naïve enough to believe it 100%


----------



## smutchin (23 May 2018)

cisamcgu said:


> It doesn't really matter who forgot in the end, the fact is he broke the rules, misused a performance enhancing drug and got banned...



And he accepted his guilt and served his ban without complaint, nor any attempt to invent an excuse for breaking the rules.


----------



## cisamcgu (23 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> And he accepted his guilt and served his ban without complaint, nor any attempt to invent an excuse for breaking the rules.


I am not denying that at all, and it is to his credit, but the fact remains that he is tarred with the "drug cheat" label, like so many, sadly


----------



## smutchin (23 May 2018)

cisamcgu said:


> the fact remains that he is tarred with the "drug cheat" label



That's your perception, not mine. We'd gone 32 pages of the thread before anyone felt it was worth mentioning - the racing is far more interesting than a two-year-old disciplinary case.

If anyone wants to discuss it, could they please start a separate thread rather than derail this one?


----------



## smutchin (23 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Three stages in the Alps to finish the race. The strongest climber has got to have a chance of winning one or two of them, even riding conservatively (and hell, on the last day before the parade to Rome, he doesn't need to be conservative).



I'd agree with all that.

There's been a lot of talk about how tomorrow's stage to Pratonevoso will suit Dumoulin. I'm not sure what that means. It's 15km at 7% average. I doubt he'll be able to claw back any time on Yates.

The Bardonecchia finish (stage 19) looks pure evil - last 500m is at 11.6%. That's going to be hard for Dumoulin, but then again he coped quite well with Zoncolan. Should suit Yates perfectly though - he's got to be favourite for another stage win there.

The Cervinia finish on stage 20 looks a bit more benign - the climb is long and has some steep ramps but the last 2km are much flatter (around 2%). That could help Dumoulin if he wants to attack, but again, he's unlikely to claw back a significant amount of time.


----------



## smutchin (23 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> Inrng stage 17 preview/16 review http://inrng.com/2018/05/giro-stage-17-preview-iseo/
> 
> Looks like Inrng was disappointed by Pinot
> 
> _Thibaut Pinot [...] taking the final bends around Rovereto like a tourist looking for his hotel. _



Cruel but fair.


----------



## Adam4868 (23 May 2018)

Quite fancy Aru for one of the stages ,not done much else and I'd guess he'd be peed off enough from yesterday.Had a great time in rovereto.I don't really do time trials on TV,but good to watch live.
Note to self...no matter how good the wine you still get hangovers !!


----------



## roadrash (23 May 2018)

I cant see where dumpmoulin could claw back any time at all given the terrain and the form Simon Yates is in , its his to lose barring a mechanical/crash disaster .
I do think Froome will go all out for a podium spot, though whether he manages it or not is another question .
Aru, hmmm don't know whats going on with him, I heard on Eurosport yesterday that his team have said they will continue to support him in the gc position, but he doesn't get to call the shots as to what races he enters like they have allowed him to do in the past..
I think this giro has been the best of recent years.


----------



## MikeG (23 May 2018)

Yep, I'd agree with that last sentiment. In fact, I'd say it has been the best grand tour I've seen for years.


----------



## cisamcgu (23 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> That's your perception, not mine. We'd gone 32 pages of the thread before anyone felt it was worth mentioning - the racing is far more interesting than a two-year-old disciplinary case.
> 
> If anyone wants to discuss it, could they please start a separate thread rather than derail this one?



I didn't start it , but fair enough ....


----------



## smutchin (23 May 2018)

cisamcgu said:


> I didn't start it



Noted


----------



## smutchin (23 May 2018)

Fun and games have started already on today's stage - UAE and Bora missed out on the early break so set a high pace to chase it down, which caused a split in the peloton. And it looks like Froome and Lopez have been caught the wrong side of it...


----------



## Bollo (23 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Fun and games have started already on today's stage - UAE and Bora missed out on the early break so set a high pace to chase it down, which caused a split in the peloton. And it looks like Froome and Lopez have been caught the wrong side of it...


It's all over the shop. This is almost like they've banned the race radios.


----------



## smutchin (23 May 2018)

Peloton back together again, with the break reduced to just three riders off the front (ETA: quite a few more have joined them now). Seems to have settled down a bit, but the pace is still very high.


----------



## roadrash (23 May 2018)

early finish today at this rate


----------



## roadrash (23 May 2018)

mechanical issue for Viviani just after the feedzone


----------



## Beebo (23 May 2018)

Absolutely pouring down at the finish.
Fingers crossed for a safe run in.


----------



## rich p (23 May 2018)

Viviani gets another with Bennett badly positioned . I think.
Yates will be glad to get that out of the way. Tomorrow will reveal a lot as to whether he's depleted after the ITT


----------



## Crackle (23 May 2018)

Another tough stage. I can only recall one settled stage so far.


----------



## smutchin (23 May 2018)

Viviani made that look easy. Good support from Stybar.


----------



## smutchin (24 May 2018)

Shadow said:


> (given up on Ciccone, and to a lesser extent Woods, so watch them fly like an eagle today!)



Looks like both have missed out on the break today. 12 riders currently have a gap of nearly 8 minutes. Far too soon to say if it will stick though, and the way this race has been going, you’d bet on the GC teams wanting to reel them in...


----------



## Shadow (24 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> you’d bet on the GC teams wanting to reel them in...


That's one wager I would make!


----------



## rich p (24 May 2018)

13 minutes with 93km to go.
And it's raining outside so I'm guilt free.


----------



## smutchin (24 May 2018)

Now nearly 14 minutes with 40km to go. I think we might finally have a breakaway win today!


----------



## Beebo (24 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Now nearly 14 minutes with 40km to go. I think we might finally have a breakaway win today!


Up to 15 mins now, with 26km to go, it is a certainty now.


----------



## Shadow (24 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> you’d bet on the GC teams wanting to reel them in...





Shadow said:


> That's one wager I would make!





smutchin said:


> I think we might finally have a breakaway win today!



All bets off then!


----------



## smutchin (24 May 2018)

Shadow said:


> All bets off then!



They're just starting the final climb, so how about a mini-predictor sweepstake? No prizes other than the esteem of your CC peers...

I'll go for Plaza for the stage win.


----------



## Shadow (24 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> the esteem of your CC peers


This could not be much lower...if you go by PTP standings!
Don't know anything about these guys but would not go with the Ballerina or Jos van E, Plaza is a good choice, but I'll go with Schachmann then.
Who has now disappeared off my radar (the rubbish Giro website, not tv)!

edit: how about (howling like a) Cattameeowww?


----------



## darrensmith0410 (24 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> They're just starting the final climb, so how about a mini-predictor sweepstake? No prizes other than the esteem of your CC peers...
> 
> I'll go for Plaza for the stage win.



I'll plump for Marcato


----------



## Crackle (24 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> I'll go for Plaza for the stage win.


Kiss of death, smutch


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (24 May 2018)

Ok, I'll go for Morkov.


----------



## smutchin (24 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> Kiss of death, smutch



Oops!


----------



## smutchin (24 May 2018)

That was an unexpectedly entertaining finish.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (24 May 2018)

Bugger, a day out with my PTP flair pick!


----------



## smutchin (24 May 2018)

Dumoulin drops Yates!


----------



## Bollo (24 May 2018)

Yates is going to lose 30 secs here.


----------



## Dave Davenport (24 May 2018)

Blimey! The next two days are going to be exciting!


----------



## Bollo (24 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> Yates is going to lose 30 secs here.


OK 2 seconds out.


----------



## smutchin (24 May 2018)

User3094 said:


> Where is Wout!



Gone looking for Robert Millar.


----------



## smutchin (24 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> There's been a lot of talk about how tomorrow's stage to Pratonevoso will suit Dumoulin. I'm not sure what that means. It's 15km at 7% average. I doubt he'll be able to claw back any time on Yates.



Wrong again. Doh!


----------



## Bollo (24 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Wrong again. Doh!


----------



## Bollo (24 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> So what happened? Yates lost time to whom? Just Dumoulin? Or to a bunch of GC guys?


He lost 28 seconds to Dumoulin, so only a 28 second gap now. Not enough to worry about anyone else.


----------



## smutchin (24 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> So what happened? Yates lost time to whom? Just Dumoulin? Or to a bunch of GC guys?



Froome and Pozzovivo got some time back too. The next two stages have got some seriously tough climbs so if Yates is cooked, Pozzovivo is possibly still in with a chance. Maybe Froome is in with a chance too, if he really goes for it.

Lopez gained enough time to take him above Dennis on GC but still behind Pinot. But all three are probably out of the GC reckoning now.



Dogtrousers said:


> Was Pinot disappointing?



Do you need to ask? Although to be fair, he was only a few seconds behind Yates by the time they crossed the finish line. He's well out of the reckoning for podium places now though.


----------



## Crackle (24 May 2018)

Yates looked a bit forced in the interview.

That doesn't bode well for the next few days


----------



## Beebo (24 May 2018)

It was all Froome’s fault. 
Yates looked ok and had Dumoulin covered until Froome attacked.


----------



## rich p (24 May 2018)

He had to dig very deep on the TT. Let's hope he can recover.


----------



## smutchin (24 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> It was all Froome’s fault.
> Yates looked ok and had Dumoulin covered until Froome attacked.



It was bizarre seeing Poels and Froome dragging Dumoulin away from Yates, almost as if they were his domestiques. Froome clearly still has his eyes on top spot. If he can do the same again tomorrow but drop Dumoulin as well, it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

Pozzovivo is still looking strong too, and the next two stages should suit him.

Someone mentioned 2016 upthread... Nibali was 4.43 down on Kruijswijk at the end of stage 18 that year.


----------



## Dave Davenport (24 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> It was all Froome’s fault.
> Yates looked ok and had Dumoulin covered until Froome attacked.


That's what bothers me, Froome affecting the racing with the likely(?) prospect of him getting his result annulled at some point(?) in the future.


----------



## smutchin (24 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Bugger, a day out with my PTP flair pick!



On the plus side, it won't take you long to add up the scores for the punditry tonight.


----------



## 400bhp (24 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Someone mentioned 2016 upthread... Nibali was 4.43 down on Kruijswijk at the end of stage 18 that year.



Aye-has Doumoulin got the Shark in him...Yates is cooked in my view. Finestre is the place to put him under pressure then see how it pans out.


----------



## Beebo (24 May 2018)

400bhp said:


> Aye-has Doumoulin got the Shark in him...Yates is cooked in my view. Finestre is the place to put him under pressure then see how it pans out.


I hope you’re wrong but those exertions up the mountains earlier my be coming back to bite. 

Especially as Yates has never been in this situation before.


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (24 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> I hope you’re wrong but those exertions up the mountains earlier my be coming back to bite.
> 
> Especially as Yates has never been in this situation before.


Maybe you're right and he's cooked. Or perhaps he's simply had a bad day, one bad day, and Dumoulin ate into his lead. If he's cooked then he's cooked. If he gets some form back, there's some interesting inclines ahead....


----------



## roadrash (24 May 2018)

I am hoping it was a bad day after emptying the tank jn the time trial, I guess we will find out tomorrow


----------



## themosquitoking (24 May 2018)

By not chasing in the last km today Yates has essentially given himself a second easyish day in a row letting Froome and Dumoulin waste a bit more energy then him before the next two harder days.


