Giro d'Italia 2015 *spoilers*

[HF2300]

Oleg's new job as DS going well so far...

 

[rich p]

These hills proved far too much for Matthews

 

[smutchin]

I really don't think people should keep calling Matthews a "sprinter" (even in inverted commas). He's a puncheur with a fast finish: exactly the Gerrans or Gilbert kind of rider who can survive the lumps and sprint uphill at the end...

Is he not what you'd call a "finisseur", perhaps? I've never really fully grasped the finer nuances of these terms.

 

[The Couch]

Funny tweet from Tom Dumoulin:

I'm sure 80% of the Giro bunch is like: 'Oh shoot, these are going to be three loooong weeks like this...'

 

[smutchin]

All over the place? It's thrilling bike racing. Have to say the last couple of days are certainly vindicating the organisers' decision to put some short, lumpy stages in this early in the race. (And indeed, just as I started typing this, the commentators made almost exactly the same comment.)

 

[smutchin]

I don't think this display is helping with the reputation of Astana

ES commentator just said: "Astana are riding like machines today"

I have nothing further to add to that.

 

[tug benson]

Think they will pull this back

 

[The Couch]

Uran might actually have a shot at the stage now (since I believe him to be one of the best sprinters of the GC guys)

 

[HF2300]

Think they will pull this back

They're certainly cracking on.

 

[tug benson]

Astana have put in some effort to try and get this back together

 

[rich p]

Formolo One at the mo

 

[smutchin]

Formolo is certainly living up to the hype at the moment.

Hints of Pantani about his climbing style?

 

[Supersuperleeds]

These hills proved far too much for Matthews

I cursed him by picking him on the pundit thread.

 

[tug benson]

Contador with no team mates

 

[robertob]

Wow, just wow. Contader isolated, instead all the blue Astana guys around him - must be scary. We're not even in the 'big' mountains, are we?!