Giro d'Italia *SPOILERS*

[lilolee]

The two ascents of Mt Etna proved too much for veteran Australian sprinters, Robbie McEwen (RadioShack) and Graeme Brown (Rabobank) who both finished outside the time cut."Didn't finish on time (way out actually) on Mt.Etna stage," said McEwen via his Twitter feed. "Giro over for me. Haven't felt good at all. Home, recover & rebuild for June."

The pair finished 59:35 down on the time by stage winner, Alberto Contador.

HTC-Highroad's Mark Cavendish was sparred a similar fate, by a margin of just 30 seconds, 33 minutes ahead of the Australians. Cavendish was escorted to the finishline by teammates Alex Rasmussen and Mark Renshaw while Sacha Modolo (Colnago - CSF Inox), Adam Blythe (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Russell Downing (Sky Procycling) and Danilo Napolitano (Acqua & Sapone) were also in the group.

"Well my legs exploded more violently than the f%&king volcano we were racing up today," said Cavendish via his Twitter feed. "Mount Etna. Twice. In 1 stage. Not nice."

Renshaw wasn't impressed either claiming: "That wasn't cycling today, that was going to hell and back... twice."

So if it wasn't that steep I guess these guys are rubbish

With raindog on this. I loved every minute of those last 5 kms.

 

[lukesdad]

Here we go - someone's won a stage, so he's doped. Contador's style was always a sharp burst of acceleration then ease off and repeat. That's what he did yesterday and Rujano stayed with him untill the last attack where he got dropped and finished 3 seconds behind and Garzelli and Nibs came in 50 seconds down - hardly massive margins. He's attacked on two stages now, to try and put a few seconds on his rivals, which, for me, is fantastic to see. Much better to watch good, attacking riding than to see someone waiting for one climb or a TT to win a GT.

That has always been his style hasn t it. Attack early in a GT then mark his rivals later on.

 

[biking_fox]

I should probably know but don't - How big is the time cut on a stage fo the GT? is it always the same?

 

[lukesdad]

To paraphrase, all the other top riders including the pre-race favourite worked their bollox cleats off and yet Dirty Bertie still took them to the cleaners on a hill that wasn't even steep.

Just saying like!

Must admit rich I prefer his sister Dirty Gertie

 

[HLaB]

Uphill finish. Has he ever been in contention on an uphill finish?

I was just thinking the same today; I think Cav and Thor (doing the ToC) got mixed up!

 

[biking_fox]

Is the slight uphill today too much for him? Or should this be Cav's for the taking ?

 

[HLaB]

You've got to laugh though I bet Cav being slow on hills compared to other pro riders is faster than most amateurs but I do think today given his previous form on slight uphills will be too much for him. Hopefully somebody will correct me and point out that he has won uphill but I don't recall him having done so.

 

[rich p]

Must admit rich I prefer his sister Dirty Gertie

Bertie likes beef but she prefers pork, or so I've heard!

 

[rich p]

Is the slight uphill today too much for him? Or should this be Cav's for the taking ?

I think he'll muller them!

 

[HLaB]

You've got to laugh though I bet Cav being slow on hills compared to other pro riders is faster than most amateurs but I do think today given his previous form on slight uphills will be too much for him. Hopefully somebody will correct me and point out that he has won uphill but I don't recall him having done so.

He has now, I was happily wrong ;-)

 

[raindog]

That's the way to do it. Nice one Cav.

 

[beastie]

Super speed

 

[Crackle]

It wasn't so uphill, fairly flat really. Anyway, put that bloke on the girls mtn bike on a proper bike and he'd have won.

 

[Alessandro Petacchi]

Well done Cavendish .

 

[rich p]

It wasn't so uphill, fairly flat really. Anyway, put that bloke on the girls mtn bike on a proper bike and he'd have won.

He gave it some welly!