----------



## 400bhp (24 May 2018)

themosquitoking said:


> By not chasing in the last km today Yates has essentially given himself a second easyish day in a row letting Froome and Dumoulin waste a bit more energy then him before the next two harder days.


You don’t tire from an exertion in the last km of a stage, you tire from the cumulatiom of the day and the previous days.


----------



## Adam4868 (24 May 2018)

Only just watched todays stage,I wouldnt go so far as to say hes 'cooked' yet.Todays stage suited Dumoulin and Froome more.Maybe tactically he could have been a bit more savy ? Or maybe he thinks hes more suited to tommorow.I wouldnt write him off just yet..one things for sure Froome and co will sense weakness from Yates today and it's not over yet.Id be thinking tomorrow is all or nothing for a few of the GC contenders.Cant wait !


----------



## brommers (25 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Someone mentioned 2016 upthread... Nibali was 4.43 down on Kruijswijk at the end of stage 18 that year.


Wasn't that when Kruijswijk crashed into the icy 'wall' on the descent?


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

brommers said:


> Wasn't that when Kruijswijk crashed into the icy 'wall' on the descent?



Yep - largely down to the pressure he was under from trying to chase Nibali.


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (25 May 2018)

While it's welcome that the Giro gets a mention on the Radio 4 news, it really would help if they got the names right. Apparently Sean Yates has had his lead cut in half. Simon Kelly might have a few things to say about that....


----------



## brommers (25 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Yep - largely down to the pressure he was under from trying to chase Nibali.


And I remember Zakarin heading off into a ditch - was that the same stage @smutchin ?


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

brommers said:


> And I remember Zakarin heading off into a ditch - was that the same stage @smutchin ?



I believe it was. He was lucky not to be more seriously injured.

They were talking on the Cycling Podcast last night about how relative lack of experience is likely to play a big part for Yates today - Dumoulin and Froome know what they need to do, they've done it before, but this is new territory for Yates. Also Froome - like Nibali in 2016 - is in a position where he has nothing to lose, he's not interested in the lower steps of the podium, so he might as well go for broke. Nibali crucified everyone that day. Wonder if Froome can do something similar today?

Ciro Scognamiglio predicted on the podcast that Sky will put the hammer down in the valley road after the Sestriere descent and try to isolate Yates. That could be interesting. Whatever condition Yates himself is in, it was clear yesterday that most of his team-mates are paying the price for the work they've done in the first two weeks. He needs Nieve or Haig to stay with him to the final climb at the very least.


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

Dumoulin's options are limited today but I think the real danger comes from Pozzovivo. He looked very strong yesterday. If Sky stress the peloton and Pozzovivo climbs aboard, I can see Yates blowing.


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> Dumoulin's options are limited today but I think the real danger comes from Pozzovivo. He looked very strong yesterday. If Sky stress the peloton and Pozzovivo climbs aboard, I can see Yates blowing.


Unfortunately, Yates is the only one I can see blowing from the top four. Pozzovivo is well motivated. He made being captain for the Giro part of his contract deal, so he's going to go for it as is Froome. Dumoulin is strong but I think he'll lose time on the next two days.

It's going to be exciting, I'm off to the shops now before it all kicks off.


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> Unfortunately, Yates is the only one I can see blowing from the top four. Pozzovivo is well motivated. He made being captain for the Giro part of his contract deal, so he's going to go for it as is Froome. Dumoulin is strong but I think he'll lose time on the next two days.
> 
> It's going to be exciting, I'm off to the shops now before it all kicks off.


Getting anything nice or just some bits?


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> Getting anything nice or just some bits?


Dishwash tabs, milk, humus, and other assorted necessities, nothing exciting.


----------



## Adam4868 (25 May 2018)

As someone said sky/Froome have nothing to lose.I hope they do all out attack today.It will make for a great stage.Froome won't be bothered for a minor place.Its all or nothing I hope !


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (25 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> Dishwash tabs, milk, humus, and other assorted necessities, nothing exciting.



Get us some coffee while you're out.


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> Dishwash tabs, milk, humus, and other assorted necessities, nothing exciting.



Humus! And you say it's 'nothing exciting'! Or is the 'nothing exciting' only relating to the other unnamed items on your shopping list?


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (25 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Humus! And you say it's 'nothing exciting'! Or is the 'nothing exciting' only relating to the other unnamed items on your shopping list?


Hummus is a staple for me. Just had half a toasted panino topped with hummus and smoked salmon. The other half of the panino was Roquefort topped with hummus. And the last of my coffee.....


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Roquefort and humus is a new one on me. Sounds intriguing. Might try it.


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (25 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Roquefort and humus is a new one on me. Sounds intriguing. Might try it.


Just a little Roquefort and you end up with a rather luscious rich cream cheese. Now there's a recipe tip that you won't hear on Eurosport.


----------



## Adam4868 (25 May 2018)

Hummus and cycling.Living the dream !


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Humus! And you say it's 'nothing exciting'! Or is the 'nothing exciting' only relating to the other unnamed items on your shopping list?


I hope SPY'S had his humus.


----------



## Levo-Lon (25 May 2018)

Today will sort the men from the boy's 

The bikes look so small these days ,is it for a particular reason


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

meta lon said:


> The bikes look so small these days ,is it for a particular reason



Smaller frames are stiffer and lighter, apparently.

I once rode Elia Viviani's bike (stop me if you've heard this one before) and it was very strange - smaller frame than I would normally ride but with a stupidly long stem and seatpost to make it fit.


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> What did he think of your bike?



He said "La tua bici e molto bella!" but I don't speak Italian so I don't know what that means.


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> He said "La tua bici e molto bella!" but I don't speak Italian so I don't know what that means.


I think it means "Have you got any hummus?"


----------



## Adam4868 (25 May 2018)

Aru and Kireyenka have pulled out of Giro,


----------



## Levo-Lon (25 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Smaller frames are stiffer and lighter, apparently.
> 
> I once rode Elia Viviani's bike (stop me if you've heard this one before) and it was very strange - smaller frame than I would normally ride but with a stupidly long stem and seatpost to make it fit.



Ahh that sort of make sense.
Just watching now ,and the guy at the front looks like he's on a 10 yr olds bike !!
I guess these guys need a very stiff frame for them there hills


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

They're on the Finestre climb. Sky train going hard at the front.

There's a group about a minute up the road but it looks like they won't be allowed their fun today. Although it looks like Sanchez very much wants the Cima Coppi as a consolation prize, at least.


----------



## Shadow (25 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> it looks like Sanchez very much wants the Cima Coppi as a consolation prize


And as ally to Lopez further up the road?


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Yates off the back of the peloton!

Nieve is dragging him along but he's really struggling.


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

Yates isn't going to win this.


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

Oh no, he's blown.


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Shadow said:


> And as ally to Lopez further up the road?



Looks like Lopez is suffering too. He's also off the back of the group.

ETA: Sanchez is now trackstanding to wait for him.


----------



## Levo-Lon (25 May 2018)

Yates will be well down after this sadly


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

Gutted for him. 
2 minutes down already.


----------



## philk56 (25 May 2018)

Dumoulin looking very comfortable.


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

Pozzovivo cracking


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Bloodbath on the Finestre. Elissonde is smashing it, dragging Froome away from everyone. Pozzo out the back now. Dumoulin and Pinot just about hanging on.


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

And Froome is off and away!


----------



## Elybazza61 (25 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> There's a group about a minute up the road but it looks like they won't be allowed their fun today. .



Are you Carlton Kirby?


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

Froome appears to have ridden into fitness.


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

Fark me, Froome off with 80 to go, mad!


----------



## philk56 (25 May 2018)

Riveting stuff !


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> As someone said sky/Froome have nothing to lose.I hope they do all out attack today.It will make for a great stage.Froome won't be bothered for a minor place.Its all or nothing I hope !



Did you have a bet on that? He has gone for an 80k attack. 

Yates now at 4.30 and going backwards fast.


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Elybazza61 said:


> Are you Carlton Kirby?



I do hope not!


----------



## roadrash (25 May 2018)

6 mins back to yates


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

As if this climb wasn't steep enough, have you seen the road surface?


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

Gap going out to dumoulin, this is bleeding ace!


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Pinot is dropping Dumoulin! Allez Thibaut! #notdisappointing

ETA: might have been a bit premature with that - he is looking strong though


----------



## roadrash (25 May 2018)

And to think , yesterday some said to me "cycle racing is boring"......yeah right


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> As if this climb wasn't steep enough, have you seen the road surface?


I presume the road surface is a bit better on the decent.


----------



## roadrash (25 May 2018)

Feck me 8 mins back to yates


----------



## philk56 (25 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> And to think , yesterday some said to me "cycle racing is boring"......yeah right


and that Chris Froome is a boring rider!


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Pinot appears to be playing a canny game, sitting on Dumoulin's wheel and making him do the work.


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> I presume the road surface is a bit better on the decent.



Yes, it's all smooth tarmac, apparently. They were talking about it on the Cycling Podcast yesterday, I just didn't appreciate quite how bad it was on the way up until I saw the pictures.


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

Comedy sized asthma pump being waved at Froome


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (25 May 2018)

What a lot of spectator bikes! Very, very disappointed for Yates.


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> Comedy sized asthma pump being waved at Froome


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

This descent is going to be nail biting


----------



## roadrash (25 May 2018)

This next 60km is going to be nail biting


----------



## Levo-Lon (25 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> This next 60km is going to be nail biting



Ive already done half a thumb


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Reichenbach is back with the Dumoulin/Pinot group. He'll be useful in the chase down the valley before the final climb.


----------



## roadrash (25 May 2018)

You will be down to the knuckles by the time they hit the finish line


----------



## Twizit (25 May 2018)

That's a long old valley to be tackling on his own, but Froome appears to be lengthening his lead (having just caught up I'm on no volume iphone in office!). 

Is Froome going to have anything left for the final climb after this? Fascinating stuff at the end of a GT - best one I've watched for ages.


----------



## MikeG (25 May 2018)

Oh god, what a nightmare for Yates!

What chance has Froome of doing 80km on his own to win?


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> Feck me 8 mins back to yates


17mins now, and going up. 

Froome could be doing the ride of his life.


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

Dumoulin is either not panicking or hasn't too much more to give.


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> 17mins now, and going up.



It's painful watching the gap just getting bigger and bigger.


----------



## roadrash (25 May 2018)

im wondering has yates just blown up or is he unwell , that's a massive time gap


----------



## Thomson (25 May 2018)

Gutted I havnt got Eurosport.


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

Thomson said:


> Gutted I havnt got Eurosport.


Get the player for your phone, 30 squid, works with a Chromecast.


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

Froome is only 44 seconds off pink!


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> Dumoulin is either not panicking or hasn't too much more to give.



Looks to me like he's not panicking, measuring his effort. 

Froome may yet blow up on the final climb, so it would be daft for Dumoulin to waste all his energy on a chase with 50km still left to ride.


----------



## roadrash (25 May 2018)

why have they taken the time gap to yates off the screen


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> why have they taken the time gap to yates off the screen


He is no longer relevant to the race I presume.


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Pinot now back ahead of Pozzo on virtual GC. Yay!

