Giro d'Italia 2016 ***spoilers***

[Milkfloat]

Very enjoyable stage today - I thought it was going to be boring.

 

[smutchin]

Well, that was far more exciting than it deserved to be. Chapeau, Jungels!

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

This is an excellent Giro.
Made better today by Ulissi winning and me clawing back all the money I had lost to Mr Bet365, and then a nice wee H2H double taking me into profit

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Maybe Sky were listening to me*, because Roche lost 10 minutes today, which may be a cunning strategy which will allow himself to go for a breakaway stage win without being chased down... either that or he's in trouble

*Or more likely Dumoulin, who suggested that he might do the same thing.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Maybe Sky were listening to me*, because Roche lost 10 minutes today, which may be a cunning strategy which will allow himself to go for a breakaway stage win without being chased down... either that or he's in trouble

*Or more likely Dumoulin, who suggested that he might do the same thing.

I'm fairly sure it would have been you.

 

[smutchin]

Many happy returns of the day to...

...Svein Tuft; who most unexpectdly and quite joyously because of it, was wearing the maglia rosa exactly two years ago.
Nice to have a birthday on a GT rest day!

The man with one of the most interesting and unusual back stories in pro-cycling: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/sports/othersports/08cycling.html

I've been writing a feature today on "Unsung heroes of the Tour"* and you'll be pleased to know that I included Svein Tuft in it. Actually, I don't know if "unsung heroes" is really the best title for the piece but they're all riders who have interesting stories and made an impact on the Tour without actually winning the damn thing five times or whatever. So for example there's also Eugene Christophe (but not Lucien Petit-Breton), and Luis Herrera (but not Hinault).

(*yes, I know we're still watching the Giro but publishing deadlines and all that)

 

[rich p]

It's warming up innit.
Sprint fest tomorrow and then it gets tougher. I'm pleased to see that Nibali hasn't suddenly found mega-form.
Bob Jungels must be the best Luxembourger cyclist since, oooh, I dunno...

 

[smutchin]

Bob Jungels must be the best Luxembourger cyclist since, oooh, I dunno...

Kim Kirchen?

 

[Dayvo]

Bob Jungels must be the best Luxembourger cyclist since, oooh, I dunno...

Simone Weis and Jimmy Martin?

 

[Crackle]

Bob Jungels must be the best Luxembourger cyclist since, oooh, I dunno...

I'm glad you told me that. I thought he was a yank.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I see all the FDJ team finished together at the (almost) rear again today, after working hard for Demare to pick up some sprint points earlier in the race. I have a good feeling about tomorrow's stage for him; it's also forecast for thunderstorms which would not suit Greipel on a fairly tight finish. Probably more suited to Demare, Modolo and, dare I say it, Ewan.

Get your money of Greipel, Nizzolo and Hofland

 

[400bhp]

The power of Jungels today. Amador was struggling to stay with him on the flat.

Great racing

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

It's not all plain sailing today for the sprinters, just look at that incline at about 88km...

 

[brommers]

With Greipel pulling out after this stage, expect to see the points contenders contesting the intermediate sprints - all the main sprinters and that man Ulissi! Stage may be more exciting than it appears on paper.

 

[400bhp]

With Greipel pulling out after this stage

Huh??