Froome 10 seconds off virtual pink.


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> He is no longer relevant to the race I presume.


----------



## roadrash (25 May 2018)

Froome, is now the virtual leader on the road


----------



## Buddfox (25 May 2018)

One has to assume that Dumoulin is bringing back some time on the final climb


----------



## Milzy (25 May 2018)

Buddfox said:


> One has to assume that Dumoulin is bringing back some time on the final climb


No he won’t. 

Amazing stage. All following groups arguing now. Love it.


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

Buddfox said:


> One has to assume that Dumoulin is bringing back some time on the final climb


I'm not sure. There's plenty of opportunity for that chasing group to play silly buggers.


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Pozzovivo is going backwards.


----------



## roadrash (25 May 2018)

Buddfox said:


> One has to assume that Dumoulin is bringing back some time on the final climb[/QUOT
> 
> surely today has proved that you cant assume anything in this race


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

With hindsight any one know what odds I could have got on Froome 10 days ago?


----------



## Levo-Lon (25 May 2018)

10k left !! What a ride, amazing


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> With hindsight any one know what odds I could have got on Froome 10 days ago?


My mate stuck 2quid on at 22 to 1 a few days ago


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> My mate stuck 2quid on at 22 to 1 a few days ago


Was that before or after the Zoncolan?


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

Last week is all he said


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

Dumoulin appears in trouble


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

Dumoulin cracks!!!!!


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

Oh wow, just wow


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

Or not.


----------



## Bobby Mhor (25 May 2018)

Sunbets haven't updated their odds.. to win Giro...
View attachment 410968

screen dump 15.42  edited for better image 15.46


----------



## Buddfox (25 May 2018)

If Pinot distances Dumoulin, then I think Dumoulin will be in real trouble


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

They're all looking cooked


----------



## Buddfox (25 May 2018)

Oh - the 'Yates you can' on the road looks a bit unfortunate now


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (25 May 2018)

I hope Pinot blows up.


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

Dumoulin left on his own now. I'm not sure it's going to make much difference between him and Froome though.


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> Dumoulin left on his own now.


Or not!!!!
I don't understand anything any more.


----------



## Twizit (25 May 2018)

and back on his own again!


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> Or not!!!!
> I don't understand anything any more.


It's mad.


----------



## Twizit (25 May 2018)

Froome 22 seconds in virtual pink with 2.1km to go. This has been great.


----------



## Supersuperleeds (25 May 2018)

Someone give us an update, stuck at work!


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

Supersuperleeds said:


> Someone give us an update, stuck at work!


Froome wins, waiting on the gap to Dumoulin. Froome should be in pink by around 30+40 seconds.


----------



## Andy_R (25 May 2018)

Froome over the line 3'25" ahead of Dumoulin


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

Dumoulin is going to get jumped here


----------



## Buddfox (25 May 2018)

If Dumoulin comes fourth, the time bonuses will really hurt


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

Incredible


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> I just had a look in the Clinic. They're going bonkers.
> 
> Even more bonkers than usual I mean.


They need to take a chill-pill. Oh.


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

My rough calculations is round about 30 seconds for Froome.


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)




----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

The Pinot Disappointometer has had a big swing back in the other direction today as well.


----------



## mooseracer (25 May 2018)

Stunning, stunning ride


----------



## roadrash (25 May 2018)




----------



## Supersuperleeds (25 May 2018)

From the official site:

*Classifications Stage 19*


1.





FROOME Chris
SKY
5h 12’ 26”
2.




CARAPAZ Richard
MOV
3’ 00”
3.




PINOT Thibaut
GFC
3’ 07”
4.




LOPEZ MORENO Miguel Angel
AST
3’ 12”
5.




DUMOULIN Tom
SUN
3’ 23”
6.




REICHENBACH Sebastien
GFC
6’ 13”


----------



## Bobby Mhor (25 May 2018)

It ain't over until the tall skinny Froomedog stops pedalling...
Expected attacks but that was something else....


----------



## Supersuperleeds (25 May 2018)

Froome should be in pink by 29 seconds?


----------



## BSRU (25 May 2018)

Supersuperleeds said:


> Froome should be in pink by 29 seconds?


Apparently 40 seconds


----------



## Supersuperleeds (25 May 2018)

BSRU said:


> Apparently 40 seconds



Looks like the time gap on the official site doesn't include the time bonuses, even though it shows them before the time gap!

Froome got 13 seconds and Dumoulin 2 secs - I presume they both picked up some sprint bonuses?


----------



## philk56 (25 May 2018)

One of the most remarkable day's racing I've seen. To go solo for 80k. Will he pay for it tomorrow?


----------



## MikeG (25 May 2018)

My goodness, that has to be one of the all-time great rides in a GT. Where has he been hiding that form? Poor old Simon Yates, still out on the course somewhere.


----------



## Jimidh (25 May 2018)

That’s was an amazing stage - very little work done this afternoon..


----------



## Supersuperleeds (25 May 2018)

Aru and Kiryienka listed as DNF


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

philk56 said:


> Will he pay for it tomorrow?



This is the big question...

Pinot could still nick it!


----------



## Shadow (25 May 2018)

Supersuperleeds said:


> Aru and Kiryienka listed as DNF


They abandoned at 41k and 42k respectively.
According to rubbish Giro website.


----------



## cyberknight (25 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> My goodness, that has to be one of the all-time great rides in a GT. Where has he been hiding that form? Poor old Simon Yates, still out on the course somewhere.


They did say a few days ago he came into the giro a bit under trained with the hope he would ride into it , then he fell off before the prologue getting a good dose of road rash , lost his nerve in the wet and looks like he came good.
TBH not a big froomy fan , dunno why TUE aside as i go by the " there all pushing the rules as much as they can " but i do not deny his ability and admire him for it .
Yates ? maybe he burned to many matches early on or hasn't got it in the legs to contest a GT yet ?


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

Jeezuz that must be hard for Yates. he's still not crossed the line and Froome has done the jersey presentation.


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

philk56 said:


> One of the most remarkable day's racing I've seen. To go solo for 80k. Will he pay for it tomorrow?


In his interview with Eurosport he suggested he held a bit back for tomorrow!


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> Jeezuz that must be hard for Yates. he's still not crossed the line and Froome has done the jersey presentation.


Nowhere near the top ten on GC. 
Gutted, but hopefully he can learn something from this.


----------



## Shadow (25 May 2018)

And Pozzovivo tumbles to 6th, 8 minutes down on the Dawg.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (25 May 2018)

Well bless my soul, a final rest day TUE.

Who'd have thunk it...


----------



## cyberknight (25 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Well bless my soul, a final rest day TUE.
> 
> Who'd have thunk it...


Honest guv i need this much inhaler


----------



## MikeG (25 May 2018)

cyberknight said:


> Honest guv i need this much inhaler
> View attachment 410980



Have you got anything to say about the race?


No, thought not.


----------



## cyberknight (25 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Have you got anything to say about the race?
> 
> 
> No, thought not.


what did you actually read my earlier post ? dont jump to assumptions based on one tongue in cheek comment .


----------



## MikeG (25 May 2018)

Nope, I'm not seeing anything that suggests that was tongue-in-cheek.


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

Yates finished 38 minutes down!


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (25 May 2018)

Oh noes, it's the Thought Police...


----------



## cyberknight (25 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Nope, I'm not seeing anything that suggests that was tongue-in-cheek.


hence the smiley , seriously ? i think you need to calm down a bit .
Off to work now anyway so i shall not post but if you want to continue this pm me as i dont want to sully the forum with bickering.It was meant in jest and if you cant see that then i TBH i have better things to do .


----------



## Nomadski (25 May 2018)

Sad to see Yates burn down like that, but my god Froomedog just levelled up today. 

I was impressed he hadn't quit the giro a few days ago...


----------



## Winnershsaint (25 May 2018)

The darkest day in cycling history according to some posting on another site.


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> Yates finished 38 minutes down!



Ouch! Can't have been far off the time cut.


----------



## MikeG (25 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> Yates finished 38 minutes down!



Bloody hell!


----------



## Ian H (25 May 2018)

cyberknight said:


> Honest guv i need this much inhaler
> View attachment 410980



Ah, yes. That explains how he was so fast on the descent.


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Ben O'Connor is a DNF. I saw the aftermath of his crash but he seemed OK. I guess it was worse than it looked.


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)




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## Beebo (25 May 2018)

Froome said the gravel topped road reminds him of the roads in Kenya.


----------



## Levo-Lon (25 May 2018)

Got to say that was a spectacular display of one of the finest cycling days ive ever seen.
Go CF


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

Bet tomorrow will be shite.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (25 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> Bet tomorrow will be shite.


Yates to take 40 minutes...


----------



## Levo-Lon (25 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Ben O'Connor is a DNF. I saw the aftermath of his crash but he seemed OK. I guess it was worse than it looked.




If he'd gone over that barrier ? It would be a couple of day's before he landed  i felt queasy watching it


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Yates to take 40 minutes...


It will be interesting to see if he gets his mojo back and rides with the GC contenders as he has had a good rest today.


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## beastie (25 May 2018)

Best days racing since PR2016........best GT stagesince........?


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (25 May 2018)

beastie said:


> Best days racing since PR2016........best GT stagesince........?


Floyd Landis won in Morzine


----------



## beastie (25 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Floyd Landis won in Morzine


Hahaha..
Let's hope it's not like that. That was one of the most obvious doped rides I've ever seen. Along with Di Luca and the Chicken.


----------



## beastie (25 May 2018)

Tom Domoulin needs to ask Cadel Evans for some advice on how to save a GT by riding a committed long distance chase and not wait for help from lesser riders, he lost half that time on descents. Waiting for Pinot and Reichenbach was a waste of time.


----------



## User169 (25 May 2018)

beastie said:


> Hahaha..
> Let's hope it's not like that. That was one of the most obvious doped rides I've ever seen. Along with Di Luca and the Chicken.



Whilst I’d be surprised if it were like that, there’s a pretty decent chance that it will ultimately turn out to have been in vain.


----------



## Strathlubnaig (25 May 2018)

Enjoyed that a lot. Not even a Sky or a Froome fan, but this was a heckuva comeback, chapeau. Pleased for Pinot, he mad a good effort there too. Those two other fellers with him and Big Tom were a right pair of passengers though.


----------



## Strathlubnaig (25 May 2018)

Listening to podcasts from a day or two ago are quite amusing now.


----------



## kevin_cambs_uk (25 May 2018)

One of the best stages I have seen in a long time


----------



## Dave Davenport (25 May 2018)

I got home and switched the telly on with about 40k to go, it took me about five minutes to work out what the hell was going on.


----------



## Adam4868 (25 May 2018)

Froomey ! Best GC ride I've seen in recent times.Feel for Yates though his time will come I'm sure.Over the moon with today though !!


----------



## gavroche (25 May 2018)

Chapeau to Froome, that was a hell of a performance but has he kept some in reserve for tomorrow? Commiseration to Yates but he has a great future in front of him.


----------



## Dec66 (25 May 2018)

That was one of those moments in sport, like Beamon's long jump, or Banks's save from Pele, or Bolt running 100m in 9.58 secs, where you go: "WTF have I just seen there?"

Hopefully for the right reasons.


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Floyd Landis won in Morzine


I'll admit that the memory of Smoking' Floyd popped into my head briefly.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (25 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> I'll admit that the memory of Smoking' Floyd popped into my head briefly.


Just seen George Bennett getting interviewed after the stage and being told the outcome, and stating "Bullsh*t. Like Landis...<nervous laugh> Jeesus."


----------



## roadrash (25 May 2018)

ive just seen that on twitter...


----------



## Levo-Lon (25 May 2018)

Dec66 said:


> That was one of those moments in sport, like Beamon's long jump, or Banks's save from Pele, or Bolt running 100m in 9.58 secs, where you go: "WTF have I just seen there?"
> 
> Hopefully for the right reasons.




It was a moment in cycling history , so glad i watched it happen today


----------



## Strathlubnaig (25 May 2018)

Dec66 said:


> That was one of those moments in sport, like Beamon's long jump, or Banks's save from Pele, or Bolt running 100m in 9.58 secs, where you go: "WTF have I just seen there?"
> 
> Hopefully for the right reasons.


Hopefully not like Marradona's hand of God


----------



## Viking (25 May 2018)

This was posted on another forum



> Froome's ascent of Finestre, even will the full Sky lead out was the slowest there has been. (2005, 2011, 2015 were all faster)
> Richard Carapaz ascended the Jafferau fastest, but was almost 3 minutes slower than Santambrogio/Nibali in 2014, in appalling conditions.
> Dumoulin and Froome both 20 odd seconds slower than Carapaz



Make of that what you will.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (25 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> ive just seen that on twitter...


Quite funny


----------



## roadrash (25 May 2018)

the expression on his face is priceless


----------



## Beebo (25 May 2018)

Viking said:


> This was posted on another forum
> 
> 
> 
> Make of that what you will.


Interesting but we need to know when they ascent happened within the 3 week race. 
This was the second to last day with 80km left to go so you expect them to be slow. 

I can’t imagine Froome would be doing anything silly whilst riding under the microscope


----------



## Adam4868 (25 May 2018)

Viking said:


> This was posted on another forum
> 
> 
> 
> Make of that what you will.


Was thinking myself what a sh1t ride today,looked slow....thing is he only had to be faster than everyone else in this Giro.Not years gone by.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (25 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> I can’t imagine Froome would be doing anything silly whilst riding under the microscope



Obviously. It's not as if he nor anyone else has ever done anything like that before.


----------



## Adam4868 (25 May 2018)

Like he needed help.....


----------



## smutchin (25 May 2018)

Viking said:


> This was posted on another forum
> Make of that what you will.



Slight correction - it was 2013, not 2014, and I remember it well because Santambrogio and his team-mate 'Killer' Di Luca were totally off their heads that year. They weren't even pretending to be riding clean, it was like they really didn't care.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (25 May 2018)

Lotto Mumbo Jumbo have now tweeted this following George Bennett's response:

Disclaimer to avoid any misinterpretation: this is not an insinuation, but a way to express the admiration for an exceptional achievement. Congratulations to Chris Froome and Team Sky.


----------



## 400bhp (25 May 2018)

beastie said:


> Tom Domoulin needs to ask Cadel Evans for some advice on how to save a GT by riding a committed long distance chase and not wait for help from lesser riders, he lost half that time on descents. Waiting for Pinot and Reichenbach was a waste of time.


I agree with you. Doumoulin realised this when it was too late. But to be fair to him it was perfectly normal for him to wait. Thing was, it was an abnormal performance by Froome.

People saying they haven’t seen anything like that in the modern era but contador did that to purito in the vuelta some years ago didn’t he? The time when Bertie got really emotional afterwards.


----------



## Crackle (25 May 2018)

400bhp said:


> People saying they haven’t seen anything like that in the modern era but contador did that to purito in the vuelta some years ago didn’t he? The time when Bertie got really emotional afterwards.


He did but Beefy Bert is not someone to look to on this. Who ultimately knows, I'm willing to suspend disbelief otherwise I'd no longer watch the sport. I don't think it compares to Landis's 8 minutes or Riise's attack on Indurain or Pantani's Alp d'Huez ride or Armstrong's sensational attacks. It looked like a bunch of tired riders at the end of 3 weeks and it looked liked Dumoulin misjudged it and Froome risked everything and had some luck but who knows. It may all be academic anyhow but I still enjoyed watching it.


----------



## Bollo (25 May 2018)

I for one look forward to L’Equipe’s 16 page souvenir pullout tomorrow.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (26 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> He did but Beefy Bert is not someone to look to on this. Who ultimately knows, I'm willing to suspend disbelief otherwise I'd no longer watch the sport. I don't think it compares to Landis's 8 minutes or Riise's attack on Indurain or Pantani's Alp d'Huez ride or Armstrong's sensational attacks. It looked like a bunch of tired riders at the end of 3 weeks and it looked liked Dumoulin misjudged it and Froome risked everything and had some luck but who knows. It may all be academic anyhow but I still enjoyed watching it.


How many times have we pretended that?


----------



## Dec66 (26 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Lotto Mumbo Jumbo have now tweeted this following George Bennett's response:
> 
> Disclaimer to avoid any misinterpretation: this is not an insinuation, but a way to express the admiration for an exceptional achievement. Congratulations to Chris Froome and Team Sky.


"...the lawyers have advised us to say"


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (26 May 2018)

Today was the first time I had the chance to watch some of the race; I logged on, saw that Froome was 6 days ahead and switched off.


----------



## Adam4868 (26 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> He did but Beefy Bert is not someone to look to on this. Who ultimately knows, I'm willing to suspend disbelief otherwise I'd no longer watch the sport. I don't think it compares to Landis's 8 minutes or Riise's attack on Indurain or Pantani's Alp d'Huez ride or Armstrong's sensational attacks. It looked like a bunch of tired riders at the end of 3 weeks and it looked liked Dumoulin misjudged it and Froome risked everything and had some luck but who knows. It may all be academic anyhow but I still enjoyed watching it.


Agree with most of this exept for it being 'luck' this was a well planned stage.Sky would of planned this attack merticulously,it just took Froome to carry it out.Which he did faultlessly.If you like Froome/Sky it was the greatest ever stage win,if you dont it was just a win..... I feel for Yates who would of been a deserving winner but thats racing.Froome seemed to come into this slightly under fit and get stronger as the race has progresed.People were quick to jump on his failings in the first week and as quick to jump on his win now.I hope hes in pink in Rome !


----------



## Viking (26 May 2018)

The Guardian write-up on this stage contain this

“At times his riding looked reckless and at one stage a motorcycle had to brake suddenly to avoid knocking him off his bike but it was hugely effective.”

So there you have it. Bloody cyclists getting in the way again.


----------



## brommers (26 May 2018)




----------



## Crackle (26 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> How many times have we pretended that?


Many but I'd rather operate on a benefit of the doubt basis. Besides which sport would you have me watch. Athletics, running, tennis, footy, rugby, bowling etc..


----------



## Crackle (26 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> Agree with most of this exept for it being 'luck' this was a well planned stage.Sky would of planned this attack merticulously,it just took Froome to carry it out.Which he did faultlessly.If you like Froome/Sky it was the greatest ever stage win,if you dont it was just a win..... I feel for Yates who would of been a deserving winner but thats racing.Froome seemed to come into this slightly under fit and get stronger as the race has progresed.People were quick to jump on his failings in the first week and as quick to jump on his win now.I hope hes in pink in Rome !


The luck was in the descent, he took risks, Dumoulin didn't, then on the valley roads, Dumoulin sat in a bit and the group didn't work well together, then they began attacking each other on the final climb from early on, which favoured Froome. If that group had worked together well, he may have only gained seconds not minutes.


----------



## Adam4868 (26 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> The luck was in the descent, he took risks, Dumoulin didn't, then on the valley roads, Dumoulin sat in a bit and the group didn't work well together, then they began attacking each other on the final climb from early on, which favoured Froome. If that group had worked together well, he may have only gained seconds not minutes.


A "if only" from Dumoulin...
“On my own I can descend just as fast as Froome, but Reichenbach descends kind of like an old lady. With hindsight, that wasn’t the best idea. But it’s easy to say that afterwards


----------



## Archie (26 May 2018)

I watched yesterday's stage as live in the evening as I thought it might kick off. Wow. 

I think Doumoulin put in a good ride to control the gap after the race was in bits. Still torn on whether he made a mistake in waiting for the group on the descent of Finestre though. He got some turns from the GFJ riders but with the youngsters in the group it was never going to function well. He might set off on his own next time and TT the valley. 

Advantage Froome, but it still isn't over.


----------



## philk56 (26 May 2018)

Looking forward to watching today and apparently it's due to finish about 45 minutes earlier than previous days.


----------



## Pale Rider (26 May 2018)

In one of Froome's post stage interviews he described the the dirt roads at the top of Finestre as 'good fun'.

What struck me was the apparently genuine enthusiasm in his voice and on his face.

Froome's interviews usually strike me as being very forced, he tries hard to be pleasant and say the right thing but it's an effort.

I think that's one of the reasons why a proportion of the public don't warm to him.


----------



## Phaeton (26 May 2018)

Do they race to the finish on the Giro or is it like the Tour de France when it's over the night before & they ride in together (well most years)


----------



## roadrash (26 May 2018)

Pale Rider said:


> In one of Froome's post stage interviews he described the the dirt roads at the top of Finestre as 'good fun'.



He said the dirt roads reminded him of riding the roads in Africa.


----------



## roadrash (26 May 2018)

Phaeton said:


> Do they race to the finish on the Giro or is it like the Tour de France when it's over the night before & they ride in together (well most years)



stage 21 is normally just a procession with a sprint at the end , but who knows , it doesn't have to be


----------



## Beebo (26 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> Many but I'd rather operate on a benefit of the doubt basis. Besides which sport would you have me watch. Athletics, running, tennis, footy, rugby, bowling etc..



I’m with you, I have to believe it was real unless shown otherwise. 
And it is quite possible to make the case that Froome was relatively fresh and used the first two weeks to get fit, where as others were at their peak when the race started. 
Plus SKYs tactics were perfect, isolate everyone and then attack from so far out that no one takes it seriously. 
They also had every support member on the course to feed Froome, so it was planned to perfection. 
It could have gone horribly wrong but as mentioned up thread, it was an all or nothing plan from a world class rider with nothing to lose. 

My only reservation is the cloud hanging over the whole event. If Froome subsequently gets disqualified it will be very unsatisfactory ending for Dumoulin, or who ever gets awarded the retrospective win.


----------



## Beebo (26 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> stage 21 is normally just a procession with a sprint at the end , but who knows , it doesn't have to be


It’s a pancake flat city circuit. 
It would be impossible to ride away from the peloton, even if you wanted to. 
The sprinter teams plus Sky would keep the pace too high.


----------



## roadrash (26 May 2018)

yeah I know , I was just answering phaetons question ,


----------



## smutchin (26 May 2018)

Lest we forget, the leader's jersey changed hands on the final stage at last year's Giro - although that was a TT.

Perhaps one day the organisers will finish the race on a killer mountain stage, but there are all sorts of good reasons why they don't.


----------



## smutchin (26 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> Reichenbach descends kind of like an old lady"



Ouch!


----------



## Crackle (26 May 2018)

@Pro Tour Punditry Did you write this 

https://cyclingtips.com/2018/05/only-love-can-break-your-heart-a-lamentation-on-chris-froome/


----------



## Pale Rider (26 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> A "if only" from Dumoulin...
> “On my own I can descend just as fast as Froome, but Reichenbach descends kind of like an old lady.



Tut-tut.

Tommy should be sent to bed early with no tea and made to read the granny ring thread 10 times.


----------



## rich p (26 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> @Pro Tour Punditry Did you write this
> 
> https://cyclingtips.com/2018/05/only-love-can-break-your-heart-a-lamentation-on-chris-froome/


Bloody hell, that bloke should get some perspective!
Drama queen, (is that another 'granny ring'' phrase?


----------



## MikeG (26 May 2018)

Pale Rider said:


> In one of Froome's post stage interviews he described the the dirt roads at the top of Finestre as 'good fun'.
> 
> What struck me was the apparently genuine enthusiasm in his voice and on his face.
> 
> ...



I think it is more to do with the fact that he isn't really a Brit. He doesn't live here, never has, and he was brought up abroad. He's not an awful lot different from Zola Budd in principle. Personally, I think he seems a nice, genuine chap who is probably quite shy (hence his interviews coming across as a little forced/ unnatural).


----------



## roadrash (26 May 2018)

well that's not looking good for pinot


----------



## Crackle (26 May 2018)

Peanuts cracked...........here all day.....


----------



## roadrash (26 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> Peanuts cracked...........here all day.....



don't forget your coat


----------



## roadrash (26 May 2018)

I can imagine pinot abandoning, he looks totally broken


----------



## Dayvo (26 May 2018)

Looked like someone had fly-tipped hundreds of solar panels on the slope down from the road there.


----------



## Crackle (26 May 2018)

Pinot looks pretty ill but if he can recover on the way down, he might get back.


----------



## resal (26 May 2018)

brommers said:


> View attachment 411054
> View attachment 411055



One of the best posts on the day's stage.

I think Sky/Brailsford/Froome/Cound jumped the shark on stage 19.


----------



## Bollo (26 May 2018)

it’s kicked off!


----------



## Bollo (26 May 2018)

Froome isolated now. Dumoulin has support.


----------



## Dave Davenport (26 May 2018)

Can't see Dumoulin taking 40 seconds in the last 6km.


----------



## Bollo (26 May 2018)

Poels back on, but not sure how much he’s going to help Froome.


----------



## Dave Davenport (26 May 2018)

Game over


----------



## Bollo (26 May 2018)

Dumoulin cracked


----------



## Dave Davenport (26 May 2018)

Should be really enjoying this, but I'm not.


----------



## Bollo (26 May 2018)

Dave Davenport said:


> Should be really enjoying this, but I'm not.


Agree. Taken in isolation it’s been a great race, but it’s hard to forget the context.


----------



## Bollo (26 May 2018)

I think I just saw someone spit on Froome?!


----------



## Dave Davenport (26 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> I think I just saw someone spit on Froome?!


Yep, looked like it.


----------



## Adam4868 (26 May 2018)

Well deserved winner ! Chapeau Froomey


----------



## AndyRM (26 May 2018)

Va va Froome!


----------



## Viking (26 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> I think I just saw someone spit on Froome?!


In the incident I saw, I think Poels was in the way and might have taken the hit (taking team work a bit far)


----------



## Bollo (26 May 2018)

Viking said:


> In the incident I saw, I think Poels was in the way and might have taken the hit (taking team work a bit far)


That’s the moment. I saw Poels look across at the guy who was definitely leaning in to get close, but couldn’t say if anything else happened. I doesn’t seem to have created a diplomatic incident.


----------



## Va Va Froome (26 May 2018)

Woah. That Stage 19 was something else. Didn't see it coming at all.

Will need to catch up on today's stage.

Still, I don't feel like celebrating the 3 successive Grand Tour wins when they're just going to be deleted.

Just can't shake the impending court case.


----------



## bozmandb9 (26 May 2018)

Froome as a true champion will not let that pathetic scum spitting even enter his consciousness. There are plenty of haters out there, attention is all they seek, to vent their pathetic vitriol, because they cannot accept his victories.

Now he has proven himself beyond any possible doubt whatsoever. As the most drug tested athlete in the world, with the maximum possible attention and scrutiny, he has his finest hour. I know it won't shut up the haters and armchair experts, but they just make themselves appear more and more pathetic.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (26 May 2018)

Fun Fact for today: 

LBL had more elevation gain than all but two of this years Giro (stage 19 and stage 14)


----------



## DRM (26 May 2018)

Can’t wait to see the highlights this evening, who would have thought it possible over the previous two and a bit weeks, I do feel for Simon Yates, but chapeau froomey what a comeback!


----------



## Crackle (26 May 2018)

bozmandb9 said:


> As the most drug tested athlete in the world,


----------



## smutchin (26 May 2018)

Has Thibaut finished yet?


----------



## Crackle (26 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Has Thibaut finished yet?


He and Dennis came in with the Gruppeto


----------



## cisamcgu (26 May 2018)

I cannot get up any enthusiasm for yesterday's stage, one drug cheat loses the pink jersey to another (alleged) drug cheat.


----------



## Supersuperleeds (26 May 2018)

bozmandb9 said:


> Froome as a true champion will not let that pathetic scum spitting even enter his consciousness. There are plenty of haters out there, attention is all they seek, to vent their pathetic vitriol, because they cannot accept his victories.
> 
> Now he has proven himself beyond any possible doubt whatsoever. *As the most drug tested athlete in the world, with the maximum possible attention and scrutiny*, he has his finest hour. I know it won't shut up the haters and armchair experts, but they just make themselves appear more and more pathetic.



Even though I am a Froome fan and hope he gets found innocent, we all know that passing tests doesn't mean you are clean.


----------



## Adam4868 (26 May 2018)

There's a doping thread somewhere,yawn..........


----------



## smutchin (26 May 2018)

Va Va Froome said:


> Still, I don't feel like celebrating the 3 successive Grand Tour wins when they're just going to be deleted.



For the salbutamol thing? Not likely. He’ll only lose the Vuelta and possibly the Giro. Depends on the punishment they choose to give him, but I don’t think it can be backdated.


----------



## Bollo (26 May 2018)

This has been bugging me for a while but I’ve finally worked out who Pinot reminds me of - Canadian singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright....












In a pleasing irony, one of Rufus Wainwright’s better songs is called “Do I disappoint you?”


----------



## Phaeton (26 May 2018)

cisamcgu said:


> I cannot get up any enthusiasm for yesterday's stage, one drug cheat loses the pink jersey to another (alleged) drug cheat.


Sorry are you saying that Simon Yates & Chris Froome are drug cheats, do you have evidence of this?


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (26 May 2018)

Phaeton said:


> Sorry are you saying that Simon Yates & Chris Froome are drug cheats, do you have evidence of this?


Yates was banned for 4 months
Froome's case has yet to be heard


----------



## brommers (26 May 2018)

Yates was banned for his team not supplying the paperwork for his medication


----------



## Pale Rider (26 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> This has been bugging me for a while but I’ve finally worked out who Pinot reminds me of - Canadian singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright....
> 
> View attachment 411146
> 
> ...



Ah, so Pinot's been on the tabs - that's why he conked out today.


----------



## sleaver (26 May 2018)

Froome had helpers all along the route yesterday but he also had a team car behind him. Are riders only allowed a certain amount of support from the team car or were the helpers there also as maybe a backup plan if the car wasn’t there?


----------



## cisamcgu (26 May 2018)

Phaeton said:


> Sorry are you saying that Simon Yates & Chris Froome are drug cheats, do you have evidence of this?



Yates is a convicted drug cheat, and Froome is under investigation ... I presume that answers your question ?


----------



## Beebo (26 May 2018)

Yates lost another 48 minutes and is now 1.15hr behind Froome. 
That must be a record for 2 days.


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (26 May 2018)

Beebo said:


> Yates lost another 48 minutes and is now 1.15hr behind Froome.
> That must be a record for 2 days.


He rode with superb style for 18 stages. And then he blew up with world class style on the next 2. 18 out of 21 would be immensely promising. Shame he didn't shine on the last 18 stages instead. He looked gutted.


----------



## Adam4868 (26 May 2018)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> He rode with superb style for 18 stages. And then he blew up with world class style on the next 2. 18 out of 21 would be immensely promising. Shame he didn't shine on the last 18 stages instead. He looked gutted.


Which makes Froomes win of coming into the giro and riding yourself into fitness a masterplan.A lot.of riders were fading.just as Froome was getting going.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (26 May 2018)

Pinot has abandoned


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (26 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Pinot has abandoned


I'm disappointed.


----------



## MikeG (26 May 2018)

cisamcgu said:


> Yates is a convicted drug cheat, and Froome is under investigation ... I presume that answers your question ?



No, the word "convicted" actually has meaning. The left-armer opening the bowling for Pakistan at Lord's today is a convicted criminal and cheat, who spent a couple of years in prison for taking a bribe in a Test match. Unless you can point to a criminal trial for Yates, you are as sloppy with your language as you are with the concept of "cheat".


----------



## cisamcgu (26 May 2018)

So, if Yates is not a drug cheat, what is he ? Don't forget he was banned for taking performance enhancing drugs , which I take to be a definition of a cheat....


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (26 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> No, the word "convicted" actually has meaning. The left-armer opening the bowling for Pakistan at Lord's today is a convicted criminal and cheat, who spent a couple of years in prison for taking a bribe in a Test match. Unless you can point to a criminal trial for Yates, you are as sloppy with your language as you are with the concept of "cheat".


The term convicted does not just refer to being found guilty in a criminal court.


----------



## MikeG (26 May 2018)

Was he cheating? Was he attempting to gain advantage by doing something against the rules of the sport?

I note you tacitly accept that he hasn't been convicted of anything.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (26 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Was he cheating? Was he attempting to gain advantage by doing something against the rules of the sport?
> 
> I note you tacitly accept that he hasn't been convicted of anything.


He got banned. He was convicted in that he was found guilty of an offence in contravention of the rules.


----------



## cisamcgu (26 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> Was he cheating? Was he attempting to gain advantage by doing something against the rules of the sport?
> 
> I note you tacitly accept that he hasn't been convicted of anything.


Of course he was cheating, he was banned for taking performance enhancing drugs - if you cannot accept that that is cheating then there is little point in continuing this discussion.

I don't mind if you don't like the word convicted, banned is just as devastating


----------



## MikeG (26 May 2018)

He was suspended (not banned) for taking a drug he had every reason to think he was perfectly entitled to take, which he'd taken legally previously, and which was prescribed for him by a doctor. His team doctor admitted failing to submit the correct form, that's all. This was a clerical oversight on the behalf of someone other than Yates, and was not an attempt by Yates to gain advantage. Yes, one has to take responsibility for one's paperwork, but this was not an attempt to gain advantage or circumvent the rules, and was therefore not cheating. 

How about you take your crap to the appropriate thread?


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (26 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> How about you take your crap to the appropriate thread?


Which thread would that be?


----------



## Viking (26 May 2018)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> I'm disappointed.


I think Pinot was taken to hospital after the stage (exhaustion and respiratory problems) and I guess the medics have advised that he doesn’t start tomorrow. He did look in a very bad way when he imploded during stage 20


----------



## cisamcgu (26 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> He was suspended (not banned) for taking a drug he had every reason to think he was perfectly entitled to take, which he'd taken legally previously, and which was prescribed for him by a doctor. His team doctor admitted failing to submit the correct form, that's all. This was a clerical oversight on the behalf of someone other than Yates, and was not an attempt by Yates to gain advantage. Yes, one has to take responsibility for one's paperwork, but this was not an attempt to gain advantage or circumvent the rules, and* was therefore not cheating*.
> 
> How about you take your crap to the appropriate thread?



Well, that is your opinion, but not the opinion of the authorities, who banned him.

And no need to start being abusive


----------



## Shortandcrisp (26 May 2018)

Just been called a miserable tw*t on the BEEB website for suggesting that I thought it highly likely Chris Froome will have to serve a ban at some point!

Bye the bye, what’s the difference in practical terms between a ban and a suspension?


----------



## MikeG (26 May 2018)

One is permanent, one is temporary.


----------



## MikeG (26 May 2018)

cisamcgu said:


> ..........no need to start being abusive



No need to come into the wrong thread to chuck emotive and misleading terms around. There is a thread for this stuff. Not this one. Don't pollute a thread about a great race with off-topic bilge, and you won't find people reacting with hostility.


----------



## cisamcgu (26 May 2018)

I said nothing misleading, but I will refrain from pointing out the truth if it upsets you so much .. enjoy your self delusion ..


----------



## smutchin (26 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Pinot has abandoned



He's dead to me.


----------



## rich p (26 May 2018)

cisamcgu said:


> I said nothing misleading, but I will refrain from pointing out the truth if it upsets you so much .. enjoy your self delusion ..


_In a statement issued by the sport's governing body, said: "The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announces today that Simon Yates has been sanctioned with a period of ineligibility of four months for* a non-intentional* anti-doping rule violation committed on 12 March 2016 (i.e. Presence and Use of the specified prohibited substance Terbutaline).
_
I think you're guilty of over-egging it, calling him a drug cheat, as if to equate his non-intentional misdemeanour with the likes of Armstrong, Landis and a host of others. 
Froome hasn't been found guilty of anything yet, FYI.


----------



## rich p (26 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> He's dead to me.


Did you choose the Peanut Pinot as the punditry pick too? Useless French tosser ...


----------



## smutchin (26 May 2018)

What riles me is that we had 30-odd pages of good-natured chat about the actual race and now the thread is swamped with tiresome comments from people who have hitherto shown no interest and what's more have nothing new or interesting to add to the discussion.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (26 May 2018)

rich p said:


> Did you choose the Peanut Pinot as the punditry pick too? Useless French tosser ...


He's cost you dear in PTP jerseys and overall...


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (26 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> What riles me is that we had 30-odd pages of good-natured chat about the actual race and now the thread is swamped with tiresome comments from people who have hitherto shown no interest and what's more have nothing new or interesting to add to the discussion.


Gee, thanks.


----------



## smutchin (26 May 2018)

rich p said:


> Did you choose the Peanut Pinot as the punditry pick too? Useless French tosser ...



I really thought he was in with a chance. He showed great form in the build-up to the race but it seems he just can't sustain it for a full three weeks.


----------



## smutchin (26 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Gee, thanks.



I didn't mean you. I think you can just about pass for having shown an interest in the race.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (26 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> I didn't mean you. I think you can just about pass for having shown an interest in the race.


I only had the opportunity to watch one stage, stage 19. I switched on with 70km to go and switched off not too long after.


----------



## Adam4868 (26 May 2018)

I didn't see any negativity towards Yates until today,there wasn't even too much on Froome until he blew the race up.Not that it really bothers me as I sort of expect it.Doesnt dampen anything for me.


----------



## MikeG (26 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> He's dead to me.



I have such an extensive ignore list that half the time I have no idea what conversations are going on. One more will hardly even be noticed.


----------



## rich p (26 May 2018)

It's proved to be the best GT of the year again...

...although, to be fair, I think there may a be a flaw in that argument...


----------



## rich p (26 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> I have such an extensive ignore list that half the time I have no idea what conversations are going on. One more will hardly even be noticed.


I don't think Pinot is a member of CC yet.


----------



## Bollo (26 May 2018)

rich p said:


> I don't think Pinot is a member of CC yet.


blazed?


----------



## Crackle (26 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> blazed?


Blazed was a winner


----------



## brommers (27 May 2018)

cisamcgu said:


> Yates is a convicted drug cheat, and Froome is under investigation ... I presume that answers your question ?


No he's not


----------



## Siclo (27 May 2018)

Everything aside, hell of an entertaining race, Mitchelton -Scott with two leaders blowing up in spectacular fashion, with Yates nearly breaking Basso's record for most time lost in pink, still an incredible ride.

Never thought I'd see another Morzine, Bennet's reaction was hilarious.


----------



## smutchin (27 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> I think you're descending into pointless semantics. The press refers to it as a ban. Even Yates himself has referred to it as a ban. You may have a theory about the distinction between a ban and a suspension, but youre pretty much on your own. Common usage is that he was banned for four months.



Language is political. We all know that Yates was banned/suspended/put on gardening leave for four months, but the choice of words we use to describe that situation is not insignificant.


----------



## Adam4868 (27 May 2018)

Why now in this thread though ? It seems all of a sudden which is a shame because it was a great race.Anyway great ending for me.Got to go to it aswell which was a added bonus.(met froome tuesday morning as he was reconing TT in Rovereto ! )


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (27 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> On a slightly different, and tenuously Giro related theme, what happened to Stefan Kr[unspellable]wyk


He retired suffering from a severe vowel deficit.


----------



## Crackle (27 May 2018)

A lot of you will have seen this on Twitter but this is where Froome took the time, not including stage bonuses. From what I can see, none of his ascent times threatened any of the best times on the main climbs.


----------



## Bollo (27 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> A lot of you will have seen this on Twitter but this is where Froome took the time, not including stage bonuses. From what I can see, none of his ascent times threatened any of the best times on the main climbs.
> 
> View attachment 411267


You could make a good argument from that that Dumoulin lost the Giro on the Finestre descent. I’m not sure he could have dropped off the mountain at the same rate as Froome, but hanging around for Pinot and the rest of group was probably the wrong decision. Hopefully lesson learned and it might lead to a few more Hail Mary chase-downs in coming GTs.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (27 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> Why now in this thread though ? It seems all of a sudden...



Why are we discussing Yates and Froome? In a thread about a race which Yates led for a long while and which Froome is leading? And both of whom have failed drugs tests.


----------



## smutchin (27 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> On a slightly different, and tenuously Giro related theme, what happened to Stefan Kr[unspellable]wyk



ISTR he’s skipped the Giro to do the Tour this year. 

He did quite well at the Tour de Romandie a few weeks ago.


----------



## Adam4868 (27 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Why are we discussing Yates and Froome? In a thread about a race which Yates led for a long while and which Froome is leading? And both of whom have failed drugs tests.


But do you think it would be about "doping" if it was Yates who won ? Would it have been the same questions asked ? Like I said I enjoyed the race,it was brutal and in the end it was won by Froome like it or not.We all knew Froome was in it right or wrong and my point is none of this negativity started until he showed his colours so to speak.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (27 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> But do you think it would be about "doping" if it was Yates who won ? Would it have been the same questions asked ? Like I said I enjoyed the race,it was brutal and in the end it was won by Froome like it or not.We all knew Froome was in it right or wrong and my point is none of this negativity started until he showed his colours so to speak.


I suppose it was his choice to race, and there is a degree of inevitability that discussions will focus on doping where the winner of the race has proved positive for a banned substance in amounts well in excess of permitted levels, and in circumstances where his defence appears to be "I was a bit out of breath"

edit - he also seemed to be "a bit out of breath" before the final rest day, and then had a "miracle ride"...


----------



## smutchin (27 May 2018)

Daniel Friebe mentioned on last night’s podcast that the Giro result will stand regardless of the outcome of Froome’s salbutamol case. He seemed to think this was definitive but I don’t recall hearing/reading any announcement to that effect.


----------



## smutchin (27 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> there is a degree of inevitability that discussions will focus on doping



Fair enough, but there are sone who never visit the pro racing section of the forum except to make snarky comments about doping, and it’s always the same tired old crap we’ve heard a million times before. I wouldn’t mind if they actually wanted to engage in the discussion but they don’t, they just want to be smart arses.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (27 May 2018)

MikeG said:


> How about you take your crap to the appropriate thread?





Adam4868 said:


> Why now in this thread though ?



OK, I'm still waiting to find out what thread would be more appropriate...



Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Which thread would that be?



Warning - it's a trap.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (27 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Fair enough, but there are sone who never visit the pro racing section of the forum except to make snarky comments about doping, and it’s always the same tired old crap we’ve heard a million times before. I wouldn’t mind if they actually wanted to engage in the discussion but they don’t, they just want to be smart arses.


Fair enough, I am glad I'm a regular pro race contributor as well as a smart arse


----------



## Adam4868 (27 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Fair enough, I am glad I'm a regular pro race contributor as well as a smart arse


Lol I take being a smart arse as a compliment !
Doping git thread ? Enjoy Rome.....your work is greatly appreciated !


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (27 May 2018)

It doesn't look like they've managed to finish that stadium in time for the race...


----------



## PpPete (27 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> It doesn't look like they've managed to finish that stadium in time for the race...


Thief !
My sister made that comment when we visited in 1967 (or so our parents tell us)


----------



## Bobby Mhor (27 May 2018)

I just caught a glance at the Edwards, Kelly, Smith talk at the start of Eurosport coverage, Brian Smith nudging Kelly, was he dozing?


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (27 May 2018)

No point watching if they're just going to p*ss about until 2 laps top go. Might go for a beer...


----------



## sleaver (27 May 2018)

I get the feeling it will be back in Milan next year


----------



## Levo-Lon (27 May 2018)

Its all gone a bit weird ?
Nice seeing Rome, the sprinters can have their fun now it appears


----------



## roadrash (27 May 2018)

and the racing starts...…..


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (27 May 2018)

[QUOTE 5258343, member: 43827"]If the investigation finds him guilty he is guilty. Until then he is not, despite the views of the experts in medicine and professional racing on this forum. It is all opinion, prejudice and bollux until it is not.[/QUOTE]
He has failed the test. That's not bollix, that's a fact.


----------



## Pro Tour Punditry (27 May 2018)

[QUOTE 5258355, member: 43827"]That is not exactly what the investigation is about is it? It's about reasons for failing the test, and could they provide a valid and acceptable excuse. The rules are the rules until they are tested and possibly changed.

If it was straightforward it would have been finalised by now, as I am sure the UCI do not want it dragging on with the attendant bad publicity. Perhaps the members of the investigating committee need to read this forum for expert advice.[/QUOTE]
The test was failed; Froome seems to be taking quite a while to provide anything of a defence.


----------



## Bollo (27 May 2018)

The Grauniad is reporting that the riders were unhappy with the transfer and the state of the course, so the organisers have neutralised it to avoid anything nasty affecting the GC. Only the sprint and strong hair left to fight for.


----------



## Shadow (27 May 2018)

Is anyone sensible watching this?
The rubbish Giro site (have I mentioned this before?!) shows 8k to go, 4 leaders, pursers at 0.00", peloton 7'+ behind.
Now 6k to go, pursuers now at 10", peloton nearly 8' behind.


----------



## Crackle (27 May 2018)

I'm not sure I count but....


2.6 to go, peloton at 10 50


----------



## roadrash (27 May 2018)

bennet gets his third stage win,


----------



## smutchin (27 May 2018)

Poor Bonifazio! Shoved off the wheel of his lead out man by three Quick Step riders and Sam Bennett!


----------



## rich p (27 May 2018)

Rubbish stage but nice for Sam Bennett!!!!


----------



## smutchin (27 May 2018)

On the slow-mo replay it looks like Viviani’s back wheel was losing traction in the sprint and bouncing around all over the place. Wonder if that has any bearing on the outcome? Couldn’t see if Bennett’s wheel was doing the same.


----------



## rich p (27 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Poor Bonifazio! Shoved off the wheel of his lead out man by three Quick Step riders and Sam Bennett!


I think he got shouldered by Drucker as well!


----------



## roadrash (27 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> On the slow-mo replay it looks like Viviani’s back wheel was losing traction in the sprint and bouncing around all over the place. Wonder if that has any bearing on the outcome? Couldn’t see if Bennett’s wheel was doing the same.



It was a horrible surface for a sprint


----------



## Levo-Lon (27 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> On the slow-mo replay it looks like Viviani’s back wheel was losing traction in the sprint and bouncing around all over the place. Wonder if that has any bearing on the outcome? Couldn’t see if Bennett’s wheel was doing the same.



That's how it looked to me


----------



## smutchin (27 May 2018)

Nico Portal filming the ride in on his phone while driving. The twat.


----------



## Bollo (27 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> On the slow-mo replay it looks like Viviani’s back wheel was losing traction in the sprint and bouncing around all over the place. Wonder if that has any bearing on the outcome? Couldn’t see if Bennett’s wheel was doing the same.


They’ve just shown the head-on shot of Viviani’s sprint. It looked like his bike was fish-tailing!


----------



## deptfordmarmoset (27 May 2018)

meta lon said:


> That's how it looked to me


I'm not sure whether he'd lost traction or whether it was just that his riding was incredibly ragged. By the time Bennett equalled him for speed he was already spent and he sat up for the last few metres. Pleased for Bennett.


----------



## Levo-Lon (27 May 2018)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> I'm not sure whether he'd lost traction or whether it was just that his riding was incredibly ragged. By the time Bennett equalled him for speed he was already spent and he sat up for the last few metres. Pleased for Bennett.



He was ragging it ,rear was snaking like a moto gp bike!!
But as you say great for Bennett


----------



## Bollo (27 May 2018)

I’m just watching the slightly weird presentation ceremony. It crossed my mind that Lappartient should come out followed by a WADA test team. It’d be like when Joe Pesci is about to get ‘made’ in Goodfellas.


----------



## Levo-Lon (27 May 2018)

Well done CF , great result and a brilliant few days


----------



## Crackle (27 May 2018)

Twiddles thumbs for a week.....


----------



## Bollo (27 May 2018)

[QUOTE 5258529, member: 43827"] Which is what much of this thread is.[/QUOTE]
Huh?!


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## Crackle (27 May 2018)

[QUOTE 5258529, member: 43827"]Do we know. Until the investigation, to which Froome and his team are answerable, is completed all that is conjecture. Which is what much of this thread is.[/QUOTE]
Oh Queasy, if you're tired of argumentative speculation, you're tired of CC. I look forward to seeing you anonimised in the near future!


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## Tin Pot (27 May 2018)

Wow.

Just watched stage 19 and 20 highlights - now I want stage 19 in full!

Well done Froome & Team Sky!


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## roadrash (27 May 2018)

[QUOTE 5258529, member: 43827"]all that is conjecture. Which is what much of this thread is.[/QUOTE]


actually, most of this thread, up until approx. page 45, are about the racing


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## rich p (27 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> Twiddles thumbs for a week.....


A week?
You do that all the time...


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## rich p (27 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> The test was failed; Froome seems to be taking quite a while to provide anything of a defence.


It takes time to train a Dawg to chew his homework.


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## Crackle (27 May 2018)

rich p said:


> A week?
> You do that all the time...


Twiddles thumbs faster......happy?


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## smutchin (27 May 2018)

roadrash said:


> actually, most of this thread, up until approx. page 45, are about the racing



Pure conjecture from back before the race had even started:


smutchin said:


> I find myself half hoping Froome has to withdraw early - not because I dislike him but because it would allow the discussion to focus on the race itself rather than get distracted by side issues.


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## rich p (27 May 2018)

I'm feeling a bit like Pinot after all that punditry. I may check in to a clinic (no, not that one) for some rehydration therapy. I breathe a sigh of relief on the rest days !
Great race but undoubtedly a shadow due to to the unresolved Froome case. Sadly, otherwise it would have been even better.


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## Tin Pot (27 May 2018)

[QUOTE 5258625, member: 43827"]How does one get any more anonymised than on an internet forum where we use pseudonyms?[/QUOTE]

Go online via a no-name ISP, use a VPN, procure a service that posts on forums on your behalf.

It’s very simple to do.


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## smutchin (27 May 2018)

rich p said:


> I may check in to a clinic (no, not that one) for some rehydration therapy.



Any excuse for a pint!


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## rich p (27 May 2018)

Tin Pot said:


> Go online via a no-name ISP, use a VPN, procure a service that posts on forums on your behalf.
> 
> It’s very simple to do.


YFW?


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## rich p (27 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> Any excuse for a pint!


Oh, go on then. It's your round.


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## Bollo (27 May 2018)

rich p said:


> Oh, go on then. It's your round.


Someone tell Shaun! Rich p's account has been hacked by MacB!


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## Pro Tour Punditry (28 May 2018)

That pesky Philippa York has joined in the "opinion, prejudice and bollux":
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features...me-and-trying-to-understand-the-unbelievable/


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## roadrash (28 May 2018)

Don't you just love the way that she tells us exactly what was meant by sean kellys "unbelievable" comment , I would think Kelly himself would be in the best position to say exactly what he meant, not Philippa York.


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## Phaeton (28 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> That pesky Philippa York has joined in the "opinion, prejudice and bollux":
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/features...me-and-trying-to-understand-the-unbelievable/


Not really sure what I read into that other than I think it must have been proof read by their legal team before posting it, it's seems a bit close to saying that she doesn't believe that Froome's win was au natural.


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## smutchin (28 May 2018)

It's pretty clear to me that it means a fat lot of nothing. 'Unbelievable' (like 'prepared') is a term that comes with a lot of baggage in the context of cycling, and Kelly is no doubt aware of that, but equally it may just have been a slip of the tongue.

Froome's ride to Bardonecchia bore a superficial resemblance to Floyd's ride to Morzine, there's no question about that, but I want to see some serious number crunching before drawing any conclusions.

I prefer Fotheringham's more measured take on it:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...-victory-questions-adverse-analytical-finding

I don't always agree with Fotheringham but I do on this.

Although one interesting fact that he fails to mention is that George Bennett was prevented from riding in the 2015 Giro due to low cortisol levels and that led to his team's withdrawal from the MPCC.


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## Pale Rider (28 May 2018)

Surely the evidence, such as it is, points to Froome's ride that day being straight.

Dumoulin made the mistake of waiting for someone who descends like his grandma, and Froome's time on the Finestre climb has been bettered several times in the past.

There is a possibility York is a sour and envious ex-pro who is embittered by being an ordinary performer, but mostly by missing out on the big bucks the top riders get these days.


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## hoopdriver (28 May 2018)

Bitterness certainly shone through in that article which amounted to little more than a catty swipe, offering no facts to back up her insinuations Just a smug nudge-and-wink takedown that revealed far more about her than about Froome, Sky, the Giro or the stage.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (28 May 2018)

Pale Rider said:


> There is a possibility York is a sour and envious ex-pro who is embittered by being an* ordinary performer*, but mostly by missing out on the big bucks the top riders get these days.



Hardly.


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## PpPete (28 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> I wouldn't rely on Kelly to be making subtle implications through careful choice of words. This is a man who can't differentiate between Mitchelton and Michelin.


Nor between turd and the one who come in between second and fourth.


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## deptfordmarmoset (28 May 2018)

Missing afternoon cycling courtesy Eurosport so much I even went out for a ride. No drugs involved and the 2 beers afterwards were covered by a Thirst Urgent Supplement exemption.


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## Bollo (28 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> I wouldn't rely on Kelly to be making subtle implications through careful choice of words. This is a man who can't differentiate between Mitchelton and Michelin.


It's all about the pelotone (rhymes with bone, phone etc) in our house. For all the pish-taking, Kelly's commentary has grown on me a bit recently.


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## Adam4868 (28 May 2018)

Tell you what you lot,I don't mind a bit of banter about Froomey,but your crossing a line with king Kelly ! Come round our house and take the pish out of a oirish accent and you'll have Mrs Adam to deal with !


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## brommers (29 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> I wouldn't rely on Kelly to be making subtle implications through careful choice of words. This is a man who can't differentiate between Mitchelton and Michelin.


At least he doesn't have the Orica v Ulrika problem any more.


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## PaulB (29 May 2018)

I can't listen to Shaun Kelly without wanting to confess my sins.


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## hoopdriver (29 May 2018)

I have no sins


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## Crackle (29 May 2018)

I don't know what to think of that article besides the fact that it's inevitable. I like York but she does see things through the prism of the period she was riding in and in the back of my mind is always her own positive for testosterone, I think riders of her generation find it difficult not to be suspicious, as do we all, I guess.


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## hoopdriver (29 May 2018)

Well if she was going to offer expert opinion and analysis she might have started by breaking down the actual ride and discussing it rather than blowing a lot of smoke about it's being 'unbelievable' - and even there quoting others. She might have discussed the pace Froome made on the various ascents - which were apparently quick but by no means record setting - and his gaining much of his time on those manic descents. Where does that fit in with 'unbelievable' - maybe it does, who knows, but she certainly doesn't address any of these facts about the ride. Nada. She merely repeats the usual insinuations and offers absolutely nothing more - not a thing. The article could have been written by just about anybody on CC or the cricket writer on the Guardian. It is meaningless whichever view you have of Froome/Sky/or the stage


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## deptfordmarmoset (29 May 2018)

hoopdriver said:


> Well if she was going to offer expert opinion and analysis she might have started by breaking down the actual ride and discussing it rather than blowing a lot of smoke about it's being 'unbelievable' - and even there quoting others. She might have discussed the pace Froome made on the various ascents - which were apparently quick but by no means record setting - and his gaining much of his time on those manic descents. Where does that fit in with 'unbelievable' - maybe it does, who knows, but she certainly doesn't address any of these facts about the ride. Nada. She merely repeats the usual insinuations and offers absolutely nothing more - not a thing. The article could have been written by just about anybody on CC or the cricket writer on the Guardian. It is meaningless whichever view you have of Froome/Sky/or the stage


Yes, it would be good if Froome's descending were now recognised as being really top notch. When he goes for it, he really goes for it. Add in that Dumoulin appeared to back off the pace when he'd dropped Pinot on the way up the Colle delle Finestre so that he could ride in a group. A group that was to slow his descent and one that was always only going to let him do the bulk of the pacework and leave him on the final climb as soon as the opportunity presented itself.


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## smutchin (29 May 2018)

Velon have published selected data from Froome's stage 19 ride. Apparently, he was putting out 397 watts during his attack on the Colle delle Finestre, compared to the 395 watts of Dumoulin, which they published a few days ago...
https://www.velon.cc/en/news/2018/05/why-397-is-chris-froome-s-winning-giro-d-italia-number

That translates to around 5.6w/kg, according to one report I've read, which puts it within the realms of 'believable' performance.

It's far from being the full story but it's an interesting insight.


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## rich p (29 May 2018)

To be honest, I've thought for years that Robert Millar and Philippa York both write glib trivial articles with little fact or science to back them up.
Just because you were a decent cyclist doesn't confer a right to insightful analysis...

...see Ian Botham and Alan Shearer for other sports' equivalents


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## rich p (29 May 2018)

p.s. Where's Kimmage these days?


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## Adam4868 (29 May 2018)

So after everything we now know absolutely nothing more about Froome other than he's a ''unbelievable" cyclist.I very much doubt that Kelly using the word unbelievable insinuates Froome cheating ! I read something else earlier with Hinault coming to similar conclusions.Plenty of opinions I'll give them that,thank feck social media wasn't around in their era.......


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## roadrash (29 May 2018)

If you think its bad now with all the so called experts spouting crap , just imagine how much worse it will be once the ongoing inhaler saga comes to a close


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## Adam4868 (29 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> Lappartient has said that there's a less than 50% chance of it getting sorted before the Tour.
> 
> Actually I think things will be much better once it's resolved.


Especially Froome who seems confident enough he will be exonerated.


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## Dave Davenport (29 May 2018)

[QUOTE 5260695, member: 43827"]Having no definitive views on Froome's culpability for deliberately breaking the rules, one way or the other, I do find it extremely disappointing that this investigation is dragging on so long, allowing the rumour mill to grind on to the detriment of the actual racing.[/QUOTE]
Yep, it rather spoilt what would otherwise have been an outstanding Giro for me and could well do the same for the TdF.


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## rich p (29 May 2018)

Dave Davenport said:


> Yep, it rather spoilt what would otherwise have been an outstanding Giro for me and could well do the same for the TdF.


Given the behaviour of TDF fans before, I'm hoping for the best but expectorating the worst...


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## Bollo (30 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> Le Blaireau is unimpressed
> 
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hin...have-started-the-giro-he-should-be-suspended/


Aye, I saw that last night and thought about linking, but in the end he's not really saying anything that hasn't been raked over by every other ex-pro/commentator/internet gobshite. Given similar circumstances, I couldn't see Hinault going "Fair cop guv'nor, I'll do my temps...".


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## hoopdriver (30 May 2018)

What it boils down to is that he doesn't care to share his lofty pedestal with anybody except Merckx - that the Golden Age began and ended with them, is now forever sealed in amber, never to be disturbed.


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## Bollo (30 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> If you want to call Hinault a gobshite to his face, be my guest
> 
> It's not something I'd feel inclined to do.


He'd respect me for it . 

Flying off topic, but a couple of years ago a mate of mine met Hinault while he was on holiday in Brittany close to the Badger's home town. Hinault was guest of honour at a town fair and Jim, a big cycling fan and sometime memorabilia collector, risked asking him for an autograph. Hinault couldn't have been nicer by all accounts and was probably flattered to be recognised by some random English guy. But you're probably right about the gobshite thing.


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## Crackle (30 May 2018)

Bollo said:


> He'd respect me for it .
> 
> Flying off topic, but a couple of years ago a mate of mine met Hinault while he was on holiday in Brittany close to the Badger's home town. Hinault was guest of honour at a town fair and Jim, a big cycling fan and sometime memorabilia collector, risked asking him for an autograph. Hinault couldn't have been nicer by all accounts and was probably flattered to be recognised by some random English guy. But you're probably right about the gobshite thing.


I couldn't see anyone in a giant dinosaur suit or carrying a giant inhaler running next to Hinault for very long. Soup through a straw for a few weeks would be the result.


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## Crackle (30 May 2018)

And here's a contemporary view from the pro peloton

https://cyclingtips.com/2018/05/the-secret-pro-an-insiders-view-on-chris-froomes-crazy-giro-attack/

_I would like to defend Froome on one thing, though. It’s a big thing, too. I want to defend his ride on Stage 19.

People called it Landis-esque, harkening back to that crazy ride Floyd put in at the 2006 Tour de France. Of course, he was popped shortly after, so the implication drawn by that comparison is pretty clear. But there are several key differences between Floyd’s ride and Froome’s ride. Fundamentally, I’m arguing that these differences are what tip Landis’ ride into unbelievable territory, and make Froome’s ride somewhat more believable._


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## Adam4868 (30 May 2018)

On a slightly different note from the pantomime of Froome,does anyone know what happened to Aru ? I had a feeling he spat his dummy out.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (30 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> Le Blaireau is unimpressed
> 
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hin...have-started-the-giro-he-should-be-suspended/


Another bitter average rider


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## Adam4868 (30 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> He's going through an "abnormal period" apparently
> http://sport360.com/article/other/c...iod-of-his-career-as-he-abandons-giro-ditalia


I feel a ''abnormal' team change coming.....


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## deptfordmarmoset (30 May 2018)

Crackle said:


> And here's a contemporary view from the pro peloton
> 
> https://cyclingtips.com/2018/05/the-secret-pro-an-insiders-view-on-chris-froomes-crazy-giro-attack/
> 
> ...


I agree with all the Giro stuff in that article.


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## Adam4868 (30 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> I missed the weekend stages as I was out riding my bike or otherwise busy.
> 
> Chapeau to Yates for staying the course and coming in 21st, despite obviously falling to bits. I thought he might abandon as he might have been doing himself some physical damage pressing on. I was wondering if he had garnered enough stage wins and days in pink to decorate his palmares.
> 
> And Chapeau to me for a plucky second place in the CC velogames league.


Feck the velogames,it's second tier ! Pro tour punditry is where it's at.Theres no room for runners up here.If you need any tips/help don't be afraid to ask......
#gloatinginglory


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## cisamcgu (30 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> Feck the velogames,it's second tier ! Pro tour punditry is where it's at.Theres no room for runners up here.If you need any tips/help don't be afraid to ask......
> #gloatinginglory



I hope someone else understand this, for I certainly don't


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## Bollo (30 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Another bitter average rider


He speaks very highly of you.


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## smutchin (30 May 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> I was wondering if he had garnered enough stage wins and days in pink to decorate his palmares.



By any normal measure, he had a fantastic race. It's only a disappointment because it looked for a while like he might be in contention for overall victory. Better to go out in a blaze of glory than ride _à la Zubeldia_.


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## rich p (30 May 2018)

smutchin said:


> _à la Zubeldia_.




I like Tom Dumoulin, he comes across as a grounded, amusing bloke but he doesn't exactly animate races, does he?


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## Adam4868 (30 May 2018)

rich p said:


> I like Tom Dumoulin, he comes across as a grounded, amusing bloke but he doesn't exactly animate races, does he?


Been known to throw the odd hissy fit !


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## smutchin (30 May 2018)

I can't take credit for that gag, by the way - it's a term they use on the Cycling Podcast. I don't think you can apply it to Dumoulin because he has actually won races, but there are plenty of other candidates - George Bennett springs to mind, although to be fair he did win the Tour of California last year.


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## gavroche (30 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Another bitter average rider


Sorry if I misread your post but are you calling Hinault an average rider?


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## hoopdriver (30 May 2018)

I suppose he would be now at the age of 63, but it would be drawing a rather long bow to describe him as such circa 1985....


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## ColinJ (30 May 2018)

gavroche said:


> Sorry if I misread your post but are you calling Hinault an average rider?


It is called sarcasm!


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## Pro Tour Punditry (30 May 2018)

gavroche said:


> Sorry if I misread your post but are you calling Hinault an average rider?


Wot they sed


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## Pale Rider (30 May 2018)

Pro Tour Punditry said:


> Another bitter average rider



There is no comparison between York and Hinault.

York won one race anyone's ever heard of, Hinault won grand tours.

None of which prevents either having their say, but you do need to be very cautious when assessing the opinions of ex-professional sportsmen.

There's usually an axe, if not several axes, grinding away in the background.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (30 May 2018)

Pale Rider said:


> York won one race anyone's ever heard of...


That being?

And there's more to being successful than winning stuff that people (and by that I presume you mean the new breed of golfers/cyclists or the masses of plebs who think cycle racing takes place during 3 weeks in summer in France each year) have heard of.

If you think York was "average" then fair enough, but the impact of her wins was significant. And her views, in my opinion, have always been worth paying attention to.


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## roadrash (30 May 2018)

Even the new breed of golfer/cyclists /anyone who thinks as mentioned in @Pro Tour Punditry post above, cant escape the fact that in 1984 tour de france, York , or miller as was then, became the first british cyclist to win a major tour classification, king of the mountains.


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## Adam4868 (31 May 2018)

Nothing much new but I liked the bit about Froome being 'fat' !
https://rouleur.cc/editorial/inside...ght-in-pain-and-thinking-about-quitting-giro/


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## ColinJ (31 May 2018)

Adam4868 said:


> Nothing much new but I liked the bit about Froome being 'fat' !
> https://rouleur.cc/editorial/inside...ght-in-pain-and-thinking-about-quitting-giro/


That would be fat relative to his best racing weight, not fat relative to _us_! 

I thought it was interesting to read that if '10' represented 'agony' then after his crashes he was sometimes at '9' - I thought it was more a '5' or '6'.


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## Seevio (7 Jun 2018)

BBC had an article on stage 19 which I found quite interesting.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/44372328
There's a link on that page to download the full interview with Dave Brailsford.


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## DCLane (7 Jun 2018)

I've just read it - the planning involved helped things to work together with the opposition not expecting anything until the final climb.


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## Seevio (7 Jun 2018)

I've just listened to the interview with DB so you don't have to. It's reasonably interesting but doesn't really add anything to the written article.


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## Slaav (14 Jun 2018)

Does anybody know of a good (long enough) summary of the Giro from this year? A round up if you like? Thx


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## Bollo (14 Jun 2018)

Slaav said:


> Does anybody know of a good (long enough) summary of the Giro from this year? A round up if you like? Thx


The INRNG “The moment when...” is probably as comprehensive as you’ll need.

http://inrng.com/2018/05/the-moment-the-2018-giro-was-won/


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## Slaav (15 Jun 2018)

Bollo said:


> The INRNG “The moment when...” is probably as comprehensive as you’ll need.
> 
> http://inrng.com/2018/05/the-moment-the-2018-giro-was-won/


Thx


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## smutchin (4 Jul 2018)

Sky have released some details of Froome's training, diet and power numbers from the Giro. Interesting reading - especially the analysis from Dr Hutch:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/44694122


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